You’ve done it. I’ve done it. Put on that happy face when really, inside you were dying. They say, “Don’t wear a mask.” Then, they also say, “Fake it ‘til ya make it.” Which one is right? Well, of course there are times when we are at work, and we have to just buck up and get the job done with a good attitude, even when things are not easy on a personal level. There are also times when we need to take the mask off, get real with a trusted friend, and share our struggles. For me, the only way to be is real, and I sometimes have been accused of being too real. While I am definitely an authentic soul for sure, crying at the drop of a hat, people have commented on the depth of my smile my whole life.

 

I remember in high school people asking me, “Why are you always smiling?” That was my opportunity to tell them the source of my joy, Jesus. Time and time again, I would answer that same question with the gospel. I don’t know why God gave me this happy face, but He did. 

 

In college, I found myself doing my freshman paper on laughter therapy. I traveled to Emory Medical Center in Atlanta, GA and did research finding that cancer patients were living longer and doing better from laughter therapy at one of America’s leading hospitals. Science was just confirming that the Bible was correct…”a merry heart really does do good like a medicine”. The laughter therapy room was a cheery, bright yellow room with funny papers everywhere, Erma Bombeck playing, sun light beaming in big windows, and patients laughing with family, friends, and caregivers. It was a happy room with lots of happy faces, even with terminal illnesses. 

 

Fast forward to today as I write this blog on happyanyway.org. Just because I have on a happy face does NOT mean everything is perfect in my life. It just means I am trusting The One I know who has it all in His hands and will work it out somehow!! Do I always have this big smile on my face? No. Do I most of the time? Yes. I sometimes think God made my face default to happy just as a way to help me fight the sadness I sometimes deal with in my heart.  Believe me, it doesn’t always default to a smile. On those days, it’s work time. Time to work the Word of God in areas that are hard for me. When I do, once again, that happy face reappears. My prayer for you is that you, too, will develop the habit of defaulting to a happy face—a real one. Hopefully, with the resources available through Happy Anyway, you will begin to default to a happy face!! 😃 

Please, take advantage of the Happy Monday blogs each week. Leave comments, and hopefully we can help each other out! Also, Happy Anyway small groups, Happy Hours, and the Happy Girl conference. If you have questions about anything, feel free to comment here or email me at hello@happyanyway.org. Now go make someone’s day brighter with YOUR happy face!!!!