- “Zen teacher JakushoKwong suggests becoming “an active participant in loss.” We’re conditioned to seek only gain, to be happy, and to try to satisfy all our desires, he explains. But even though we may understand on some level that loss is a catalyst for growth, most people still believe it to be the opposite of gain and to be avoided at all costs. If I’ve learned anything in my years of practicing Zen and coaching basketball, it’s that what we resist persists. Sometimes the letting go happens quickly; other times it may take several sleepless nights. Or weeks.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success (Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty) Page 333
- “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
- “Remembering is tied to gratitude and contentment. When we forget about our abundance of blessings, we tend to become unhappy. Forgetting can bring feelings of impatience, selfishness, and greed. Remembering, on the other hand, helps us feel happy in our abundance and more responsive to promptings to share it.” Happiness, Mary Ellen Edmunds
- “The Lord is not only a loving, caring Heavenly Father, but a wise one as well. He cares for His children and wants us to be happy and safe and cherished and fulfilled and free.” The Second Coming of the Lord by Gerald N. Lund
- “I meet so many people who constantly complain about the burden of their responsibilities. Of course the pressures are great. There is much, too much, to do. There are financial burdens to add to all of these pressures, and with all of this we are prone to complain, frequently at home, often in public. Turn your thinking around. The gospel is good news. Man is that he might have joy [see Nephi 2:25]. Be happy! Let that happiness shine through your faces and speak through your testimonies. You can expect problems. There may be occasional tragedies. But shining through all of this is the plea of the Lord: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).” Manual, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, Chapter 3, Cultivating an Attitude of Happiness and a Spirit of Optimism