Who decides whether you shall be happy or unhappy? You
do!
A television celebrity had as a guest on his program an
aged man. And he was a rare old man indeed. His remarks
were entirely unpremeditated. They simply bubbled up out
of a personality that was radiant and happy. And whenever
he said anything, it was so naive, so apt, that the audience
roared with laughter . They loved him. Impressed, the celebrity
enjoyed the situation with the others.
Finally he asked the old man why he was so happy. "You
must have a wonderful secret of happiness," he suggested.
"No," replied the old man, "I haven't any great secret. It's
just as plain as the nose on your face.
When I get up in the morning I have two choices-to be
happy or unhappy. I just choose to be happy."
It may appear that the old man's remark was superficial,
but I recall that Abraham Lincoln, whom nobody could accuse
of being superficial, said that people are just about as
happy as they make up their minds to be. You can be unhappy
if you want to be. It is the easiest thing in the world to
accomplish. Just choose unhappiness. Go around telling
yourself that things aren't going well, that nothing is satisfactory,
and you can be quite sure of being unhappy. But say
to yourself, "Things are going nicely. Life is good. I choose
happiness," and you can be quite certain of having your
choice. To become a happy person have a clean
soul, eyes that see romance in the commonplace, a child's
heart, and spiritual simplicity.
Many of us manufacture our own unhappiness. Of course
not all unhappiness is self-created, for social conditions are
responsible for not a few of our woes. Yet, to a large extent,
by our thoughts and attitudes we distill out of the ingredients
of life either happiness or unhappiness for ourselves. Anyone
who desires it, who wills it, and who learns and applies the
right formula may become a happy person.
If happiness is determined by our thoughts, it is necessary
to drive off the thoughts, which make for depression and
discouragement. This can be done first by simply determining
to do it; second, by utilizing an easily employed technique
which I suggested to a businessman. This man's principal
trouble was in his depressed thought pattern. He
needed an infusion of light and faith.
So rather boldly I said, "If you want to feel better and
stop being miserable, I can give you something that will fix
you up."
"What can you do?" he snorted. "Are you a miracle
worker?"
"No," I replied, "but I can put you in touch with a Miracle
Worker who will drain off that unhappiness of yours and
give you a new slant on life. I mean that," I concluded, as we
separated.
Apparently this businessman became curious, for he got
in touch with me later and I gave him a little book of mine
called Thought Conditioners*. It contains forty health- and
happiness-producing thoughts. Inasmuch as it is a pocketsized
booklet, I suggested that he carry it for easy consultation
and that he drop one of the suggested thoughts in his
mind every day for forty days. I further suggested that he
commit each thought to memory, and that he visualize this
healthy thought sending a quieting and healing influence
through his mind. I assured him that if he would follow this
plan, these healthy thoughts would drive off the diseased
thoughts that were sapping his joy, energy, and creative
ability.
He had his doubts, but he followed my directions. After
about three weeks he called me on the telephone and
shouted, "Boy, this sure works! It is wonderful. I have
snapped out of it, and I wouldn't have believed it possible."
Tomorrow when you arise, say out loud three times this
one sentence, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we
will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). Only personalize
it and say, "I will rejoice and be glad in it." Repeat it in
a strong, clear voice and with positive tone and emphasis.
While dressing or getting breakfast, say aloud a few such
remarks as, "I believe I can successfully handle all problems
that will arise today. I feel good physically, mentally, emotionally.
It is wonderful to be alive. I am grateful for all that I
have had, for all that I now have, and for all that I shall have.
Things aren't going to fall apart. God is here and He is with
me and He will see me through. I thank God for every good
thing."
Throughout the day, base your actions and attitudes upon
fundamental principles of happy living. One of the most
simple and basic of such principles is that of human love and
goodwill. It is amazing what happiness a sincere expression
of compassion and tenderness will induce.
A genuinely happy man is a friend of mine, H. C. Mattern,
who, with his equally happy wife, Mary, travels
throughout the country. Mr. Mattern carries a unique business
card on the reverse side of which is stated the philosophy
which has brought happiness to him and his wife and to
hundreds of others who have been so fortunate as to feel the
impact of their personalities.
The card reads: "The way to happiness: keep your heart
free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect
little, give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine.
Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by. Try
this for a week and you will be surprised."
As you read these words you may say, "There is nothing
do!
A television celebrity had as a guest on his program an
aged man. And he was a rare old man indeed. His remarks
were entirely unpremeditated. They simply bubbled up out
of a personality that was radiant and happy. And whenever
he said anything, it was so naive, so apt, that the audience
roared with laughter . They loved him. Impressed, the celebrity
enjoyed the situation with the others.
Finally he asked the old man why he was so happy. "You
must have a wonderful secret of happiness," he suggested.
"No," replied the old man, "I haven't any great secret. It's
just as plain as the nose on your face.
When I get up in the morning I have two choices-to be
happy or unhappy. I just choose to be happy."
