How to Have a Good Day: Make the Saying "Have a Good Day" a Reality

By Rev. Lionel Merritt

Every so often people end a chat or note with the farewell expression, "Have a good day." Happily, we accept, but go our different ways to live “normal life”: lives of frustration, stress, fears, and disappointments. Normal life is anything but good. Why is this? Most people do not know how to have good days.
Yet, as the research shows, it is so easy to have good days. We simply apply some core principles. In this book, Lionel Merritt, (minister, counselor, and life coach) explains the principles in an easy to understand way. How to Have a Good Day therefore put within our reach the good days people wish us. We desperately want to live such days in these trying times. Whatever your circumstances, you can live good days. Follow the advice and suggestions in this book and you will.
My Friend, take this first to live good days.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796061758

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Rev. Lionel Merritt.

ISBN:                  Softcover                        978-1-7960-6176-5

                            eBook                              978-1-7960-6175-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Website

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Website.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 09/27/2019

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CONTENTS

Foreword

Dedication

About the Author

Chapter 1     Oprah Winfrey is Right

Chapter 2     The Wide-Angle Approach

Chapter 3     Walking with Eyes Open

Chapter 4     Good Day Barriers (Overview)

Chapter 5     Good Day Barriers (Details)

Chapter 6     Lay the Foundation

Chapter 7     Preparing for a Great Day

Chapter 8     Smashing Barriers (Batch 1)

Chapter 9     Smashing Barriers (Batch 2)

Chapter 10   Withdraw and Refresh

Chapter 11   Say Good Night to the Night

Chapter 12   Goodbye

Endnotes

Foreword

When you read this book with due care, follow its advice and apply the special strategies; you will benefit greatly. On its own, this book will help you to make major and lasting advances in your life.

Despite the great benefits you will get from this book, you can also see it as just one tool from Rev. Merritt’s arsenal of life enhancement products. Consider getting the flagship book Piece of Peace from AuthorHouse Publishers

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You can also get the audio CD program Real Happiness in Your Life. This is a great program to listen to as you drive to or from work or business. You can also enjoy it during your quiet moments of reflection or during group discussions.

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We invite you to also consider a related seminar or workshop. If one is not planned for you area, you can organize one and make yourself some money in the process.

For further details, contact the team at [e-mail] or by phone [phone]

Cheers to a happier more effective life.

Rev. Lionel Merritt

Nassau, Bahamas, October 2019

Dedication

Originally, I had not planned a dedication segment since all the people I would have dedicated this book to were already acknowledged in the book Piece of Peace. However, as I thought about it, I decided to dedicate this book to the memories of my late mother and grandmother Joyce Harewood and Estelle Merritt.

From these two giants, I learned how to face the world when the rain was falling. Although my grandmother passed away many years ago, I can still hear her as she encouraged herself during challenging days. She showed her many grandchildren that sometimes to find the sun, you had to look for the sun beyond the raindrops.

My mother carried on the traditions. At times, I look back and marvel at what my mother was able to do, although she did not have a formal higher education. She too practiced the art of making the best of what was available and not complaining about what should have been.

So to the memories of Estelle Merritt and Joyce Harewood, I raise a salute. The two of you may have departed this world long ago, but the lives you showed us (my sisters Shelly, Tueleter, Janice, and I) live on. If indeed I can pass on some of this encouragement to my readers, my contribution to humanity would be in good standing.

Thank you, Granny,

Thank you, Mom.

About the Author

Rev. Lionel Merritt has been teaching Bible principles and applications for effective living for over twenty-five years. He has held both formal and informal teaching roles in several church denominations. He is an accomplished Bible teacher, trainer, and life coach and is well-known for the practical flavor he brings to his workshops

Lionel’s approach to teaching and coaching sits on an interesting base. He believes the promises of the Bible are for us today. God would not hold out a promise to us if its fulfillment were not possible. Still his teachings go further. God’s promises are not reserved for ministers, prominent church members or special people. Everyone (including those who are not formal church members) who satisfies God’s requirements have access to God’s blessings.

Many Bible teachers and preachers seem ready to exclude ordinary people from God’s goodness. Life Coach Lionel, on the other hand, goes to great lengths to show ordinary people how to get God’s blessings without boring religious rituals. Anyone who reads Rev. Merritt’s teachings must appreciate God’s love for ordinary people.

This accomplished seminar and workshop presenter has received many honors and awards for his teaching and training work. Lionel Merritt has traveled widely, reaching almost every major land mass in the world. The exception is the Australian region. His visit to Israel cemented in his heart the truth of the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Probably, the greatest memories from that trip were riding a camel and discussing the Israeli Arab conflict with an Arab in Jerusalem.

Rev. Merritt’s writing style is engaging. It takes the reader along in the discussion with amazing flow and honesty. Even if you are not a Christian, you will appreciate and enjoy reading his insightful teachings and coaching.

The author can be reached at email: [e-mail] or tel.: [phone].

Chapter 1

Oprah Winfrey is Right

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I hope everyone that is reading this is having a really good day. And if you are not, just know that in every new minute that passes you have an opportunity to change that.

—Gillian Anderson

Every day we hear it. At home, in the stores, on the job, at church, and wherever else we go. Someone is always wishing us a good day. A few persons go farther and wish us a great day. To be polite, we graciously accept the greetings and go on our merry way to our normal day.

Let us flip the coin. We do the same. Yes, at the end of conversations, especially in the morning, with a straight face, often with a smile, we wish people a good day, or great day.

At times, when we use that greeting, we sincerely hope that the person would have a good day. For many of us that means a day without tragedy, accidents, or other hurtful or frustrating incidents. But, to be honest, at other times it is just routine. It is just the polite and accepted thing to say. Again, the truth is many times when we wish some people a good day we do not give it a second thought. Or, to put it in blunt terms, often when we say, Have a good day, we really don’t care what day they have. I hope you are not offended by that reality.

The same is true for some of the people who wish us a good day. They really do not give it a second thought. It is just a routine polite way to end a conversation. It is a good farewell greeting. Yes, it is true. Most of the times when we say, Have a good day, it is pure routine.

One day for some unknown reason (which I do not now remember), I thought about this greeting. In the following weeks, I purposely noted people’s reactions when I wished them a good day. I also mentally recorded the expressions on people’s faces when they wished me a good day. I tried to figure out in my mind whether they meant it or not. The result of this little personal experiment proved my first assumptions. For most people, the expression was just routine.

For many people, a good day is a day when something good happens. Maybe they find a bargain in a store, or someone bought them lunch. For others, a good day is when they get extra money or save money.

Weather-wise, if the day is sunny, bright, and cool, it is a good day. Chilly winter days are normally seen as bad days. The exception is with kids who love snow days. A sincere-sounding compliment can give some folks a good day. The day we get a promotion at work, in the club, or at church is a good day. The same is true when friends or family we love come to visit.

The key point about such good days is they are random. They just happen. Most of the time we seem to have no control over when and how they occur. Yet we stumble through life day after day silently hoping for them.

Outside of these good-day events, we have normal days. In most normal days we go through a routine of unexciting events. Many persons awake in the morning and have the same breakfast. They drive the same roads to work, do the same job, and return home at the same time daily.

Another key point here is that this routine can stress us out. And over time we develop bland or negative outlooks on life. To find good-day excitement, we may engage in risky activities like drinking excessive alcohol, senseless gossip, or sex escapades.

Some good-day seekers engage in activities which are more socially acceptable. These can include obsession with electronic devices and social media platforms. TV binge watching is on this list also.