Seven Ways To Be Happy Today And The Days To Come

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     There are many ways to be happy. Here are seven of them:

1. Boost your energy. Take a brisk ten-minute walk outside, or stand up and pace while you talk on the phone. Research shows that when people move faster, their metabolism speeds up, it boosts focus, lightens mood, and increases the memory retention. And when you're energetic, the people around you will become energetic too.
2. Reach out to friends. Make a lunch date, or send email, or open your facebook account and chat with friends you have not meet for awhile. One of the keys to happiness is having close bonds with other people. Socializing boosts the mood not only of extroverts, but of introverts as well.
3. Rid yourself of a nagging task. Others call it, eating the frog in the morning. Answer a difficult email, purchase something you need, or call to make that dentist's appointment. Crossing an irksome chore off your to-do list will give you a big rush of energy and cheer. You'll even be surprised you procrastinated for so long.
4. Create a calmer environment. Clear some physical and mental space around your desk by sorting papers, pitching junk, stowing supplies, sending out quick responses, filing, or even just making your piles neater. A large stack of little tasks can feel overwhelming. Often just a few minutes of work can make a sizable dent. Try to get in the habit of using the "one minute rule"--never postpone any task that can be completed in less than one minute. An uncluttered environment can create a more serene mood.
5. Lay the groundwork for some future fun. Plan a weekend excursion at the beach, hiking trail, sporting event, gardening, reading an inspiring book, watching a movie --whatever sounds like fun. Studies show that having fun on a regular basis is a pillar of happiness. Anticipating it is an important part of the pleasure. 
6. Do a good deed. Shoot someone a piece of useful information or gratifying praise, or set up a blind date, or make an email introduction of two people who could help each other. Also, it is helpful to act the way you want to feel. When you act in a friendly way, you'll strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people.
7. Act happy. Put a smile in your face right now, and keep smiling. Research shows that even an artificially induced smile has a positive influence on your emotions -- just going through the motion of happiness brightens your mood. And if you're smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable.

     Wanting happiness is not a selfish goal as what other people perceive it to be. On the contrary, studies show that happier people are more sociable, likable, healthy,productive -- and are more inclined to help other people. So boost your way to happiness and let it benefits others.

What Brings Happiness

     Ed Hays has very inspiring words concerning happiness.

     Simply to have all the necessities of life and three meals a day will not bring happiness. Happiness is hidden in the unnecessary and in those impractical things that bring delight to the inner person...When we lack proper time for the simple pleasures of life, for the enjoyment of eating, drinking, playing, creating, visiting friends, and watching children at play, then we have missed the purpose of life. Not on bread alone do we live but on all these human and heart-hungry luxuries. 

      How very true! Happiness is not bought. Happiness could never be rented. Happiness could only be lived by those who have innocent and simple hearts. Happiness is within each person. We could only find it when we free ourselves from the daily distractions of our lives.
      Get happy!

Forgiveness Paves The Way To Happiness

     St. Paul comments, "I am doing the things I do not want to do, and not doing the things I want to do." Recently this has been my dilemma. It's my goal of becoming a happy person through following the Christian values. Hence the creation of this blog. However, my goal has just been tested. There is this person whom I come into contact with daily and successfully manages to make me boil inside and makes me unhappy. I detest her ways. I hate her attitude. Slowly the feelings inside me are magnified, especially when other critics of her talk against her back in front of me. I always affirmed their criticism against her and even added my own opinion and ill-feelings.
     Doing this daily drains me of my energy. Not only that, my conscience keeps on bugging me. Here I am, doing a personal growth blog, yet doing wayward things. When I could no longer handle my feelings, I consulted it to God. I said, there is no way I could correct the person because no one could change someone's attitude in an instant and without the person's consent. Moreover, when the person is not that emotionally and psychologically mature.
      Eventually God did not delay the answer. He answered in one word -- forgiveness. Forgiveness not so much to the person who caused me misery, because there would be many of them whom I would eventually encounter in my lifetime. But forgiveness in myself. The reason why I react negatively and painfully, is because I harbor within me those feeling of negativity and pains. In short, I have not fully forgiven myself from my mistakes in the past, thereby making me difficult to accept people as they are, good and bad alike. I have not fully forgiven and accepted myself as I am with all my weaknesses and shortcomings. This dawned on me. I was awakened from my deepest slumber. Yes, this is what I have to work on within myself. For if I were loving myself as I am, there would be no difficulty on my part accepting people as they are. With this realization I am so thankful to God. And I am happy.
     Get happy!

