Be Happy

Once, our Chemistry teacher got a little mad because we were not very prepared to listen to her subject. The afternoon of that same day too, our Math teacher also fumed as he remembered that the other Friday, our section didn’t attend his class, and instead, all went home for they assumed that there were no classes because our school was the host of the 2009 City Athletic Meet.
Well, I wasn’t one of those who went home; I attended a training with few of my classmates. But if I had been with them that time, I know that I would never have any plan at all to go home.
But, anyhow, the point is that they were angry, that’s it. And as I had seen, they quite had the right reasons to be. Perhaps, it is also necessary to get mad sometimes, especially for the ‘superior ones’ so they can remind their ‘juniors’ of how they should manage things the proper way.
Nevertheless, let’s agree to talk about the brighter side. How about being happy? That’s nicer than to actually burst into anger. Yeah, both emotions were made, but choosing to be happy makes things better. In the case of ‘us’ scolded by our teachers, I still think that they could have acted more suitably in a nicer manner. I mean, they had options other than getting angry, but they were not able to consider to other better ways.
The situations of life don’t always seem to revolve the perfect way we want it to be, yet in spite of every blemish, you can still come across some ways of happiness. In order to be utterly happy, the only thing necessary is to refrain from comparing this moment with other moments in the past, which people often do not fully enjoy because they are comparing them with other moments of the future.
So, allow me to share a concept on how to be happy. This from something I’ve encountered, which I know is really essential; The Seven Rules to be Happy:
The first thing of all is to: never hate. That’s a big thing to do, isn’t it? But, if you get your path away from hating, it will be an even bigger impact to yourself and others. Perhaps, it won’t be that easy to do. So, first, avoid hating, then little by little, you’ll see yourself not even hating anymore. You will, at that time, have a lighter heart
Second rule: Don’t worry. It is true that one of the reasons why we can’t completely be happy is anxiety. We worry a great deal about what happens to us or about what should be done next. We, students, for instance, worry a lot about our assignments, projects, exams, quizzes, and money even. Not worrying doesn’t really mean not doing anything at all. It’s just a matter of taking things easily but doing what it takes with everything.
Next: Live simply. We dream big dreams, but that should not make you act as if you’re already living with you dream. And even if you’ve already achieved your dreams, still, you’ll be happier if you live simply.
Fourth and fifth, this always goes together: Expect little and give lot. A famous saying is ideal for this: It’s better to give than to receive. This is true. When you give you must offer by heart and not wait for something in return. When you do both of these things, being happy won’t be hard, for giving keeps you in high spirits and expecting little doesn’t give hatred with what you do.
Sixth: Always smile. Where in the world can you see a happy person frowning? Or the other way, when did a frowning person ever become happy? This is a kind of package deal, when you choose to be happy, smile; when, you smile, be happy. Smiling diffuses a lot of anger and angst. It makes your body and soul feel better, making you happy.
Now, the last but never the least, this, in fact is the most important rule of all: Have Jesus in your heart. The other six rules can’t be completely done without doing this first. Having Jesus in your heart is actually all it takes to be happy. For if you have him, you have peace, courage, love and the happiness. So, let him reign in your heart.
Now, let me ask you, if all these things go together when you’re happy, will you still choose to be sad? You see now, when you’re happy you never hate, you do not worry, you have every good thing including the Lord in your life.
It is a fact that troubles, setbacks and problems are parts of life. And if you let yourself be drowned with those, it’s just the same as allowing yourself to be invaded by evils. But if you opt to happy, somehow, it is a simple way of struggling on your own.
If the Seven Rules above is still a somewhat big deed to add to your life, there’s yet another simpler set of rules for happiness by Alice Freeman Palmer:
1. Commit something good in your memory.
2. Look for something pretty everyday.
3. Do something good for somebody everyday.
These three things are not that hard to do, are they? You can at all time place a good thing in your mind, a single important thing which you want to keep and see if you were blind will mean a lot to you. Then the second is not hard to do, either, you can walk past a park or anything which is nice to you, just so you can realize that little things are beautiful, and the last mention of Ms. Palmer, do something good for somebody. This, again, may be tough at first but once you get used to it, you can just breathe it out and tell your self how easy it is. Now one more important thing is to never skip a day doing any of these, this is for you to be able to go deeper every time, for you to realize that it is nice to be happy.
I know that other than all these things I’ve said, there are lots more other rules on being happy. This just shows that there are many means of happiness. Anyone can make their own rules, actually, just as long one never gets to the bad sides. But for those who still haven’t realized the good outcomes of being happy, can stick to the rules made by others until they appreciate everything.
In any case, it is your choice to be happy as Roman writer, Pubilius Syrus said, “No man is happy who does not think of himself so.” If you choose to be happy now, you’ll as well be happy in the future, by the memory of the happy times you spent.
Ending this, I like to say one more thing: always remember that every 60 seconds of your life you spend upset is a minute of happiness you can never get back.