Motivational Stories

For: Mama Ismaelita Mayette N.
Desabille This is my gift for you this Christmas because youre one of the strongest women I have ever known. Merry Christmas, Mama! I love you very much. From: Your Daughter, Dena Mae Amor N. Desabille
Page 1 of 47 | Stories of Motivation
30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself
When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you. As Maria Robinson once said, Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, theyll make room for you. You shouldnt have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, its not the people that stand by your side when youre at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when youre at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. Face them head on. No, it wont be easy. There is
no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We arent supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. Thats not how were made. In fact, were made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because thats the whole purpose of living to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you cant lie to
yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled.
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. The most painful thing is losing
yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone youre not. One of the greatest challenges in life is being
yourself in a world thats trying to make you like everyone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Dont change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. You cant start the next chapter of your life if you
keep re-reading your last one.

7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. Doing something and getting it wrong is at least
ten times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. We may love the wrong person and cry about
the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth
is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free love, laughter and working on our passions. 10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. If youre not happy with who you are on the inside, you wont be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. Read Stumbling on Happiness.
11. Stop being idle. Dont think too much or youll create a problem that wasnt even there
in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You cant make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking youre not ready. Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity
arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we wont feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. Relationships must be
chosen wisely. Its better to be alone than to be in bad company. Theres no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when youre ready, not when youre lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didnt work. In life youll
realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. Dont worry about what others doing
better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
16. Stop being jealous of others. Jealousy is the art of counting someone elses blessings
instead of your own. Ask yourself this: Whats something I have that everyone wants?
17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. Lifes curveballs are thrown for a
reason to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. Youll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
18. Stop holding grudges. Dont live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up
hurting yourself more than the people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever. Forgiveness is the answer let go, find peace, liberate yourself! And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, its for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. Refuse to lower your standards to
accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.

