Pursuit of Happiness

"To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness... " Ecclesiastes 2:26

In our Declaration of Independence - which we in the United States continue to celebrate each July, after 230 years - our Founding Fathers asserted that our creator endowed us with certain rights including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Life and liberty in the USA today are so natural that we Americans often take them for granted, although, we never should. Too many people still struggle with that third right endowed by God - our pursuit of happiness. We all have the right to pursue it, but, unfortunately, there's no guarantee we'll all find happiness.

In the richest country in the world, filled with opportunity and promise, news reports and surveys continue to tell us that happiness is an infrequent visitor in the lives of many people. As much as some try through buying a bigger house, a more luxurious car, seeking the next big thing, or in despair turning to gambling, alcohol or drugs, they never catch up with happiness.

I've learned that happiness is not a pursuit of the material, but comes from within ourselves when we meditate on what truly makes us happy. Here are just a few of the many simple tips for happiness that I've learned from my life:

The best things in life are not things:
Throughout the decades in my Amway business, I time and time again watched how people's original dream for happiness was to earn a large enough income to buy the bigger house and the nicer car. But they eventually all discovered that happiness is not bought with money but comes through the satisfaction of achieving a dream through hard work and helping others do the same. Achieving a goal and feeling good about it is a key to happiness.

You can be as happy as you choose to be:
You can choose to laugh or cry. If you wake up every morning with the attitude that life is lousy, it will be. Go to sleep each night counting your blessings, and you can wake up each morning with a positive attitude that fuels happiness.

Laughter is God's gift:
Love to laugh, and you'll find it almost impossible to be unhappy. Studies have shown that laughter is physically and emotionally healthy. God gave each of us the ability to laugh for a reason. Take advantage of this gift.

Happiness is contagious:
Years ago when I was driving my youngest son to grade school, he mentioned that he was finding it difficult to make friends. I told him to be happy, because people like happy people. As he left the car for school, I called out the window: "Go get 'em, Mr. Happy!" He remembers that to this day and has made many friends over the years. One of the most rewarding and entertaining activates in life is absolutely free - the conversation and company of family and friends we love and enjoy being with. Find happiness in other people who are positive. Stay away from negative people. Happy people make other people happy.

Thank God each day that we can find so much happiness in his simple gifts.

If you're interested, there is more information about:
The most important event of all time and
The most important Book of all time.

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Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.