As I sat at my desk Tuesday morning chatting with a friend, we talked of the warmer weather coming this weekend in which I’ll be able to enjoy being back in the saddle again after several days of wet weather in our area.

“And then you’ll be happy,” they said.

To which I replied, “I’m pretty much happy in general these days … by choice … it’s what’s inside and trying hard not to let outside forces influence.”

Wow.  That conversation took a serious turn, didn’t it?  When we were just having a light conversation about the weather, I took it deeper … a whole lot deeper … with what I said in return.

I sat there for a few minutes after the conversation was over and just thought on that for a second.  Then, I took to Twitter where I tweeted, “Happiness is an inside job; a choice not to let outside influences steal the joy down in your heart.”

Have you ever really thought about it?

It is soooo easy to let outside influences steal our joy, isn’t it?  I know at one point I was a negative person, and I have tried so hard to change that.  Stress was coming at me from all angles it seemed, and I caved under the pressure.  I became negative, filled with anxiety, and someone, I’m sure, that wasn’t a pleasure to be around.

Don’t get me wrong.  There are times when you have to put your foot down, and that should not be lumped into the same category as being a negative person when you use your authority as a mother to say to your children that they need to pick up their messes that they continuously make in the house.  If they were toddlers, then of course I’d expect you to just suck it up Mom and clean up after them.  That’s your job.  That’s what you do.  BUT, when your children are 18 and 10, they are perfectly capable of picking up their clothes instead of leaving them on the bathroom floor, slung down the hallway or on the floor in their bedroom.  Telling them to clean up their mess is not being negative in nature.

Now that I got that off of my chest, I’ll move back to my original point in this post.

When once I did let the outside stresses steal my joy, I have worked really hard to not allow that to happen at this stage of the game.  If it does have the potential of ruining my mood, I may only stew in it for a few minutes now whereas in the past I would let it haunt me and torment me.

Put both of your hands together with the sides touching pinky to pinky.  You hold your hands there close to your body for a few minutes as if they are filling up with every single thing that is causing you stress.  Now take those cupped hands and extend it out in front of you.  Lift it up high, and imagine that God is taking ALL of your stresses, worries, and anxieties away right in that instant … because He can, and He will … if you ask Him and if you cast ALL of them onto Him.  Don’t give them to Him for a second or two and then snatch them back out of His strong and mighty hands.  Let God take all of them, every single one.  All you need to do at this point is rest in the assurance that God’s got this … and He’s got YOU, sweet child.

Take a deep breath in, and blow it out.

You can carry on in your day with happiness in your heart once more.

If someone cuts you off in traffic, you may not like it but it isn’t worth losing your joy over.  Yes, you are allowed to verbalize it, but soon after, let it go.

If someone said something really harsh and ugly to you or about you, let it roll off of you like water on a duck’s back.  Don’t marinate in the wrongdoings of others!  It isn’t worth sacrificing your sanity and your happiness.  Instead, give it to God and try praying for that individual that said those things to you.

Happiness is an inside job.  Plain and simple.  You can choose to walk around with a chip on your shoulder, but you can also choose to lift your head up to the heavens and praise God Almighty for LIFE!   Which would you rather do?  Complain, moan and groan, or praise God and thank Him for the many blessings in your life?  If you focus on the latter of the two, your entire outlook will improve, and you will be able to reflect the happiness in your heart on your face for everyone around you to see.

Choose to be happy no matter what comes your way.