Are only a few fortunate people born with a bright outlook on life,
or is optimism an attitude we can learn?

Susan C. Vaughan, author of Half Full, Half Empty, says that
seeing life's possibilities instead of its pitfalls is the result of an
internal process anyone can follow. One of her conclusions is that "there
is a powerful link between facial expression and emotion."
She believes that people who begin to act happier actually feel happier.

There is merit in thinking and acting positively, but the Bible declares
that true spiritual joy begins deep inside us, then spreads to our
faces. A wise man wrote, "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance . . . .
He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast" (Proverbs 15:13,15).
When we're happy on the inside, our faces can't help but show it on the outside.

How do we develop a merry heart? We can begin by thanking the Lord for
being with us and working for our good in every situation (Rom 8:28). It's not
a matter of pretending but of practicing an outlook on life that reflects
our faith in Christ. "Rejoice in the Lord always," Paul wrote from
prison. "Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4).
That kind of optimism begins with a merry heart and spreads quickly
to the face. -DCM

Source: Our Daily Bread

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow
of the heart the spirit is broken. -Proverbs 15:13

May you have a joyful day!

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