Every Day A Friday

"The principles of happiness is all about everyday life, not just doctrine but how do we live, how do we forgive, how do we keep a good attitude when the economy is down."...pastor and bestselling author Joel Osteen

I saw Joel Osteen on television last evening promoting his new book "Every Day A Friday", and was so impressed by his encouraging words and gentle inspiration.  I know this sounds crazy, but I can't help but feel like this book is specifically intended for me to go out and buy right now and start reading..today!

I could never tire of listening to someone like Joel Osteen, a pastor who seems to wear a permanent smile on his face.  During his interview, he delivered a simple yet positive message of living happily each day of the week.  He remarked that it's not intended that we're to ever suffer through any day just to arrive at happiness on one particular day of the week.  "If we see each day as a gift, and have the right attitude and are grateful, we can enjoy every day."

Putting it simply, Osteen believes "your life follows your thoughts", you can wake up in the morning and think "oh I don't want to go to work, I've got so many problems, and it's so bad" and you will draw in negative things.  But, if you wake up and think "wow, I'm alive today, I've got a good family and some things are going right", then that attitude will draw in good things. 

When asked if he ever gets angry he said "he likes to use his energy to try to fix things" and agreed that anger is the most destructive emotion there is, and is the antithesis of forgiveness.  He acknowledged that there are a lot of angry people out there who he feels "have never been trained on how to release their anger or how to see things from a different perspective".  He said what you have to do is believe that "god is in control of your life and you have to take it one step at a time, you may not do it every time but if someone offends you, you've got to think "I'm just going to let it go, I'm going to choose to ignore." He finds that "there are a lot of distractions in life that we give our emotional energy to that we don't need to, just let it go and move forward because it's only a distraction -  it's not between you and your destiny."

This is one book that I think many today need to read, be encouraged by, and apply to their lives in order to break free from the negative attitudes that permeate our society.

I for one cannot wait to read this book and share more thoughts with you throughout the upcoming months.  "Live Every Day A Friday" sounds like another good choice for one of my twelve commandments of my Happiness Project!

Here is Joel Osteen introducing his new book on you tube:

Cheers!

Linda