So last week, I had some very happy news to share. The nature of the news is less important than the context: HAPPY NEWS.

Have you ever been really excited about something, but when you shared your great news, the feedback you received was less favorable than you expected?

• You buy the car you’ve had your heart set on for years. Excited, you drive to your dad’s house who says, “Why’d you get that? That car has a terrible reliability record.”
• You get a gift certificate from a friend for an upscale restaurant you’ve been wanting to try, but your spouse doesn’t share your joy. “I don’t want to go. They have a dress code. Eating should be fun, not punishing.”
• You tell your brother that you’re getting married. He asks, “Which 50% will you fall into: those who stay married, or those who get divorced?”

So last week when I had some very happy news to share…and a couple of joy suckers tried to remove my happiness…I became a little discouraged. Fortunately, I have a wiser, older sister who sent me a very quick email as if she knew the cosmic forces at play. She said a few simple words:

Don’t let anything destroy your joy!

Excellent advice. And perfectly timed for when I needed to hear them, too. In the event that you need to hear the same encouragement, let me add two things to my sister’s wisdom:

• Don’t think yourself selfish or weak if you choose to avoid people or situations that can rob you of your joy. If you want to enjoy an ice cream cone, you’ll have a better chance of doing that if you eat it away from a fly-covered barn! Savor your happiness away from people or situations that have the innate ability to curdle milk with their natures!
• Happiness grows when it’s shared so share your joy with others. People who care about you will return joy to you.