“For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good Morning!

I can’t think of any better reason to confront and overcome anger, anxiety, fear, and other negative emotions than the reason Emerson offers.  Surely each time we succumb to anger, we rob ourselves of happiness.  In the end, the negative emotions we carry hurt ourselves the most.  We move away from happiness and the very peace we are seeking.

Recently, I had dinner with a friend I hadn’t seen in a couple of years.  It was great to catch up with her, but I was sad to learn that the years had not been kind to her.  She had struggled with many obstacles and challenges, and she openly admitted that the zeal she once had was fading.  She talked about how she was scared to trust, and how hard it was to open up.  She asked me, “Brook…why should I take risks when so many things might go wrong?”

“But what happens when many things go right?” I replied.  “You won’t know if you don’t open yourself up to the world.”  I continued to challenge her thinking by asking, “What’s the worst that can happen?  Perhaps you face another obstacle – but you already know you can conquer them.  But what if the next thing destined to come your way is something wonderful?”

Your Turn:  When you find yourself facing a negative emotion today, read Emerson’s quote.  Do you want to lose even a minute of happiness?

Today’s Affirmation:  I choose happiness.