It should make you happy to know there really is a World Happiness Report. And given the events of the past five years, it might not surprise you that – according to the 2013 World Happiness Report (PDF download) – North American countries are less happy than they were five years ago.
But before you say, “Of course, people aren’t happy because of Obama, etc.,” you should realize that happiness doesn’t depend on who holds a political office, nor really does it depend on any other outside force. Scientific research has proved what some of us understood inherently – happiness is a choice you have complete freedom to make, and it depends almost entirely on you.
So if someone on the street asked you if you were happy -- what would you say?
Here are some characteristics of people who have a happy disposition:
You want others to share in your happiness.
You don’t sweat the small stuff.
In fact, you appreciate the little things.
You’re proud of other people’s successes.
Living in the moment is very important to you.
You’re in a healthy relationship (and not just with your significant other).
When something is stressing you out, you know how to calm down.
Making new friends seems to come easy for you.
There’s nothing keeping you tossing and turning at night.
Just about every one of these factors depends entirely on you and on the way you think. The one factor that doesn’t depend entirely on you is the healthy relationship, but even there, people who think in ways consistent with happiness are much more likely to be in relationships with other happy people because happy people think in such a way that lends itself to good choices.
And if you’re a fundamentally happy person, that has a tendency to rub off on others, especially a spouse.
So how can you be happy when liberals are foisting their foolishness on America? Because you’re bigger than that! Conservatives believe their lives do not depend on what government does, right? So then don’t let it. When the government is on the wrong track, we have a responsibility to try to make that right, but that doesn’t mean we should forfeit our happiness in the process.
I tell you at the start of every show that I want you to be informed and inspired. I don’t say I want you to be angry and miserable.
It’s liberals who think people need government to be happy. Conservatives should recognize the power to be happy rests entirely within them.
If you’re whistling Bobby McFerrin right about now, fine. There’s more to it than “don’t worry, be happy,” but that advice is correct. Worrying won’t get you anywhere. Think like a happy person, take action to right what’s wrong, and enjoy the process of doing so.
Make the choice to be a happy person, and to think the way happy people think. No one can stop you. Oh, and if it helps to motivate you, know that you might drive a liberal crazy in the process!
