Most folks are about as happy
as they make up their minds to be.
Abraham Lincoln
I know from experience this is true. In the past, I spent lots of time thinking about the negatives in my life. I was so serious about all that was bad that I rarely thought about what was good. What a waste of energy!
It took me some time and hard lessons to learn that being sad and unhappy was how I chose to live, and it didn’t have to be that way. My attitude and perspective needed to be changed. What I thought and how I looked at life was wrong.
I am not a Pollyanna type of person who only sees the good. I know there is bad stuff happening out there. But I have a choice about how I deal with it. I can focus on the ugly things I can’t change and complain about them and be unhappy. Or I can look for the good that may not be easy to see but worth the effort to find it.
I now choose to look at life positively. In the world today, it isn’t always easy to find the good. Sometimes we have to pull out the weeds to see the flowers. It does take a bit of effort but is worth the work.
Image by Sonya Lindberg at Pixabay
Patricia's Place 
To separate the wheat from the chaff. Loved this. Abe’s quote is on a 12 Step Bookmark they give you when you first come into AL-Anon. 🙂
It is a good quote for everyone, especially those who are experiencing personal difficulties.
Abe should know he’s still being heard. 🙂
I consider myself a positive person and choose to be happy. We only go around once so why be unhappy!
It sometimes takes a bit of work to stay happy, but certainly worth the effort.
It is worth the work and it helps the heart be happy and healthier!
Very true!
I love this post and your wise words Patricia. We have to decide if we want to be happy and try to make it happen.
To be happy is a decision we make for ourselves. It is not up to others to make us happy, when they do it is a gift.
Absolutely agree with you