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Sunday, December 7, 2014

9 Tips in Life that Lead to Happiness



Are you truly happy? Do you even know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves. I live my life to maintain my own happiness while trying my best to not cause unhappiness to anyone else. If you want to be happy you need to understand that you can be happy and that you should be happy. Many people make the mistake of believing that they don’t deserve happiness and accept their unhappy state as their destiny. The truth of the matter is that happiness, like anything else in life, needs to be nurtured. The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

1.Understand what it is that will make you happy. Everyone has unique requirements for attaining happiness and what makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy. Revel in your individuality and do not worry about whether or not your desires are comparable to those of your peers.

2.Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your mood will very likely increase as your pursue your goal because you will feel better about yourself for going after something you value.

3.Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. Conversely, if you are around people who are happy their emotional state will be infectious.

4.When something goes wrong try to figure out a solution instead of wallowing in self pity. Truly happy people don’t allow set backs to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor.

5.Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continued happiness.

6.It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself. Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance you will be subconsciously putting yourself in a better mood.

7.Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. While there are times that require you to be serious, when it is appropriate, find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you unhappy.

8.Maintaining your health is another way to achieve happiness. Being overweight or not eating nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood. Additionally, exercise has been known to release endorphins that give you a feeling of happiness.

9.Finally, it is important to understand that you deserve happiness. Those who believe that they are not worthy of happiness may subconsciously sabotage their efforts to achieve happiness. If necessary, tell yourself each day that you deserve to be happy and remind yourself what steps you will take to achieve the happiness you desire.

Happiness is hard to define but most people are aware of whether they are happy or not. Many people believe that happiness is a form of luck and that some people are destined to be happy while others are destined to be unhappy. I try to incorporate the tips above into my life and have had great success in achieving happiness. The tips in this article are small but meaningful steps that you can take each day to lead you to true happiness.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

How to Be a Happy Person



Generally everyone wants to be happy. However, due to all the types of personalities and temperaments and problems in the world that everyone deals with from day to day, staying happy can be a hard task at times. However, there are some things we can do to be happier people.


Instructions

1
Purpose in your heart to be a happy person. Anything we desire to change in our lives must first start with a change of heart and a change of mind.

2
Think on positive good things. What you dwell on affects your feelings. It's important to change your focus from the negative to positive good things.

3
Take heed to what you watch on television and what you listen to on the radio, etc. Children are not the only ones who are affected and influenced by what they see and hear. We all are.

4
Choose your friends wisely. It's important to have positive thinking and believing people around you. People are also influenced by the people that they are around the most.

5
Most of all, have a grateful heart and attitude. When we are thankful for the little things, it helps you not to focus on negative things or complain about things you may not be able to change at the present time or at all.



How to Be a Happy Person in Your Life



Life is too short to always be sad and miserable. So cheer up, and be happy! Only we can make ourselves happy in life. Sometimes we need to stop enjoy the little things in life every once in awhile. Here's some steps on how to make yourself happy. You can do it!

Life is too short to always be sad and miserable. So cheer up, and be happy! Only we can make ourselves happy in life. Sometimes we need to stop enjoy the little things in life every once in awhile. Here's some steps on how to make yourself happy. You can do it!

3.Make sure you have music in your life.

Yes, that's right, I've discovered listening to variety of different music really relaxes the soul and makes you feel more content and up beat. Sometimes words are truly wisdom, that encourages us. It keeps us maintaining positive vibes. Negative vibes is what makes one miserable obviously. Maybe you should change your music taste, or listen to more? Listen to music the encourages you. Sometimes I listen to music and helps me to inspire to write about something.

4
Make sure you're taking the proper supplements.

For instance, like Omega-3 fish oil, which is known to boost your mood. Drink Green tea is extremely good and eat more vegetables and fruits. Don't eat a lot of grains and avoid a lot of dairy. I've read studies how a lot of what you eat can effect if you're depressed. Seems silly, but it's true. Proper diet really makes a difference not just physically, but mentally.

5
Do new things.

Sometimes we get bored in our lives, because everything is the same. That can lead to never being truly content with ourselves. Challenge yourself, try new things. Learn new things. Learn to play the piano, watch a movie you normally wouldn't watch. Be open to change and learning more about who you are and what you like. We are always learning more about ourselves. We don't know everything about us, so search for more. Try new things.

6
Try to have a positive outlook and don't dwell on the negative.

Oh this is why some people can never be happy, they always think about the bad. Think about the good things. Think about a sunny day, a sunset, something that makes you laugh or smile. Make a deal with yourself and stop worrying over everything little thing. Problems can be fixed, it's okay. Think about things that you enjoy.

