Good Leaders: What makes you happy today?

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Today, like every other day, I’m deciding to be happy. Happy is good. Happy is magnetic. Happy is contagious. Happy is everywhere, and it’s powerful. Are you happy today?

A few years ago, while mired in worry about a brutal economy and a difficult work/life dilemma, I read an article by Oprah Winfrey that changed my life. Her article turned into a book I highly recommend: What I Know For Sure.

So what do I know for sure?

Everything is better when we decide to be happy. Here’s a short list of just a few things that are making me happy today:

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Watching Minnesota Vikings and Gophers football. Pandora. Backyard bonfire. Golden leaves still on my favorite tree. Golf and lunch with a mentor. Fantastic teammates. Straight feedback. Sore muscles. Golden Draft and red wine.

Sunday night Pizza. Monday Night Football. Hazelnut coffee on Tuesday morning.

Coaching. Being coached. Speaking, facilitating, and spreading goodness. Building our team.

The animals that keep the energy fresh in our home: Lola, Charlie, and Ralphie.

Searching the internet for places and materials to build our dreams. Buying plane tickets. Taking my mom to church. Thinking about winter and giving my golf clubs a rest.

Friends. Painting and cleaning up sawdust. Planning Thanksgiving festivities. Driving my car. The artwork in our home and office. Family.

Can we really be happy every day?

Of course there are things that make us sad, frustrated, and even angry at times. But I’m ignoring those today. And I will try to ignore them tomorrow. Because what I know for sure: The most important decision we make every day is to be happy.

Good leaders accept the responsibility to go out of their way to make things better for more people. And they choose to be happy, because it’s contagious.

Please share with me: what makes you happy today?

Have you signed The Goodness Pledge yet? If you do, we will send you “Sparks” to make you smile and help you be happy so you can help spread goodness.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]