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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Come On, Get Happy! 5 Ideas to Create Happiness That Lasts




One of the reasons why I choose not to watch a lot of television anymore is because of the endless advertisements for pills and drugs that among other things, will give you a “happy life”.  So if you’re looking for some real tips to create a habit for happiness here are five of my favorite ideas to create real happiness.  

1) Live in Gratitude! We’ve been hearing about the power of appreciation and gratitude now for awhile – but if it’s so easy – then why aren't more of us practicing gratitude? Perhaps one answer is that although it’s a simple and easy way to live, it’s also easy to not live this way. Many people would rather continue complaining and playing the bad stories of their lives over and over again instead of just stopping that old habit and actually being in the present moment, looking for and finding many things to be grateful for. Even by simply saying “Thank You” to people we run into throughout our day. One of the most powerful ways I know how to live a life of gratitude is by keeping my Gratitude Journal.  Writing down things that I’m grateful for, as well as why I’m grateful for them – Reading them over again in my mind and then saying the magic words “Thank You” is a very powerful exercise. Give yourself the gift of starting a Gratitude Journal – before you do anything else at the beginning of each day, write at least 3 things that you’re grateful for. Write down why you’re grateful for each thing, and then read your list back to yourself saying the words “Thank You!” As you do this, really feel the feelings of being thankful in your body as much as you can. In no time at all you’ll be attracting more happiness and abundance into your life. I love this quote “Gratitude is the doorway to abundance” – Which ironically is what most people complain about is missing and causing them unhappiness

2) Get Moving! One of the greatest things you can do to instantly change your mood and feel better is to move your physical body. Throughout the day, I take 20 minute breaks to boost my activity, which gives me a burst of happy energy!  Whether it’s walking, jogging, yoga, dancing, hiking – You choose.. Just do it!
 Running

3) Mindfulness and Meditation. I’ve become such a huge fan of being mindful and living in the present moment. When was the last time you really enjoyed your meal? I mean, really took the time to enjoy and savor every bite. Many people are eating in their cars, gulping down a meal in minutes and then rushing off to do the next thing on their endless “to do” list. Next time you eat a meal, really take your time. Savoir and enjoy every bite – chew your food slowly and notice what a difference it makes as you eat in a mindful and present way. A regular practice of Meditating is also something I now crave in my own life. For those of you who say “I don’t have time to meditate.” – Let me assure you that if you start with even just 15 minutes per day, it will change your life. Among many other benefits – this practice will ease stress, build your immunity and increase your happiness.
Man and Women Zen

4) Fall Madly Deeply In Love With Yourself!  Yes, that’s right with Yourself!  When was the last time you said something nice to yourself? Stop putting yourself down, stop beating yourself up. Ask yourself this question, “If the voice inside my own head was my best friend, would I hang out with that person?”  Replace those negative thoughts and put downs with positive words. This is a real challenge for most people that I know and work with. And yet, with a bit of practice and coaching, you can easily change the movie and recording of disaster and negativity into genuine love and respect for yourself.
Love Yourself

5) Discover Your Passion. This is so important for our long term happiness. What’s your passion? What’s important to you? Get connected to your favourite charity or cause. If you’re unable to donate money – then how about some time. Becoming a part of a bigger purpose and sharing your passion through contribution is vital to your own health and happiness. Check out this powerful and empowering TED Talk by David Steindl-Rast - Some very wise and beautiful words on How to be Happy!

FIND TRUE HAPPINESS IN LIFE



Change is something that so many people resist - I've been there myself and you may be there now - but isn't 'resisting' really just the same as doing nothing at all?

So often do people find themselves in undesirable circumstances but instead of actively seeking a solution, many people sadly do nothing and hope that the situation will improve itself. 

THE MOMENT OF CLARITY

When you read that statement, something hopefully clicked - that moment of clarity, if only a fleeting realisationl, that it really does make no sense to expect results from nothingness.

Only by realizing that we are the true influence of our own happiness can we begin to alter our approach to situations and ultimately improve our well-being. Only then can we muster up the courage to take initiative and seize the results we want instead of waiting for them to come along. 

This is one of my favorite quotes, it's powerful and provocative -

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them" - Albert Einstein 

And how true is that. Negative thinking - the "half-empty" approach - will almost always yield negative results. If you believe "I'm not good enough", or "What's the point?", then the goals and aspirations you have can slip through your fingers.

But by altering your perspective and trying to see the positive, you can begin to accommodate the good that is trying to make its way into your life. This is a step towards happiness.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Choose happiness today, tomorrow may be too late!