7
Make sure you're not blaming everyone else for where you are at.

It's not the people who make us miserable, it's us. Don't blame others for your misery. People can make you sad and mad. But only yourself can make you miserable in this life. You have the power to be happy. You need to feel content about yourself, and believe in who you are. You have the power to meet others and do anything you want to. We are our only limitations in life, not the ones around us, or circumstances. Remember that. Other people become the easy part. People see these positive vibes and it changes their outlook on you and maybe themselves even.

8
Go out and meet new people. Maybe the crowd you are hanging out with aren't giving you joy. Sometimes you might need a change in friends. Are you happy with who you are hanging out with?

9
Go on a vacation.

Take a vacation, see new things. Sometimes you need a break from a job and need different scenery. Maybe you need more adventure in your life.

10
Go and do things that scare you.

Overcoming fears is one of the best ways to be happy and content in life. Don't worry about failing, just try something, or face something that scares you. We make things out to be worse in our own minds, then what they really are.

Friday, December 5, 2014

10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy



In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Researchers like the father-son team Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, Stanford psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post have studied people all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being. The emerging field of positive psychology is bursting with new findings that suggest your actions can have a significant effect on your happiness and satisfaction with life. Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.


1.Savor Everyday Moments
Pause now and then to smell a rose or watch children at play. Study participants who took time to “savor” ordinary events that they normally hurried through, or to think back on pleasant moments from their day, “showed significant increases in happiness and reductions in depression,” says psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky.

2.Avoid Comparisons

While keeping up with the Joneses is part of American culture, comparing ourselves with others can be damaging to happiness and self-esteem. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focusing on our own personal achievement leads to greater satisfaction, according to Lyubomirsky.


3.Put Money Low on the List
People who put money high on their priority list are more at risk for depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Their findings hold true across nations and cultures. “The more we seek satisfactions in material goods, the less we find them there,” Ryan says. “The satisfaction has a short half-life—it’s very fleeting.” Money-seekers also score lower on tests of vitality and self-actualization.

4.Have Meaningful Goals
“People who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new craft or raising moral children, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations,” say Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener. “As humans, we actually require a sense of meaning to thrive.” Harvard’s resident happiness professor, Tal Ben-Shahar, agrees, “Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable.”

5.Take Initiative at Work
How happy you are at work depends in part on how much initiative you take. Researcher Amy Wrzesniewski says that when we express creativity, help others, suggest improvements, or do additional tasks on the job, we make our work more rewarding and feel more in control.

6.Make Friends, Treasure Family
Happier people tend to have good families, friends, and supportive relationships, say Diener and Biswas-Diener. But it’s not enough to be the life of the party if you’re surrounded by shallow acquaintances. “We don’t just need relationships, we need close ones” that involve understanding and caring.

7.Smile Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
It sounds simple, but it works. “Happy people…see possibilities, opportunities, and success. When they think of the future, they are optimistic, and when they review the past, they tend to savor the high points,” say Diener and Biswas-Diener. Even if you weren’t born looking at the glass as half-full, with practice, a positive outlook can become a habit.

8.Say Thank You Like You Mean It
People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals, according to author Robert Emmons. Research by Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, revealed that people who write “gratitude letters” to someone who made a difference in their lives score higher on happiness, and lower on depression—and the effect lasts for weeks.

9.Get Out and Exercise
A Duke University study shows that exercise may be just as effective as drugs in treating depression, without all the side effects and expense. Other research shows that in addition to health benefits, regular exercise offers a sense of accomplishment and opportunity for social interaction, releases feel-good endorphins, and boosts self-esteem.

10.Give It Away, Give It Away Now!
Make altruism and giving part of your life, and be purposeful about it. Researcher Stephen Post says helping a neighbor, volunteering, or donating goods and services results in a “helper’s high,” and you get more health benefits than you would from exercise or quitting smoking. Listening to a friend, passing on your skills, celebrating others’ successes, and forgiveness also contribute to happiness, he says. Researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that those who spend money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves.

10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy

In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Researchers like the father-son team Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, Stanford psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post have studied people all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being. The emerging field of positive psychology is bursting with new findings that suggest your actions can have a significant effect on your happiness and satisfaction with life. Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.






Saturday, November 29, 2014

The Key to Dying Happy Happy Together





There are a million jokes that could be made with the above headline, half of them dirty. But this post isn’t one of them — it’s about what’s important in life, how you want to live, and how you want to die. It’s about living a life of purpose, and being remembered well after you move on from this life.

To die happy, you must live life with that end in mind. Live a life of purpose.

