5 Habits To Happiness Revealed

    I have pondered, considered, studied, and meditated about the 5 Habits that bring me happiness. This  started when I was I was reading Happier At Home by Gretchen Rubin. She said,"To be happier, I have to notice what I’m doing, and why, and how it makes me feel." I have tested her quotation and here are 5 Habits To Happiness, just for me.

Habit #1-Prayer and Meditation

      Now I must be truthful here and say that prayer is not a habit, yet, for me. I don't do it without thinking. It remains for me, in this stage of my life, a practice to be remembered every day. Luckily I have promptings from the Spirit to do so often and I have learned to obey. In other words when I feel moved to pray I do so no matter where I am, on my knees. The culmination of years of prayer when prompted, have brought much fruit. I remember some experiences vividly, with many sensory feelings attached. Like the morning I was preparing to teach an Institute lesson and my mind was reeling with facts and ideas. I was in my office and I knew I should pray, right then. I kneeled against my black, uneven office chair and poured out my heart. As I sat up to continue working my lesson sorted itself out in complete order. I wept for the beauty of the blessing.

   I can and have gone the whole day without prayer. But, I know for sure that a day without prayer does not make a happy day. Today I am fasting and praying for my little two-year old granddaughter who is having a procedure to check on a problem in her Urinary Tract. It needs to heal or she faces surgery in the next year. Each prayer has made me connect to her and our days together. I visualize her happy smile and see her hug her mommy so tight. She is precious to me and when I pray I know she is precious to my Heavenly Father. Prayer does that. It is like glue, a heavenly agent that connects us to God and He in turn blesses us with divine stickiness to connect us more tightly to our families and friends. As to fasting, I need to confess that it is way hard for me. Food and wellbeing go hand in hand in my life. To go 24 hours without food is challenging. I always wish the time would go faster so the end comes quickly, but that's the thing about fasting; you need to be conscious of your feelings to fully appreciate your offering. I am not fully developed in this area but continue to practice.

   So, my first Habit of Happiness is the contemplative act of prayer and meditation. It makes me happy, satisfied, and at peace. The fasting part is still under observation. Stay tuned for the other four habits to come.