I have to admit that these last two weeks have been a little rough but life does go one.
Two weeks ago a friend of my daughter’s was murdered.   And then yesterday a wonderful gentleman that I use to work with was killed in a car accident on his way to work.  We never know what is going to happen tomorrow and that is why today is so important.
As a tribute to these 2 wonderful people that touched my life and to all the other people that have been called home too early in life I want to promise them that I will do my best to live my life to the fullest with these tips.
1. Dare to dream the impossible
2. Make a habit of giving back more then I take.
3. Be thankful for everything that I have.
4. Never procrastinate and leave anything undone.
5. Be a positive influence for others and make a difference.
6. Try new things.
7. Always give out smiles.
8. Look toward the future and learn from the past.
9. Challenge myself.
10. Learn from a bad situation and make the most out of it by seeing the positive side.
11. Try hard to make people proud of me.
12. Not let fear stop me from living.
13. Be willing to step out of my comfort zone.
14. Never be something or someone I am not.
15. Laugh every day.
16. Find time for the important people in my life.
17. Never go to bed angry.
18. Seize new opportunities when they appear.
19. Go out of my way to help improve others lives by my actions.
20. Find fun and pleasure in small things.
Bad things do happen in life, but when we learn by them we can lead a much happier life and enjoy the good things.  Honor the people we lose along the way by learning lesson from them and being the best we can be.
Isn’t that what you would want if you were called home earlier than expected?
May you all be blessed with happiness and pull the positive out of any negative situation!

What you can do to be happy right now!



Feed your motivation to happiness. motivation 1 What you can do to be happy right now!
Motivation plays a big role in your success in anything you do or attempt.  If you want to lose weight, control stress or take your workouts to a higher level, you must find and feed your motivation.


Motivation and inspiration helps maintain your focus when you hit those valley and hills. You may get tired of learning, or fall short when you work towards coping with the stress in your life. Whenever those valley and hills hit you in life you have to motivate yourself to move forward, you cannot let them get you down. They are learning experiences and personal growth.
What is it that successfully people do to keep feeding their motivation? There are several factors that are extremely important on continuing toward your road to success.
First you can create a positive affirmation. You can say aloud or print on a paper to read every day. Yes, it is very true that we become what we believe we are. Some people believe that affirmations are religious but they can be as simple as “I am a calm person” or” I am always in control.” The only requirement is that the affirmation can help you like yourself.  You need to plant positive seeds in your mind daily it will inspire you to be motivated.
Whatever you want to attract in your life that is where your mind has to be. To be happy you have to focus on happy things in your life. When you have obstacles in your life, look at them as growing experiences and opportunities to grow and be a greater person.
When you see a successful person, look and see what they may be doing that you are not doing.  Don’t resentment them; this leads to frustration and stops you from moving forward.
To test out how motivation can make you feel better I have an exercise for you to try. Take one day and decide what you want to accomplish that day. It does not have to be a big thing. Maybe it is cleaning your kitchen, bedroom or bathroom. Maybe it is just doing the laundry. For you gentlemen out their maybe it is washing your car. Maybe you have a dream.   Work on your dream for 30 or 60 minutes a day. The more you work on your dream the more motivated you are going to get to accomplish and make that dream a reality.
At the end of the day see how you feel about what you have accomplished. Does it really make you feel good?   We were not put on this earth to just sit and do nothing. We were given a mind, arms and legs and the ability to do something with them.
Let us get those positive affirmations going, so your mind is positive and thankful. Motivate yourself and be the best you can be and were intend to be.  We are all great and are good at something.  Go find your greatness.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

HOW U CAN STAY HAPPY FOREVER


Life is so beautiful, Live it, LOVE it”
Everyone wants that there will be a smile forever on his face. People want to live a happy life. Everyone hates sorrow. But both are the part of life. Every winning team has to lose one time. Same condition implies on human kind. Our life is the mixture of sorrows & happy moments.
But we can try to make our life happy .In this way, I have some suggestion that how can you make ur life happy.
Patience
Patience is the basic tool that can make your life cheerful. If u loses in any competition or game try to be patience. It will increase your motivation level & u will work more to get success for next time.
Get out of tension
If you have tension & u can’t share it with any fellow, u will become loser in your next life. So try to share your problems with your fellow to get relax.
Believe on Yourself
If you believe that you can do everything, you will achieve success & automatically u will enjoy ur life. So  rely on your abilities.
Keep Motivated
If you fail to achieve anything in your life, don’t worry. Just try to keep your motivation level high. Just put your hand on heart and say to yourself “I ‘m the best of the best of best”
Don’t interfere other life
Just enjoy the life & don’t damage others. Everyone has the right to live & u have your own so just engage with your life. If u hurt others u will feel unpleasant in your life.
I hope these rules will make your life splendid & u will enjoy your life as u want to make it.
This is your life. It cannot be duplicated. So make the best impression with it. Love it, enjoy it. Don’t waste a single moment in your life because Time has no holiday. Dreams have no expiry date and Life has no pause button.
Keep Smiling…

Saturday, October 18, 2014

What Is Real Happiness.?




