If people were to describe you in one word, what would it be?

I thought about that this weekend as I was going through a box of keepsakes. In many old letters, I noticed several friends wrote down that when they think of me, they get the word: “happy”. Warmed my soul.

It reminded me of a statement that an old roommate made about me last year: “I can’t ever imagine you depressed.” It floored me, because I wasn’t always like this. I spent a lot of my youth just generally bummed out about life. And then in my 20s, I was always lamenting whatever I didn’t have.

However, something about my 30s has filled me optimism. I wish I could tell you what it is, but I simply determined to enjoy my life. I want to be happy. I seek out happy things, and miraculously happiness seems to find me.

Pastor and author Joel Osteen is famous for speaking up for happiness and the importance to practice it every day. Here’s a clip from an interview that Beliefnet did with him:

Happiness is always a choice. You can’t wait for circumstances to get better. You have to create your own good fortune. So look for ways to be happy every day.

“Seek and ye shall find.” Read the follow-up blog: What Makes You Happy?

More Wisdom from The Osteens:
Joel Osteen on the Creative Power of Words
Become a Better You
Victoria Osteen Says ‘Love Your Life’