Podcast Episode 123 - What can Charlie Brown Christmas teach you about happiness
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Do you struggle with feeling down during the holidays?
Do you ever struggle feeling down or unhappy the rest of the year?
What is your source of happiness?
There’s so much we can learn from Charlie Brown’s Christmas, but I want to focus on three lessons I learned about happiness.
Today is for you if:
If you’re ready to feel happy not just during Christmas but 365 days per year.
If you need help feeling happy more often.
If you’re tired of feeling happy only to have the next thought rob you of it.
When we look at Charlie Brown in his Christmas special, we see someone who lost the meaning of Christmas. He knows he should be happy during Christmas but can’t figure out why he isn’t.
I totally relate to Charlie Brown. Everything he does falls apart as the other shoe drops; he feels overlooked and invisible. He feels something is missing in him that everyone else has.
Charlie Brown goes on a quest to find happiness, and everywhere he turns, he runs into different people that seem to have found it.
He goes to Lucy, who says he needs involvement and asks to be the director of their play.
He sees his dog Snoopy decorating for a Christmas decoration competition and shakes his head in disbelief.
He runs into his sister Sally writing a letter to Santa. “All I want is my fair share.”
He’s ignored as he tries to direct the play.
He gets a Christmas tree for the play, thinking it will make it all better.
But again, he can’t even do that right.
Frustrated, he declares, “doesn’t anybody know what Christmas is all about.”
Linus says, “I know what Christmas is about Charlie Brown.” And he shares the following verses of scripture:
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:8-14 KJV)
“That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” – Linus
Here’s what we can learn about happiness from Charlie Brown’s Christmas:
1. Happiness is a choice
Charlie Brown tries to find happiness outside himself through the people, the play and the tree.
We don’t find happiness in all the to-do’s of Christmas…presents, family, food, etc.
Happiness is a choice that’s not dependent on our circumstances.
Linus gave us our next lesson.
2. Happiness is found in Jesus
Jesus is our true source of happiness.
We get caught up in the trappings of Christmas and the day-to-day throughout the year and forget it’s about Jesus. It’s about what He came and did for us. Born of a virgin, he died on a cross and rose from the dead. Created us in Christ, redeemed, and now we can have a relationship with Father and enjoy the finished work of Christ... which includes happiness and wholeness.
When we fully embrace that, we can choose to be happy.
We also deserve happiness because we are in Christ, and He’s our source of happiness.
But we have to do lesson #3.
3. Happiness is cultivated
We have to stir up joy and cultivate happiness.
We can do that through the following:
Cultivate my thoughts - focus on what’s going right instead of what’s going wrong.
Cultivate thankfulness - remember what we’re thankful for.
Cultivate by removing our upper limiting beliefs - the other shoe doesn’t have to drop.
I have three episodes (#92, #93, & #94) you can check out to help you dig in and root out your upper limiting beliefs.
You deserve happiness!
You can enjoy happiness not just during Christmas but every day of the year by choosing joy, remembering the source is Jesus and cultivating happiness through our thoughts, thankfulness and removing upper limiting beliefs.
You’ve got this, and Father’s got you!
Thanks a Bunch for listening!
Until Next Time, Live Fearlessly Free!!
Resources:
Podcasts to help you remove any upper limiting beliefs stopping you from experience the full amount of happiness God’s created you to experience: