Choosing Happiness
September 27, 2008
Did you know that it’s up to you?
It’s actually your choice.
You can choose to be happy instead of waiting around for it to suddenly appear out of nowhere one day and land in your lap. Happiness is called upon and cultivated.
Now keep in mind, this is my personal perspective of happiness. You might have a different view. Everyone has a unique view point, especially where emotion is concerned. But, nonetheless, I like my outlook on happiness. It helps me to see that I am the creator of my own thoughts and state of mind. It is my choice what feeling I choose to have on any given day. This does not mean I don’t go with the flow of feelings, but that I can choose at any given moment to change what it is I desire.
For example, if I am having a hectic day, and I do have my share, I can choose to be breathless with activity or I can remind myself to stop and choose to be calm. I can go out for a walk and embrace the beauty that surrounds me and choose to experience that aesthetic as appreciation, gratitude, joy or numbness. I can choose to vacate and disconnect from my feelings, I can space out and be oblivious, or I can call upon the grace of the moment and be one with the beauty. These are all options.
Keys to Happiness
September 24, 2008
"Happiness is the whole aim and end of human existence" - Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony" - Mahatma Gandhi
Underlying the reasons why clients have come to me over the years is the desire for happiness. What is happiness? Conventional wisdom often defines happiness as status, financial security, worldly goods, possessions, lifestyle, accomplishments etc. I have met many very successful people, who seemed to have it all; who have come to me saying they felt something was missing from their life ? they weren’t happy! They say, "I want to be happy. What do I do?" What I have come to know is that things and people do not create happiness. Feeling happy as a response to an external experience adds to our own happiness, but is not the true source of happiness. Why? Happiness is a state of being, independent of external influences and situations.
5 Fabulous B’s for the Happiest You!
September 21, 2008
Sure it sounds easy? "Be happy." Let’s face it there is a little art and a lot of personal measures you can take to reveal true and lasting happiness. Happiness is not just a series of warm fuzzies. It’s a combination of simple know-how and energetic effort that starts from within.
1. Believe in Yourself. Know who you are. Strive to love yourself for all of your unique, exceptional and distinctive qualities. Embrace your right to be happy! Get in touch with all the small, silly and substantial things that make you smile. They are uniquely yours. You have your own blissful happiness support system deep inside of you.
2. Be Open. Try new stuff. Discover more people, places, ideas and activities that delight and amuse you. There is no end to the supply of wonderful, beautiful, pleasurable, enlightening, tranquil and exhilarating experiences just waiting in the wings to dance with you! Play with the possibilities and be open to finding lots more happiness that’s personally yours? more ideas await you at www.shesite.com.
Things To Do To Beat The Blues
September 17, 2008
As moms we all tend to get the blues, we are always running here and running there. It is very important to take time for you!
Being a mom there is so much pressure not just from the outside but from what we put on ourselves also we all need to learn to take a break once in awhile and be able to revive our body and soul in order to be all we can be.
I have found a few things that I like to do whenever I feel the blues creeping up on me. Here is a list of things I enjoy doing and always helps me.
Warm up.
Give yourself 15 minutes in the morning so you can wake up slowly, set the alarm clock for 15 minutes before you really need to get up so that you can have the satisfaction of hitting the snooze button at least once.
Eat a 3-piece breakfast.
The 3 components of a good breakfast are carbs, proteins, and fats.
EXAMPLE: Cereals with milk or wheat toast or muffins…for protein consider adding low fat yogurt or cottage cheese, or a small piece of chicken or fish.
Love and Laughter ? Celebrating the Gift of Life
September 14, 2008
Only you can call me into aliveness. Each time you try to understand and because you really care, my heart begins to grow wings, very small wings, very feeble wings, but wings. With your sensitivity and sympathy, and your power of understanding, you can breathe life into me. ~ Charles C. Finn Life is our brief precious time to feel-to experience love, laughter, and wonder-to design and contribute our unique creations and expressions of who we are and what we want to leave behind.
I paused to think about this gift of life, mysterious and marvelous. Filled with roller coaster highs and lows, each moment of life is exhilarating.
Our living energy continuously moves and changes, always seeking increase and offering abundance. I asked, “How do I celebrate this precious gift of life?”
Follow Your Bliss
September 11, 2008
Gail was a quiet, shy, young lady. She has been quiet and shy for as long as she could remember. As a child, every time her mother introduced her children to someone, she would always introduce Gail as the shy, quiet child.