20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. Your friends dont need it and your
enemies wont believe it anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. The time to take a
deep breath is when you dont have time for it. If you keep doing what youre doing, youll keep getting what youre getting. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. Enjoy the little things, because one day
you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
23. Stop trying to make things perfect. The real world doesnt reward perfectionists, it
rewards people who get things done. Read Getting Things Done.
24. Stop following the path of least resistance. Life is not easy, especially when you plan
on achieving something worthwhile. Dont take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary. 25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isnt. Its okay to fall apart for a little while. You dont always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. You shouldnt be concerned with what other people are thinking either cry if you need to its healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. The extent to which you can achieve your
dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what youre going through, you deny responsibility you give others power over that part of your life.
27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Doing so is impossible, and trying will only
burn you out. But making one person smile CAN change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. So narrow your focus.
28. Stop worrying so much. Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today
of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: Will this matter in one years time? Three years? Five years? If not, then its not worth worrying about.
29. Stop focusing on what you dont want to happen. Focus on what you do want to
happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, youll often find that youre right.
30. Stop being ungrateful. No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day
thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what youre missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.
95 Questions to Help You Find Meaning and Happiness
At the cusp of a new day, week, month or year, most of us take a little time to reflect on our lives by looking back over the past and ahead into the future. We ponder the successes, failures and standout events that are slowly scripting our lifes story. This process of self-reflection helps us maintain a conscious awareness of where weve been and where we intend to go. It is pertinent to the organization and preservation of our long-term goals and happiness. The questions below will help you with this process. Because when it comes to finding meaning in life, asking the right questions is the answer. 1. In one sentence, who are you? 2. Why do you matter? 3. What is your life motto? 4. Whats something you have that everyone wants? 5. What is missing in your life? 6. Whats been on your mind most lately? 7. Happiness is a ________? 8. What stands between you and happiness? 9. What do you need most right now? 10. What does the child inside you long for? 11. What is one thing right now that you are totally sure of?
12. Whats been bothering you lately? 13. What are you scared of? 14. What has fear of failure stopped you from doing? 15. What will you never give up on? 16. What do you want to remember forever? 17. What makes you feel secure? 18. Which activities make you lose track of time? 19. Whats the most difficult decision youve ever made? 20. Whats the best decision youve ever made? 21. What are you most grateful for? 22. What is worth the pain? 23. In order of importance, how would you rank: happiness, money, love, health, fame? 24. What is something youve always wanted, but dont yet have? 25. What was the most defining moment in your life during this past year? 26. Whats the number one change you need to make in your life in the next twelve months? 27. Whats the number one thing you want to achieve in the next five years? 28. What is the biggest motivator in your life right now? 29. What will you never do? 30. Whats something you said youd never do, but have since done? 31. Whats something new you recently learned about yourself? 32. What do you sometimes pretend to understand that you really do not? 33. In one sentence, what do you wish for your future self? 34. What worries you most about the future? 35. When you look into the past, what do you miss most? 36. Whats something from the past that you dont miss at all? 37. What recently reminded you of how fast time flies? 38. What is the biggest challenge you face right now? 39. In one word, how would you describe your personality? 40. What never fails to frustrate you? 41. What are you known for by your friends and family? 42. Whats something most people dont know about you? 43. Whats a common misconception people have about you? 44. Whats something a lot of people do that you disagree with? 45. Whats a belief you hold with which many people disagree? 46. Whats something thats harder for you than it is for most people? 47. What are the top three qualities you look for in a friend? 48. If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? 49. When you think of home, what, specifically, do you think of? 50. Whats the most valuable thing you own? 51. If you had to move 3000 miles away, what would you miss most? 52. What would make you smile right now? 53. What do you do when nothing else seems to make you happy? 54. What do you wish did not exist in your life? 55. What should you avoid to improve your life? 56. What is something you would hate to go without for a day?
57. Whats the biggest lie you once believed was true? 58. Whats something bad that happened to you that made you stronger? 59. Whats something nobody could ever steal from you? 60. Whats something you disliked when you were younger that you truly enjoy today? 61. What are you glad you quit? 62. What do you need to spend more time doing? 63. What are you naturally good at? 64. What have you been counting or keeping track of recently? 65. What has the little voice inside your head been saying lately? 66. Whats something you should always be careful with? 67. What should always be taken seriously? 68. What should never be taken seriously? 69. What are three things you cant get enough of? 70. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you? 71. What fascinates you? 72. Whats the difference between being alive and truly living? 73. Whats something you would do every day if you could? 74. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive? 75. Which is worse, failing or never trying? 76. What makes you feel incomplete? 77. When did you experience a major turning point in your life? 78. What or who do you wish you lived closer to? 79. If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be? 80. Whats something you know you can count on? 81. What makes you feel comfortable? 82. Whats something about you that has never changed? 83. What will be different about your life in exactly one year? 84. What mistakes do you make over and over again? 85. What do you have a hard time saying no to? 86. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? 87. Whats something that used to scare you, but no longer does? 88. What promise to yourself do you still need to fulfill? 89. What do you appreciate most about your current situation? 90. Whats something simple that makes you smile? 91. So far, what has been the primary focus of your life? 92. How do you know when its time to move on? 93. Whats something you wish you could do one more time? 94. When youre 90-years-old, what will matter to you the most? 95. What would you regret not fully doing, being, or having in your life?
7 Deadly Sins of Creativity
Creativity is not just for artists and poets. Everybody has the potential to exercise their creative mind to innovate new ways of accomplishing things that will ultimately make life easier and more gratifying. Creativity magnifies the effectiveness of our natural talents, generating elevated levels of success and happiness by helping us discover more efficient ways to do what we love to do. Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. - Franklin D. Roosevelt Acts of creativity can be found in every facet of life. We are surrounded by the byproducts of creative ideas both big and small. And the small acts of creativity are no less important than the big ones. In fact, the more creative you are with the small things in your life, the more creative you will likely be with the big things. Now, its to be expected that there will be ups and downs in our levels of creativity. Some days well be full of new ideas, and other days our brains will feel a bit dull. Although this phenomenon is natural, oftentimes our poor personal choices perpetuate our inability to think creatively, and we end up having more dull days than creative ones. The vast majority of these poor choices fall into one of seven categories. I call them the seven deadly sins of creativity.
1. Lack of knowledge and attention.
Knowledge and attention are absolute necessities. Creative thinking cannot be productively applied until a certain level of knowledge is gathered about the current situation or problem at
hand. Thus, creativity actually relies on both sides of the brain, the creative right side and the logical left side. The first steps the brain takes when tackling a creative venture are actually governed by logic, not creativity. This is because most creative breakthroughs rest on the shoulders of everything that came before it. The logical left side of your brain analyzes the situation and all the known facts, defines the problem that must be solved and then hands the data over to the creative right side of your brain. In other words, once a creative challenge has been realized, you must first rely on your logic and absorb yourself in what is already known. Without this logical review process, creativity will drown in misdirection.
2. Lack of passion and enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm is the lifeblood of creativity. Creativity blossoms when you are passionate and enthusiastic about what you are doing. Its extremely difficult to pioneer creative solutions for things you have absolutely no interest in. When your mind is stimulated by curiosity and a fundamental interest in the subject matter, your creativity and motivation will automatically accelerate. (Read The War of Art.)
3. Doing exactly what youve always done.
Theres a saying that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If you keep doing what youve been doing, youll keep getting what youve been getting. Sure, this will minimize surprises and mistakes, but it will also crush your creative edge. We are all a product of our past experience, but we must step outside of our comfort zone and attempt unfamiliar activities if we hope to achieve breakthroughs in our future. The foundation of practical creativity is simply trying new things to see what works and what doesnt.
4. Fear of failure.
Most creative ventures step into the unknown, slowly taking you in a direction you havent gone before. Any journey into uncharted territory holds a certain level of inherent risk. Many people are scared to accept this risk, which in effect squashes all their creative ideas before they have a chance to develop them. If you hope to exercise your creativity, you must get over your fear of failure. Confidence and passion together provide the solution. If you have confidence in yourself and passion for your ideas, you will be far more willing to accept calculated risks, take creative chances and thwart off the other stress factors attempting to restrain your creative edge. Because at the end of the day, you know that every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.
5. Never pausing for a break.
Where are you when your most creative ideas come to you? Im guessing its not when youre sitting at your desk working, or consciously trying to think creatively. Rather, its when youve given the logical side of your brain a rest and youre doing something else, like taking a stroll outside. The biggest bursts of creativity often come when you walk away from the problem for awhile. This gives your mind a chance to mull over the information, often subconsciously, and look at things from a renewed perspective. Exercise can be a great way to shift away from your logical thought process and into the creative depths of your mind in order to access new ideas and solutions. After working for a couple hours straight, usually the best way to jog your creativity is to literally take a jog. (Read The Power of Your Subconscious Mind.)
6. Never testing the impact of your creative output.
As silly as it sounds, some of the most creative ideas and inventions never make it into the public eye simply because their creator doesnt realize the significance and impact of what he or she has produced. This is another perfect example of how creativity actually relies on both sides of the brain, the creative right and the logical left. Once your creative mind drives you to create something, your logical mind must test, verify and validate it. In other words, theres more to the creative process than simply having an idea and executing it once behind closed doors. Most creative ideas that leave an impact on the world are relentlessly tested, reviewed by third parties, and sometimes modified and tested again. Scientists do this in a laboratory with other scientists. Painters do it by painting and then displaying their art in a gallery. Bloggers do it by translating their thoughts into stories and articles, and publishing them online.
