• Proverbs 15: 13…A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.
  • Proverbs 12: 25…A good word maketh the heart of a man glad.
  • Alma 13:21-22…Repentance causes others to have glad tidings of great joy.
  • Mosiah 16: 11…After our works are judged:  If they’re good – (1) Endless life (2) Happiness  If they’re bad – (1) Endless Damnation (2) Delivered up to the Devil
  • Mosiah 4: 11-12…To always rejoice, be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of our sins, and to grow in the knowledge of the glory of Him that created us, we must:  (1) Remember God (2) Remember your own nothingness (3) Humble selves (4) Call on the name of Lord daily (5) Stand steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come.
  • Alma 59:1-2…Be happy for success of others
  • Alma 41:10…Wickedness never was happiness
  • Mosiah 2:41…Those that keep the commandments are blessed and happy
  • “Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things towards you.” – Anonymous
  • “Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so.” – Robert Green Ingresoll.
  • “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama
  • Will Smith’s Wisdom on Love
  • A prominent American judge was asked what we as citizens of the countries of the world could do to reduce crime and disobedience to law and to bring peace and contentment into our lives and into our nations. He carefully replied, “I would suggest a return to the old-fashioned practice of family prayer.”
  • “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” -Melody Beattie
  • “There are two influences in the world today and have been from the beginning. One is an influence that is constructive, that radiates happiness, and that builds character. The other influence is one that destroys, turns men into demons, tears down and discourages. We are all susceptible to both. The one comes from our Heavenly Father and the other comes from the source of evil that has been in the world from the beginning seeking to bring about the destruction of the human family. We will all be tempted; no man is free from temptation. The adversary will use every means possible to deceive us; he tried to do that with the Savior of the world without success. He has tried it on many other men who have possessed divine authority….”Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert SmithChapter 18: Stay on the Lord’s Side of the Line.
  • “When you are fully rested, for example, you can get two times, three times, and five times as much done as when you are tired or burned out.  One of the most important requirements for being happy and productive is for you to guard and nurture your energy levels at all times.”  Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy, Page 80
  • The Story of King Midas 
  • Developing a Positive Mental Attitude
  • “By focusing clearly on your most valuable task and concentrating single-mindedly until it is 100 percent complete, you actually shape and mold your own character.  You become a superior person.  You feel stronger, more competent, more confident, and happier.  You feel more powerful and productive.  You eventually feel capable of setting and achieving any goal.  You become the master of your own destiny. You place yourself on an ascending spiral of personal effectiveness on which your future is absolutely guaranteed.”  Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy, Page 111-112
  • “My life was never destined to be happy.  Inherited wealth is a big handicap to happiness.  It is as certain death to ambition as cocaine is to morality” (said by William K. Vanderbilt, beneficiary of millions).  Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 39
  • “The symptoms and manifestations of this dysfunctional relationship with wealth make up a pretty depressing litany of disorders.  The whole idea of affluenza flies in the face of what most people believe their lives would be like if one day, just like Jack Wrum, they came upon the proverbial pot of gold. “If I only had money,” the fantasy begins.  “People would like me.  I would be respected.  I would be free to do whatever I wished, whenever I wished to do it.  I could take charge of my life, and I would have a sense of absolute security.  Nothing could intimidate me, and I would have power.  Real power.  Most importantly, I would be happy.”  It’s a great fantasy.  An enormously seductive fantasy.”Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 47-48
  • “There is no denying that money bestows great power upon those who possess it.  But there is a limit to what money can actually provide.  Money will buy a luxurious bed, but it cannot guarantee a good night’s sleep.  It can buy a magnificent library, but not brains, nor the discipline to educate yourself; gourmet food but not healthy appetite.  Money can buy designer clothing and jewelry, but not true beauty.  It can purchase a house, but never a home;  a state-of-the-art medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture or taste temporary amusements but not lasting happiness;  religion but not salvation.  Money, in fact, can buy a ticket to just about everywhere but heaven.”  Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 49
  • “It took me a long time to figure out that 99 percent of my worrying was completely unnecessary. It was very humbling to realize that my worries were there just to make me miserable. It was even more humbling to realize that I was the guy who had his finger firmly pressed on the misery button. It was wonderful, though, to discover that I also had the power to quit pressing the button.”  The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks) Page 70
  • “The more self-hatred and guilt we have, the less our lives work. The less self-hatred and guilt we have, the better our lives work, on all levels.”  You Can Heal Your Life (Louise Hay)-Page 5
  • “Whatever I choose to believe becomes true for me. Whatever you choose to believe becomes true for you. Our thoughts can be totally different. Our lives and experiences are totally different.”  You Can Heal Your Life (Louise Hay) Page 33
  • “Imagine yourself in line at a cafeteria, or perhaps at a buffet in a luxurious hotel, where instead of dishes of food, there are dishes of thoughts. You get to choose any and all the thoughts you wish. These thoughts will create your future experiences. Now, if you choose thoughts that will create problems and pain, that’s rather foolish. It’s like choosing food that always makes you ill. We may do this once or twice, but as soon as we learn which foods upset our bodies, we stay away from them. It’s the same with thoughts. Let us stay away from thoughts that create problems and pain.”  You Can Heal Your Life (Louise Hay) Page 37