Gail had one sister and a brother and both of them were outgoing and quite sociable. Gail, on the other hand, kept to herself and found it quite difficult to make friends. But that didn’t bother her much. She didn’t really care about having friends. It never was anything that she strived to do.
She did quite well in school, but she never participated in any extra curriculum activities. She was too shy for that. She had simply accepted her mother’s and other’s "description" of her-the shy and quiet one.
It was easier to be quiet in college and sort of blend into the background without much effort. The classes were large; everyone went about his or her business-not focusing on her and that was all right with Gail.
Seven Steps to a Better Day
September 7, 2008
Are you tired of the same routine day after day? Do you feel as if today is only a speed bump in the road between yesterday and tomorrow? Well, you’re not alone! Many people live day-to-day with little hope for anything getting better. Some are trapped in corporate jobs where they are little more than rats in a maze. Others have routines at home that leave them uninspired and unchallenged.
There is hope for a better day. Try these seven suggestions:
1. Exercise Nothing gets your brain in gear like exercise. If you will start the day with a moderate workout, you likely will be more productive throughout the day.
2. Solve a problem You might choose a crossword puzzle or a brain teaser of some sort, but exercising your brain actually will help you solve other problems you face.
3. Read Set aside a portion of your day to read something inspirational or entertaining. Some people read comic strips while other people have daily devotional activities. Whatever you do, read something!
4. Laugh Life is too short to take it all so seriously. Enjoy life by finding humor in your daily activities.
Mexican Living: What Makes You Happy?
September 4, 2008
Many ask me this question: “Did moving to Mexico make you happier?” My answer to that question is a resounding “no!” Does that shock you? Does that concern you? Does that cause you to pause? Do more questions come to mind?
Moving to Mexico did not make me happy.
To explain this I am going to have to get all Dr. Phil on you. If you are from America, you know exactly who that is and what he is all about. The man had an impact on my life I must confess. You should read his books. They might have an impact on your life too.
If you were an unhappy person living in America, you will more than likely be an unhappy person living in Mexico. If you have lived a life of reacting to circumstances with depression, rage, whining, crying, complaining, stress, anger or whatever, chances are you react the same way in Mexico. Moving here is not going to change that.
Circumstances or situations in our lives are nothing more than information. When the dog pees on the carpet, when the teenaged son wrecks the car, when the boss fires you, when you lose money in the stock market, all that is in your life is information or a stimulus. How you react to that information or stimulus is your choice.
Giving Attention To Happiness
September 1, 2008
When I left England in 2000 there did not seem to be much happiness around. People in modern western society tend to be self focused to the extreme, prone to criticise rather than support or applaud, and with little time or inclination to devote to others. Relationships can be a battleground rather than a haven of mutual support. Thinking about it now, I did not know anyone who I could say was really happy. I was acquainted with a few who might have been in a state of happiness, but I did not know them well enough to be sure.
I think by nature I am a basically happy person, but modern life and attitudes can have a way of pummeling that out of you. When you are surrounded by unhappy, discontented people who are devoted to chasing the shadows of pure materialism, then it is going to affect you. People lose touch with what happiness is, and may even be dismissive if they sense that someone might actually be happy.
Happiness is no longer a natural state of being in Western society, and to those who have lost touch with what happiness is, a process of re-education may be needed. Here are a few things that may help you in that process:
Sunny Days Are Here To Stay
August 28, 2008
Yes, this is correct. Sunny Days are here to stay, that is, if you want them to be. What’s that mean? Well, let me explain it this way.
How do you feel when it’s a “sunny day” outside? When you first awake and the sun is shining in your window doesn’t that perk you up a bit? Now I realize there are days when you are not feeling well, maybe there’s been a serious problem you are facing or there are any number of things that nay not be pleasant in your life. But overall with all those things happening to you doesn’t a “sunny day” help you to feel at least somewhat better about life? Don’t you feel much better then when it’s a cloudy and rainy day outside?
I started using this phrase “have a sunny day” many years ago in my greeting to people. It’s even at the end of my voice mail message. I’ll never forget the day when I was a salesmen and received a call on my voice mail from one of my customers to call him. When I finally called him back the first thing he said to me was, “Sonny are you crazy it’s not a “sunny day” here it’s pouring down rain outside”. I said , “I know it is but you missed my point, you can have a “sunny day anytime you want because a “sunny day” starts in the mind”. “Oh, he said, I never thought of it that way” Many times over the years that voice mail message always gets comments.