7. Confining yourself to boundaries others set up.
No matter how creative you are or much progress you make with your ideas, there will always be negative people who insist that whatever youre trying to do is impossible. Or they may suggest that your creative ideas are impractical and ridiculous because nobody really cares, even though they have no basis for these claims. When you come across these people, dont try to reason with them. Instead, forget that they exist. They will only drain you of your creativity and waste your time. And unfortunately, sometimes the people who care for you most might also interfere with your creativity. Theyll see you venturing into uncharted territory and theyll try to quickly steer you back to familiar ground. Theyre doing this to protect you to shield you from the possibility of failure. But in effect what theyre also doing is shielding you from the possibility of bringing your big ideas to life.
When it comes to exercising your creativity, you must try what you want to try, go where you want to go, and follow your own intuition. Dont accept false choices. Dont let others put a cage around your ideas. (Read The Artists Way.)
7 Ways to Change Your Life in 7 Days
No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isnt trying. If you start implementing these seven habits today, you will see a positive change in your life within a weeks time, guaranteed.
1. Choose happiness with words.
Happiness is simply a state of mind. No, Im not implying that we can instantly heal the pain of a severe or unexpected personal tragedy just by thinking about being happy. Rather, I am referring to our levels of happiness on routine days when things in our lives are close to normal. In these neutral times, when we are neither ecstatic nor extremely sad, the slightest change in attitude can swing our happiness balance drastically in either a positive or negative direction. One of the primary factors that affect our attitude is our choice of words. Words have a lot of power and influence on both the speaker and the listener. When we speak we sometimes unintentionally choose words that have a negative undertone. This can make us seem unhappy (and negative) in the eyes of others. Even worse, after we have spoken these words our
unconscious mind starts believing in them. If this is what came out of my mouth, it must be the way I truly feel. However, this is not always true. The first fleeting words that come to mind are not necessarily the most accurate representation of our feelings and intentions. We must realize that we have the power to choose the words we use, and if we pick them carefully, they can change the way we feel. Heres one example: Typically, when I ask someone How are you? they reply, Im fine or Im okay. But one lazy Monday afternoon last month a new colleague of mine replied, Oh, I am fabulous! It made me smile, so I asked him what was making him feel so fabulous and he said, Im healthy, my family is healthy, and we live in a free country. So I dont have any reason not to be happy. The difference was simply his attitude and his choice of words. He wasnt necessarily any better off than anyone else, but he seemed twenty times happier. It really struck a chord with me. Suddenly I realized that I have a choice. I can either say the glass is half empty or the glass is half full. Why not rejoice in the fact that, thankfully, I dont have anything to be terribly upset about. So now when someone asks me how I am doing, I say Im doing wonderful! or Everything is awesome! or something similar that reflects a positive, happy mood. Since Ive made a regular habit of doing this, multiple friends and acquaintances have noticed a positive change in my attitude. And I do genuinely feel happier. Also, it seems like the people around me are smiling more now too. So I guess its contagious.
2. Get uncomfortable and try new things.
Brian Tracy once said, Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. One of the biggest reasons people get stuck in an idle state, instead of taking action to change their lives for the better, is simply that the process is uncomfortable. But to create positive changes in your life you have to step outside your comfort zone, at least for a little while. Rather than dismissing yourself as unchangeable creature of habit, you can instead direct your own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things you try the more you step outside your comfort zone the more inherently creative you will become, both in the workplace and in your personal life. Routines stagnate us. New experiences help us grow and they make life interesting. Make an effort to try something new every day this week. It can be a whole new activity or just a small experience, such as talking to a stranger. And once you get the ball rolling, many of these new experiences will open doors to life changing opportunities. With a strategy of continuous small steps into new experiences, we are able to sidestep the biggest barrier to positive change: Fear. Read The Success Principles.
3. Help someone in a way only you can.
We all have natural strengths and talents that can dramatically help those around us. What comes easy for you is no doubt challenging for others. We tend to take these gifts for granted, often hardly noticing what we have to offer, and thus we rarely share them with others. Inner happiness and zeal come from using these inherent gifts on a routine basis. Ask yourself, What do people thank me for? What do people routinely ask for your help with? Most peoples passions and talents help others in one way or another. Perhaps for you its painting, teaching math, cooking a good meal or leading an exercise class. Devote time each day to sharing your talents.
4. Dedicate time to activities youre passionate about.
Take part in something you passionately believe in. This could be anything. Some people take an active role in their city council, some find refuge in religious faith, some join social clubs supporting causes they believe in and others find passion in their hobbies. In each case the psychological outcome is the same. They engage themselves in something they strongly believe in. This engagement brings happiness and meaning into their lives. The same principals hold true for your job and career. Why should you be passionate about what you do for a living? Because diligent focus alone is not enough to make you successful and happy. Focus is important, but what happens when the path youve taken is more difficult or longer than you anticipated? Thats where passion comes in. Not only can working on things youre passionate about be immediately gratifying, but passion can keep you from quitting when you feel like theres no end in sight. Passion can help you enjoy the road to your destination enough that you dont have to only rely on your focus to drive you. Passion will change your life by pushing you forward through even the toughest of times. Read The How of Happiness.
5. Make small, positive changes every day.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The same philosophy holds true for making changes in your life. Making small, positive changes eating a little healthier, exercising a little, creating some small productive habits, for example is an amazing way to get excited about life. And if you start small, you dont need a lot of motivation to get started either. Just get going! The simple act of getting started and doing something will give you the momentum you need, and soon youll find yourself in a positive spiral of changes one building on the other. When I started doing this in my life, I was so excited I had to start this blog to share it with the world.
6. Acknowledge the lesson, smile, and try again.
The real winners in life cultivate optimism. They have the ability to manufacture their own happiness and drive. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always
find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times. Its important to remember that everything is a life lesson. Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. Theyre all part of the learning experience we call life. Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things dont go your way. If you dont get a job you wanted or a relationship doesnt work, it only means something better is out there waiting. And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it. You must think positively. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. The mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it. When wild animals are first captured and put into zoo cages, they try everything to get out of that cage. They bite it, run into it with their full weight, and claw at the cage. They persist for weeks and months and they take any chance they can to free themselves. But after a few years of captivity these wild animals lose their fierce desire to be free. You could leave the cage door unlocked so the animals could escape if they wanted to, but they wont. They wont even try, because theyve become comfortable and given up the instinct that they could ever be free again. Are you like these wild animals in a cage? Have you lost your initiative to succeed and make good things happen in your life? Is your mind stuck in the gutter? You may think your past is indicative of your future, and that youve been cast in an imprisoning mold. You may believe that just because you havent yet been successful in X, Y or Z that you will never be successful in that venture and you may as well accept your fate. The mindset of your past being indicative of your future is a trap an extremely easy and unnecessary trap. But the truth is, your reality can be whatever you want it to be. The limits to what you can achieve are an illusion. These achievement limits are all in your head. Youve got to keep a positive outlook and continue to press forward through the tough times in order to enjoy the greatest moments of your life. Read The Magic of Thinking Big.
7. Pay attention and enjoy your life as it happens.
There is nothing wrong with looking forward to things. Im sure we all agree that its nice to know enjoyable events are coming up in our schedules. The problem is, once an event weve been looking forward to is upon us, were often already on the lookout for the next one the next high. I dont think anybody could say this better than Zen Buddhist, Thich Nhat Hanh: In the United States, I have a close friend named Jim Forest. When I first met him eight years ago, he was working with a Peace Fellowship. Last winter, Jim came to visit. I usually wash the dishes after weve finished the evening meal, before sitting down and drinking tea with everyone else.
One night, Jim asked if he might do the dishes. I said, Go ahead, but if you wash the dishes you must know the way to wash them. Jim replied, Come on, you think I dont know how to wash the dishes? I answered, There are two ways to wash the dishes. The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second is to wash the dishes to wash the dishes. Jim was delighted and said, I choose the second way to wash the dishes to wash the dishes. From then on, Jim knew how to wash the dishes. I transferred the responsibility to him for an entire week. If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not washing the dishes to wash the dishes. Whats more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact, we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we cant wash the dishes, the chances are we wont be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life. When I watched the Academy Awards a few months ago, I realized that most of the speeches actors and actresses make when they accept an award go something like this: This means so much so me. My whole life has been leading up to this moment. But the truth is, our whole lives have been leading up to every moment. Think about that for a second. Every single thing youve gone through in life, every high, every low and everything in between, it has led you to this moment right now. Ask yourself this: How much of life are you actually living? If youre like most people, the answer is likely: Not enough. The key is to concentrate on a little less on doing and a little more on being. Remember, right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. Dont miss it.
12 Happiness Habits for Busy People
It is not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do that is the secret of happiness. - James M. Barrie You should never be too busy to smile, because creating happiness in your life does not take a lot of time. You just have to do a few things right.
1. Smile at perfect strangers.
Dont wait for people to smile. Show them how. Let your guard down. Talk to someone you dont know straight from your heart. Compliment them. Dont anticipate awkwardness. Just be you in that beautiful way only you know and give them the chance to smile and connect with you. The more you smile at others, the more others will smile at you. And lifes a lot more pleasant when everyone around you is smiling. Read How To Win Friends and Influence People.