That’s easier said than done, of course. In this post, I’ll look at a great way to find that purpose in your life, and to live every day with that purpose in mind, and to align your daily actions with that purpose.

First ask why
But first, let’s ask the obvious question: “Why does this matter?”

Let’s consider for a moment the life that most of us lead: we get up in the morning, we do what we have to do for the day, if we’re lucky we get some time to relax or do something fun, if we’re even luckier we get some time to spend with loved ones. And this repeats itself in endless variations until we get old.

What happens then? We look back on our lives, and perhaps we wish we’d done stuff differently, or wish we’d accomplished something. But after a certain point, it’s a bit too late.

This post is about doing something about it now, about choosing to live differently before it’s too late.

Perspective
Now let’s think about what’s important. At any given moment, whatever is in front of us is important. That assignment has to be done right away! That’s because we’re looking closely, at the details.

But if we pulled back, took a step away from our lives, those details become less important. Soon we can start to see the forest. Unless we pull back some more — and now we can see a continent. Pull back further, and we see the Earth, the solar system, the galaxy — and now nothing in our lives are important.

Obviously, you need to get the right amount of perspective.

The best tool for that, I’ve found, is a famous principle of Stephen Covey’s: begin with the end in mind. And here’s how he tells us to do that: by imagining what we’d like people to say about us at our funeral. Do we want them to say that we were kind-hearted, or charitable, or loving, or successful, or that we accomplished great things, or found a cure for cancer? However we want to be remembered, that’s how we should live our lives, every moment of every day, starting right now.

Live With Purpose — A How-to Guide
If you want to live a life of purpose, here’s a method for doing so (you were wondering when the list would come!):

Your purpose. Start by taking 10 minutes out of your life to find some quiet space, and to close your eyes, and to think. Ask yourself: How do I want to be remembered? What do I want people to say about me at my funeral? Think about that for 10 minutes, then write down your answers. There may be a few different things, or 10, or just one.
Write it down. Put your purpose — how you want to be remembered — on a sheet of paper. Type it out, or write it lovingly with a Magic Marker — it doesn’t matter. Put it in nice, big letters. This is your life mission. Post it up somewhere visible, or make it your desktop background. Be reminded of it every day.
Morning ritual. Every morning, rise with the sun (or at the crack of noon, it doesn’t matter), and look at your purpose. Read it out loud, and give it some thought. Ask yourself: what can I do today to help fulfill my purpose? Now write that down on your to-do list — even if it’s something simple, like “Smile at my co-workers” or “Give my kids a hug”.
Align your actions. As much as possible, make your actions move your toward your purpose. Keep that purpose in mind throughout the day. If it helps, send yourself email reminders. After awhile, it’ll become a part of your nature.
Evening ritual. Take a few minutes before you go to bed to look back on your day, on your actions, on what you accomplished. Perhaps write about it in a journal (this is best, but it’s up to you). Look at your purpose again, and think about how you could have lived today differently. Then figure out how you can live your purpose better tomorrow.
These simple actions aren’t that hard to do. They might take some energy and focus in the beginning to make it a habit, but with focus, you can make it happen. And your life will be filled with purpose, and you will live your life with happiness, and eventually, with a little luck, die happy. May your life be blessed.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

10 Simple Keys to Living an Empowered and Happy Life



1. Be grateful – When you stop and see the blessings all around you, you will learn to be happy as a habit.  Think of all the things you are grateful for.  Count your blessings not your troubles.

2. Be original – Don’t waste energy trying to fit in, the original masterpiece you are is so much better than a copy of someone else.  Recognize your magnificence.

3. Keep it simple – Don’t over-complicate things by worrying and focusing on things you have no control of, now is all you have, enjoy the moment.  Be present, live on purpose.  Remember you are a spiritual being, the trappings of the ego will not bring you peace and joy; find your peace in simplicity.

4. Love – It is really simple, Love God, Love your neighbor and Love yourself.  If you do these things all you will create a life of joy and happiness.  Perfect love drives out fear, when you live your life making the most loving decision your capable of in each moment; you will live fearlessly and be truly empowered.

5. Be kind – It is impossible to refresh others without being refreshed.  If you are having a hard time, find someone to encourage.  It is impossible to be discouraged when you are encouraging someone else.  Small random acts of kindness speak volumes to someone who I having a difficult day.

6. Forgive – When you release the burden of anger and forgive you free yourself to enjoy your life without the bondage of hate and bitterness, you take back your power and the other person no longer has a hold on you.  Forgiveness is the gift you give yourself.

