10 Happiness Tips From Gordon B. Hinckley
December 3, 2014
Gordon B. Hinckley had a lot of
great things to say, particularly regarding how we can be happy in life. So
here’s a compilation of tips from him!
1.
The purpose of life is to be happy!
Life is to be enjoyed, not endured.
Adam fell so that we might have joy!
Don’t forget that when life gets busy or stressful or overwhelming. If you
aren’t happy, you probably need to make some changes so you will be!
2.
Happiness cannot be achieved if we are selfish or constantly complaining!
Generally speaking, the most
miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the
happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of
others…By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is
because we are thinking only of ourselves.
Complaining can be fun, I know. But
it can also be really detrimental to our happiness. I’ve definitely experienced
what it’s like to create bigger problems that I originally had simply by
complaining too much. So be careful! Stay selfless, and turn outward as often
as possible.
3.
God is in charge when we’re righteous, so always stay positive!
It isn’t as bad as you sometimes
think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning.
It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith
and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake
us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live
worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.
In “The Surprising Science of Happiness” (a TED talk
I HIGHLY recommend to everyone), Dan Gilbert explains that humans have a
tendency to overestimate how bad the outcome of a certain event will be. A
study showed that most of the time, if something happened more than three
months ago, it has no effect on our happiness. They used the example of
people winning the lottery and people become paraplegic. Three months after
both events occurring, both groups of people reported similar happiness levels.
We would do well to remember the
counsel of Mormon 5:23: “Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God?”
4.
We should set realistic goals for ourselves – not impossible ones that will
make us feel like failures.
Aim high, but do not aim so high
that you totally miss the target.
President Hinckley said this with
regards to finding a husband, but it’s definitely applicable in life generally.
Know what truly matters and what doesn’t – you’ll be a lot happier and more
fulfilled. Also, make sure you don’t beat yourself up for not meeting an
expectation you had for yourself. God typically uses positive motivation, while
Satan tries to make us feel “not good enough” and discouraged.
5.
Never underestimate the value of laughing.
In all of living, have much fun and
laughter.
It may not be for everyone, but I
personally love to make jokes about my trials. Making fun of myself makes things
that are hard to bear seem a little lighter. I can think of few things as great
in life as laughing. So do it a lot. Surround yourself with people who make you
laugh, and be someone who sees the humor in different situations.
If you want to laugh until you cry right
now, read this (“Snuggie Texts”). It’s
hilarious.
Go forward in life with a twinkle in
your eye and a smile on your face, but with great purpose in heart.
6.
Pray. K?
Let us never forget to pray. God
lives. He is near. He is real. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He
is our Father. He is accessible to all who will seek Him.
For most of us, prayer is not the
first thing we do when faced with something challenging, or when seeking more
happiness. But it probably should be. Pray when you don’t want to pray. Find
ways to remember to pray. And work on improving your prayers constantly.
7.
Improve your attitude. Specifically, be less negative and more positive.
Stop seeking out the storms and
enjoy more fully the sunlight.
Complaining might feel good
sometimes, but as Elder Holland taught, there is no problem so bad that whining
about it won’t make it worse! According to various studies, around 70% of our thoughts are negative.
I would hope that figure is far less for members of the Church, but either way
– it highlights what a great need there is for more positivity! Positive people
are always the best to be around.
8. Happiness requires work.
The best antidote I know for worry
is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is
even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves
almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.
Most days I wake up and think, “Man,
I wish I didn’t have to work 8-5 today. I would much rather stay in bed and
watch Gossip Girl.” But I go to work, and I feel good at the end of the day. On
days where I give in to my desires and take the day off for no good reason, I
usually feel kind of crappy, or at least, not as happy as I thought I’d be
after a day watching Chase Crawford on screen.
You can’t plow a field simply by
turning it over in your mind.
There have been times in life where
I’m so fixated on being happy that I allow it to stress me out when I think I’m
not “happy enough”. Elder Holland, in a BYUI devotional, said that
we don’t find happiness by charging straight toward it, but by doing things
consistently that lead to contentment. So basically, don’t constantly wonder if
you’re happy enough – just constantly do things that will help you achieve
increased happiness! And that involves a lot of helping others.
9.
Study things that matter.
You can be smart and happy or stupid
and miserable. . . it’s your choice
The glory of God is intelligence,
and God has eternal happiness. So if we want to be like Him, we need to make
the effort to gain intelligence.
10.
Read more.
It is both relaxing and invigorating
to occasionally set aside the worries of life, seek the company of a friendly
book…from the reading of ‘good books’ there comes a richness of life that can
be obtained in no other way.
I’m not much of a reader, unless
it’s a brief online article, but President Hinckley talked a lot about the
value of good books! So I guess we should try and read more. Seriously, there
are like 10 different quotes where he talks about it. Let us know if you think
reading helps your be happier!
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