The Happiness Pledge

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” ~ Jim Rohn

Every weekday all across the United States, school children stand to pledge allegiance to the flag and the country it stands for, as an indivisible nation watched over by God, that promises liberty and justice for all.

And while we don’t always live up to the ideal we pledge allegiance to, it is still the ideal—the standard to which we aim our national attention.

Likewise, humanity has an emotional ideal. It’s called happiness. We all want it. We often fall short of it. And yet we keep moving toward it (or toward what we think will provide it). And quite frankly, our happiness matters. We are, in fact, kinder, more patient and giving parents, neighbors and people the happier we are.

It is in that spirit, then, that I offer this Happiness Pledge. Print it out. Modify it as desired. Then recite it every morning, or as needed, perhaps with a hand over your heart. But commit to it at a deep level. Make it the expression of an inner yearning, the rhythm of your beating heart and a roadmap to a happier life.

The Happiness Pledge

I pledge to live my life with passion and purpose,
To live with integrity to principle-centered values,
To forgive quickly and love unconditionally,
To live courageously and learn voraciously,
To work for the possible and believe in the miraculous,
To treat myself compassionately as a glorious work-in-progress.

I pledge to fill my thoughts with gratitude and kindness,
To persevere and overcome with dignity and elegance,
To live in the moment, learn from the past and plan for the future,
To broaden my mind, strengthen my character and deepen my spirituality,
To see the best in others and in myself,
To laugh and play and bless and serve.

I pledge to find beauty in life’s rainy days,
To notice its roses amidst the thorns,
To prefer what lifts and inspires and ennobles,
To never take life for granted or myself too seriously,
To leave the world better than when I found it,
To stay true to the spark of the divine inside me,
To be patient with my progress as I stumble forward on the campus of life.

I pledge, therefore, to live a life of growing joy and deepening happiness as the natural byproduct of the choices I make, the habits I form, the thoughts I harbor and the actions I take within the context of what I believe about myself, life and others. And so I pledge to be a daily project of love, learning and growing one step at a time.

YOUR TURN!

  • Please share The Happiness Pledge on Facebook and Twitter … and everywhere! 🙂
  • And let me know what you think about the Pledge.
  • What did you like?
  • What would you have added?
  • Or what stands out most for you?

Check it out!

I’m building a library of happiness quotes for the M2bH Community to find inspiration from and would love to have you add a quote (or more). Just click here to add.

If you liked this, check out The Character Pledge.