Reverence For Life

    Heard about Albert Schweitzer? He was a medical missionary in Africa, an organist, a theologian and a philosopher. His greatest teaching according to Wilfred A. Petterson in The Art of Living With Others has been compressed into a spiritual capsule of three words -- reverence for life.
     Peterson describes reverence for life beautifully:

When one has reverence for life, one holds life in the highest esteem as God's gift to us. One recognizes that all life is a part of God and that God is a part of all life. One sees that the chief purpose of life -- plant, animal and human -- is to express itself. The universal affirmation of all life is the will to live, to grow, to make the most of its own unique qualities.

When a person has reverence for life that person will never do anything to harm, hinder or destroy life. Instead that person bends every effort to help life to fulfill its highest destiny. That person strives to maintain, enhance, and assist life to make the most of itself.

Reverence for life...is having the vision to see that when even the very smallest segment of life is helped. It is using our influence to glorify and celebrate the eternal miracle of life.

     Ah, beautiful words. Accurately put.
     It is our mission here on earth to revere the life we have and that of others because we are all connected with each other. We are one. It might be easier said than done, yet we have to do it because it is in our very nature. We could not go against our nature. It might be difficult for me to do, given the tons of aches and pains I carried on my back, yet doing it one step at a time, I'll be able to revere life, my life and those around me. Hope you could do it too.

     Get happy!
    

 

Prayer Affirmation

     In our age today, the form of prayer has a new face. Wise gurus discovered it and shared their discovery to the world. It is their way of touching people and helping them create better beings in themselves and others. This form of prayer is described by Socrates as, "You are what you think." Wise gurus said, everything that comes to mind is a form of prayer, whether it be good thoughts or bad thoughts, as long as it is recognized by the mind. Thus, this gurus lead us to the best form of prayer - the positive one. I found one of this prayers, which I pray daily, from Allan Cohen. It is my pleasure to share this with you.

Today I set my mind and heart on a new path. I focus my energy on love, appreciation, and my highest possibilities. Today I claim responsibility for my own success, and step forward with a new enthusiasm to manifest unprecedented good. I use my mind to create only the best, and I draw unto me all the support and resources I need for positive change. Thank you God, for opening the door to a life filled with blessings.

     Now go and pray this daily and be transformed in the days to come.
    
     Be happy!

Letting Happiness Flow Through Letting Go

     There are two forms of letting go. One is letting go of something that I do not want or no longer need, like letting go of heartaches and pains from the past. I have to let go of these things in order to move forward in my journey of life with no additional baggage and become a little wiser and happier.

      The other form of letting go is the letting go of something that I do so need and desire. This may sound scary but the truth behind this action is absolutely rewarding. For example, when I have the desire to acquire the newest laptop model. In order to maintain my happiness, I have to let go of the attachment to the desire, yet continue to do the means which could lead me to the acquisition of the newest laptop model. Because when I allow the attachment to the desire to linger within me much longer, it would drain me of my energy and could lead to unhappiness and loss of life balance. The desire is good, the attachment is not. And the best ever way to manage the desire is to let it go and offer it in the hands of God. This way I still can enjoy the flow of happiness in my life. The desire is just a spice of life while the happiness is the main ingredient.

Four Things To Do When A Member Of The Family Makes You Unhappy

    All of us desire for happiness. No one loves unhappiness. That's why many happiness substitutes ar coming out of the market because there is no definite way to get out of unhappiness.

     One situation of unhappiness is when someone makes us unhappy. What to do when faced with this dilemma? Pack our things and walk away hoping not to see the person who makes us unhappy ever again? Nope. We can't just do that, especially when the one's making us unhappy is a member of our own family. Whether we like it or not a family is a family. To face this situation, the following might help:

1. Determine who is in charge of your feelings. You are not a puppet who lift your hands when somebody lifts the strings or put down your hand when somebody pulls down the strings. Be in charge of your own feelings.

2. Determine what this person has done to you. If it's only petty things, forgive the person right away. There is no other way to overcome hard feelings than forgiveness. If the reason is bigger and is a matter of life and death, then talk it out calmly with the person involved. Settle the conflict in a gentle and loving way.

3. Determine what makes this person behave the way he/she does. Most people operate their lives out of their wounded hearts that have never been healed. Perhaps you are the instrument in the healing of some of the wounds this person is harboring deep within.

4. Understand the person. Extend a compassionate heart. He/She is your family anyway.