Hello, Your Highness,
You’re a pretty typical woman, so finding happiness weighs heavily on your mind. It probably bothers you that you ain’t there yet.
Did you ever think you might already have it? Or at least some of it, because it comes in doses more than a blanket thrown over you. Do you know how to find out? Measure it? Evaluate yourself on some kind of happiness scale?
Abraham Lincoln said a man is about as happy as he makes up his mind to be. Not so with women. Women are as happy as they can find and appreciate things for which they are grateful. Gratitude transmutes into happiness in her heart, when she clearly identifies, expresses, and reinforces her gratefulness in her mind.
It’s that simple. But note the part about expressing her gratefulness if only to herself. If she can’t recognize and reinforce that she is grateful, happiness will likely dodge her.
Many women seem caught in this trap: They seek happiness by trying all manner of relationship maneuvers having nothing to do with gratitude. In fact, they often work contrary to their own happiness by focusing on faults and problems that lead only to ingratitude.
How many women do you know that don’t seem grateful for their husbands? Husband’s job? Friends and family? Their own job? Acquaintances and peers? Their kids for themselves rather than accomplishments? Their church? Their community? Kid’s accomplishments? Opportunity and know-how to raise kids into mature adults? The value system that guides their conscience?
In everything be grateful. If one plows deep in their psyche and finds gratefulness that outweighs and outgrows all else, then happiness will likely find them.
NOTE: Thanks to Dennis Prager, talk radio host, for simplifying and clarifying the relationship of gratefulness and happiness.
The posts that you write about a woman needing to be grateful, is a confirmation to me.
About two years ago, I felt that the Lord had opened my eyes and had given me a deeper understanding. Through that experience, hope returned and so much gratefulness. Grateful for many things, but especially grateful for my husband.
This has only blessed me. And your posts confirm this experience.
I read you blog everyday, and share it with my children, and my husband. I am also grateful for what you write. May God bless you and give you even more wisdom. Thank you for sharing. Girls need to read this.
Thank you.
Sincerely, Denise