What is real happiness? It is being at one with your soul. So, then what’s a soul? Its everything that the ego is not. The ego tries to build you up. It makes you feel special and protected. But what’s really happening? You wind up being incredible insecure.

“I’m stuck on myself, on my way of doing things. I don’t love the way I am, but I’m addicted to it, and I don’t know how to stop.”

Your soul and your ego are as invisibly mixed as white wine and water. That’s why people are so confused. They wander through life searching for the soul when it’s right there. They all believe their soul will go to Heaven after they die, but the soul is everywhere already.

In other words, the soul is a mystery. It can’t be lost or found. It is neither here nor there. It belongs to you and yet it belongs to God. Without a process, no one would ever get to the bottom of it.

You’re searching for a label. Don’t. The process can’t be named. It’s invisible and yet all-powerful. It alters everything you say and do, yet nothing you say and do is part of it.

You can’t own the process. You can’t cling to it, any more than you could hold on to the smell of the ocean. The process happens entirely in the present. It’s here one second and gone the next.

You keep going back to your old self. That’s the worst addiction. As long as you crave the old self, you can never fully contact the unknown. Everyone is addicted to their old self.

You can’t have real roses, so you buy plastic ones. You can’t think sweet thoughts, so you gobble down sugar. You can’t figure out how to be happy, so you make other people laugh. There’s nothing wrong with what you do, but that’s not real happiness.



7 Habits of Highly Happy People.

Highly happy people all share happy habits. It’s as simple as that. The happiest people I know share seven very obvious habits. If you’re looking to expand your general happiness, you may consider adopting these in your own life.

1. Be a part of something you believe in.
This could be anything. People may take an active role in their local city council, find refuge in religious faith, join a social club supporting causes they believe in, or find passion in their careers. In each case, the physiological outcome is the same. They engage themselves in something they strongly believe in. This engagement brings happiness and meaning into their lives.

2. Share time with friends and family.
A happy life is a life shared with friends and family. The stronger the personal relationships are and the higher the frequency of interaction, the happier a person will be.

3. Reflect on the good.
Quite often people concentrate too much of their attention on negative outcomes and leave no time to positively reflect on their successes. It’s natural for a person to want to correct undesirable circumstances and focus closely on doing so, but there must be a healthy balance in the allocation of personal awareness. It is important to mindfully reflect on the good while striving diligently to correct the bad. A continuous general awareness of your daily successes can have a noticeably positive affect on your overall emotional happiness.

4. Exploit the resources you DO have access to.
The average person is usually astonished when they see a physically handicapped person show intense signs of emotional happiness. How could someone in such a restricted physical state be so happy? The answer rests in how they use the resources they do have. Stevie Wonder couldn’t see, so he exploited his sense of hearing into a passion for music, and he now has twenty-five Grammy Awards to show for it.

5. Create happy endings whenever possible.

The power of endings is quite remarkable. The end of any experience has a profound impact on a person’s overall perception of the experience as a whole. Think about reading a well written, thought-provoking novel. Now imagine the ending totally sucks. Even if the story was captivating up until the ending, would you still be happy recommending the novel to a friend? People always remember the ending. If the ending is happy, the experience creates happiness. Always tie loose ends, leave things on a good note, and create happy endings in your life whenever possible.

6. Use personal strengths to get things done.
Everyone possesses unique personal strengths. We all have different talents and skill sets. Emotional happiness comes naturally to those who use their strengths to get things done. The state of completion always creates a sense of achievement. If this achievement is based exclusively on your own personal ability to get the job done, the physiological rewards are priceless.

7. Savor the natural joy of simple pleasures.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best things in life are free. They come in the form of simple pleasures and they appear right in front of you at various locations and arbitrary times. They are governed by Mother Nature and situational circumstance and captured by mindful awareness. It’s all about taking a moment to notice the orange and pink sunset reflecting off the pond water as you hold hands with someone you love. Noticing these moments and taking part in them regularly will bring unpredictable bursts of happiness into your life.

Friday, October 17, 2014

How to be Happy




12 Ways to Improve Your Mood

Improving Your Mood is an Ongoing Project

Smile and maybe tomorrow, you'll see the sun come shining through for you 
Stuck in a rut, lonely, or feeling that life is passing you by? Want some practical advice on how to be happy?

Doing some of these things will give you a happy glow that you have achieved some concrete goals and this alone will improve your mood.


1. Be Active
Being inactive can be a vicious circle robbing you of much needed energy. Increasing your activity level will increase your energy.

Walking is the best exercise for your mind as well as your body. It is even more beneficial to walk outside, preferably in the morning. Also sunlight is good for your bone health.

Working out, walking briskly or jogging are all activities that can release endorphins, the feel good hormones. Sexual pleasure can do the same thing. Sports and activities such as dancing can also be a great way to meet people as well as keeping you healthy and happy.