It may appear that the old man's remark was superficial,
but I recall that Abraham Lincoln, whom nobody could accuse
of being superficial, said that people are just about as
happy as they make up their minds to be. You can be unhappy
if you want to be. It is the easiest thing in the world to
accomplish. Just choose unhappiness. Go around telling
yourself that things aren't going well, that nothing is satisfactory,
and you can be quite sure of being unhappy. But say
to yourself, "Things are going nicely. Life is good. I choose
happiness," and you can be quite certain of having your
choice. To become a happy person have a clean
soul, eyes that see romance in the commonplace, a child's
heart, and spiritual simplicity.
Many of us manufacture our own unhappiness. Of course
not all unhappiness is self-created, for social conditions are
responsible for not a few of our woes. Yet, to a large extent,
by our thoughts and attitudes we distill out of the ingredients
of life either happiness or unhappiness for ourselves. Anyone
who desires it, who wills it, and who learns and applies the
right formula may become a happy person.
If happiness is determined by our thoughts, it is necessary
to drive off the thoughts, which make for depression and
discouragement. This can be done first by simply determining
to do it; second, by utilizing an easily employed technique
which I suggested to a businessman. This man's principal
trouble was in his depressed thought pattern. He
needed an infusion of light and faith.
So rather boldly I said, "If you want to feel better and
stop being miserable, I can give you something that will fix
you up."
"What can you do?" he snorted. "Are you a miracle
worker?"
"No," I replied, "but I can put you in touch with a Miracle
Worker who will drain off that unhappiness of yours and
give you a new slant on life. I mean that," I concluded, as we
separated.
Apparently this businessman became curious, for he got
in touch with me later and I gave him a little book of mine
called Thought Conditioners*. It contains forty health- and
happiness-producing thoughts. Inasmuch as it is a pocketsized
booklet, I suggested that he carry it for easy consultation
and that he drop one of the suggested thoughts in his
mind every day for forty days. I further suggested that he
commit each thought to memory, and that he visualize this
healthy thought sending a quieting and healing influence
through his mind. I assured him that if he would follow this
plan, these healthy thoughts would drive off the diseased
thoughts that were sapping his joy, energy, and creative
ability.
He had his doubts, but he followed my directions. After
about three weeks he called me on the telephone and
shouted, "Boy, this sure works! It is wonderful. I have
snapped out of it, and I wouldn't have believed it possible."
Tomorrow when you arise, say out loud three times this
one sentence, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we
will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). Only personalize
it and say, "I will rejoice and be glad in it." Repeat it in
a strong, clear voice and with positive tone and emphasis.
While dressing or getting breakfast, say aloud a few such
remarks as, "I believe I can successfully handle all problems
that will arise today. I feel good physically, mentally, emotionally.
It is wonderful to be alive. I am grateful for all that I
have had, for all that I now have, and for all that I shall have.
Things aren't going to fall apart. God is here and He is with
me and He will see me through. I thank God for every good
thing."
Throughout the day, base your actions and attitudes upon
fundamental principles of happy living. One of the most
simple and basic of such principles is that of human love and
goodwill. It is amazing what happiness a sincere expression
of compassion and tenderness will induce.
A genuinely happy man is a friend of mine, H. C. Mattern,
who, with his equally happy wife, Mary, travels
throughout the country. Mr. Mattern carries a unique business
card on the reverse side of which is stated the philosophy
which has brought happiness to him and his wife and to
hundreds of others who have been so fortunate as to feel the
impact of their personalities.
The card reads: "The way to happiness: keep your heart
free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect
little, give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine.
Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by. Try
this for a week and you will be surprised."
As you read these words you may say, "There is nothing
new in that." Indeed, there is something new in it if you
never tried it. When you start to practice it you will find it
the most astonishing method of happy and successful living
you have ever used. What is the value of having known these
principles all your life if you have never made use of them?
Such inefficiency in living is tragic. For a man to have lived
in poverty when all the time right on his doorstep is gold
indicates an unintelligent approach to life.
Of course in order to give power to these principles of
happiness and make them work it is necessary to support
them with a dynamic quality of mind. You are not likely to
secure effective results even with spiritual principles without
spiritual power. When one experiences a dynamic spiritual
change inwardly, success with happiness-producing ideas
becomes extraordinarily easy. If you begin to use spiritual
principles, however awkwardly, you will gradually experience
spiritual power inwardly. This will give you the greatest
surge of happiness you have ever known. It will stay with
you, too, as long as you live a God-centered life.
the most astonishing method of happy and successful living
you have ever used. What is the value of having known these
principles all your life if you have never made use of them?
Such inefficiency in living is tragic. For a man to have lived
in poverty when all the time right on his doorstep is gold
indicates an unintelligent approach to life.
Of course in order to give power to these principles of
happiness and make them work it is necessary to support
them with a dynamic quality of mind. You are not likely to
secure effective results even with spiritual principles without
spiritual power. When one experiences a dynamic spiritual
change inwardly, success with happiness-producing ideas
becomes extraordinarily easy. If you begin to use spiritual
principles, however awkwardly, you will gradually experience
spiritual power inwardly. This will give you the greatest
surge of happiness you have ever known. It will stay with
you, too, as long as you live a God-centered life.
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