 OPRAH WINFREY AND ECKHART TOLLE - A NEW EARTH ONLINE CLASS! |  Check out the exclusive online course being taught by Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle starting March 3, 2008. Here is a link to Oprah's website with all the info about the course.
The course is based on Eckhart Tolle's book A New Earth - Awakening to Your Life's Purpose . You can find places to buy the book on Oprah's website. Also, you can buy it, and many other items by Eckhart Tolle, right here by clicking the "Good Books" button above.
Highly Recommended! |
| YOUR BEST FRIEND MIGHT BE FURRY AND HAVE FOUR LEGS... *posted 02/20/08 |  Tuesday, February 19, 2008, 8:36 PM
Your best friend might just be furry and have four legs...
Like a lot of people, I had dogs as pets when I was a child.
There was Sandy, a nice little brown haired terrier that I remember very well, even though I could not have been more than seven years old when he passed away. Sandy always liked to play and we had a lot of fun together. We were both very young. He was usually cheery because he was a dog, and most dogs don't hold a grudge or get depressed. I guess the only ones who do are dogs that hang around too much with unhappy humans. I, on the other hand, was a young human pup who had not yet learned to worry much about the problems humans tend to obsess about.
Life with Sandy was a good time, like life is supposed to be if you let it happen the way it wants to happen.
I remember one day being shocked to find that Sandy was not going to be with us any more. He had passed away. Since I was so young, my idea of dying was something that happened in movies and games, only half real and sort of "optional". Sandy was my first close friend who died "the real way". I was really sad, since I really loved Sandy. This "friends you love dying thing" was something I thought was a lousy idea.
Lucky for me, I had a pretty smart dad. He let me see and touch Sandy's dead body. To my young eyes, that body still looked like Sandy, but it was so absolutely still even a young guy like me could tell that what made Sandy be Sandy was not there anymore... and the touch just confirmed that... no waking up like before and no warmth in that Sandy body.
I probably was about to cry. That's when my dad just said "Everything alive dies sooner or later, that includes people too. No need to worry about it. It doesn't happen until its supposed to happen. It was supposed to happen to Sandy now. He was a good happy dog and he never worried about dying one bit. You be like that too, and remember what a nice dog Sandy was while he was here. He
won't be here after today; but he'll be around whenever we think of him."
My dad buried Sandy and I watched our dog laid in the ground and covered up, with a nice little home-made cross on top. I was missing Sandy a lot already; but in some kind of intuitive way I understood that this was OK and that I would remember what a great dog Sandy was while he lived with us. I was sad; but I was also filled with lots of images of playing and having a great time with that good dog friend.
I'm a lot older now, and I have not thought about the day Sandy died in many years. What made the memory come alive, like it just happened yesterday, was something I read in our local newspaper... an obituary for an elderly lady AND for her faithful dog who both passed away unexpectedly. Her picture and her dog's picture are both there, as well as a mention of another dog as a surviving friend. I'm including the entire obituary from the Jackson, MS Clarion-Ledger of 02/16/08 so you can read in for yourself and see just what close friends people and dogs can become.
I did not know Marie Hinson Bailey; but she definitely sounds like she was a beautiful person with a wonderful dog. My sympathy extends to her family and friends who were blessed with her close presence while she was here with us.
I leave you with this thought... If you share your life with a friendly dog, cat or other animal, take a moment and relish just how much joy, love and true concern flows both ways in that relationship. We call these friends "our pets"; but each is really a living, feeling being that has a role in the total scheme of life just as important and sacred as our human role. When you look in your pet's eyes and see a look of goodness returned, know that you are sharing a bond with someone very special.
Be Happy!
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| CHILDHOOD ROOTS OF HAPPINESS *posted 07/03/07 | Tuesday, July 03, 2007, 10:23 AM
You may already suspect this; but scientific research now supports your suspicion: A happy childhood leads to a happy adult.
Recent research at the University of California, Berkeley, Greater Good Science Center shows what parents can do to help children grow up to be happier adults. Take a look at The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness for the whole story. |
| WORLD RELIGIONS - HAPPY BUDDHISTS *posted 04/11/07 | Tuesday, April 10, 2007, 5:24 PM
The topic today is another view of HAPPINESS ACCORDING TO WORLD RELIGIONS. This article takes a look at Buddhism, which is unique among the major religions of the world in that it is not a "revealed" religion. It is not based on the instructions of God, or Gods, or a higher type of being for its truth.