Smile though your heart is aching Smile even though it's breaking 
2. Nurture Your Contacts
Keeping in touch with family and friends can make you a happier person. Don’t let good friends drop because they or you have moved and the friendship is not as convenient as it once was. Spend the time and money to visit your parents, siblings and children as regularly as you can.

Reach out and make new friends, even if it is not as easy as you get older and maybe have left the workforce.

If traveling is difficult or too expensive keep in touch with email and programs like skype where you can see and well as talk to your loved ones.

3. Keep Your Environment Calm
Keeping the places where you live and work clean, orderly and serene can help to increase your well-being and promote creativity. However, or are finding it difficult to keep on top of clutter, don't beat yourself up about it. If it bothers you, do something about it. If you find it hard to do this on your own, and can afford it, hire someone to help you sort it out.

However, if you are a person who feels more comfortable or works better in a more chaotic environment, you will have to do what is right for you. It is often all about what you've been used to.

If your environment is a little disordered and it really doesn't bother you, but other people are being judgmental, ignore them, as long as it is not cramping your style and interfering with your creativity. It is your environment and you should live as you wish.

4. Cleanliness is Next to Godliness
Sorry about the sub-head, I was just trying to grab your attention.

Disorder is one thing, however, cleanliness is another. Dirt and grime can be a breeding place for germs and dust and fluff can provoke allergies.

Keeping your environment clean and sweet smelling will make you feel happy to be home.

Hire someone to come in and help for a few hours if you can't manage to get on top of the situation.

5. Don’t let Unpleasant Tasks Pile Up
Many of us dislike housework and especially paper work. However keeping your home environment tidy, serene and cozy is a way to promote happiness and keeping on top of your paperwork is essential.

Make sure your tax, insurance, and other issues are in order, your bills up to date and that everything is in order and filed away and easy to locate in case you should need help.

Make a to-do list and cross off each chore as you complete it. This will give you a feeling of accomplishment and great satisfaction and is a good example of how to be happy.

6. Listen to Music
Music can be a perfect mood enhancer and can enrich your life. Organize your CDs and make sure you take good care of them, always putting them away after use and cleaning them whenever necessary. Put the radio on when you wake or invest in a portable radio or a radio alarm so you can wake up to music or even listen to the news while lying in bed.

7. Enjoy Your Rituals
Enjoy the rituals of going to bed and getting up, having a hot shower or a warm bath, taking your make-up off and putting it on again. Take your time and enjoy what you are doing. Give yourself a beauty or spa treatment once a week and smooth skin lotion or cream on your body before sleeping and especially after having a bath or shower.

Once a month smother your skin and hair with olive or almond or argon oil cover the bed with clean towels and sleep without taking the oil off. Wash off with warm soapy water in the morning, soak in the bath and then rinse under the shower and dry with a soft towel. Looking after yourself will make you feel good.

8. Eat Well
Eating well can help boost your happiness by making you feel healthy and satiated. Besides eating food that is good for you, make sure you eat food that you like. Quality food that has been prepared well can give you great pleasure and make you happier.

Eating well can also improve your health and help to prevent age-related conditions so that is another reason to eat well and be happier.

9. Learn Something New
Learning new things can teach you how to be happy as well as increasing your knowlege.

Think of a subject that you wish you knew more about and do some research on the internet or visit the local library and pick up a book about it. Plan a trip and learn a new language with a view to using it on your next vacation abroad.

Learn more about the Internet, how to better use your mobile phone or your digital camera. Enlist the help of your children or grandchildren who will often understand these things better than we do and will enjoy showing off their expertise.

10. Travel is Good for the Soul
If you are surrounded by people who are pessimistic and always complaining, be the odd person out and set a new trend by smiling and pointing out the good things in life.

Travel meeting new people seeing new things and learning about new cultures, eating new foods all make you grow as a person and appreciate the world we live in.

You'll find that life is still worthwhile If you just smile 
11. Smile
And lastly act happy and smile even if you don’t feel like. This is specially important if the people around you seem cold, surly and unfriendly. Somebody needs to break the ice.

As the song says Smile when your heart is breaking. Research shows that even an artificially induced smile boosts your mood.

And if you're smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable and many will return your smile giving you genuine feel-good vibes.

12. Laugh
Knowing how to laugh at yourself and the comedy of life are examples of how to be happy. Laughing is a great stress reliever and good for your health. It is infectious and can make others join in so it’s good for everybody.

Conclusion

Life is not fair and we are all dealt different hands and have different issues to deal with.

There are some people who seem to instinctively know how to be happy. Maybe they have been born with a happy disposition, or they have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths, as the old saying goes. Life gives them everything they need and they don't seem to have the same problems that many of us face on a daily basis. Often they are just happy souls who are at peace with their world and content with their lot.

