Youthfulness comes with a lot of struggles, some natural, others not. While we are transitioning from childhood to adulthood, there are a lot of challenges we will face especially as Christian young people.
This article highlights 8 things to do for a more happy and fulfilled life. It does not mean that all your sadness and worries will automatically dissapear, but you’ll find really helpful tips that will make it less miserable.
1. Be Grateful
Human beings are insatiable. There is no end to what you will ever need or want as long as you are alive in this world.
Good health, food to eat, air to breathe, water to drink, clothes to keep us warm and a roof over our head are all we really need. Other worldly made necessities are good to have but they are not very essential. You do not need the latest IPhone, you can do without buying that expensive dress. You must not go on a vacation every single year!
The reason why many people think their lives are miserable is because they do not have these other luxuries that are man made. Instead of sulking over the things you do not have, focus on the things you do have.
Getting sullen over the things you wish you had will not automatically make you have them. Never let your longing for the extra luxuries of life be the reason for your sadness. In the end, we will all leave the world as we entered it: with nothing!
Count your blessings and name them one by one and find out how much you have to be thankful for. You will be amazed at the wonderful things the Lord has done for us that we often take for granted.
Task: Write out Five things you’re grateful for and why, everyday for the next 7 days. Be detailed and concise. E.g “I am grateful that I have food to eat because there are so many starving people in the world and I wouldn’t like to be one of them”
“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-7, ESV
2. Don’t compare
Human comparison is a recipe for disaster. You can learn to appreciate your life and that of others without comparing either, so why make yourself sad unnecessarily?
Surely, comparison can sometimes be a fuel to work harder, but mostly it does just the opposite: discourage and destroys the spirit.
Mr Tunde has a new car and you don’t, so what?
Anita has gotten married and no man has even approached you… And so?
Why bother yourself with such baseless thoughts? If other people will compare you, at least do not be the one to compare yourself.
It is true that everyone’s race is different. Our lives are not the same. The people you envy and look up to have stories and paths that are different from yours. The people you consider successful have backyard stories that do not meet the eye. You know not the hard work they have put it, the time it took them, the number of times they may have tried and failed, the amount of sacrifices that they have made and so on.
You do not even know if they are happy themselves!
Focus on your path and your purpose. Be happy for other people without feeling bad for yourself.
Task: Write out three things you like about yourself. Next, write out three ways you can improve yourself and pray to God to help you as you go on about it.
Galatians 6:4-5
“Each one should judge his own conduct. If it is good, then he can be proud of what he himself has done, without having to compare it with what someone else have done. For everyone has to carry his own load.”
3. Move on from the past.
Unless time travel eventually succeeds (which is doubtful), your past can and will never change.
You made mistakes? So did many others. The mistakes you made were too grave? Bear the consequences with courage. We need to reflect on our past lives in order to make better decisions. However, dwelling in a life full of regrets will do you no good.
Free yourself from the burden, make the necessary amends, seek help if possible and move on because life will not wait for you if you don’t.
If you keep living in the past, you’ll never enjoy the present and the future will take you by surprise.
Task: Write out all your past regrets and traumas. Earnestly ask God to heal you from every single one of them.
“Do not cling to the events of the past, or dwell on what happened long ago.” – Isaiah 43:18
4. Expect less, but hope more.
They saw low expectations is the key to happiness.
This does not imply that you should have a pessimistic view of the world or never expect something good in life.
Rather, it means that you should not hope or depend too much on things you think will bring you happiness. More often than not, those things you place high hopes on might end up failing you.
Never let your happiness be dependent on your expectations in life. Having the whole world will never make you independent of everything else.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Philippians 4:6 ESV
5. Give and serve.
Our world is selfish. We are all taught to be selfish. If being in the pursuit of only our own interests were the key to happiness, how isn’t everyone happy?
Happiness comes from giving and serving. A generous heart is full of joy. Be on the look out for your fellow human being. Do not be selfish, greedy or prideful. Do not miss out on a chance to help someone in need.
Be a giver, not just a receiver. It is not only material possessions we give. You can give your time, energy and free service to someone who needs it.
Jesus Christ, the greatest man who lived (and still lives) lived a life of complete service to both God and man. Though being higher and more powerful than all men, he humbled himself and became a servant even to his disciples.
“If you want to be happy, give to the poor. It is a sin to despise anyone” – Proverbs 14:21
6. Love, faith and Trust
These three virtues are the most important of all.
The world will be a much better place if we truly loved each and everyone. Faith and hope are what keeps a lot of people going in life. Without these three, humanity will seize to exist.
Practice love, faith and hope in your daily life. Spread goodness around you, let your life illuminate the lives of others through your love. Inspire people by your faith and hope. The belief in the possibilities of the future and the hope in our present is not to be forsaken
Never be ashamed to hope and believe. We are all entitled to our beliefs so hold strong to your good faith and happiness will seek you.
“For we fix our attention, not on things that seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts for ever” – 2 Corinthians 4:18
7. Obey the Lord’s commands.
Everyone can agree that the world would be a better place if everybody lived a good life.
If there were no stealing, cheating, lying, deceit, pride/arrogance, slothfulness, lust, abuse, shame, malice and war.
Who would not like it if the world was governed by peace, harmony, love, trust and purity?
If we all obeyed God’s commandments, life would be perfect. Inevitably, evil will exist in a world full of rebellion to the Lord’s commands. If you want to be happy, live a good life and follow God’s commandments.
“Always obey the Lord and you will be happy. If you are stubborn, you will be ruined” – Proverbs 28:14
Even though you may face adversaries for doing what is right, do it anyway! There is so much evil in the world and we can not afford to join them in fear of not being able to beat them. Good must triumph in the end.
“But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, how happy you are! Do not be afraid of anyone and do not worry.” – 1 Peter 3:14
8. Learn to enjoy your company
It is not everytime that you must be around friends or loved ones to feel happy. Learn to enjoy those moments of solitude where it is just you and yourself.
The feeling of loneliness does not come with being alone, it comes when you always depend on other people’s company for your own pleasure.
Though you may feel abandoned by people you really loved or trusted, do not let it become a reason for sadness. Sometimes, the same people we get angry at for not being around when we needed them, were going through hardships themselves.
Task: Write out Five good things you can do when you’re alone that brings you joy. Example may be things like drawing, writing, making cool stuff on a software on your computer, etc
Don’t depend on anyone’s company for your happiness.
Finally,
Be happy because that is all we can do. Being sad will not change the way life works or make things better for us.
“So I realised that all we can do is to be happy and do the best we can while we are still alive” – Ecclesiastes 3:12
Stay Safe, Stay Happy
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