Happiness is…fill in the blank. There are as many definitions as there are people in the world. I used to think that happiness had to do with circumstances, so it was changeable. I have come to believe something very different. Happiness can be fixed and enjoyed on a daily basis, no matter what your circumstances are. Well, some may say, that sounds like joy, which is more profound than happiness and something only God can give: “Your hearts will rejoice and no one will rob you of your joy” John 16:22. True. Yet I am convinced that they are two sides of the same coin.
Real happiness is doing what you are created for-your purpose. It is not altered by the uncertainties of life. Think of it like your name: no matter what you go through or what happens, your name never changes. I’m still Colleen whether I am rich or poor, sick or healthy, etc. My true purpose brings both joy and happiness, emotional and spiritual. It gives me direction and focus. It keeps me going and teaches me patience along the way. It is much more than something to do. It is who I am. When you can live out of your true identity, you experience happiness and joy at their deepest levels.
Did you know we have real names? I don’t often use quotes, but in this case I must quote my mentor, Alain Dagba, as he writes in The Audacity to Dream about what “real name” means: “We are talking about your real name-not your social status or your titles. We are talking about what makes you who you are. We are talking about why God has to create you uniquely as you are, different in features from everyone else”. My real names: I am Writer. I am Teacher. What you have deep inside you are the gifts God is waiting to give to the world to make it a better place. Unwrap yourself today.
If you need assistance on the journey, write me.