Others have to work a little harder to keep happy and content.

Some people believe that this is karma, that some of us are old souls with less to learn and nearer to nirvana. Souls who know how to be happy and content and at peace.

Whatever you believe all of us are striving to achieve happiness. By working at being positive and being happy, you will increase the happiness of those around you

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Simple Ways You Can Be Happy Every Day

Simple Ways You Can Be Happy Every Day



We all strive to be happy. To have happiness resonate from our very being and to then spread that happiness to our loved ones every day. But often we don’t know how. We do know what it’s like to be happy, but how can we be happy every single day? We’ve read advice, yet we don’t have solutions. Well, here is your personal solution list to being happy every day!

1. Love yourself
You’re studying, you’re working, you’re worrying, you’re sorting out your life and seeing where you need to be next, you are just trying to make the best out of your life. But have you made yourself the best you’ve been? When did you last buy those roses you eye everyday? When did you last be your own best friend? Can you remember the last time you took care of yourself? If it’s been longer than a day, it’s time to change that. You are the best friend you can have. Give yourself the best love you can every day. Be it a longer shower, a ridiculous movie, a pastry you know you shouldn’t be eating, a walk in the park, a day at the beach, a quick preview of that book you haven’t gotten to, writing that article you’re so passionate about, or watching a scandalous reality show, whatever it is, as long as you love it. For, to love yourself is the first step to life long happiness.

2. Say Hi to the Outside World
The phone has become our instant mini world. We keep it out so often that we miss out on the real world. Every morning or evening or night put away your phone consciously for about 15 minutes and look around you. Notice the trees, the cars, the fountain, the houses and every time you do, I can bet that you’d see something you’ve never seen before. If nothing else, just walk or drive or take the subway and notice things around you, just for the sake of it, just because you can and because Facebook will always be there (presumably) but your surroundings might not.

3. Absorb Like a Child
We look so much yet we gather so little. Every time you are out and about, don’t just ‘look’, observe. Observe the things around you, nature, concrete, humans, everything! The tilt of the trees, the fashion on the streets, the building in despair and everything in air. Observe like a child would. Why? Well, why not!?And when you do, you’ll realize that there is so much more life in the concrete, so many more emotions in nature and so much more warmth in humans than we thought there was and there is so much more to the way back home than just a subway stop

4. Sing to the Tunes of Your Body
Listen to your body, closely and carefully. Listen to your mind, your gut, your intuition. Everyday your body talks to you, responds to you. The sleep it gets, the food it consumes, the surroundings it faces, with every passing minute your body responds. Listen to what it says, is it telling to slow down? To take a break? To eat? To sleep? The more you push yourself the more you tire your body, the lesser you listen to yourself.If nothing else listen to your body to be the best at work. Respond to its needs and your body in turn will reward you with healthy system and sharper brain and a happier mind.

5. Let Go of Your Mistakes
So you made a mistake. That time you shouldn’t have called, the best friend you no longer talk to, your mom who you might have ignored or that dog you couldn’t help. It’s been days, if not weeks and it’s still eating at you. We all make mistakes some grave other small but a mistake none the less. Forgive yourself. You are much more than your mistakes. Your mistakes never have and can never define you, you are the only one who can define yourself. So let go of that burden you have to live with and make space in your heart and mind for better memories and maybe different mistakes because with every mistakes and every lesson, you’ve learnt to do something right. Happiness is not just about your achievements, it’s also the lessons your learnt from your mistakes.

6. Love Yourself for Who You are Today
Wherever you are in life right now, is what you have and what you can work with, what you can change, what you can improve. Love yourself, your perfect, flawed self. Yesterday is mere memory and tomorrow is a hope, a plan but still just a figment of your imagination. Today, wherever you are, however you are, you’re one step closer to tomorrow. And if you want, one step closer to where you want to be. Don’t let yesterday, a mere figment of your memories hold you back. Recognize the power of today and live in the present for there is no force more powerful than a happy mind working today.   

7. Cut Out the Negative Baggage
Every negative vibe that you’ve felt, for every snarky criticism that you didn’t deserve, every unprompted shaming or name calling that you’ve endured, leaves you a little scared, a little hesitant, a little unsure. A lot of these, tear down your spirit and cut short your creativity, even hampering with your self-worth, and your self-esteem. Shun them. Let go of all the people in your life who make you feel anything less than the perfect and able individual that you know you are.  It might be difficult to do so, but do it for your happiness, for we all deserve nothing but the best and we owe it to ourselves to surround ourselves with people who believe the same.  