7. Don’t take things personally – How others treat you is a reflection of them not of you.  They have their own drama, release the need to get others approval or to have others like you.  If others are unkind, it has nothing to do with you, let it go.

8. Take time to experience the wonder – Nature, children and animals all can bring peace and joy into our lives.  Take time to go for a walk with a child and experience the world through their eyes.  Spend time in nature and recognize the wonder.  Imitate the simple kindness and loyalty of a dog, they just love.  Life is full of wonder, get you some.

9. Do something creative – We are spiritual beings created to be creators.  When you step into your creativity you ignite the part of your soul that is connected to the source of all creation.  Find any creative outlet that makes you sing: cooking, art, music, writing, gardening, organizing your closet, the list is endless.  Don’t die with your song unsung.

10. Be social – We are not meant to live in isolation.  Call a friend.  Go for a walk and start a conversation with a stranger.  Do something to interact with someone in a significant way.  Leave them better than you found them.

These are some of the things I try to follow as I walk my path.  I hope they inspire and help you to live a more happy empowered life.

9 Most Common Traits Of Happy People

9 Most Common Traits Of Happy People


Are you born to be naturally happy or is it something you can obtain? We believe that by embracing these simple habits, you will become a naturally happier person and live a more fulfilling life.


1. Love Themselves For Who They Are
On the surface this may sound incredibly egotistical, but by it I simply mean that they are truly comfortable in their own shoes. They accept and embrace themselves physically, they maintain their true character traits regardless of whether or not they receive approval and they work to make the best of the human experience they are living -rather than wallow in what others would define as weaknesses or shortcomings.

2. See Relationships As An Extension To, Rather Than The Basis Of The Human Experience
Relationships, whether friendly, familial or romantic, are certainly one of the greatest parts of the human experience. However, far too many of us let their presence or absence, and even more so the value we attribute to them dictate our overall happiness in life. I’ve found that genuinely happy people tend to find complete contentment within themselves, and see all relationships as the awesome extension to their self-content. It’s often when we are not looking for others to fill a particular void, or to make us feel a certain way, that most of the truest and most-valuable relationships are formed.

3. Embrace Change
Life is a constant lesson and happy people tend to be well-aware of that. Not only are they always open to change, but they truly listen to suggestions, respect and consider all opinions and take criticism constructively rather than offensively.

4. Celebrate Rather Than Compare Themselves To The Accomplishments Of Others
Jealousy is a killer, and as Gary Allan once said, “You can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars.” We are all capable of accomplishing anything in this life and are the only ones that are going to find the drive within ourselves to do it. Rather than observe and compare to those who have accomplished, the truly happy tend to celebrate it and use it as motivation to accomplish things within their own lives.

5. Never Dwell In Being A Victim
We’ve all been the so-called ‘victim’ to several things in life. Whether it be an unexpected break-up, getting fired from a job, or even something as serious as the recipient of domestic abuse. Truly happy people tend to be those who choose not to dwell in it. They choose to let the victimization strengthen them, rather than wear it as a badge of weakness or as the thing that makes them consistently worthy of receiving sympathy.

6. They Live In The Present
As fun as reminiscing about the past or fantasizing about the future can be, nothing will ever be done in anything but the present and happy people tend to realize that. Not only do they realize it, but they tend to use it as motivation to make the most of it. In addition to being motivating, presence can also come in handy for truly appreciating those moments of relaxation, allowing yourself to be truly in them, rather than projecting future concerns into them.

7. Trust That Everything Happens For A Reason
This can very easily be paired with the choice to not be a victim, but happy people tend to trust the process and existence of everything in their life. They know that nothing is ever too big to handle and choose to embrace what life is currently throwing at them rather than cowering at the sight of it.

8. They Don’t Let Money Dictate Their Lives
Nobody is denying that in this world right now we all need money to exist, and as a result many of us spend the bulk of our lives doing things that help us earn it. What I’ve found to differentiate happy people is that they don’t let money be the ultimate dictator in their life. They still make sensible choices within their means, but they never let money: A) prevent them from pursuing a so-called “risky” passion, B) be the factor that is blamed for why their life is so miserable, C) complain about how little they have. There are creative ways to do everything in this world, and seeing money as only being possible to make in the standard ways is the most crippling thing to that creativity.

9. Look Within For Solutions
One of the most powerful realizations a genuinely happy person will often operate based on is “change starts within.” The empowerment that comes as a result of not only realizing this but even more so in using it as the backbone to everything in life can be quite remarkable. There are thousands of books, mantras, techniques and practices out there that can all help us to find solutions to so many things in life, but they all require one thing to truly be serviceable: the consciousness to support them.