By Zig Ziglar
It’s Healthy To Be Happy
The dictionary says that happiness is the “agreeable sensations which spring from the enjoyment of good. That state of being in which desires are gratified by the enjoyment of pleasure without pain.” Happiness is “positive pleasure or an excitement of agreeable sensations.” Mark Twain said that most of us are “about as happy as we make up our minds to be.”
Psychologists and physicians have long known that happy, cheerful people enjoy better health. It goes back several thousand years to Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, who observed that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” There’s no question but that a cheerful spirit does wonders for your health.
The question is, what’s the best way to be happy? For a long time it’s been my conviction that others can give you pleasure, but the only way you’re going to be happy is to do things for other people. Forest Tennant, M.D., says that serotonin, which is the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, normally hits the system full force at about ten o’clock in the morning. However, we can “jump-start” the flow of serotonin by doing something really nice for someone else.
It doesn’t have to be “earth-shattering.” A simple, sincere phone call to someone you know will do wonders for you and them. Just let them know you were thinking of them and wanted them to know how much you appreciate who they are and what they do. Tell them how much their friendship means to you, how you admire them and that you just want them to know how you feel. It’s amazing how good you will feel about yourself when you pay a sincere compliment to encourage someone else.
Think about it and pick up that telephone to encourage someone else with no thought of benefit to yourself and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP.
Zig Ziglar is known as America’s motivator. He is the author of 29 books and numerous audio and video recordings. See him in action!
