How Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment, and Unmet Expectations

The motto on the front door says “Happiness happens when you get.” The sign on the lesser-used back door counters “Happiness happens when you give.

Happiness is less an emotion and more a decision, a decision to bear with one another.

Pray for people. Serve more. Practice patience. And, bring the best out in people.

Happiness is found by giving it away.

1.​Encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11). 2.​Bear with one another (Eph. 4:2). 3.​Regard one another as more important (Phil. 2:4). 4.​Greet one another (Rom. 16:16). 5.​Pray for one another (James 5:16). 6.​Serve one another (Gal. 5:13). 7.​Accept one another (Rom. 15:7). 8.​Admonish one another (Col. 3:16). 9.​Forgive one another (Eph. 4:32). 10.​Love one another (1 John 3:11).

Do this for someone. Ask someone to tell you his—or her—story. Resist the urge to interrupt or correct. Turn off the television. Log off from the internet. Close your laptop; silence your cell phone. Give the rarest of gifts: your full attention.

Happiness happens when you give.” Doing good does good for the doer.

People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be—not what you nag them to be.

Happy are the unentitled! Expecting the applause of others is a fool’s enterprise! Do yourself a favor and assume nothing. If you go unnoticed, you won’t be surprised. If you are noticed, you can celebrate.