Buddhists have no "sacred revealed scripture" like the Bible or the Qur'an (Koran in English). There are ancient writings on the teachings of Buddha and other Buddhist sages; but these are not sacred. They can be interpreted. In fact, Buddha asked his followers not to believe him on faith; but to find the truth within themselves through contemplation.
Almost anyone who has heard of Buddhism knows that meditation is central to this religion. Basically, meditation is calming the mind and increasing the power of awareness and concentration by eliminating as many external distractions as possible.
The Buddha taught that while in this enhanced state of awareness we all have the ability to perceive the true meaning of life and the path to contentment and happiness.
Like other major religions, Buddhism is very ancient, about 400 years older that Christianity. Siddhartha Gutama, who is now known as the Buddha, lived between 563 BC - 483 BC. Buddha is a title. It means "Enlightened One" in the ancient Indian Language Pali.
Buddhist beliefs have evolved over the years into branches that vary in ritual and expression. There are Tibetan Buddhists, Thai Buddhist, Zen Buddhist, etc.
Still, all share the practice of meditation in common and all share the "Four Noble Truths" and the "Noble Eightfold Path" as taught by the Buddha. These are the foundations of Buddhist "Skillful" behavior. Not commands; but guides to what brings happiness.
The Four Noble Truths" of Buddhism are:
* 1. Suffering exists
* 2. Suffering arises from attachment to desires
* 3. Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
* 4. Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path
And the Noble Eightfold Path is:
* Wisdom (panna)
o a. Right View
o b. Right Thought
* Morality (sila)
o a. Right Speech
o b. Right Action
o c. Right Livelihood
* Meditation (samadhi)
o a. Right Effort
o b. Right Mindfulness
o c. Right Contemplation or Concentration or meditation
All Buddhists also try to avoid the same Five Hindrances which are said to sabotage a successful and happy life:
* Sensuous lust
* Aversion and ill will
* Sloth and torpor
* Restlessness and worry
* Skeptical doubt
Buddhists claim that following the Buddhist path of meditation and awareness will lead to happiness. Interestingly there is a growing body of documented scientific evidence that supports this claim.
If you don't enjoy reading the detailed published reports of these scientific studies, I have added a very interesting video in the happy articles section, Change your Mind Change your Brain: The Inner Conditions for Authentic Happiness. This is a presentation to the Engineering employees at GOOGLE headquarters by Matthieu Ricard, a scientist and Buddhist monk. Please watch it. The information it contains on the effects of meditation can help anyone of any religion (or no religion) to be happier.
Ricard is also the author of Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill.
Be Happy! |
| LITTLE STEPS CAN TAKE YOU VERY FAR *posted 04/08/07 | Friday, April 08, 2007, 2:06 PM
My family has a special love for the folks at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. One of our grand kids was diagnosed with cancer when he was ten months old. We just celebrated his tenth birthday, thanks to the treatment he has received at St. Jude's. We do everything we can to support this hospital after seeing the loving care our little guy received there, the quality of his treatment, and the almost unbelievable dedication of their entire staff.
Thousand of children have been treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The number of fatal childhood cancers shrinks every day thanks to the research at St. Jude's. In the true spirit of loving care, no patient is turned away because of inability to pay and all medical discoveries made are freely shared with other treatment centers throughout the world.
How did such a top-notch hospital come to exist? Was it done by a huge government project? Way in funded by billionaire philanthropists? Did a corporate consortium create it? All wrong!
Surprisingly, this wonderful hospital is the result of the dream of a single man who made a promise to help others out of gratitude for the good fortune that came his way. That man is the famous comedian Danny Thomas.
To quote from the St. Jude website:
"More than 50 years ago, Danny Thomas, then a struggling young entertainer with $7 in his pocket, knelt in a Detroit church before a statue of St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes. Thomas asked the saint to "show me my way in life."
His prayer was answered, and soon he moved his family to Chicago to pursue career offers. A few years later, at another turning point in his life, Thomas again prayed to St. Jude and pledged to someday build a shrine to the saint.
Throughout the next years, Thomas' career prospered through films and television, and he became a nationally known entertainer. He remembered his pledge to build a shrine to St. Jude.
In the early 1950s, Thomas began discussing with friends what concrete form his vow might take. Gradually, the idea of a children's hospital, possibly in Memphis, took shape. In 1955, Thomas and a group of Memphis businessmen who had agreed to help support his dream seized on the idea of creating a unique research hospital devoted to curing catastrophic diseases in children. More than just a treatment facility, this would be a research center for the children of the world."
