★Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time

Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,’ he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. Mr. Jones, you haven’t seen the room; just wait.’ ‘That doesn’t have anything to do with it,’ he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged … it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. ‘It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I’ll focus on the new dayand all the happy memories I’ve stored away.. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing. ‘Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less.

thank you for this beautifull story

“deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories”

that is definatly going to be made into a sampler.

yes Godscreation..great thoughts in your great story(:

Accidental Note posted this on a thread:

When you come FROM ‘happiness’, you do certain things because you ARE happy — as opposed to the old paradigm in which you did things that you hoped would MAKE you happy. When you come FROM ‘wisdom’, you do certain things because you ARE wise, not because you are trying to get to wisdom. When you come FROM ‘love’, you do certain things because you ARE love, not because you want to have love. Everything changes; everything turns around, when you come FROM ‘being’, rather that seeking to ‘be’… Here is the divine dichotomy. The way to get there’ is to ‘be there’. Just BE where you choose to GET! There’s nothing you have to do. You want to be happy? Be happy. You want to be wise? Be wise. You want to be love? Be love.

~ Neale Donald Walsch

A few years ago I was told a similar sentiment, happiness is a choice. Like all of us here, I’ve had some tough times – but generally I’m happy. I’m choosing to be happy. I’m fighting to be happy. Why waste a day (week, month, year) being unhappy?

I love the five rules.

And remember, don’t believe everything you think.

Wow – you guys are wonderful.

Love Mary’s story and the five rules of happiness and love Laurie’s poems….

So true….its all about attitude. So lets have an attitude of gratitude!!!

Am truly blessed to know you guys!

Stay well and happy…
Lots of love xx

I’m glad to have had the opportunity to read this story as I had to discover for myself not long ago that happiness is a choice. Never something that one should expect to be given from another nor something to be waited for. Happiness , like many other gifts are found within the deep well of oneself. The well was placed there by God. But it will not pump water unless we tap into it.

love this older post from 2010 AND I Love the title! from Mary->thought I’d resurface it(:

I receive so much from everyone here... 

Life is a gift, I allow presents from everyone & find something to inspire everywhere!!!!

I choose Happiness ahead of time!!!Thank you for this awesome thread Godscreation!

 

 

 

 

and here’s a related item from Wayne Dyer(:
Happiness-Wayne Dyer

 

 

In response to Godscreation’s post: reminds me of this:

We do decide ahead of time to perceive from our heart or interpretations we conveniently throw together. The heart wins! 

Here's another little inspiration I like:

 ‘Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less.

If you want to be sad, no one in the world can make you happy. But if you make up your mind to be happy, no one and nothing on earth can take that happiness from you ~ Paramahansa Yogananda