2. Pretend today is going to be a great.
Do so, and it will be. Research shows that although we think that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act. A great attitude always leads to great experiences.
3. Reflect on whats good.
Appreciate all the good things in your life, no matter how small. You already have some amazing things in your life, whether you realize it or not.
Most of us have incredible family members, friends, other loved ones who love us back. Learn to appreciate what a miracle that is. Most of us have good health, which is another miracle. Most of us have eyes, with which to enjoy the amazing miracles of sunsets and nature and beauty all around us. Most of us have ears, with which to enjoy music, one of the greatest miracles ever. Be grateful for each of these things, and more! Take time every day, throughout the day, to thank life for all that it has given you, to thank others for what they give you, to be grateful.
4. 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 personal ability to get the job done, the psychological rewards are priceless. Read StrengthsFinder.
5. Use your imagination.
Yesterday I saw a kid in the grocery store having the time of his life with nothing more than a banana and his imagination. He was pretending the banana was a rocket ship, and he was flying it all over the store. How is it that we are born knowing how to enjoy life, and yet after learning all of the wonderful things we adults learn, we somehow forget how to have fun? Its almost like we get dumber in this regard as we get older. The solution? Counteract the aging process with the full power of your imagination. You dont have to pretend bananas are rocket ships although that would be fun but try to imagine something that makes you smile at least once a day.
6. Create something.
Creation is a process like none other. Putting to use your innovative faculties and constructing something with your own two hands will leave you with an indescribable sense of wholeness. There really is no substitute for it. The only caveat is that it must be related to something you actually care about. If you are creating financial plans for clients all day and you hate it, then thats not going to work. But if you can find something you love, and create something related to it, it will make all the difference in your life. If you havent created something in a while just for the sake of creating, try it. You will not be disappointed.
7. Help someone else for a couple minutes.
In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone elses life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.
8. Share your lunch break with a close friend.
Get out of the office, away from your work and spend 30 to 40 minutes eating and socializing with someone you care about. Youll find that your mind will naturally start to unwind and youll begin to feel a bit more like yourself again.
9. Get rid of one thing a day.
We have so much clutter surrounding us at any given moment (at the office, in our cars, in our homes) and weve become so accustomed to it that we no longer notice how it affects us. If you start cleaning up some of that external clutter, a lot of internal clutter will disappear as well. Choose one needless item each and every day and get rid of it. Its that simple. It might be difficult at first, so expect some resistance. But after some time you will begin to learn to let go of your packrat tendencies, and your mind will thank you for your efforts.
10. Meditate.
Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness. On a general level, meditation helps you slow down, accept the moment you are in and achieve a higher sense of presence. If you use meditation as a form of relaxation, it really doesnt take long for you to start feeling the positive effects. Read Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation.
11. Avoid negativity and negative people.
Dont belittle yourself and dont put up with people who try to belittle you. You are as capable as you believe you are. There will always be obstacles, but if you think positive thoughts and seek solutions, you can accomplish what others say is impossible.
12. Enjoy the moment.
This moment is your life. Enjoy it. Whatever youre doing, regardless of the circumstances, pay attention and appreciate it. Reading, writing, talking with a co-worker, taking a shower, walking up stairs, eating, washing dishes, sweeping, etc. These small moments make up a huge portion of your life. They can be enjoyed if
you open your eyes and ears, and pay attention to what youre doing. Happiness is found with steady awareness.
10 Things You Should Be Able To Say Before You Die
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is. - Mary Anne Radmacher Many moons from now, just before you take your final breath, I hope, for your sake, that you are able to repeat the following ten headlines to yourself, honestly.
1. I followed my heart and intuition.
As our friend Steve Jobs says: Your time is limited, so dont waste it living someone elses life. Dont be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other peoples thinking. Dont let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. This is your life, and its a short one. Dont accept false choices. Dont let others put a cage around you. Try what you want to try. Go where you want to go. Follow your own intuition. Read Quitter.
2. I said what I needed to say.
Everyone has this little watchdog inside their head. Its always there watching you. It was born and raised by your family, friends, coworkers, bosses and society at large, and its sole purpose is to watch you and make sure you stay in line. And once you become accustomed to the watchdogs presence, you begin to think his opinion of whats acceptable and unacceptable are absolute truths. But the watchdogs views are not truths, theyre just opinions forceful opinions that have the potential to completely brainwash you of your own opinions if you arent careful. Remember, the watchdog is just a watchdog, he just watches. He cant actually control you. He cant do anything about it if you decide to rise up and go against the grain. No, you should not start randomly cussing and acting like a fool. But you must say what you need to say when you need to say it. It may be your only chance to do so. Dont censor yourself. Speak the truth. Your truth.
3. I did what I needed to do.
Every morning you are faced with two choices: You can aimlessly stumble through the day not knowing whats going to happen and simply react to events at a moments notice, or you can go through the day directing your own life and making your own decisions and destiny. The greatest gift extraordinarily successful people have over average people is their ability to get themselves to take action to physically do something about getting from where they are now to where they want to be. And no, it wont be easy. But in the end, suffering from the pain of discipline while you do what you need to do is a whole lot easier than suffering from the regret and disappointment of never fulfilling any of your dreams.
4. I made a difference.
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone elses life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something thats greater than you something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less. Doing something nice for someone can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Read How To Win Friends and Influence People.
5. I know what true love is.
Finding a companion or a friend isnt about trying to transform yourself into the perfect image of what you think they want. Its about being exactly who you are and then finding someone who appreciates that. Relationships must be chosen wisely. Its better to be alone than to be in bad
company. Theres no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. As with all things of the heart, there is an ingredient of magic in finding love. There are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. Love is beautiful and unpredictable. The best thing you can do is to start to become the most outstanding person possible. The universe will know when you are ready, and when you are, true love will happen, unexpectedly.
6. I am happy and grateful.
Very little is needed to create happiness. It is all within you, in your way of thinking. How you view yourself and your world are conscious choices and habits. The lens you choose to view everything through determines how you feel about yourself and everything that happens around you. You must choose to be happy. A big part of this is simply being grateful for what you have. As Mick Jagger once said, You cant always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might find you get what you need. Look around. Appreciate the things you have right now. Many people arent so lucky. Read 12 Things Happy People Do Differently.
7. I am proud of myself.
You are your own best friend and your own biggest critic. Regardless of the opinions of others, at the end of the day the only reflection staring back at you in the mirror is your own. How you feel about this person is vital to your long-term wellbeing. Being proud of yourself is also known as having strong self-esteem. People who are proud of themselves tend to have passions in life, feel content and set good examples for others. It requires envisioning the person you would like to become and making your best efforts to grow as an individual. Being proud isnt bragging about how great you are. Its more like quietly knowing that youre worth a lot. Its not about thinking youre perfect because nobody is but knowing that youre worthy of being loved and accepted. Boost your self-esteem by recognizing your accomplishments and celebrating them. Acknowledge your positive qualities, and when you come across a quality in yourself that you arent proud of, dont sulk in your sorrows, proactively work on correcting it. Read Today We Are Rich.
8. I became the best version of me.
Its a good idea to be yourself, not only because everybody else is taken, but because trying to be anything else doesnt usually get you very far. Trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you are. Strength, success and contentment come from being comfortable in your own skin. Judy Garland once said, Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of somebody else. Live by this statement. There is no such thing as living in someone elses
shoes. The only shoes you can occupy are your own. If you arent being yourself, you arent truly living youre merely existing. Remember, at any given moment, you are in competition with one person and one person only yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be.
9. I forgave those who hurt me.
Weve all been hurt by another person at some point or another we were treated badly, trust was broken, hearts were hurt. And while this pain is normal, sometimes that pain lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. This causes problems. It not only causes us to be unhappy, but can strain or ruin relationships, distract us from work and family and other important things, make us reluctant to open up to new things and people. We get trapped in a cycle of anger and hurt, and miss out on the beauty of life as it happens. Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.
10. I have no regrets.
This one is a culmination of the previous nine headlines Follow your heart. Be true to yourself. Do what you need to do fulfill your dreams. Say what you need to say. Be kind to others. Offer a helping hand when youre able. Love those who deserve to be loved, and cherish the bond you share. Appreciate all the things you do have. Smile. Celebrate your small victories. Learn from your mistakes. Forgive. And let go of the things you cant change.
30 Lessons A Wise Man Once Shared
My father is one of the wisest men I know. Over the past year he has been dispensing bits of wisdom to friends, business partners and family members via his Facebook wall and private Twitter stream. Since much of what he posts is in line with the focus of our blog, I figured Id share some of his advice with you today. Here are my 30 favorite excerpts from his recent posts. 1. You cant make choices for other people. Dont let other people make choices for you. 2. There are an unlimited number of Dr. No folks that you will encounter in this life. If you have a personal inspiration, idea or goal, dont let a Dr. No deter you! Trust your gut, do the planning and then DO IT! 3. Opportunities are often disguised as work, so most people dont recognize them. 4. The Chinese character for the word crisis literally means danger and opportunity. 5. Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small pieces. -Henry Ford - Same concept configured as a question: How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time. Read Getting Things Done. 6. Learn from the past, but dont dwell in the past. In other words, dont abuse the precious now by not being in it. 7. Worry is a misuse of the imagination. 8. Perfect is the enemy of good. 9. Education and knowledge are invaluable. But do we need to know everything? Is it possible in a specialized world to know everything? For instance, do you need to have a comprehensive understanding of dentistry to go to a dentist to have a cavity filled? In many instances, not knowing is a wise approach its like cleaning out a crowded closet to make space for something useful.