  • “…No other experiences of life draw us nearer to heaven than those that exist between happy parents and happy children.”  (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1994, 54)
  • “As we view the endless course ahead, the glory and wonder on each succeeding peak seems to swallow up the shadow and sorrows in the valley below.”  (Bruce R. McConkie, General Conference, Apr. 1980)
  • “…Enduring happiness comes from what you are, not from what you have.”  (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 1991, 34)
  • Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve counseled:  “None of us will escape tragedy and suffering. Each of us will probably react differently. However, if we can recall the Lord’s promise, ‘for I the Lord am with you,’ we will be able to face our problems with dignity and courage. We will find the strength to be of good cheer instead of becoming resentful, critical, or defeated. We will be able to meet life’s unpleasant happenings with clear vision, strength, and power. … “What a joy it is to see someone of good cheer, who, when others because of an unpleasant happening or development live in angry silence or vocal disgust, meets the situation with cheerful endurance and good spirits” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 84–85; or Ensign, May 1986, 66). Doctrine and Covenants and Church History: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, Lesson 10: “This Is My Voice unto All”
  • “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it. ROALD DAHL”  Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.  Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty.  Kindle Loc. 1210-12
  • “In a nutshell, the Buddha taught that life is suffering and that the primary cause of our suffering is our desire for things to be different from the way they actually are. One moment, things may be going our way, and in the next moment, they’re not. When we try to prolong pleasure or reject pain, we suffer. On the bright side, the Buddha also prescribed a practical way for eliminating craving and unhappiness by following what he called the Noble Eightfold Path. The steps were right view, right thinking, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.”  Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.  Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty.  Page 219
  • “Just having more money is not enough. We want to enjoy the money. Do you allow yourself to have pleasure with money? If not, why not? A portion of everything you take in can go to pure pleasure. Did you have any fun with your money last week? Why not? What old belief is stopping you? Let it go.”  You Can Heal Your Life (Louise Hay) Page 118
  • ““I don’t care how much money you get,” my dad used to tell me. “It’s not worth it if you’re not happy.” That’s the most valuable piece of advice he ever gave me: Do what you want in life. To this day I’ve tried to follow that philosophy.”  American Sniper: Memorial Edition (Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen, and Jim DeFelice) Page 8
  •  …Those that keep the commandments are in a blessed and happy state, are blessed in both temporal and spiritual things, and if they are faithful to the end they will be received in heaven happily dwelling with God.
  • “When I ask parents what their deepest hopes are for their children, they often say they just want them to be happy. But how should we think about happiness? Is it simply a pleasant emotion or something more? According to Aristotle and his latter-day student, Thomas Jefferson, the “pursuit of happiness” has to do with an internal journey to know ourselves and an external journey of selfless service to others. Indeed, the concept of a personal moral compass has been a central motif throughout the lifetime of our civilization.” Wealth in Families Third Edition (Charles W. Collier) Page 10
  • “More recently, Abraham Maslow, the twentieth-century American psychologist, gave us clues to real happiness in his hierarchy of human needs and goals. Self-actualization, the final aspiration, involves the journey through which we discover what we are truly called to do and be and starting to do it. Maslow postulated an additional objective: transcendence, the ability to move beyond the “self,” to see one’s own fulfillment as inextricably linked to serving the needs of others.” Wealth in Families Third Edition (Charles W. Collier) Page 10
  • “The Rev. F. Washington Jarvis, headmaster emeritus of the Roxbury Latin School, says that true happiness in life comes from a long-term vision of our life. Jarvis writes in his book, With Love and Prayers, “Important, though, as a vision is [regarding career and lifestyle], it is nothing like as important as an overall vision for your whole life. We might call such a vision existential; it has to do with the discovery by you of some meaning and purpose to your whole existence. Inevitably such a vision must entail not only finding meaning in your life but meaning also in your inevitable death.” He goes on to say, “If you want to be happy, you must learn to love: to pay the price of caring for others, of putting them first, of inconveniencing yourself. That is the pathway to happiness.”” Wealth in Families Third Edition (Charles W. Collier) Page 10
  • Alma 50:23… But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges.
  • Mosiah 2:41…  And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
  • “Don’t waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden and the butterflies will come.”– Mario Quintana
  • “Western society has sold us the idea that material possessions define you. But the truth is that little defines you but you and that these “things” do not lead to long-term contentment, but often to the opposite.  The majority of us, through our work, trade our time for money, which we then use to purchase things. It can feel like you’re just spending paper bills or numbers on a bank statement, but the truth is that whenever you buy things, you are literally spending your time.  You may not realize this, but when you buy things, you are valuing these purchases as much or more than the time it took you to make this money. Time which could possibly have been better spent with your loved ones, enjoying life, helping others, and doing what is important to you. And once you realize this, that money is your time, you start to view money differently.”  It Starts With You: The 3 Great Thoughts That Can Change Your Life By George Sourrys May 23, 2017, https://www.goalcast.com/2017/05/23/it-starts-with-you-the-3-great-thoughts-that-can-change-your-life/
  •   Book of Mormon, Mosiah 2:41…Those that keep the commandments are in a blessed and happy state, are blessed in both temporal and spiritual things, and if they are faithful to the end they will be received in heaven happily dwelling with God.
