Well…I’m not really sure what the 5 secrets to happiness are but I can tell you how I nurture my own happiness.

1. I Pray. There was a time when I worried about EVERYTHING! I would drive myself crazy with worry. And, I clearly didn’t understand how some people never worried…like at all! I’ve always believed in God and I’ve always gone to church. However, I didn’t always trust that God would get it right until I read a book about faith. It basically said that you can go through the motions of going to church and having faith; however, until you truly believe that God wants what’s best for you and trust Him, the vicious cycle of worry will continue to haunt you and bring about unhappiness! Moreover, your lack of faith in God to let Him take what worries you is an insult to God. So, when I learned to give it to God, TRULY BELIEVE in the power of prayer and that those unanswered prayers were blessings, that was a happiness game changer.
2. I Choose to be Happy. I’m not saying there aren’t circumstances in life that cause me to be sad or experience discontent. I’m saying that I do my best not to linger in the zone of unhappiness for extended periods of time. Here’s the Why…even if you have a tribe of women to lean on and talk to, everyone has a life with a whole lot of stuff happening. And, people don’t have time to coddle you because you’re unhappy; nor can other people make you happy! Only you can make you happy. You can experience happiness around others, but they can’t make you happy beyond those moments.
3. I Give Myself Pep Talks. When I’m in an unhappy mood, I try to always find the good in what’s around me, regardless of how small the good seems. For example, I woke up this morning. Not a big deal unless you don’t wake up. Do you see what I mean?
4. I Do Not Compare Myself to Others. Ok, sometimes I do! We all do! But, as soon as I recognize that I’m playing the comparison game, I stop! Playing the comparison game peels away so many layers of yourself that you’re left feeling entirely inadequate in every area of your life. You’re choking your ability to move forward. Self-doubt and comparison are soul killers! Your gifts and uniqueness are a beautiful thing! Focus on those, not on what everyone else is doing.
5. I Choose to Love More than I Dislike. Think about that one for a second…I may not always agree with people that are closest to me but I remind myself that I love that person more than I dislike a decision that was made or an event that happened. That’s a game changer!

There you have it! My 5 secrets to happiness really aren’t a secret and happiness certainly isn’t elusive. It’s all about perspective and choosing to find the good instead of dwelling on the bad. When I acknowledged that every experience was an opportunity to learn and grow instead of seeing it as something bad, it totally changed my perspective and happiness meter!

What are your secrets to happiness? How do you maintain happiness in your life? Please share with us!