10. Big results come when you narrow your focus. Concentrate your efforts on smaller and smaller areas. When your efforts are diffused over a wide area they wont have much of an impact. So focus on smaller areas and your efforts will be felt more fully. It could take time for change to happen, but keep that focus narrow. 11. You cant do it all yourself. We live in a multi-specialized world. For example, in building a house, plumbers specialize, electricians specialize, heating and air conditioning technicians specialize, roofers specialize, masons specialize get it? These guys are consultant contractors who have mastered that component. For any large project, find the right consultant or mentor. 12. Dont try to impress everyone. Purposely impressing people is an act that brings nothing but a momentary ego boost. Be real with people instead. Connect with fewer people on a level that is deeper and more profound. 13. Short lecture on happiness and contentment: Check out what you do have and be satisfied with it for today. There is an infinite list of what you could want and dont have. I like Shakespeares line in the play Hamlet, when the young prince tells us that I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself king of infinite space. The trick is what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -Carlos Castaneda Read The Happiness Project. 14. Manage your time. Your situation and environment is ever changing, so be careful not to confuse things that are urgent with things that are important. 15. A healthy paradox of life that I find personally challenging: There is ENLIGHTENMENT to be gained from the ability to live in the moment, but if you dont have a time management system, or an event control system, you are at a significant disadvantage in achieving goals. 16. Keep it simple. There is a world of magnificence hidden in simplicity. Pick the five most important things in your life now and focus on those things. Let the other stuff go. Stop the busyness and really enjoy whats important to you. 17. Focus on goals, not obstacles. 18. There is a major gap between knowledge and taking ACTION. Mistakes and failures are necessary interim steps in the learning process. Stop talking about what you have done or what you are going to do. Just do it and let your actions speak for themselves. 19. Sometimes you just have to go for it. Put your uncertainty and fears aside for a second and ask yourself this: If I try and I dont get it right the first time, what will I have lost and what will I have gained? The answer is: You will have lost nothing but a little bit of your time while gaining an important lesson that will help you get it right the second or third time. People rarely get it right the first time. In fact, usually the only people who ever get it right are those who continue going for it even when theyve come up short numerous times before. 20. Fall down seven times, stand up eight. -Japanese proverb 21. Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confucius Read Quitter. 22. In order to get, you have to give. Supporting, guiding and making contributions to other people is one of lifes greatest rewards. Everything you do comes back around. 23. Not much is worth fighting about. If you can avoid it, dont fight. Step back from arguments with your spouse, family members or neighbors. When you feel anger surging up and you want to yell that vulgar remark on tip of your tongue, just close your mouth and
walk away. Let yourself calm down. You dont have to be right or win an argument. It just doesnt matter. 24. Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever. Forgiveness is always the answer let go, find peace, liberate yourself! 25. If you cant be with the one you love, love the one youre with. 26. People skills I think the main one: ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND LISTENING. Practice as if you were a television interviewer. Get other people to tell their stories. A powerful communication skill that I call SCAFFOLDING in business or informal interaction with other human beings on the phone or in person: Give the person your first name and get their first name in the first few moments of contact which establishes rapport. Example: Hi, my name is Marc; I didnt get your name, who am I speaking with? (Follow-up, depending on the situation, with How are you doing today?) Then after this rapport context, move on to dialogue like, I wonder if you could help me with a simple issue I am having with ABC or you do you have any recommendations for XYZ? Always in closing, let the person know that you appreciate their assistance. 27. You dont need an MBA, but take some courses or read some books on finance, economics, financial planning, investments (real estate, stock market), and accounting. With these navigational skills, start to steer your ship through continually changing seas. Dont buy stuff you dont need. Dont spend more than you make. Dont let your money manage you. 28. It is your life, your body and mind. Without necessarily getting a Ph.D. in nutrition, increase minimal culinary skills, accumulate some basic nutritional knowledge, and start experimenting immediately with what works for you. Also concentrate on keeping your body active. Cardiovascular improvement your heart loves you when you take it there, deep breathing space, building muscle, stretching space. Escape from confinement in automobiles and office desks and move around. Read Eat to Live. 29. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. 30. Smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday and you will be.
10 Ways to Create Your Own Good Luck
Diligence is the mother of good luck. -Benjamin Franklin I have great news! Today could be your lucky day. Its not a matter of chance, its a matter of choice. Lucky people are ordinary people who create their own good luck by practicing simple luck-producing habits. Heres what you need to do:
Constantly try new things.
Theres a saying that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If you want to improve your luck, you have to try new things to see what works and what doesnt. Unlucky people tend to be creatures of habit. They take the same route to and from work every single day, talk to the same types of people at social functions, and live out the same routine day in and day out. In contrast, lucky people try to introduce variety into their lives. For example, one lucky friend I know recently described how he thought of a color before arriving at a business convention and then introduced himself to people wearing that color. This kind of behavior boosts the likelihood of chance opportunities by introducing variety into an otherwise status-quo situation. And in my friends particular case, his (somewhat odd) tactic led to a fairly substantial contract deal with a new client.
Think about how lucky you are right now.
Lucky people tend to see the positive side of their ill fortune. They imagine how things could have been so much worse. For instance, I met a rather cheerful, successful and lucky business client recently who showed up to our meeting with a cast from shoulder to wrist on her left arm. She then explained to me how she had fallen down a flight of stairs. But I am the luckiest person alive, she continued. I walked away from that fall with a broken arm instead of a broken neck. Another interesting example of this is how research suggests that Olympic athletes who win bronze medals are typically happier than their Silver medalist counterparts. This is because silver medalists think that if they had performed slightly better they might have won a gold medal. In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how if theyd performed slightly worse, they wouldnt have won anything. Having a positive outlook on life is a must if you are to become a luckier person. If your outlook on life is doom and gloom, then thats all youll experience. Fortunately, the opposite is also true. You control your luck and your life by controlling your thoughts. Look around. Appreciate the things you have right now. Many people arent so lucky. Read The Power of Positive Thinking.
Notice little things and solve small problems.
I chatted with an aspiring web application developer recently who was complaining that all the big ideas were being worked on already and that there was nothing groundbreaking left to do. As he talked, I realized he was referencing massive projects that others were working on that seemed mostly out of reach. And as I thought about all these grand ideas I realized that in most cases they probably didnt start with a massive plan or project, but rather started by trying to solve a simple problem. This is the impression I get when I read about the early stages of companies like Google. Im pretty sure Googles founders didnt have the goal of organizing the all of the worlds information as their primary focus when they first started instead they started with a series of smaller problems (problems are potential opportunities) and slowly expanded their end goal from there.
Work on things youre passionate about.
Some of us were born to be musicians to communicate intricate thoughts and rousing feelings with the strings of a guitar. Some of us were born to be poets to touch peoples hearts with exquisite prose. Some of us were born to be entrepreneurs to create growth and opportunity where others saw rubbish. And still, some of us were born to do whatever it is, specifically, that moves you. Dont waste your life fulfilling someone elses dreams and desires. You must follow your intuition. Good luck and true wealth come naturally to those who are passionate about their work. Read Quitter.
Establish relationships with people who share your interests.
If youre already passionate about something, finding and connecting with others who share your passionate viewpoint can help you in numerous ways. You can tap into their knowledge on the topic, share your own ideas and experiences, and often share and learn things outside of your common interest area. Make an extra effort to reach out to people who youve identified as having an interest overlap. If you happen to meet someone casually who has an interest overlap with you, dont hesitate, jump on board with that connection. It can provide a great opportunity for you to build a friendship in an unexpected place. Share your skills, ideas, and knowledge freely with others. If youre already involved in a group with a particular interest, make an effort to reach out to newcomers. Not only will a friendly face help to encourage them to get involved, theyll often hold you in high regard, as youre the one who broke down some of that newness barrier for them. Similarly, when people come to such meetings looking for help, dont hesitate to assist in any way you can.
Help others out when youre able.
Remember, in life, you get what you put in. Luck often comes in the form of help when you need it, and the best way to grease the rails for help when youll eventually need it is by helping others right now. If youre presented with an opportunity to help particularly one that you can fulfill without infringing on your other responsibilities the luckiest thing you can possibly do is help in every way you possibly can. And when you help others, dont expect something in return. Instead, just enjoy the experience of helping that person out and building a stronger personal relationship with them. That stronger relationship will be there for you later on in your time of need just trust in it and be a helpful friend whenever you can.
Take calculated risks.
Lucky people take more risks. This doesnt mean they gamble their livelihood by taking illadvised risks on sketchy business opportunities. Taking a risk can be calculated you weigh your options, know what you can afford to lose, and go for it. If it doesnt work out, you go for it again when you can afford to lose a little more. When you take small, calculated risks, either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win. Remember, if you never act, you will never know for sure, and you will be left standing in the same unlucky spot forever.
Pay close attention to the present.
Unlucky people often dwell on mistakes from the past, obsessing about the bad luck that put them in their present unlucky situation, or they concern themselves too much with future ideals. Lucky people, on the other hand, concentrate on the present moment. Life is happening right now. You cant learn something new or uncover a new opportunity thats happening now if your mind is stuck in another time. Opportunities present themselves every day, all around you, but you have to pay close attention to your surroundings to notice them. Read The Power of Now.
Identify the lesson.
Everything is a life lesson. Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. Theyre all part of the learning experience we call life. Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things dont go your way. If you dont get a job you wanted or a relationship doesnt work, it only means something better is out there waiting. And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it. Remember, having good luck is a choice. Use all of the lessons you learn to make educated decisions and create good luck for yourself in the future.