8. “Health is Wealth”
Work will always be there. Be it at home, in college, at the office, wherever it is, there will always be something to do. Another sad truth of life is that at a work place no one is indispensable. Working hard just enable us a little more security of our ability and bank balance but that’s it. The only thing that is indispensable to you is your health. Going back to the adage ‘no health, no wealth’, without a healthy lifestyle, a healthy body, mind and soul,  your work, your home but more importantly you suffer. Take up habits that enable you to have a healthy lifestyle and a healthier body,mind and soul.  The healthier you are the happier you’ll be. Eat right, exercise more, take breaks often to relieve stress and take up a hobby that give you joy. The healthier you are, the happier you’ll be.

9. Listen to The Food Gods
With every meal you skip a blood cell dies. No, that’s not at all true, but it could be. The point is you need to eat to be productive and happy. Eat anything but eat something. A fruit, a sandwich, a burrito, whatever you fancy, but eating makes you healthier and happier and then you can kick ass at work! Every time you get an urge to skip food, think of how awkward it would be to have your tummy growl loudly when you’re presenting the material that you skipped food for.

10. Breathe
Every day is a cacophony of motion. The bus, the neighbor, the work place, the colleagues, the deli, everything is loud screaming to be heard and yearning to be ahead. It’s overwhelming and constantly in your face.Well then, how do you get ahead, how do you get happy? By breathing. One breathe at a time. Tune everything out and breathe. Just give yourself a minute and breathe, live in that minute and breathe. To live is to hear the noise, to live happily is to be able to breathe and flourish in those noises, to be loud enough to be louder than the other voices, and breathe enough to be ahead of them all.

11. Find your Happy Place
Remember when as children we used to hide inside our forts? We used to be so happy, so content. What happened to that? Why did we let go? Not because we got older, but because we got busier.We found excuses to escape feeling.  Find your happy place, it could be your home, a park, your room, your kitchen anything, as long as it makes you happy.  The ‘Happy Place’ as ridiculous as it may sound, is simply a space that lets you be vulnerable, insecure and emotional. For you, to be able to put aside your brave facade and let it all out. Every day visit your happy place,let go of everything that’s made you unhappy and feel the happiness seeping into your body. Let your happiness, your happy memories, your happy smiles just infiltrate every part of your body and then quipped with happy thoughts and a happy place go and face the brutal world.

12. Go Out and Play
The sun, unless you’re in India, in 49 degree weather, makes everything happier, even your body. You get vitamin D, you can ditch the tanning salon, and most of all you get to connect with Mother Nature, be closer to the system that provides for all your basic needs. Be it a walk, or exercising or soccer or taking your dog out, whatever it is find an excuse to embrace the sun. To feel it’s warmth and the light it spreads to everyone on the planet.

13. Acknowledge Your Emotions
When you’re upset, or angry, or sad recognize it, acknowledge it and eliminate it. Most of us recognize our emotions but tend to ignore then in a pursuit of  being ‘cool’. Today the idea of emotions has become so overwhelming that we hide from them instead of acknowledging them. They get so bottled up that then we lash out, especially at our loved ones and then wonder ‘where did all that come from’. The trick to avoid that is to face your emotions everyday, resolve them everyday and then let go of them everyday. Everyday till you start doing it subconsciously, making you happier, more aware and a little more in control of your life.

14. Stop Comparing
Everyone has their shares of trouble, failures and success. More often than not we see people only at the peak of their careers, in less than a moment we assume that they are in some way ‘better’. That they did something that you haven’t, or that they are generally better than you. Take that thought and dump it out in the farthest garbage truck and never look for it again. Everyone is different. Some blossom faster, some slower, but everyone is unique and so are you. If you’re not where you want to be just yet, well, then work towards it. Success is never the end goal, it’s just a perception. Some people see success in raising happy kids, some see it in that bird house they made, some see it in the grades they got, some see it in their bank balance. Your success is how you define it and that defines your path to your happiness.

15. Be Content
Always remember, especially if you have the means to read this article, that you have something more than someone else. That, whatever you have, no matter how little it may seem to you, is more than what someone else has. No matter what your gender is, what your ethnicity, where you’re from or what you believe in, always be content with how much you have.  Be content with what you have and move forward. Being content is not synonymous with being complacent. To be ahead you cannot be complacent but to be happy you must learn to be content.

7 Beliefs of Happy People



The way a person thinks matters. A person’s beliefs about himself, other people, and the world can critically influence his level of happiness.
These beliefs are what allow some people to remain calm and content,  even during those inevitable occasions when life serves up some pretty miserable circumstances. Alternatively, these beliefs also have the power to make a person feel as if his world is crumbling around him if a stranger says something nasty or he gets a parking ticket.

An overall happy person sometimes feels frustration, pain, and discomfort, but he is able to shrug his shoulders and move on without getting caught in the trap of suffering.

