Try Hard To Be Happy

I've mentioned this idea before, and someone told me that it just sounded exhausting.  I think all that is meant by "try hard to be happy" is, don't just wait for happiness to happen to you.  Actively seek to do the kind of things that bring happiness.  Actively choose to think positively.  It is good to know that we have control of our happiness to a very great degree.  There are things we can't decide in life, but we can decide how to think, and how to react, though it can take practice to react in a good way.

I have been focusing on choosing happiness the last few months -- mostly on not giving in to negative thoughts.  I sometimes fail, but often now I can see that it is a choice I am making when I feel too tired to replace the negative thought with something more positive.  Even seeing that I could replace the negative thought renders it a little less powerful!  Heavenly Father gave us the gift of agency.  It is a gift that is super important.  It is a gift that gives us power.  It gives us power to choose what we believe, how we react, what we say, and whether we stay where we are, or move forward.  We have the opportunity to choose forgiveness, hope, and love.

I really like knowing that, if I practice, I can use my agency in a way that will help me be to be more happy, content, and loving.