Danny picked a hospital to treat children, regardless of ethnic, religious or racial background because he had seen so many children, many his friends, die needlessly from disease as he grew up in a poor neighbor hood during the Great Depression.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital opened its doors in 1962 and is now recognized as one of the world's premier centers for study and treatment of catastrophic diseases in children... all due to the small initial steps taken by a single man. His idea grew and gained support until his dream became a reality. Danny considered the founding of St. Jude's to be the true meaning of his life, and seeing it become reality made him a very happy man.
So you see, little steps really can take you very far!
For another good story about little steps check out the Daffodil Principle.
Be Happy!
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| WHY I HAVE A WEB SITE ABOUT HAPPINESS *posted 03/08/07 | Thursday,April 08, 2007, 2:11 PM
Writing about happiness has its dangers.
Some people see anyone who spends a lot of time exploring happiness as being a bit too "touchy-feely", "new-age", "unrealistic", "naive", and out of touch with "real life". How can someone spend a lot of time musing about happiness and still be a part of real life, facing the tough issues like earning enough money, protecting self and family from ruin and exploitation, and avoiding all the pitfalls that can send life into a disastrous downward spiral.
The way I see things, learning about happiness is the ultimate "real world" task. Think about why you do what you do. You don't struggle for a successful career because you want to "be successful". That's just a phrase that means little by itself. "Be successful" is just a name we give to what we really want... freedom from fear, physical wellness, emotional peace, satisfied needs, and good relationships with other people. Being successful really means being happy. That's why I like to study what leads to happiness. I'm not "touchy-feely". I've been working for over thirty years and now see that all my goals have ultimately been disguises for one thing... a desire for happiness. That's why I study what makes us happy.
I've been around the block a few times.
For instance, I already have been an executive at a large hospital. I got a lot of pleasure out of that, as well as a lot of pain. I enjoyed the money and prestige of the position. I also defined who I was by that position, and finally losing the position after an administration change was horrible. It felt like my entire life was taken away. Finally, after many months I started to understand that who I am is not what I do. Happiness came back after I fully accepted the career setback and focused on the good things in my present life. This episode changed my perspective about what is important. A happy person hopefully has a successful career; but sees that the career is something you experience, not really what defines "you". I could still be happy, even though my career had crashed at that time.
I've been self-employed. I was not as successful as I wanted to be in my new venture. More ups and downs in mood and happiness followed. The bottom line: Once again happiness came back when I accepted the present, even though I was not satisfied with everything. I was able to move on and do better. Again the key was understanding that I could be happy even when the job left something to be desired.
I've held a number of "high-stress" jobs in big corporations. I was successful financially. I also drifted into forcing my personality to fit the corporate mold. I became unhappy, I got sick, I had personal problems, and I really disliked what I felt compelled to do for "success". I became angry with management. I came to see management as "the enemy".
After a lot of soul searching I decided that I should be more concerned with being happy, getting well, and resolving my personal problems. I gave my corporate career the concern and effort it was due; but I no longer let it run my life. I got healthier, happier, and resolved the personal problems. I also found that I was no longer on the "fast-track" to corporate promotion. I was now viewed as someone who did not give +100% to the job... a potential corporate liability. I was happy now, so that was OK.
I always did a good job in the big corporations where I worked. I got good reviews. Still, I could see that I made a lot of management uncomfortable. I think I did not show enough fear of the consequences of displeasing management. I always followed corporate rules and I always worked hard for my employer, although I made it clear that my family and life outside the office were top priorities in my life. If things came to a choice between my family and my job advancement, my family would come first. I had already awakened to the folly of being defined by what you do at work instead of what you are as a whole person.
I've been laid off during corporate "down-sizing" twice. It was easier the second time than the first because I was learning more about what made happiness present in my life. The second time this happened I was more focused on a happy life as a whole and my role as an employee was only a part of the picture. I picked up the career pieces fairly quickly and kept on living a pretty happy life.
When I look back at my work history I can see that I really was not very happy as a corporate employee. I stayed unhappy until I took the time to study what really made me happy. I was, and remain, grateful for the money and security that my corporate jobs provided. Still, I am convinced that being happy takes more than reaching the summit of career success. Most of the happiness comes from loving relationships and peace with life as it is right now. Goals are necessary and good; but don't dislike the present because you have a goal for the future. Every day can be a wonderful, happy day. You can be sick or you can be poor and still be happy to be alive. If you are not angry with life you can be happy… maybe not comfortable; but happy.
