10 THINGS TO MAKE YOU HAPPY!

10 THINGS TO 

MAKE YOU HAPPY

1- Reconnect with an old friend.

Even if it's for a cup of coffee or a small night on the town, find yourself enjoying the friends you once looked forward to spending time with. Perhaps it's a get together in your home or a friend's home, make it a themed event, a potluck, or movie night, but plan it. You will be so happy to have found time to celebrate each other's accomplishments, remember good times and maybe laugh like crazy. Whether you keep connecting or just have this one time event, you'll know you went out of your way to create a memorable time with people that were special in your past. Texting, emailing, and phone calls are great! 
But, it's the heart to heart personal time that will make it all worth it.

2-Plan a Surprise!

I don't think you need a lot here. Just some creativity will make it work. Surprise your spouse with their favorite home cooked meal. Have tea time with your children. Bake some cookies and cakes and make it a special treat day. Surprise your spouse or your children by treating them to a movie night, outdoors or rented, but don't forget the popcorn and goodies. Have a date night. In my home, we also plan date nights with our kids. We take them out one at a time and do their favorite things that day. We also have family night and I can tell you it so keeps the family together. It's a lot of fun and they feel so special. Visit someone that's been wanting to see you for a while. If you know someone is in the hospital, take time to go bring some sunshine into that room. Oh, the joy that you will bring!

3-Return to Old Hobbies or Dormant Talents

When I was a child, I loved writing poetry and stories. So, yes, that's not what I would start doing again. The artist in me was pretty alive and it was a great feeling to sketch or be creative. Later on as a teenager, I learned to play the guitar in order to accompany myself when I sang. I miss those days very much. 

What's in you that is sleeping? What did you use to do very well or sort of well that brought great joy to your life?

Did you take photographs? Did you write songs? Were you a great speaker? Did you have dreams of doing something amazing and then it all died as adulthood took over and you had to take on life's responsibilities?

There's still time. Go back to those hobbies, talents and gifts hidden deep inside of you, waiting to be released again. Oh, they are crying out, "Set me free!" Will you listen? I hope you do. You see, when you do, you will be very pleased.

4- Get rid of the junk and the clutter

If you're like me, you've probably moved around a lot. I went from owning my own, very big home to going back into a tiny apartment. Although I gave most of my things away, the things I did keep ended up in bins and boxes. Yes, I've tried hard to go through stuff and discard the unnecessary things. But, oh do we collect and keep things sentimentally. If it's been in that box for a super long time, it's just in the way. My plan is to truly go through everything and declutter. Even things that are from my childhood are going to go through the sifting process. Enough is enough! Clutter creates a mess and an home that is unorganized becomes a sad place. A clean, organized home breeds happiness. Create a space where your family feels happy and proud to share.

5- Rearrange the Furniture

I think I hear my kids saying, "No, mom, not again!"

So, yes, I confess, I'm always looking for ways to redesign our living space. It's just that the room looks like we just moved in or everything old is new again. I love changing furniture, linens, curtains, photos, and the whole look. For a few months we live in a cottage, then we go country, and then, well, as modern as I might attempt, it usually ends up a rustic barn, eclectic style with whatever I have.

What about you? Are you stuck and don't know how to rearrange your space. Get some dinner together and invite those friends or family members that will courageously take this venture on with you. You can do it. I'm telling you. When you transform a space in your home, there is such a peace and renewed desire to spend time in your home alone or with loved ones. Go ahead. I dare you to try. 

6- Take back what belongs to you

Last year, I loss hope many times during many difficulties because I didn't feel equipped to tackle them. Do to this, I resigned from my teaching position at that moment. I won't go into the details of the wrong done towards me. But, I will tell you that this experience has made me ready to take back what belongs to me. I worked so many years to be the best at what I did and in minutes, it was all gone. 

What has been taken from you? 
Work, health, an apartment or house, relationships, career, ministry, leadership position, friendships?
You know what you need to do in order to reconnect with the right people and get things in motion to get what you have lost replaced. It may not be easy. Pray and trust the Lord. I know I will and I must. Rise up and be encouraged today to take back what belongs to you.

7- Love people for who they are

We work hard at trying to change people so they fit into our idea of correctness or perfection. We go out of our way trying to change ourselves so we can be accepted into groups that truly will not only never embrace us but have totally different agendas from ours. As imperfect people, we walk around behaving as if we have all the answers and if anyone is going to be our friend, they have to be like us. In order to be happy, we need to accept people as they are. As a Christian, this doesn't mean I am accepting any lifestyle or belief that goes against my faith. It does mean that my heart has to be open to love and receive everyone because God is love. 

We need to love people regardless of our differences. We need to love people because when they see we are actually touchable and open to listen, they will share their life with us and not see us as a fake, phony and hypocrite. 

8- Give yourself away

"In order to truly be happy, wrap yourself up in God's love and give yourself away to people."
-quoting Tito Santiago@GlobalNoize.org, 
You Tube TV

Find out what people around you need. Bless them in the way you can. Maybe you don't have the finances to give people a financial blessing, but your time, and your prayers are a gift people need. They need your ears to listen and hear their hurts, their dreams and their stories. They need your time to just sit and have a meal with them. Imagine the idea of wrapping yourself in God's love? That's a perfect love that loves the rich and poor alike. God's love can embrace the well dressed and the beggar alike. God's amazing love reaches out to the person that is hurting just as much as to the person enjoying their vacation time.
Imagine, joy can come from being wrapped and immersed 
in that love so that you can then give yourself away.

9- Discover reading The Bible all over again

Regardless if you're a believe or not, The Bible is a timeless classic and best seller that is forever inviting us to come, walk through the pages with an open heart and allow the Message to become part of our lives. As a child, the Bible's message gave me hope even when I didn't know what having God in your heart meant. The Bible was given to me as a gift by someone who meant it as a joke, but what a blessing they gave me. I loved reading it before I fell asleep and my world was opened to a God that invited me to ask and I would receive, to believe and all things are possible.

I know what you're saying. "I read that whole Bible already and had to read it all over again in Seminary or Bible school. I listen to the pastor read it in church. I know the Bible by heart."

My challenge would be, read it again, but as if it were your first time. Invite the Lord's presence to be with you, talk to you, guide you and reveal the treasures inside as if you were a child, looking into a snow globe and wondering how did it get inside.

10- Have a "YOU" Day!

What makes you smile? A good book? Old movies? Watching reruns of "That's 70s Show?", walking in the snow, sitting in the park on a sunny day, Laying on the beach and falling asleep? Then do it!

What gets your heart feeling all fuzzy and excited? For some ladies, getting their nails or hair done and for some men, working in their garage, on their car or just in their man cave. Then go for it! Do it.

I like having a really hot cup of coffee, in comfy pjs, a good book or movie and a snack of crackers and cheese. A nice warm blanket to cover my feet while I relax on the recliner. That's me time.

Some people just like to sleep in for a day. You have permission to have a YOU day because it will most definitely make you HAPPY!

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