Today, I am proud to present the conclusion of the article from Dave Willis of Marriage Today. His article discusses ten rules for a happy life. I pray it blesses you as much as it blessed me. 10 Rules for a Happy Life Part 1
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Be an encourager; not a critic.
Your words have the power to build up or tear down. Be an Encourager. The world has plenty of critics already. The tone of your words will shape the tone of your life. When you choose to encourage others, they’ll be more likely to encourage you and the happiness you give will come back to you. We usually receive back the very things we give, so give good things in your words and your actions.
#5 might change your perspective on how you see yourself…
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Don’t take yourself too seriously.
You’ve got to be able to laugh at yourself. Don’t try to be impressive; just be real! There’s nothing more impressive than authenticity. Remember that God never told you to impress people; only to love them. Loving others is much easier when we’re not always trying to appear a certain way.
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Don’t take your mission too lightly.
While we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously we should take our mission very seriously. Our “missions” have to do with the jobs we do that are bigger than ourselves (like raising kids, sharing our faith, working to provide for a family, etc.). Those tasks can and should still be fun as much as possible, but we can’t take those responsibilities lightly. Working hard at the right things leads to happiness and a legacy reflecting a life well-lived.
#7 reveals one of the most important decisions you’ll EVER make…
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Choose a positive attitude even in negative circumstances.
You can’t always control your circumstances, but you can always control your attitude. Choose to have a good one. Choose to see the best in every situation. In Philippians 4:8, the Bible commands us to focus our thoughts on the positive. This isn’t just blindly choosing optimism or the “power of positive thinking,” but it’s a conscious choice to let the change start within us that we hope to see around us.
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Pray when you feel like worrying.
Prayer doesn’t have to be a cold, mindless ritual. God invites us into a life-giving, life-changing conversation with Himself. Prayer reminds us that God is with us, He is for us and He is bigger than whatever we’re facing. Prayer doesn’t always change our circumstances, but it can always change our perspective!
#9 could bring happiness faster than nearly anything on this list…
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Give thanks when you feel like complaining.
The act of venting or complaining doesn’t actually make us feel better. It gives us the temporary illusion of feeling better, but then we quickly feel worse than we felt before. Gratitude is God’s remedy for negativity. When you feel like complaining, start thanking Him for all the blessings in your life. You’ll discover that it’s nearly impossible to be thankful and stressed at the same time.
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Keep going when you feel like quitting.
When you feel like giving up and when things seem “impossible,” KEEP GOING. Perseverance isn’t just on the path to happiness; it IS the path to happiness! Don’t let setbacks derail you. Don’t let discouragement get you sidetracked. Keep going. Stay the course. God is with you and there are great days ahead!
Dave and Ashley Willis have built a strong following, reaching millions of married couples through their blogs, books, and videos. Get Dave and Ashley’s most popular resources for couples and groups. Their mission is to create resources focused on building Christ-centered marriages and families.
You can also follow Dave and Ashley at Marriage Today.
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