So, that's some insight into the personal experiences that make me think understanding what make us happy is so important. We want to be happy. We need to be happy. Everything we do is an effort to be happy. The more we know about what causes happiness, the easier it is to make the life decisions that lead to happiness. This is as "real world" as it gets!
Be happy!
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| GRANDKIDS KNOW THE ANSWERS! *posted 03/07/07 |  Wednesday, March 07, 2007, 9:54 AM
As a doting grandparent, I just had to post this list of "grandkid" wisdom I received in an email. This is a site about happiness and reading these definitely made me laugh and be happy!
Here we go:
Grandkids
My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "77".
He was quiet for a moment, then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"
After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair.
As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin.
At last she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings.
As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"
A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like:
We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard.
We rode our pony.
We picked wild raspberries in the woods."
The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this in. Finally she spoke, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"
My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?"
I mentally polished my halo while I asked, "No, how are we alike?"
"You're both old," he replied.
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story.
"What's it about?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "You know I can't read yet."
I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her.
I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me, and she was always correct.
But it was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely,
"Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"
A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments.
They were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if anyone could tell her what it was.
Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall not take the
covers off thy neighbor's wife."
Our five-year-old grandson couldn't wait to tell his grandfather about the movie he had watched on television, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."
The scenes with the submarine and the giant octopus kept him wide-eyed.
In the middle of his telling, grandpa interrupted him, "What caused the submarine to sink?"
With a look of incredulity the grandson replied, "Grandpa, it was the 20,000 leaks!!"
When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects.
Still, a few fireflies followed us in.
Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's too late, grandpa, the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."
When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure."
"Look in your underwear, Grandma," he advised.
"Mine says I'm four to six."
A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother,
"Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today."
The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool even though she was worried what the child may have been told.
"That's interesting," she said, "How do you make babies?"
"It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change the y to i and add es.
"Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher.
The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant."
The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked.
"Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a Child!"
A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past.
Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
They use him to keep crowds back," said one youngster.
"No, said another, "he's just for good luck."
A third child brought the argument to a close.
"They use the dog," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrant."
I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did!
Be Happy! |
| HAPPINESS ACCORDING TO WORLD RELIGIONS *posted 01/27/07 | Saturday, January 27, 2007, 7:47 PM
I spend a lot of time thinking and writing about happiness as I work on this site. After all, it is about being happy!
After a while, I came to see that happiness really is hard to pin down. The happiness of someone devoted to sensual pleasure is not the same as the happiness of someone practicing self-denial as a path to God or goodness. And what about those folks who believe "money is the root of all evil" compared to those who believe worldly success is a sign of favor from above? There are so many different "happiness goals" around that you should be able to find at least one that fits your personal preferences.
Are all these approaches right? Are they all wrong? Will the real happiness please stand up? Is there any way to select the best path to happiness?
History is full of the human effort to do just that... almost all the world's philosophies and religions are ultimately focused on what will cause happiness. Some say we are basically good and must not be corrupted if we want to be happy. Others say we are basically bad and must be trained to be good before we can be happy. Still others say the only way to happiness is to follow the commands and instructions revealed by God or other "higher beings".
Which path is best? I think this is a good question to ask. We want to be happy, not to go chasing beliefs and systems of thought that fail in the long run.
With this in mind, I'll be posting a series of articles in the next few weeks where members of different world religions share what happiness means to them and how that happiness is found. These articles can help us decide which path is best. Good information always helps when trying to get good answers.
This week's articles are on Hindu and Jewish ideas. I picked these two faiths to begin since they are by far the oldest major religions active in the world today, Hinduism is the oldest surviving religion, dating back 5000 years. The Jewish faith is almost as old, dating back to 1800 BCE.
Also, other world religions had their roots in these older faiths... Buddhism in Hinduism... and Christianity and some aspects of Islam in Judaism.
The Hindu view of happiness is presented in an article by the Hindu teacher and monk Swami Sunirmalananda. The article was originally published at www.gatewayforindia.com.
Jewish views are presented in two articles. The first article is by Rabbi Tom Meyer, who gives practical suggestions on following the Jewish path to a happy life. The second article contains excerpts from the book Gateway to Happiness by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin. This will help round out the Jewish view.
I hope you enjoy these articles and find them to be helpful.
