Just Smile :)

I'm really happy lately.

You might be thinking, well, good for you. But as I'm in this happiness, I've been studying it. Like I overthink and pick apart everything else, I also pick apart my own happiness.

And what I've realized is that happiness is not at all purely a biological emotion. Happiness is an attitude, a behavior. You can CHOOSE to be happy, and something about choosing to be happy on your own and having control over it makes that happiness even more delicious. It makes you feel on top of the world, like nothing can touch you.

I also think it's a skill that has to be learned, and a lot of it is learned through adversity. There is nothing like hitting rock bottom and knowing you have nothing else to lose, and then pulling through it, to show you that everything's going to be okay no matter what happens. You've lost everything you thought you knew, yet God is here, and he's been here all along. You are still here. So why sweat anything from here on out? All that is accomplished by worrying, anger and depression is making yourself sick and spreading that sickness to others. Choosing to smile through rough times is a beautiful thing. It is a human representation of God's beauty. I believe people need to embrace it more often.

A few days ago I was getting ready to get on a plane for a work conference and as soon as I walked up to the counter, three airline representatives with stern faces greeted me with "we have bad news."

It was obvious  that they were there as a unified front to take a beating from however many passengers they would have to inform about our canceled flight. Having traveled quite a bit for work, I've often had to deal with canceled and delayed flights. To tell you the truth, having delays while traveling is a minor inconvenience when you are traveling alone. When you are with 30 teenagers (how I often travel for work), it's a much more frustrating issue (but still, not the end of the world). So if it happens when I'm alone, I always feel blessed that it's just me. And to tell you the truth, I would rather airlines cancel flights due to weather or mechanical issues rather than put passengers in an unsafe situation. Weather happens, mechanical failures happen - it is simply a part of life.

Plus, I just don't see the point in getting worked up and angry with airline representatives. It's not their fault your plans are delayed. And being angry does not magically make a new flight or plane appear out of the clouds just for you. It does not solve anything. Suck it up, and rearrange your plans. You will live.


So, when I heard the situation I was in with my canceled flight, I simply smiled and said "that's okay, my conference doesn't start until the evening anyway." I immediately re-focused on fixing the problem, rather than stewing in it. I was onto the next step before they could apologize, figuring out what the next flight was into Chicago. They got me on a plane that flew out four hours later.

So, sitting in an airport reading a book bored for a few hours? Minor inconvenience. I am healthy, breathing, and alive. I have a job. I have a roof over my head and food to eat. The sun is shining and the sky is blue. I will be okay.

What I found was that using grace in dealing with the airline staff turned those stern faces into smiles. The lady said "you are so nice, you wouldn't believe the last lady." All three of them were smiling when I left the counter. They even continued to smile as the next lady walked up yelling at them. Something about that made me even happier. Maybe I helped to make their day dealing with mean customers a little more manageable. I made the decision to treat them with kindness and happiness, and in doing so created more of my own personal happiness.

Try it sometime - smile at someone when everyone else is angry. See how it changes you and those around you. Or at least confuses them, which may distract them from their negative attitude.

Feeling like you have nothing left to lose by going through a rough time changes you for the better. It may be hard to see while you're in it, but hard times teach you how to overcome life changes with preseverance and grace. It gives you power. Use it.