If you follow me on social media you may have noticed me using this hashtag lately #happyontheoutside so I’ld like to explain what that’s all about… 

 

When I was a little girl one of my favorite praise songs in Childrens’s Church went like this ~ Something on the inside working on the outside. Oh what a change in my life…. 

 

Well, a few years ago now I found my happy and God is continually working inside of me causing me to learn more and more of what it means to truly live out the words on the pages of my book Happy ANYWAY. I hope you are experiencing the same life transforming process as well! If you would say,”Ummm actually not so much!🙄” then order my book now! I’m telling you, I haven’t gotten one dollar from the sales of this book. It all goes to missions! But you have GOT to read it if you haven’t and it’s more fun to read with a few friends in a group. Here is the link  

 http://www.happyanyway.org/shop/happy-anyway-a-six-week-devotional-small-group-curriculum

 

Ok what were we saying? Oh yea… so first I got happy on the inside. It was a real deal spiritual encounter with God Almighty where He basically knocked me off my …donkey {reference to Paul in the Bible} It was so impactful that I could spend the rest of my life getting THIS message out to a world who does NOT know this message but is searching for happiness with desperation. There are few Christians who know what God told me that summer day in the hotel in Miami. Details in the book. Point being….Something on the inside has now been working on the outside…and OH WHAT A CHANGE IN MY LIFE! That same change can happen for YOU TOO! 

So first I got happy in my spirit. Then happy started to be how I thought. You gotta understand the mental battle I have endured this first year of launching the book. Many of you know I lost my Mom. Talk about Happy ANYWAY ?! What ?! Are you serious?! Yes!!!! Happy ANYWAY!!! Don’t you think my MOM would want me to be happy ANYWAY?! Of course she would! And she told me so before she went to heaven. She edited my book and was so happy for me. Yes I’m grieving. I’m grieving hard!!!! I’m reading books and talking with people that are helping me make sure I am not skimming over the grieving process but this is now my job. I’m the happy lady and you know what, I’m going to keep getting up and going to work and doing what God called me to do ANYWAY just like you would have to do if you lost a parent. Do I miss her? Like CRAZY!!! Do I cry and morn? Tons! Am I still the happy lady? Yes! Because I feel like I have to be? No! Because it’s who God has called me to be and who I want to be. 

So it took me a while of course to navigate all of that along with just life…you know ~ the management of relationships that we all have and at times struggle with…to the place where my mindset is genuinely happy ANYWAY with nothing but love in my heart and healing in my soul regarding very difficult storms of life.  I’ve come to a calm on the other side of those storms where it is really all ok. You can get to that place in your life too! It’s a spiritual thing, then mental, then physical. 

So now, I’m getting happy on the outside! What do I mean? I’m doing what I told my Mom I would do! I’m getting healthy and doing my part to live out my days happy AND HEALTHY. I am reading a book called Younger Next Year. Warning : he curses and believes in evolution but if you can put that aside and learn what the authors have to say, it could literally save your life! You see my Mom’s Mom died at 64 and my Mom died this year at 64 and let it be known I am not dieing at 64! I’m going to be Younger Next Year!!!! This book will help you realize how much of the power is in our own hands regarding our health. I think too often we pray when we should go to the gym and not eat the cookie. Of course pray! Don’t email me over that statement. LOL You get what I’m saying. I have been the only reason I went from being the Prom Queen and Homecoming Queen and somethjng pretty like cheerleader as Angela Johnston puts it to 30-40 lbs over weight, unhealthy and nowhere near the hottie I could still be! And you are the only one in the way of that for you too. Why don’t you join me and let’s hit the holidays together head on getting #happyontheoutside . If you want me to reveal some of the happy and healthy mindsets that is helping  me do this let me know. I’ll tell you this – I am working out with a former NFL player 3 days a week at 5am and doing Whole 30. Every workout I do something I don’t think I can do. And then I think— “See, you really can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!” There is a God part and an us part though.  It’s so awesome and so awful to get up that early! No pain No gain is as true now as it was in the 80s I’m finding out! I’ve almost blown it several times but didn’t yet on the Whole 30. It’s not easy. But hey when we do fall, it’s so much simpler than we make it. Just get back up! Prov. 24:16 says  “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.”  I’m nervous about putting this out there but I’m telling you “Something on the inside is working on the outside. Oh what a change in my life!” I hope you join me and let something on the inside work on the outside for you whatever that means wether it is weight loss or going for your dreams or being who you know you were made to be or living without anxiety or fill in the blank_____________! 

I know this was a bit longer than usual but I had a full heart to give you today! I love this #happysisterhood and am so thankful for each reader! Many have written me and your encouragement means so much! Please comment below, subscribe to the blog, send it to a friend and like and share things on social media to help me #spreadthehappy ! Follow me @addiecooley on fb Instagram twitter and @happy_anyway on Instagram @happy__anyway twitter and like Happy on fb so I can keep reminding you to be happy ANYWAY!

Happy Monday!!!! ❤️😘