Work toward your goals every day without fail.
The harder you work, the luckier you will become. Stop waiting around for things to work out on their own. They wont. If you keep doing what youre doing, youll keep getting what youre getting. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By working on it, I mean truly devoting oneself to the end result. The rest of us never act on our decision. Or, at best, we pretend to act on it by putting forth an uninspired, half-assed effort. If you want good luck in your life, youve got to be willing to give it 100% every day. No slacking off! Achieving your goals and dreams can be a lot of work. Be ready for it. Read Getting Things Done for some practical guidance in this arena.
27 Healthy Habits of Happiness
How do we heighten our happiness? There are many ways and one size does not fit all. Below I discuss what has worked for me and those closest to me how a small group of us went from downbeat and drained to a happy and hopeful in a few short years.
1. Look for happiness in the right places. When were young we look for happiness in
drugs, sex, alcohol, parties, fast cars, extreme sports, etc. Then when we get a little older, we look for happiness in more mature ways a stable partner, romantic getaways, walks along the beach, jazz music, a night at the bar with some friends. Do they work? Do these things make us happy? Sure they do. They raise our happiness temporarily. But people have a baseline of inner happiness. Certain events and possessions, like an unexpected windfall, might raise or lower our happiness momentarily, but soon we return to our inner baseline. The key is to gradually raise this baseline. Enjoy the moment, but dont completely ignore long-term goals. What will you be proud to have accomplished, or disappointed that you didnt do, five years from now? Read The Happiness Project. 2. Acknowledge the lesson is every situation. Everything is a life lesson. Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. Theyre all part of the learning experience we call life. Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things dont go your way. If you dont get a job that you wanted or a relationship doesnt work, it only means something better is out there waiting. And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it. 3. Be authentic. Be true to yourself. Judy Garland once said, Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of somebody else. Live by this statement. There is no such thing as living in someone elses shoes. The only shoes you
can occupy are your own. If you arent being yourself, you arent truly living youre merely existing. 4. Move your thoughts beyond obstacles. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, To different minds, the same world is a hell and a heaven. Put in an effort to both seek out happinessboosting experiences and learn to appreciate what you find. There will always be negative obstacles. This will never change. If you focus on them, your world will become Emersons hell. The real trick is to learn how to keep moving amidst these obstacles acknowledging that theyre simply a part of life and continually seek out or construct experiences that make you happy. 5. Focus on whats right. How you view yourself and your world are conscious choices. The lens you choose to view everything through determines how you feel about yourself and the world around you. Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad. It just depends on your perspective. And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should. Either you succeed or you learn something. So stay positive, appreciate the pleasant outcomes, and learn from the rest. 6. Be a part of something you believe in. This could be anything. Some people take an active role in their local city council, some find refuge in religious faith, some join social clubs supporting causes they believe in, and others find passion in their careers. In each case the psychological outcome is the same. They engage themselves in something they strongly believe in. This engagement brings happiness and meaning into their lives. 7. 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 personal ability to get the job done, the psychological rewards are priceless. 8. Focus on quality over quantity. An excess of things may seem wonderful when you imagine them, but when you actually get them they lose the magic you imagined. Quality and moderation often bring more joy than an excess. The first five pieces of candy always taste better than the rest. And if you eat the whole bag of candy you wind up feeling a bit nauseous. One awesome gadget or tool is often better than five mediocre ones. One great looking shirt often brings more joy than ten from the clearance rack. 9. Avoid negativity and negative people. Dont belittle yourself and dont put up with people who try to belittle you. 10. Appreciate the things you already have. The road to happiness isnt difficult. Happiness is not dependent on amassing a certain amount of wealth or notoriety. If youre always striving for something bigger and better, without stopping to appreciate what you currently have, happiness will remain slightly out of reach. Your current situation may be far from perfect, but if you can detach from your own negative views and appreciate the simple aspects of each moment, happiness becomes easier to cultivate. 11. Instead of searching for passion, live passionately now. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in finding ourselves or finding our passion that we forget how this discovery is actually made: By living passionately now. In other words, if you want to find out where your true passions lies, stop looking and simply start living each day with passion and zeal. If you do, self-discovery will come naturally. 12. Savor the joy of simple pleasures. Ive said it before and Ill 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. Its 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. 13. Exploit the resources you DO have access to. The average person is usually astonished when they see a physically handicap 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 couldnt see, so he exploited his sense of hearing into a passion for music, and he now has 25 Grammy Awards to prove it. Get it? 14. Help others when youre able. In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone elses life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something thats greater than you something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less. 15. Live debt-free. Financial debt causes stress and heart ache. Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one. Do not spend to impress others. Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects. Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you. Always live well below your means. Read The Millionaire Next Door. 16. Share time with people you love and experience life together. The quality of our personal relationships correlates directly with our overall sense of worth and happiness. Sometimes in the midst of lifes chaos we forget to do the little things that remind us were part of something greater than ourselves. We need a certain amount of meaningful contact with other people to feel fully alive. There are few things more satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your family and closest friends who lived these moments alongside you. And remember, you dont need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of. 17. Be faithful to your significant other. Sustained fidelity in a long-term intimate relationship creates a healthy foundation for everything else you do. 18. Resolve conflicts with others. Always forgive people and move on, even if they never ask for your forgiveness. Dont do it for them do it for yourself. Get that unnecessary stress out of your life. 19. Perform random acts of kindness on a regular basis. Pay for a strangers coffee in line at Starbucks. Buy the office receptionist flowers just to say, Thank you. Help an elderly lady with her groceries. Theres nothing more rewarding than putting smiles on the faces around you. Check out Makes Me Think. 20. Smile more often. A genuine smile makes you and everyone around you feel better. The simple act of smiling sends a message to your brain that youre happy. And when youre happy, your body pumps out all kinds of feel-good endorphins. This reaction has been studied since the 1980s and has been proven a number of times. Bottom line: Smiling actually makes you happier. 21. Be self-sufficient. Freedom is the greatest gift. Self-sufficiency is the greatest freedom. Its nice to have close friends and family you can count on, but it lifts a huge weight off your shoulders when you know that you could survive on your own if you had to.
22. Invest time, energy and money in yourself every day. Happiness comes as a side-effect
of learning new skills and challenging yourself. Read, listen, adapt and stretch to accommodate new ideas and new information. When you invest in yourself, you can never lose, and over time you will change the trajectory of your life. You are simply the product of what you know. The more time, energy and money you spend acquiring pertinent knowledge, the more control you have over your life. 23. Use your body as it was designed to be used. Walk, jog, run, stretch, throw things, and lift things. Jump around! Dance! Exercise in the gym is good, but so is making love, exchanging back rubs, or cutting firewood. Your body is an incredible machine and it can be either a source of joy, or a source of aches and pains. It just depends on what you do and how you treat it. 24. Compete only with yourself to be the best you can be. When you catch yourself comparing yourself to a colleague, neighbor, friend, or someone famous, stop! Realize that you are different, with different strengths strengths these other people dont possess. Take a moment to reflect on all the awesome abilities you have and to be grateful for all the good things in your life. 25. Accept things when they are less than perfect. If you find yourself at a point of intense decision making where youre caught in a spiral of over-analysis and youre making no progress, take a deep breath, break the spiral, make an educated guess on the next logical step, and take it. Even if you get it wrong youve learned something, which is better than doing nothing. Your failures along the road to your goals are simply opportunities to learn and grow. Remember, the real world doesnt reward perfectionists; it rewards people who get things done. 26. Make time for fun. Fun is way underrated. With all of our responsibilities, fun seems like an indulgence. It shouldnt be. It should be a requirement. Ponder what you did to have fun when you were younger and go do it again. Leave the yard un-mowed for a weekend and get out on the town. When youre older, you will remember the fun, not the freshly mowed yard. 27. Take full responsibility for your life. Either you take responsibility for your life or someone else will. And when they do, youll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it wont always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. You must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence. And remember, life always takes place in the present. You never know what the future holds whether or not you and your loved ones will still have good health or even be alive. The opportunity to enjoy life is now. Make time to do so.
50 Natural Ways To Boost Your Energy
Conquering drowsiness before it overwhelms your mind can be quite a challenge without the help of caffeine, taurine and drugs. With the prevalence of energy drinks and coffee shops conveniently located all around us, finding an unnatural, unhealthy energy boost is easy. Youll certainly be wide awake and wired, but your health will pay the price too. So the question is: What are some healthy, natural ways to boost your energy and stay awake and alert when you must. Lets take a look at 50 possibilities:
1. Turn on all the lights. Darkness promotes fatigue and laziness. Turn on every light in
the room.
2. Go outdoors. Getting some fresh air outdoors is always a good way to rouse your senses. 3. Pull down on your earlobes. This may sound strange, but pulling down on your earlobes 4.
5. 6.
7.
can help you stay awake and alert when youre feeling drowsy. Rub the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Rub your tongue against the top front area of your mouth cavity. It feels a little weird, but it does give you a quick nerve jolt thats bound to make you a bit more alert. Call a close friend. Sometimes a quick conversation with someone you care about is just what you need to boost your mood. Eat nutritious low carb snacks. Low carb fruits such as raspberries, apples, oranges, and grapefruits are great energy boosters. Heaping scoops of spicy salsa on a few small crackers is another goodie. Stay away from meats, breads and dairy products. Listen to some fast beat music. If its not too much of a distraction, listening to fast beat music can be a great way to keep your mind awake.
8. Roll up and down on your toes. This stimulates your circulatory system, which will
deliver much-needed oxygen and fuel (glucose) throughout your body.

