“It is a modern tragedy that despair has so many spokesman, and hope so few.” Oscar Hammerstein II

Have you ever walked into a group of people and found the focus of the conversation on how terrible things are in the world today, or how bad everyone’s health is? I must admit, I’ve taken part in these conversations; eager to jump in and share my own woes and heartaches.

Why is it so much more exciting to share tragic news, than news of good health and happiness?

Drama is just much more exciting (that’s why so many of us are so addicted to it). But what would happen if we decided to let our dramas go, and live in happiness and good cheer?

Maybe you don’t believe that living in happiness and good cheer is possible in this day and age when so much has gone so tragically wrong with our world?

And I agree that there is much to be sad about. War, disease and poverty are always good reasons to feel miserable, but what about all the beautiful things that still grace our lives? What if instead of being a spokesperson for all the tragedy in the world, we decided to become a spokesperson for happiness?

What if instead of thinking about war, we decided to focus on creating harmony in our own family and workplace?

Whether we are for the war, or against it, feelings run high. Those intense feelings can attack our immune systems, leaving us feeling weakened and more susceptible to viruses! When we focus on harmony in our relationships with our family, friends and co-workers, we can actually reduce our stress levels, which in turn will strengthen our immune system. This can lead to greater health and happiness.

What if instead of thinking about disease, we decided to focus on the experience of health?

This can be a tough one for those of us that are experiencing any major health crises. But studies have shown that by going into a meditative state, and visualizing already having good health, rather than gaining good health (which means we are visualizing being in bad health because we haven’t attained good health yet), we are much more likely to experience physical healing. Negative thoughts weaken our immune system. Positive thoughts strengthen our immune system. And don’t confuse positive thinking with just saying phrases worded in a positive manner. Positive thinking really means ”positive feeling.” If you are not feeling happy, it’s not positive thinking.

What if instead of thinking about poverty, we decided to express gratitude for things we already have?

Not having enough money is definitely a big issue for many of us. But by constantly focusing on not having enough money, and sharing with our friends and family how broke we are, we are actually turning ourselves into a victim. By expressing gratitude for what we already have, we open ourselves up to receive more because we put ourselves in a state of receiving inspiration. When we are in a negative frame of mind, we will keep attracting negative situations to ourselves. (Have you ever woken up in the morning in a bad mood, and things just seem to get progressively worse throughout the day?) This is because being in a bad mood simply accentuates the negative, and we notice it more. When we are in a state of gratitude, we draw more opportunities to ourselves that allow us to experience more gratitude.

Choosing to become a spokesperson for happiness changes how we see ourselves and the lives we lead. We become happier when we speak of things that make us happy. This doesn’t mean we are living in a dream world, or are in denial. It simply means that we are taking our focus away from things that make us miserable and placing our focus on things that improve the quality of our lives. Becoming a spokesperson for happiness means living an inspired life!