Sometimes I think I expect happiness to enter my life without invitation and fill my days. I’m learning that consistent happiness is intentional. You know, you can be “okay” and never realize that you’re not very happy.

It can be so subtle.

One day you notice that things around you seem gray. And you wonder why? And, in many cases, nothing bad has happened to cause grief, but nothing has been done on purpose to keep the color in our days.

Ever so slowly, the color drains away, and we’re left feeling blah.

This is such a conviction on my heart right now, we need more happiness! We live in such a busy, overstimulated culture, and I think our spirits are dwindling away inside of us. We need to find things that make us smile and do them!

It takes effort.

I was talking with my son recently, because he makes meaningful happiness a regular part of his life, and he said it’s not always convenient, but he does it. For example, he likes to ride his bike down the trail near where he lives. He loves being out in nature and spotting small animals; it’s become something he does regularly because he knows it positively effects his mind and heart. He lives in an apartment on the third floor, so getting his bike out and riding it is not a simple task, and yet he does it because he knows it’s good for him.

We need more of that in our lives.

Today I went out and sat in the yard with Jake, our Golden Retriever, while he enjoyed the sunshine. To be honest, it was kind of forced because I couldn’t get him to come in. It’s so beautiful and he wanted to be outside, so I thought well, why not? I sat in the shade and petted him while he enjoyed the beauty of it all.

It really did lift my spirits.

What have you done today that makes you happy? And if you haven’t done anything to intentionally increase your happiness level, why not?

Jake