"Don't Worry Be Happy"

Is it really any body's fault but our own if we have a bad day?

Some of us may instinctively say "yes". With all the outside influences we come across on a daily basis it is hard to take full responsibility for our thoughts and feelings. A lot of times blaming outside influences is easier but it is a rarity when easier equals better.

Did you know that it has been proven that the simple acts of smiling and standing up straight can actually make people feel better? It is true, try it. I dare you. Make a pledge to smile at every person you see for just one day. And make a conscious effort to stand up straight with your shoulders back. I guarantee that by the end of the day you feel happier and better about yourself. You will even have more energy than you usually do.

It is simple little steps like this that can put you on the road to success. When you stand up tall and smile you start to feel better about yourself, in return others start feeling better about you too. It is an endless cycle of positive energy. You feel better about yourself, so others feel better about you, you attract more positive people and things into your life, you feel even better about yourself, people begin to feel even better about you, and so on....

Do you know that it actually takes much more energy to be angry than it does to be happy. Think back to the last time you had a bad day. Maybe someone cut you off while driving or maybe someone took "your" parking spot. They made you so mad that the thought of getting back at them just consumed you. The next thing you know your stubbing your toe, you drop your lunch on the floor, and by the end of the day you have 2 paper cuts. By the time you get home all you have is complaints to tell your spouse. Your irritability causes an argument and you end up going to bed with heartburn. And although you are exhausted by the terrible day you just had, for some reason you can't seem to fall asleep. This lack of sleep is setting you up for an even worse day tomorrow.

Does this scenario sound vaguely familiar to anyone? Of course it does, we have all had days like this. The key to success and happiness is to not let a small incident ruin your whole day.


You are the boss of yourself. You are the only one who can tell yourself how to think, feel, and act. You must make a conscious decision and choose to be happy. It may take some effort at first but I promise it will get easier with practice.

Lets review the above scenario to see where we could have stopped the negative chain of events.

Lets start with the very first event, getting cut off while driving. Chances are the person whom cuts you off has no clue who you are. It probably was an accident or maybe they are just a bad driver, but I seriously doubt they were waiting for you to come along just so they could get in front of you. Maybe their daughter is having a baby. Maybe they have to use the bathroom. Or maybe they are just running late. Whatever the reason, it has nothing to do with you, so let it role off your back and say a prayer that they get where they are going safely.


The parking spot swiper is a common mood breaker. It happens to people everyday. Like the bad driver, the parking spot swiper probably has no clue who you are. It is possible that they didn't even see you or maybe they truly believe the spot should be theirs. Either way it is no big deal. In fact, all of us could use a little exercise. I actually make it a habit to locate the cart return that is farthest from the store and I park as close to it as possible. This almost always ensures that I get the spot that I want. I get a little exercise getting to and from the store. There is less congestion that far from the store, so I don't have to worry about someone waiting for me to load up the car and leave so they can get my spot, and I am conveniently located near the cart return so I can easily put my cart away.

Things like stubbing your toe, dropping your lunch on the floor, and getting a paper cut are just accidents and for the most part they are out of your control. Although you may have noticed things like this happen more frequently when you are already in a bad mood. This is because when you are aggravated and irritable you are unfocused and clumsy which in turn causes more accidents.

I think you get the point. One thing leads to another. You can start a cycle of negativity or you can start the cycle of positive energy flowing around you. If you let the little things get to you they will consume you until they ruin your day, your week, your month, and eventually your year. Make your mind up and start being happy. When you feel there is nothing to be happy about, just remember happiness is a state of mind and it is okay to be happy for no reason at all. It will benefit yourself and everyone around you.

It is your responsibility to choose. Take a step in the right direction by choosing to smile, stand up tall, and be happy. By doing this you can do your part to make this world a better place.