Hi, this is Monique Rhodes. Welcome to the In Your Right Mind podcast, where we’re learning how to be happier by working with our minds. If you’d like to explore resources to help you on your happiness journey, visit moniquerhodes.com. Let’s work together to create the happiness you deserve.
Happiness as an Offering
Happiness isn’t something we hoard or wait for others to give us—it’s an offering. It’s a way of living that says, I see you, I understand what you need because I’ve needed it too.
Think back to times when someone offered you kindness—a thoughtful gesture, a kind word, or even someone checking in when you needed it most. These moments don’t belong to us alone—they’re reminders of what’s sacred in human connection. They’re calls for us to reflect the love and kindness we wish to receive.
The Power of Giving What We Long For
One of the bravest acts of love is giving what we ourselves long for.
- Think about the relief you feel when someone asks the question you were too nervous to voice.
- The joy of receiving a call from a friend who simply wanted to check in.
- The warmth of a compliment or acknowledgment of your effort.
The feelings these moments spark aren’t unique to us—they’re universal. Just as we appreciate these acts of connection, others do too. The courage to offer what we need creates ripples of kindness that benefit both the giver and the receiver.
Learning From Liddy
This week, our community lost a beloved member, Liddy Suzette. Liddy embodied the spirit of giving light. She was someone who always offered hope, joy, and care to others. Her presence reminds us of the profound impact we can have on those around us when we lead with love.
Liddy’s legacy teaches us that giving doesn’t require grand gestures. It’s the small, consistent acts of care—acts that say, I see you, I value you, I’m here for you.
Happiness as Connection
Happiness isn’t solitary—it’s born in the spaces between us. In the moments where we give others what we ourselves long for, we find the deepest joy.
 I want to remind you of the beautiful prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, which just, Truly demonstrates this.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
 Such a beautiful prayer. So beautiful. The world often teaches us to hoard what we need, but happiness multiplies when shared. Giving what you long for says, I believe there’s enough love, kindness, and connection to go around. Trusting in abundance creates the conditions for love to flow back to you—not as a transaction, but as a natural consequence of offering it freely.
Flipping the Script of Scarcity
There’s something radical about giving before receiving. It flips the script of scarcity and competition, reminding us that connection isn’t a transaction—it’s a gift.
- When you reach out first, you disrupt the silence that often surrounds us.
- When you speak up, you encourage others to do the same.
- When you notice someone’s beauty or effort, you remind them—and yourself—of our shared humanity.
These small, steady acts of kindness are how communities are built—not through grand gestures, but through valuing one another daily.
The Ripple Effect of Kindness
Offering kindness shifts your focus outward. It allows you to see the shared humanity in others and reminds you that joy is created through connection, not isolation. When you offer kindness, you feel its ripple effects in your own life. You become part of something larger—a flow of love and care that sustains not only others but yourself as well.
Happiness isn’t about waiting for the world to change—it’s about being the one who changes it, one small act of love at a time.
- If you know the power of kindness, give it freely.
- If you know the ache of loneliness, be the person who reaches out.
- If you know the relief of being seen, see others.
These acts aren’t grand, but they are sacred. They remind us that love isn’t something we wait for—it’s something we create.
A Way of Being
To give what you long to receive is to embody the truth that happiness isn’t a destination—it’s a way of being. It’s recognizing that the small moments where we offer care weave us together. In that weaving, we find our happiness, our connection, and the peace we’ve been seeking all along.
As you go through your day, think about how you can contribute to a better world by giving what you wish to receive. This podcast is dedicated to our beautiful Liddy Suzette, who will always be remembered as an example of love and light.
As always, be kind, take care, and go gently in the world.
