The Book of Proverbs gives the answer: Whosoever trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. When you trust in the Lord (the power and wisdom of your subconscious mind) to lead, guide, govern and direct all your ways, you will become poised, serene and relaxed. As you radiate love, peace and good will to all, you are building a superstructure of happiness for all the days of your life.
You Must Choose Happiness
Happiness is a state of mind. There is a phrase in the Bible which says,Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. You have the freedom to choose happiness. This may seem extraordinarily simple, and it is. Perhaps this is why people stumble over the way to happiness; they do not see the simplicity of the key to happiness. The great things of life are simple, dynamic and creative. They produce well-being and happiness.
St Paul reveals to you how you can think your way into a life of dynamic power and happiness in these words: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Phil, 4:8.
How To Choose Happiness
Begin now to choose happiness. This is how you do it: When you open your eyes in the morning, say to yourself, “Divine order takes charge of my life today and every day. All things work together for good for me today. This a new and wonderful day for me. There will never be another day like this one. I am divinely guided all day long and whatever I do will prosper. Divine love surrounds me, enfolds me, and enwraps me, and I go forth in peace. Whenever my attention wanders away from that which is good and constructive, I will immediately bring it back to the contemplation of that which is lovely and of good report. I am a spiritual and mental magnet attracting to myself all things which bless and prosper me. I am going to be a wonderful success in all my undertakings today. I am definitely going to be happy all day long.”
Start each day in this manner; then you will be choosing to be a joyous person.
He Made It A Habit To Be Happy
A number of years ago, I stayed for about a week in a farmer's house in Connemarra on the west coast of Ireland. He seemed to be always singing and whistling and was full of humor. I asked him the secret of happiness, and his reply was: “It is a habit of mine to be happy. Every morning when I awaken and every night before I go to sleep, I bless my family, the crops, the cattle and I thank God for the wonderful harvest.”
This farmer had made a practice of this for over forty years. As you know, thoughts repeated regularly and systematically sink into the subconscious mind and become habitual. He discovered that happiness is a habit.
You Must Desire To Be Happy
There is one very important point about being happy. You must sincerely desire to be happy. There are people who have been depressed, dejected and unhappy so long that were they suddenly made happy by some wonderful, good, joyous news, they would actually be like the woman who said to me, “It is wrong to be so happy!” They have been so accustomed to the old mental patterns that they do not feel at home being happy! They long for the former, depressed, unhappy state.
I knew a woman in England who had rheumatism for many years. She would pat herself on the knee and say, “My rheumatism is bad today. I cannot go out. My rheumatism keeps me miserable.”
This dear elderly lady got a lot of attention from her son, daughter and the neighbors. She really wanted her rheumatism. She enjoyed her “misery” as he called it. This woman did not really want to be happy.
I suggested a curative procedure for her. I wrote down some biblical verses and told her that if she gave attention to these truths, her mental attitude would undoubtedly change and would result in her faith and confidence being restored to health. She was not interested. There seems to be a peculiar, mental, morbid streak in many people, whereby they seem to enjoy being miserable and sad.
Why Choose Unhappiness?
Many people choose unhappiness by entertaining these ideas: “Today is a black day; everything is going to be wrong.” “I am not going to succeed.” “Everyone is against me.” “Business is bad, and it is going to get worse.” “I'm always late.” “I never get the breaks.” “He can, but I can't.” If you have this attitude of mind first thing in the morning, you will attract all these experiences to you and you will be very unhappy.
Begin to realize that the world you live in is determined by what goes on in your mind. Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman philosopher and sage said, “A man's life is what his thoughts make of it.” Emerson, America's foremost philosopher, said, “A man is what he thinks all day long.” The thoughts you habitually entertain in your mind have the tendency to actualize themselves in physical conditions.
Make certain you do not indulge in negative thoughts, defeatist thoughts, or unkind, depressing thoughts. Recall frequently to your mind that you can experience nothing outside your own mentality.
If I Had A Million Dollars, I Would Be Happy
I have visited many men in mental institutions who were millionaires, but they insisted they were penniless and destitute. They were incarcerated because of psychotic, paranoid and manic depressive tendencies. Wealth in and of itself will not make you happy. On the other hand, it is not a deterrent to happiness. Today, there are many people trying to buy happiness through the purchase of radios, television sets, automobiles, a home in the country, a private yacht and a swimming pool, but happiness cannot be purchased or procured in that way.
The kingdom of happiness is in your thought and feeling. Too many people have the idea that it takes something artificial to produce happiness. Some say, “If I were elected mayor, made president of the organization, promoted to general manager of the corporation, I would be happy.”
The truth is that happiness is a mental state. None of these positions mentioned will necessarily bequeath happiness. Your strength, joy and happiness consist in finding out the law of divine order and right action lodged in your subconscious mind and by applying these principles in all phases of your life.
He Found Happiness To Be The Harvest Of A Quiet Mind
Lecturing in San Francisco some years ago, I interviewed a man who was very unhappy and dejected over the way his business was going. He was the general manager. His heart was filled with resentment toward the vice president and the president of the organization. He claimed that they opposed him. Because of this internal strife, business was declining; he was receiving no dividends or stock bonuses.
This is how he solved his business problem: The first thing in the morning he affirmed quietly as follows, “All those working in our corporation are honest, sincere, cooperative, faithful and full of good will to all. They are mental and spiritual links in the chain of this corporation's growth, welfare and prosperity. I radiate love, peace and good will in my thoughts, words and deeds to my two associates and to all those in the company. The president and the vice president of our company are divinely guided in all their undertakings. The Infinite Intelligence of my subconscious mind makes all decisions through me. There is only right action in all our business transactions and in our relationship with each other. I send the messengers of peace, love and good will before me to the office. Peace and harmony reign supreme in the minds and hearts of all those in the company including myself. I now go forth into a new day, full of faith, confidence and trust.”
This business executive repeated the above meditation slowly three times in the morning, feeling the truth of what he affirmed. When fearful or angry thoughts came