By Dr. Verna Cornelia Price
Human Potential Expert – Author – Motivational Speaker
Recently, I asked my 20 year old, summer intern what she would do differently if she could redo last year’s college experience. She responded, “I would decide to be happy, sooner” I thought “Wow, she’s got it!!” I was at awe of her response because it took me almost 30 years to understand this secret to life. If I had understood this simple but powerful perspective to life when I was 20 years old, it would have dramatically changed many of my reactions to life’s challenges. It would have also changed some of my key choices in life such as who to marry, who to love, who to help, and what kind of career to pursue. When you are not happy, you cannot make informed and productive choices. Why? Because your frame of mind, your “internal dialogue” is too focused on resolving your unhappiness. Now that I have decided to be happy, my thoughts, my actions and my attitude is now about my hopes, dreams and future instead of the past, the emotional pain, the negative people or difficult circumstances. For me, living life in a “happy” state has meant learning to understand that I am a powerful woman who can change my life and positively influence the lives of others. I can say that I am no longer moved by life’s difficulty or circumstance, because I have DECIDED to be happy. Happiness has cleared my mind by giving me a path of hope. With hope, I can face and solve the difficulties that may come into my life.
Using my power of choice to DECIDE on happiness is my first secret to being happy. Another secret has been my personal journey to discover WHO I am in heart, mind, soul and spirit. I really began to understand this when I discovered Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Now, I am bold and courageous in my work and life because I know that GOD is on my side. The third secret is learning to add to someone else’s life by serving others. My life is not just about me. So I work EVERYDAY to be an Adder to others in my family, my community, my world. The fourth secret is staying younger, longer. I refuse to get old, retire, or any of that. I stay younger, longer because I do the work that I love to do. That means that everyday, I wake up happy in soul and spirit, with a smile, energy, and passion for the new day. That’s true happiness!