These are common beliefs of overall happy people: 

1. There are no “shoulds.” 
Happy people  believe that when it comes to situations and behaviors, there are no automatic “shoulds.”  They genuinely accept, “No, it isn’t true that the police officer should have let me off with a warning, my neighbor should keep his dog quiet or I should get new shoes.  And it’s definitely not a fact that I should not have gotten in that car accident, that I should always be kind, that I should have gone to law school…”

Happy people don’t invest energy dwelling on or fighting what “should” or “should not” have happened. They also think for themselves about whether doing something makes sense instead of relying on “shoulds” to guide their own behaviors and choices.

2. Everything is a shade of gray (and that’s okay). 
Happy people accept (and can tolerate the uncertainty that comes with admitting) that the world is not “black or white”, “all good or all bad.” They can face the facts that they have some strengths and some limitations without shuddering; They accept that a person can be rude or show poor judgment in an instance and still not be completely selfish all the time. They truly know that just because something awful happens, their life is not all bad.

3. All relevant things are based on facts (not judgments or assumptions).
Happy people see themselves, others, and the world realistically, meaning they stick to the facts when they acknowledge the bad things and the good things.  They don’t think to themselves, “I am such an idiot” when they forget to turn off the oven; They simply think, “I forgot to turn off the oven.”  They don’t think to themselves, “Now my kid will never graduate college” when she struggles with reading in first grade; They simply think, “It takes more time and intervention for her to practice phonics right now.”

4. It’s not all about me, and that’s okay. 
Content people believe: “I am not the best or the most handsome or the smartest or the most successful human being on the planet, and that’s okay; Not everyone likes me, and that’s okay; Often times people are focused on their own thoughts and perspectives more than they are focused on me, and that’s okay.

5. It is okay to accept that things are what they are (or were what they were), even when it’s painful. 
People who are generally happy accept that people are sometimes irrational and hurtful, that obstacles and tragedies have occurred and there is no way to undo them, and  that they will go through periods of pain and hardship in the future. They believe that it is okay to experience and ride-out that pain without fighting it, numbing it, or drowning it.

6.  Even though I must surrender to some painful things, I am not completely powerless.
Happy people look at the world and situations with a sense of personal-accountability and control.  They know that they are in charge of making their lives what they want it to be and being the person they want to be.  And they feel capable of doing just that. A happy person bravely focuses on his own role in any problems (even if it is small), so that he is able to make positive changes.   As for the happy person that forgot to turn off the oven in #3?  He simply takes personal responsibility for making sure to set a timer next time he bakes.

7. This moment is worth enjoying.
Happy people aren’t telling themselves,  “as soon as I get a better job, I’ll be happy,” or “When I find a boyfriend, I’ll be happy.” They truly believe that the small joys of everyday life are worth noticing and experiencing with enjoyment.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

How to Enjoy a Wonderful Day





How about living one day in a different way from your other days?

You can create and enjoy a beautiful, satisfying and wonderful day. You can do so, by making small changes in your daily life.

Sit down on your bed, just before going to sleep, and tell yourself that you will wake up tomorrow one hour earlier than usual.
Repeat a few affirmations, so that your mind accepts this idea, of having a wonderful day.
Think for a while about the benefits you will gain by waking and getting up earlier, and about the things you can do in this extra hour.
Set your alarm clock to the appointed hour, and lie down on your bed. While in bed, watch the thoughts that pop up into your mind, but try to do so detachedly and without any tension. Just watch them calmly, and in a relaxed manner, until you fall asleep.
When the alarm clock rings in the morning, get up immediately, with a smile on your face.
Don't give in to the desire to stay some more minutes in bed. Don't listen to your mind, which will probably persuade you to stay in bed a little longer, because it is too early to get up.
Get up, wash, change your clothes, and sit down for meditation for about fifteen minutes, using any meditation technique that you know. If you do not know how to meditate, just sit down and visualize some pleasurable and happy events from the past.
It is not enough just to wake up early. Often, after waking up, we do not get out of bed, but stay for some more minutes, and then fall asleep again. You have to persuade yourself to get out of bed immediately after you wake up.

It is pleasant to cuddle under the blankets, especially on a cold morning, but on this special day you need to get out of bed immediately. The feeling of pleasure and power you gain by getting immediately is greater than the pleasure of staying in bed.

I am not going to describe how to handle each and every action and situation during the day, as every individual has a different life and schedule. However, I am going to give some general examples and hints to help you design your own day.