  • “December 12th, 1994 – Monday.  Puyo Ecuador…Dad wrote me some good advice today.  He told me “feeling discouraged or unsuccessful comes from within you – you determine your attitude and no one or nothing can unless you allow it to.  So, trust in the Lord – I dare you to try Him.”  These words are so true.  I should always be happy and – BE MYSELF!!!  I’ve just got to press forward and work my tail off.  The blessings will come.  Maybe I’m just looking for baptisms as the only blessings.  I need to notice the little blessings!  I’ve got a ton!”  Clinton Brown Missionary Journal
  • “The smile on my face doesn’t mean my life is perfect. It means I appreciate what I have and what I have been blessed with. I choose to be happy.” Charlie Brown
  • “I feel, my brethren and sisters, to exhort you with heartfelt expression. Be of good cheer–be not disheartened; for assuredly the day rapidly comes when your tears shall be dried, your hearts comforted, and you shall eat of the products of your labors…” Chapter 7: Faithfulness in Times of Trial: “From the Shadows into the Glorious Sunshine”
  • “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives” President Nelson
  • “Comparison is the thief of joy,” attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt
  • “Phenomenal Clarity of vision people gain at the end of their lives (same top 5 regrets people expressed in the last 12 weeks of life)
    1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life other’s expected of me.
    2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. (Every male patient) Felt they missed their children’s youth & partner’s companionship. 
    3. I wish I’d have the courage to express my feelings. 
    4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. 
    5. I wish that I had let myself be Happier. Realized happiness was a choice
  • “Easy to spot a yellow car when you are always thinking of a yellow car. Easy to spot opportunity when you are always thinking of opportunity. Easy to spot reasons to be mad when you are always thinking of being mad. You become what you constantly think about. Watch yourself.” Seneca
  • “President David O. McKay promised every man who uses the priesthood in righteousness that he “will find his life sweetened, his discernment sharpened to decide quickly between right and wrong, his feelings tender and compassionate, yet his spirit strong and valiant in defense of right; he will find the priesthood a never-failing source of happiness—a well of living water springing up unto eternal life” Teachings of Presidents of the Church, David O. McKay [2003], Page 116
  • “He is the most happy and successful in life whose interests are coupled with giving assistance to others and helping them find the way. The sign at the railroad crossing that warns us to stop, look, and listen could be a guide for us. Stop as we rush through life. Look for all the friendly, thoughtful, courteous things we can do, and all the little human needs we can fill. Listen to others and learn of their hopes and problems so that we will be able to contribute in little ways to their success and happiness.” Manual, Teachings of the President of the Church: Howard W. Hunter,  Chapter 23 No Less Serviceable
  • “This counsel was representative of President Hinckley’s approach to life. President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following observation about President Hinckley and his wife, Marjorie: They do not waste time pondering the past or fretting about the future. And they persevere in spite of adversity. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, also of the Quorum of the Twelve, commented: Things will work out may well be President Hinckley’s most repeated assurance to family, friends, and associates. Keep trying, he will say. Be believing. Be happy. Don’t get discouraged. Things will work out.” – Gordon B. Hinckley
  • “I enjoy these words of Jenkins Lloyd Jones which I clipped from a column in the Deseret News some years ago. I pass them on to you. Said he: Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. Most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old-time rail journey delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride (Deseret News, 12 June 1973.). I repeat, my brothers and sisters, the trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride; and really, isn’t it a wonderful ride? Enjoy it! Laugh about it! Sing about it! Remember the words of the writer of Proverbs: A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Proverbs 17:22.). Let there be something of a light tone in your life. Let there be fun and happiness, a sense of humor, the capacity to laugh occasionally at things that are funny. In all of living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.” Manual, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Gordon B Hinkley, Chapter 3, Cultivating an Attitude of Happiness and a Spirit of Optimism
  • “The Lord’s plan is a plan of happiness. The way will be lighter, the worries will be fewer, the confrontations will be less difficult if we cultivate a spirit of happiness.” Manual, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, Chapter 3, Cultivating an Attitude of happiness and a Spirit of  Optimism
  • “President Gordon B. Hinckley’s mother, Ada Bitner Hinckley, often said that a happy attitude and smiling countenance could boost one over almost any misfortune and that every individual was responsible for his own happiness. His father, Bryant S. Hinckley, also had an inherently positive outlook. President Hinckley recalled, When I was a young man and was prone to speak critically, my father would say: Cynics do not contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve. Influenced by his parents’ counsel and example, young Gordon Hinckley learned to approach life with optimism and faith.” Manual, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, Chapter 3, Cultivating an Attitude of Happiness and a Spirit of  Optimism