Be Happy! |
| HAPPINESS ACCORDING TO WORLD RELIGIONS - PART 2 *posted 02/20/07 | Tuesday, February 20, 2007, 2:57 PM
This week we will examine how two very widespread world religions define happiness.
Roman Catholicism and Islam are the two largest religious groups in the world today. At the end of 2004, Roman Catholics numbered 1,098,366,000 people, or approximately one in six of the world's population. Similarly, over 1 billion people identify with the Islamic faith. This also is about another one in six of the worlds population. Both religions share a common heritage from the Middle East.
Jesus Christ was born as a Jew, and his teachings evolved from Jewish roots and are the basis of the Catholic Church.
Similarly, the founder of the Islamic religion, Muhammed, recognized both Christians and Jews as "Children of the Book", the book being the Koran, which replaced both the Old and New testaments for Christians and Jews.
Thus we have two major religions which together account for about one third of the population of the earth. I would probably need to write a very large book to cover all the aspects of what each religion believes is the proper path in life leading to happiness.
Still, we can get some pretty good ideas about happiness in Catholicism and Islam by reading some writings of the members of these faiths.
I've picked two articles written by Catholic authors who write about happiness.
The first author is Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. His article asks the question "Is it Wrong to be Happy?" and gives some interesting answers. Dr. D'Ambrosio is active in teaching Catholicism at www.crossroadsinitiative.com.
The second article, by Renee Bondy originally was published in The Catholic New Times. Renee writes about explaining to a friend all the reasons she is smiling, giving us a good picture of her happiness and what makes it happen.
The Meaning of Happiness in Islam gives a detailed explanation of what will bring a believer to true happiness, and what will not. This article originally appeared on Islam Today, under the general supervision of Sheikh Salman Al-Oadah.
A second article, Happiness, by Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D, the President of the Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc., presents ideas about happiness in various cultures and religions and compares these ideas with what the Qur'an teaches about true happiness.
I hope you enjoy these articles and find them to be helpful.
Be Happy!
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| A VERY NICE ARTICLE BY CHARMAINE SAUNDERS *posted 12/20/06 | Wednesday, December 20, 2006, 11:37 PM
Charmaine Saunders' article Happiness exposes some of the "myths" about what creates happiness and gives some good examples of how to live happily. In Charmaine's words, "We don't experience happiness because of something that we're getting, like a raise or money. We experience happiness because of how we're living."
Take a minute to read this one. It is definitely worth your time.
Be Happy! |
| I WON'T BE HAPPY UNTIL ... *posted 12/13/06 | Tuesday, December 13, 2006, 9:00 PM
Wait a minute!
What exactly are you saying? You can't be happy until you get that special someone's love? You can't be happy until "it" is yours? You can't be happy until you succeed at "it"? You can't be happy until "your (Life / Health/ Condition/ and on and on…)" improves? Are you saying that you can't be happy on your own... today... anytime... unless something outside of you happens?
Is that really true?
There is a big difference between "can't be happy" and "won't be happy". You "can be happy" almost all the time. Most of us "won't be happy" until our wishes come true. The desire to have things happen like you want them to happen can be a genuine tyrant. This tyrant will try to make you suffer until you meet its needs. It might want something it saw in a store, it might want more and better friends, it might want more money, more success, more whatever. It might want a bad situation to stop or for certain people to change in ways it wants.
The tyrant enjoys its privileged position in your life and does not take kindly to being ignored. It will try to make you suffer if you don't meet its demands. Usually it succeeds, since the tyrant really is a part of you, and you also think that what the tyrant wants seems pretty good. Why does the tyrant need to make you suffer? Because, in spite of its exalted position, it really has no power to change anything.... except your emotions and comfort level. If it does not get what it wants it will do what it can to make you feel bad, and also tell you that the bad feelings will not stop until it does get what it wants. It expects you to make life and the world change into what the tyrant wants. Unfortunately, just like the tyrant, you really don't have much power to do that either. So, if you obey the tyrant you're going to suffer. Sure, sometimes you can satisfy the tyrant's desires. Still, no matter how hard you work, many times you will fail because life and the world happens by its own plan, which often does not mesh with your plan.
