My Somewhat Cheesy 10 Keys To Happiness List!

1. Love is essential. Not the romantic comedy love or the valentines day love, or the way you love the new tv show. The definition of love that is first and foremost an action, accompanied by emotion, that has the purpose to grow the person spiritually is the real kind of love. Humans will always be short of the Agape love that God shows unto us, but when you truly act upon love for the spiritual growth of another, for everyone, then that is when true living begins.

2. Not all days have happy endings or happy beginnings. Everyday will present challenges, some tragic, some easily conquered, and some that threaten to make life harder than it should be. These days are what shapes character, and seeking positivity and faith when you don't see the sunshine is what is conducive to loving your life and living it to the fullest.

3. You are here to serve, not be served. Speaking in a completely stereotypical and very broad way, people like to have things done for them, to be served in life. You go to restaurants to be served, hair salons, department stores, all places where peoples jobs are to serve you, and it feels good. However, once you truly serve others, subserviently removing yourself to happily adjust to the needs of another, then you can find the purpose and fulfillment that being a loving servant to others brings.

4. A smile goes a long, long, long, way.

5. It's in the small things. Appreciating the little gifts of joy that life gives you is so important. The sweet voicemail your grandma left you, the email from a friend, the penny you find face up, the stranger who opens the door for you. These moments, whatever they may be, should be treasured for the moments that you don't see the bigger things as well.

6. Life gets messy, nobody's perfect, and chocolate makes everything better!

7. If you have a people around you who you love and they love you back, do whatever it takes to not lose them.

8. Always thank God for what you have and who He is and what He did. What if you had today only what you thanked him for yesterday?

9. You should listen more than you speak. (still working on this one!)

10. Like Forest Gump said with, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get," and C.S. Lewis' words that "There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind," I try to remember that it's not my plans for this world that my life takes, and I must trust in the far, far better life that the God who created me planned for.