I recommend that we all not worry, and I think we can accomplish that by filling ourselves up with love, love, love, happiness, and serenity, the peace that comes with conscious practice. As Bobby McFerrin sings, don’t worry. Be happy.

Worry can take the joy out of your life. Wouldn’t you prefer to not worry at all? Just breathe deeply, and take whatever comes in your life. Take it with a happy song. Take pleasure in solitude, when you can think without distraction, and be at peace. Take pleasure when the stars are shining, or amidst the gathering storm. Nature can be your balm and your salvation. Please let it be so. And laugh as much as you can. Take delight in things, whether they are mildly funny or truly hilarious.

If we all don’t worry any more, there soon won’t be anything to worry about. And wouldn’t that be grand? Worry is something that is catchy, but you don’t have to catch it anymore than you catch other common ailments.

Don’t worry, sing a happy song, and be joyful.

I believe we all have the power to make the best or the worst of our lives. So don’t make it worse! If you worry, it can get worse because I believe that we get what we give our energy to. So you don’t want to imagine the worst-case scenarios, just all the best for you and yours. You want to imagine the best possible scenario, and to really believe that it will come true.

So go about your days with joy in your heart, and a happy song-at-the-ready. Imagine the best possibility, and know that it will come true for you. In recent years we have given up some of our power. Now that you have been reminded, please remember to not give up any more.

And relax. Everything is just fine. You and yours are all right.

Practice being here now. That keeps you in the present, and you can easily move in all directions from there.

And simply refuse to be worried. You don’t have to do it. Sing it now with Bobby! “Here’s a little song I wrote. You might want to sing it note for note. Don’t worry. Be happy.
In every life we have some trouble. But when you worry you make it double. Don’t worry. Be happy.”

Marcelle Hanemann is a news reporter for The Daily News. You can email her at marcelle.hanemann@bogalusadailynews.com or call her at 985-732-2565, ext. 301.