9. Watch or read something that inspires you. Sometimes all you need is a little pep talk.
Watch a motivational video or read something that inspires you.

10. Have a good laugh. Watch a funny video clip or read your favorite comic strip. A good
chuckle will stimulate your mind, giving you a renewed level on energy.
11. Crank up the AC. Warm, stuffy environments accelerate mental fatigue. If you need to
stay awake and energized in a lecture hall or meeting room find an open seat under an AC vent. 12. Apply pressure to the top of the back of your neck. Use your fingertips to apply pressure and lightly massage the top part of the back of your neck for a few minutes. 13. Tap the top of your head. Lightly tap the top of your head with your fingertips. Do this continuously for a few minutes. 14. Chew sugar-free peppermint gum. It wont rot your teeth and that minty taste will make you feel fresh. Strong peppermint flavors seem to work best for me. 15. Take light exercise breaks every two hours. Take a break and take a walk or do a couple jumping jacks to get your blood moving. Even the slightest bit of exercise can act as a healthy way to energize your mind and body. 16. Write and plan. The idea is to keep your mind busy. If you are attending a lecture or business meeting, write down everything that is said. If you are simply trying to stay awake or re-energize, create a detailed to-do list for the week or plan out your perfect weekend getaway. 17. Get yourself some cold water. Splash some on your face and the pulse area of your wrists. Also, drinking an ice-cold glass of water can help to wake you up and feel alive. 18. Stay organized. Avoid losing energy by keeping everything in its place. 19. Take a few really deep, controlled breaths. Deep breathing helps reduce stress, a source of fatigue, and increases the level of oxygen in the blood. Techniques can be as simple as inhaling for five seconds, holding your breath for four seconds and exhaling for four seconds. You can also try more elaborate techniques which require different positions 20. Exercise regularly in the morning. Ease into exercise, and then keep it up. You should aim to be active for at least 30 minutes each day. Those 30 minutes of exercise will make you feel energized for hours to come. Ive found exercise most effective on my energy levels when I exercise in the morning. Exercise in the morning gets the endorphins flowing, which keeps you happy and productive most of the day. 21. Eat at least three meals a day. Give yourself lasting energy by eating on a regular schedule. 22. Spend your energy wisely. Recognized when your energetic moments are, and use this time productively. Often if you get the ball rolling, you wont stop. 23. Practice altruism. By doing good work and good deeds for others youll help your energy with enhanced happiness, satisfaction and health. 24. Avoid late night television or aimless web browsing. Get a little more sleep instead. Nuff said. 25. Stretch. When you feel yourself getting fatigued, get up, reach towards the sky, bend down and touch your toes, twist your torso from side to side stretch it out. Also, certain yoga exercises, including the warrior poses, have been known to reduce fatigue and increase energy levels.
26. Take a 15 minute cat nap. A short afternoon nap can be refreshing, and wont interfere
with regular sleep patterns if you do it early enough.