Examples of how to make your day a wonderful day

Waking up earlier, gives you extra time in the morning. So why not enjoy a nourishing and tasty breakfast? Prepare something you love, something that you usually do not have the time to prepare in the morning. You have got the time today.
Endeavor to be aware of what you are doing throughout the day. When you eat, for example, pay attention to your food, and don't read the newspaper or watch the television at the same time. If you do so, you will enjoy your food much more. In the same way, try to focus your attention on your other activities. Concentrating on what you are doing helps you do it better and more efficiently.
Remember to smile more often during the day. It is important that the smile is not an artificial, but that it comes from inside you. Smiling makes you and other people feel happier.
Expect the best and do your best.
Be patient and tolerant toward others.
While driving your car, decide to be kind and tolerant of the other drivers. Stop at street crossings to let the pedestrians cross the street. Be courteous and considerate on the road. This behavior will make you, and the other drivers and pedestrians feel good. As a consequence, they too will be kind to other drivers and pedestrians, at least for a little while.
A good morning with a smile has a great influence on everyone. Greet the people who work with you, even if you have never done so before.
Coming to work with a strong intention to have a great day, and handling everything in a positive and decisive manner, will have its influence upon the people whom you come in contact with. This will help you to broadcast peace, good will and happiness.
Do your best to be nice and polite today, to your family, colleagues, friends, the seller at the grocery or supermarket, to the bus or cab driver, to the delivery boy and to anyone else you meet today. It is all a matter of inner attitude and choice. Exercise your power to choose a polite and considerate attitude.
Make a decision that during this special day, you are going to handle everything in a cool and calm way. If you need to meet someone or do something that usually makes you feel nervous or irritated, have a talk with yourself beforehand. Tell yourself that you are going to stay calm and relaxed, and that you are going to handle everything in the best way. If you feel you need it, make several mental rehearsals. Visualize yourself going through the situation in a very efficient way, and achieving a positive outcome.
In this special day act unhurriedly. Do your best to stay relaxed. Remind yourself often that it is your beautiful, wonderful day. Invite into your mind thoughts and feelings of happiness, satisfaction and competence. Imagine scenes and events from your past experiences, when you felt good and happy. By concentrating on these mental images you let the associated feelings and emotions well up again. Enjoy these good feelings, and try to go on enjoying them, even after you stop thinking about them.
When back home from work, what about a flower, a book, or some other small gift to your spouse and children? Even a smile, a hug or a kiss will do. You have tried all day to be kind to other people and stay positive. Do this at home too. Devote some quality time to your family. You have been out the whole day; now enjoy being together with them. Earning money to support your family is not enough. They need to feel your love and attention too.
During this special day, make also some special effort to use your time more efficiently. Do not watch too much TV, and shorten the time that you read the newspaper. It is better to use this time to read something inspiring that will help you improve your life, or devote a few minutes to meditation in the afternoon or evening.
Don't forget to devote some time for yourself. I have talked about meditation, but do also something that you love, such as reading a book, writing, devoting some time to your hobby, walking or any other physical exercises.
The above are only suggestions to show you what you can do. You can adapt them to your specific situation.

Try to live one wonderful day. Then enjoy another day like it. If you continue like this, you will turn this into a habit.

Ways for Happiness in Daily Life

Ways for Happiness in Daily Life



You can make your life happier. It is a matter of choice.

It is your attitude that makes you feel happy or unhappy.

We meet various situations every day, and some of them may not contribute to happiness. However, we can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, think about and relish the happy moments.

.All of us go through various situations and circumstances, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings.

If we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. We lose our freedom. We let our happiness be determined by outer forces. On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives.

What is happiness?

It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced, when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts. This usually happens, when we do something we love to do, or when we get, win, gain, or achieve something that we value. It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by external events.

For most people, happiness seems fleeting and temporary, because they allow external circumstances to affect it. One of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation. As the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit.

Tips for Happiness in Daily Life:

1) Endeavor to change the way you look at things. Always look at the bright side. The mind might drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good and positive side of every situation.

2) Think about solutions, not about problems.

3) Listen to relaxing, uplifting music.

4) Watch funny comedies that make you laugh.

5) Each day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.

6) Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.

7) Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't.

Sometimes, you begin the day with the desire to accomplish several objectives. At the end of the day, you might feel frustrated and unhappy, because you haven't been able to do all of those things.

Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able to do. Often, even if you have accomplished a lot during the day, you let yourself feel frustrated, because of some minor tasks you didn't accomplish.

Sometimes, you spend all day successfully carrying out many plans, but instead of feeling happy and satisfied, you look at what was not accomplished and feel unhappy. It is unfair toward yourself.

8) Each day do something good for yourself. It can be something small, such buying a book, eating something you love, watching your favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a stroll on the beach.

9) Each day do at least one act to make others happy.

This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite.

When you make someone happy, you become happy, and then people try to make you happy.

10) Always expect happiness.

11) Do not envy people who are happy. On the contrary, be happy for their happiness.

12) Associate with happy people, and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.

13) Do your best to stay detached, when things do not proceed as intended and desired. Detachment will help you stay calm and control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not indifference. It is the acceptance of the good and the bad and staying balanced. Detachment has much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conductive to happiness.

14) Smile more often.