Monday, April 18, 2011

Got Happiness? (3)

Got Happiness?

Much research has been done to determine the causes of mental health issues such as depression, bi-polar disorder, mania, etc., but fewer studies have focused on what causes a person to be happy.  Henry Cloud authored The Laws of Happiness, which highlights the life principles of people who experience higher levels of well-being and happiness.  This article summarizes one of those laws.

Happy people don’t compare themselves.  Using another person’s performance to judge personal worth is unhealthy and sinful.  There is nothing wrong with observing a person and emulating their behavior for the purpose of learning and growing.  However, when we beat ourselves up because another person does something or has something that we want, we are wasting our precious time and energy.  Those types of comparisons and negative self-talk zap our energy and cause depression.  We will receive a performance review at the end of our lives and it is our gifts that will be evaluated to determine whether we embraced, developed and used them to make a difference in God’s Kingdom and in the lives of others.  Galations 6:4-5  -Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.  For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

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