27. Decrease sugar consumption. Sugar will cause fluctuations in energy that can leave you
feeling burnt out.

28. Eat smaller meals more often. By eating smaller, more frequent meals, youll avoid the
groggy feeling that comes with digesting large meals.

29. Eat whole grains and energy foods. Whole grains have complex carbohydrates that take
a while to break down, providing you with energy that lasts. Some of the best high energy foods include sunflower seeds, beans, fruit or fruit juices, eggs, yogurt, nuts and vegetables. 30. Choose lean protein. Foods with lean protein help you feel fuller for longer. They also prevent blood sugar spikes, giving you more steady energy. Lean protein foods include fish and other seafood, lean pork, or chicken breasts (white meat). 31. Cut down on coffee and energy drinks. Although coffee can give you a rush of energy, in the end it will cause fatigue. Coffee does not have to be eliminated, but you probably shouldnt drink more than one cup a day. 32. Consume the proper vitamins. Make sure you get the proper amount of vitamins, especially vitamin C, vitamin D, selenium, riboflavin, niacin and the B-vitamins such as pantothenic acid, folic acid, thiamine and vitamin B12. 33. Use aromatherapy and incense. Aromatherapy uses essential oils from plants to stimulate the brain through the nerves in the nasal passages. Oils can be added to bathwater, massage oil, a steam bath or vaporizer for inhalation. Essential oils that can help you stay alert and reduce fatigue include bergamot, cinnamon, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, fir, ginger, lemon, lime, lemongrass, peppermint, pine, rosemary, basil and black pepper. Also try a citrus scent. 34. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration will reduce your blood volume, which can make you feel tired. Dehydration can reduce blood volume, which leads to feelings of fatigue. Drinking plenty of water will also increase your need to go to the restroom, a feeling that will also help you stay awake. 35. Clear your stuffy nose. If allergies have your sinuses blocked, you may be feeling more tired and cranky. Rinse your nasal passages with saline solution. 36. Change your socks for refreshment. Its an odd trick, but it works. Bring a change of socks to work, and change your socks midway through the day. Youll be amazed at how much fresher youll feel. This trick is especially handy on days with lots of walking. 37. Wear brighter colors. This trick is related to the mood you project to people, and the reciprocating mood they project towards you. If you wear dark, somber colors, you project a dark, somber attitude, and people will respond to you with a somber attitude. If you wear bright, happy colors, youll get that attitude projected towards you, which will boost your own mood and energy levels. 38. Watch your attitude. If you let the bad things that happen during your day get you down, youre bound to start feeling worn out. Watch your attitude and make sure youre not letting yourself be overly negative. A generally upbeat and optimistic outlook on life will keep your energy level up. Yes, the worst thing that can happen might actually happen, but giving it too much worry will only drain you. Look for the positive in every situation and you wont be so tired.
39. Examine your emotions. Stress, depression and other negative emotions can take a
heavy toll on your energy levels. Your exhaustion may have a lot to do with how youre feeling mentally, so take the time to deal with your emotions or get help if you need it. 40. Lose a little weight. Carrying around extra weight takes a toll on your body and energy, so take off a few pounds gradually. The things you do to lose weight exercise, drink water, avoid simple sugars are actions that also have a positive effect on your energy level. 41. Consider herbal supplements. Many people swear by herbs that are purported to improve energy levels. If youre looking for a natural way to stay awake, try supplements of ginseng, bee pollen, gutu kola, maitake and more. 42. Find something to look forward to. Having something to look forward to is a great motivator. 43. Avoid energy vampires. Energy vampires always have something to complain about, or a problem that needs to be fixed, and theyll drain your energy by making you listen to them about their problems or by giving them attention. 44. Have a discussion about or work on something that interests you. Even if you can only do it for a few minutes here and there, get your mind firing on all cylinders by talking about or doing something you feel passionate about. 45. Start work with a challenging task. Get your brain in gear by giving it a challenging task first thing. Youll be more alert and youll get the hard stuff out of the way so the rest of your day will be a breeze. 46. Stop slouching. Slumping down at your desk isnt doing you any favors in the alertness category. Sitting up at your desk, in an ergonomically friendly way, can make you feel more alert and ready to work. 47. Try something new. Getting into a rut can make your day seem boring and tedious and drain your energy levels. Change things up, try new things and seek out new experiences to spice up your day a little and keep you alert and awake. 48. Finish an incomplete task. Theres nothing more draining than the lingering of an incomplete task. Get things done. Do you have a task thats weighing heavily on your mind? Just do it, and get the monkey off your back. 49. Dress up. Feeling better about yourself has a magical way of giving you more energy. Put just a tad more effort into looking your best for work, and youll get compliments from coworkers that will make you feel better and make you a perkier and more energetic. 50. Get enough sleep at night. This one should be obvious. The best way to feel energized is to be well rested. We need 7-8 hours of sleep to be fully rested. Consistently sleeping less than 6 hours a night builds up a sleep debt that is hard to recover from.
140 Ways to Change the World
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. -William James Doing something nice for someone can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Start small. Start now. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
7.
8. 9.
Smile when you make eye contact with someone. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Send a hand-written thank you card to someone who assisted you with something. Clean out all your old clothes and donate them to someone in need. Give a compliment about a waiter, waitress, sales clerk, etc. to his or her manager. Or write a nice note to or about your waiter or waitress on the back of your bill. Compliment a strangers appearance. Flatter them. Leave encouraging post-it notes in a library books and other random places. (Read Operation Beautiful.) Connect like minds. Introduce two friends or colleagues who you feel have something to gain from each other. Send flowers to someone.
10. Be a courteous driver. Let people merge in front of you. 11. Volunteer at a childrens hospital or nursing home. 12. Donate blood. 13. Live each moment with enthusiasm. 14. Spend time with children and greet the world with wide-eyed wonder. 15. Eliminate the words hate, cant, and wont from your vocabulary. 16. Volunteer. Get outside of yourself and help others. Your participation is needed. 17. Notice and appreciate the positive side of things and share this appreciation with others. 18. Send a check to your favorite charity. 19. Work in a soup kitchen. 20. Do one brave act today. Do it with love and for a good purpose. 21. Share your talents with someone. 22. Forgive someone. 23. Think, speak and act in a loving manner. 24. Buy house warming gifts for new neighbors. 25. Introduce yourself. Make new colleagues, classmates, etc. feel welcome. 26. Inspire others online. (Check out Makes Me Think.) 27. Send letters of appreciation to business owners/managers and other people who support you. 28. Treat everyone with the same level of respect youd give to your grandfather. 29. Give everyone the same level of patience youd have with your baby sister. 30. Appreciate people the way they are. 31. Share your lunch or a snack with someone who doesnt have one. 32. Put some change in an expired parking meter. 33. Check up on someone who looks lonely. 34. Tell your boss, teacher or professor that he or she is doing a great job and that you appreciate what theyve taught you. 35. On a hot day, buy someone something cold to drink. On a cold day, get them something warm. 36. Create places and things for others to enjoy. Like decorating your house for the holidays or creating a piece of art. 37. If you overhear that its someones birthday, go out of your way to wish them a happy one. 38. Ask someone for their opinion or advice. 39. Bring cookies or bagels to work for everyone. 40. Tip waiters and waitresses well when they deserve it. 41. Be a part of something you believe in. Those around you will notice your enthusiasm. (Read The Alchemist.) 42. Leave a thank-you note for the office janitors. 43. Help bag your own groceries at the checkout counter. 44. Offer your seat to someone when there arent any left. 45. Let someone with only a few items cut you in line at the grocery store. 46. Wave to a kid in the car next to you. 47. Spread good news. 48. Repeat something nice you heard about someone else. 49. Remember peoples names and address them accordingly.
50. Replace what youve used. For example, fill up the copier or printer with paper after youre done using it. 51. Share your umbrella on a rainy day. 52. Listen intently to peoples stories without trying to fix everything. 53. Dance with someone who hasnt been asked. 54. Call a strangers attention to a beautiful sunset or full moon. (Check out What Money Cannot Buy.) 55. Give words of encouragement toward someones dream, no matter how big or small it is. 56. Ask someone who enjoys cooking for one of their recipes. 57. Let someone else eat the last slice of pizza or cake. 58. Give someone a copy of a book that once helped you, that you think could help them 59. Stop and buy a drink from a kids lemonade stand. 60. Help someone get your parking space in a crowded parking lot when youre leaving. 61. Ask someone you see every now and then if theyve lost weight. 62. Do a little something extra to make someone elses life easier. 63. Use all the manners you learned in Kindergarten. 64. Give without expecting to get back. 65. Encourage others to do one unanticipated kind or helpful act at least once a week. 66. Babysit for couples or single parents who dont get out much so they can have some time alone. 67. Boost the morale of someone close to you by telling them what you love about them. 68. Hug a friend. Let them know how important they are. 69. Look for ways to save a few extra bucks a month and then donate it to a good cause. 70. Shop at your local charity thrift store. The money you spend there helps others. 71. Spend a few clicks of your time at Free Rice. 72. Leave an encouraging or positive comment on a strangers blog. 73. If theres been an accident or a potentially hazardous situation presents itself on the road, report it to the local authorities. Your phone call could save a life. 74. If someone you love really likes something (a meal, a favor, etc.) give it to them when they least expect it. 75. Observe everyone without judging. 76. Say Please and Thank you. 77. Let go of anger. For instance, if somebody accidentally cuts you off in traffic, just let it go. 78. Believe in yourself with all of your heart. The universe will notice. 79. Dont be so serious all the time. (Read The Happiness Project.) 80. Treat every small interaction with another person as an opportunity to make a positive impact in both your lives. 81. Greed, anger and ignorance. Avoid all three. 82. Speak the truth. 83. Teach others how to make a difference by setting an example. 84. Help others learn to be independent. 85. Give people the space they need. 86. Lend your shoulder to cry on. 87. Acknowledge people for a job well done. 88. Offer encouragement after a failure. 89. Tell a good joke.
90. Show others the magic in ordinary moments. 91. Adopt a soldier, inmate or someone who is down on their luck as a pen pal. 92. Express your gratitude to those who make your life easier. 93. Tell someone you love them. 94. Wave to your neighbors. 95. Send a letter, email, tweet, or text message out of the blue to someone who would appreciate it. 96. Open car doors for your passengers. 97. Donate books to a library, daycare center or school. 98. Dance with someone who doesnt have anyone to dance with. 99. Share great food recipes. 100. Help a kid with their homework. 101. Donate unused computer time to cancer research (and other types of research) with BOINC. 102. Round up a few loose coins and put them in the next charity box you see. 103. Pay for the person in line behind you. 104. Do something unexpected that will inspire people and shake them out of a bad mood. 105. Plant beautiful flowers in places where others can appreciate them. 106. Search through your cabinets for a few cans of food youll probably never use and donate them. 107. Be a designated driver. 108. Volunteer your time to a suicide hotline center. 109. Offer someone a piece of gum or candy instead of waiting for them to ask. 110. Park your car further from the store and walk the short extra distance. This frees up spots closer for people who may need them more than you, and gives you additional exercise. 111. Donate things you no longer use to those in need. 112. Donate time or materials to Habitat for Humanity. 113. Clean the house for someone you know who is too busy to keep on top of it. 114. Grow your hair out, then donate it to Locks of Love. 115. Drop off your old eye glasses at your local LensCrafters as a donation to the OneSight program. 116. Dont smoke. But if you must, dont smoke near others. 117. Generate money for the charity of your choice by searching with Good Search. 118. Stop for a person waiting to cross the street. 119. Support independent artists and musicians by purchasing books and albums that arent yet in the mainstream. 120. Forgive a debt if youre able. 121. Recommend friends to local businesses who might appreciate their services. 122. See the world as you wish it to be. 123. Make something for someone. Bake an extra batch of cookies, draw a picture, brew an extra cup of coffee, and give it to someone for no reason other than to see them smile. 124. Create a care package and send it to an active duty military unit.
125. Redirect gifts. Instead of having people give you birthday and holiday gifts, ask them to donate gifts or money to a good cause. 126. Stop to help. The next time you see someone pulled over with a flat tire, or in need of assistance, stop and ask how you can help. 127. Put a small personal touch on everything you do. People notice and appreciate individuality. 128. Take the time to teach someone a skill you know. 129. Help someone get active. Theres a coworker or acquaintance in your life who wants to get healthy, but needs a helping hand. Offer to go walking or running together or join a gym together. 130. Become a mentor or tutor. 131. Adopt an animal. 132. Contribute time, ideas, or a listening ear to other peoples passions. 133. Accept people just the way they are. 134. Stand up for someone. Lend your voice. Often the powerless, the homeless, the neglected in our world need someone to speak up for them. 135. If you see a couple taking a self-pic, offer to take the picture for them. 136. Help the weary shopper in front of you who needs that extra two or three cents to avoid breaking a 20-dollar bill. 137. Come to the rescue. If you realize someone is sick, bring them some hot tea, etc. 138. Stand up for your beliefs without flaunting them. 139. Make yourself available and approachable. 140. Over-deliver on all of your promises and obligations. And yes, I realize this is a long list, but its really only the tip of the iceberg. Look for new and better ways every day to make the world a better, happier, and more pleasant place for everyone. If we all did just one thing every day, together we could truly change the world.
12 Things Happy People Do Differently
by Jacob Sokol of Sensophy Id always believed that a life of quality, enjoyment, and wisdom were my human birthright and would be automatically bestowed upon me as time passed. I never suspected that I would have to learn how to live - that there were specific disciplines and ways of seeing the world I had to master before I could awaken to a simple, happy, uncomplicated life. -Dan Millman Studies conducted by positivity psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky point to 12 things happy people do differently to increase their levels of happiness. These are things that we can start doing today to feel the effects of more happiness in our lives. (Check out her book The How of Happiness.) I want to honor and discuss each of these 12 points, because no matter what part of lifes path were currently traveling on, these happiness habits will always be applicable.
1. Express gratitude. When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in
value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And thats without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. Were gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we arent thankful for what we already have. 2. Cultivate optimism. Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
3. Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. Comparing yourself to someone else can
be poisonous. If were somehow better than the person that were comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates KABOOM our inner Kanye West comes out! If were worse than the person that were comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that weve done and dismiss all the progress that weve made. What Ive found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesnt stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an earlier version of yourself. 4. Practice acts of kindness. Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. Whats even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching whats going on. A side note is that the job of most anti-depressants is to release more serotonin. Move over Pfizer, kindness is kicking ass and taking names. 5. Nurture social relationships. The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. Did you know studies show that peoples mortality rates are DOUBLED when theyre lonely? WHOA! Theres a warm fuzzy feeling that comes from having an active circle of good friends who you can share your experiences with. We feel connected and a part of something more meaningful than our lonesome existence. 6. Develop strategies for coping. How you respond to the craptastic moments is what shapes your character. Sometimes crap happens its inevitable. Forrest Gump knows the deal. It can be hard to come up with creative solutions in the moment when manure is making its way up toward the fan. It helps to have healthy strategies for coping prerehearsed, on-call, and in your arsenal at your disposal. 7. Learn to forgive. Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. You see, your mind doesnt know the difference between past and present emotion. When you hate someone, and youre continuously thinking about it, those negative emotions are eating away at your immune system. You put yourself in a state of suckerism (technical term) and it stays with you throughout your day. 8. Increase flow experiences. Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. Its when youre so focused on what youre doing that you become one with the task. Action and awareness are merged. Youre not hungry, sleepy, or emotional. Youre just completely engaged in the activity that youre doing. Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus. 9. Savor lifes joys. Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy. Its easy in a world of wild stimuli and omnipresent movement to forget to embrace lifes enjoyable experiences. When we neglect to appreciate, we rob the moment of its magic. Its the simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them. 10. Commit to your goals. Being wholeheartedly dedicated to doing something comes fullyequipped with an ineffable force. Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere. When youre fully committed to doing something, you have no choice but to do that thing. Counter-intuitively, having no
option where you cant change your mind subconsciously makes humans happier because they know part of their purpose. 11. Practice spirituality. When we practice spirituality or religion, we recognize that life is bigger than us. We surrender the silly idea that we are the mightiest thing ever. It enables us to connect to the source of all creation and embrace a connectedness with everything that exists. Some of the most accomplished people I know feel that theyre here doing work theyre called to do. 12. Take care of your body. Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be. If you dont have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected. Did you know that studies conducted on people who were clinically depressed showed that consistent exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft? Not only that, but heres the double whammy Six months later, the people who participated in exercise were less likely to relapse because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.

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For: Mama Ismaelita Mayette N.

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

keep re-reading your last one.

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accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.

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95 Questions to Help You Find Meaning and Happiness

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7 Deadly Sins of Creativity

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5. Never pausing for a break.

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7 Ways to Change Your Life in 7 Days

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3. Help someone in a way only you can.

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12 Happiness Habits for Busy People

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7. Help someone else for a couple minutes.

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10 Things You Should Be Able To Say Before You Die

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2. I said what I needed to say.

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30 Lessons A Wise Man Once Shared

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10 Ways to Create Your Own Good Luck

Think about how lucky you are right now.

Establish relationships with people who share your interests.

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Pay close attention to the present.

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27 Healthy Habits of Happiness

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50 Natural Ways To Boost Your Energy

deliver much-needed oxygen and fuel (glucose) throughout your body.

Watch a motivational video or read something that inspires you.

with regular sleep patterns if you do it early enough.

feeling burnt out.

groggy feeling that comes with digesting large meals.

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Page 39 of 47 | Stories of Motivation

140 Ways to Change the World

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12 Things Happy People Do Differently

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Page 46 of 47 | Stories of Motivation

Page 47 of 47 | Stories of Motivation

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