Here is another problem with the tyrant. It really is not exceptionally dependable. It tells you that what it wants will make you happy, and reminds you about how unhappy you will be until you make it happen. However, the tyrant really has no concept of happiness. It only works on satisfying its desires. You are being fed a line and you will probably just get some temporary pleasure if you satisfy the tyrant. Even worst, sometimes the tyrant is so wrong that meeting its wishes will cause you misery. Even worse still, whether what happened was pleasant or painful, the tyrant immediately gives you its next goal and all the associated uncomfortable feelings and marching orders. This really will never stop on its own. There will always be something else the tyrant wants. It doesn't matter if you are dirt poor or a multi-millionaire. If the tyrant is running your life you are in trouble and feeling unfulfilled.
If you want to get on the right path to happiness, start a revolution. THE TYRANT MUST BE OVERTHROWN! Take away the tyrant's power. It hasn't done a very good job leading you to a happier life. Whatever satisfaction you get from the whims of the tyrant does not last and has strings attached to keep you in line. The Tyrant wants you to believe you need it to be happy... how else will you know what you want, what you need, what is good for you? It's a con job. You don't need to obey the tyrant. There is happiness after the tyrant's demanding neediness ends. When the tyrant loses control over your life you start to see that getting everything you want is a dead end, as far as happiness is concerned. It's not going to happen. Life doesn't work that way.
The happiest people are those who can accept life and the world as it exists in the present. These happy people know that what is here is already here. They see that there is nothing they can do to undo it, so they don't follow the tyrant and get angry or upset if they don't really like it. The happy people are also free from the tyrant's endless demands to be satisfied, so they are peaceful. Because they are peaceful, they can see things much more clearly and realistically. They can make good plans for the future, and maybe even get some of what they want; never feeling that not getting "it" needs to cause unhappiness. The fog of too much desire is lifted. They have learned that you will not be unhappy forever if you don't get what you want. Desires always fade away, met or not. The same goes for unpleasant things, these fade away too. The happiest people accept the present and are less driven to satisfy their desires at all costs. They know that the world is always changing. Nothing bad will last forever. Nothing good will last forever either, at least not on Earth. They see that happiness arises on its own as contentment with the present grows. Happy people also have goals and wants. These are not like the goals and wants of the tyrant. A happy person's met desire is different, and the happy person is perfectly willing to have the desire not be met. It can be enjoyed, yet the enjoyment is not driven by constant desire and is never mistaken for the lasting happiness of a contented life.
Kick out your tyrant if you haven't done it yet. You'll be a happier person when the tyrant no longer rules inside you!
Be Happy! |
| TWO NEW ARTICLES POSTED TODAY *posted 12/19/06 | Tuesday, December 19, 2006, 7:45 PM
Take a look at the what Joe Love shares in Creating Happiness. Joe has some good approaches to bring more happiness into everyday life.
Also, I posted an article here today called Owning Your Own Controls by Eldon Taylor, an author who has produced over 200 books and self improvement programs Eldon talks about how we are in control of our own inner environment, and the ways in which old assumptions, old solutions and assigning blame can cause problems for us. He also gives some good tips on the ways to be a happier person. The post is a bit long and goes into a lot of detail. However, I thinks it is well worth a read.
Be Happy! |
| MANY IDEAS ABOUT HAPPINESS *posted 12/06/06 | Wednesday, December 6, 2006, 9:25 AM
It really is amazing how many ideas are out there about getting happy and staying happy. Even the word means different things to different people. What you think might make you happy may be a lot different than what I think might make me happy. Actually, I'm pretty well convinced that talking about what "makes" us happy is not a good approach to take at all. It's sort of like "you can lead a horse to water. but you can't make him drink"... you can learn all the many paths to be happy, but that will not make you happy. You can know all about happiness but still not be happy. A wise person once said you can be an expert on honey but not really know honey until you taste it yourself. Happiness is like that too, and when you do taste happiness, you may be surprised to find it is not what you thought it was like at all.
I have a very open view about what can lead to a person becoming happy. There are many different roads to get to the same place. Some people think only one way, their way, is the right road. Other people think that more than one road will take you there. Maybe no one really has the entire answer. I think every person has a right to be happy and can find a way to be happy. We are all different, and will be happiest following a path in life that fits best.
Look through the other postings in this blog. You will find a pretty wide spread of ideas about happiness. Let your readings be food for thought to shape your own path to a happier life. I have also set up a bookstore on the site that offers some good reading on reaching happiness and contentment, as well as some of my personal favorites.
Be Happy! | |
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 | |  | | Everybody that I know wants to be happy. And yet, most people I know don't seem to be happy. A few people seem to be VERY happy, and quite a few people bounce between being sad, being "OK" and being temporarily content and smiling.
This website is devoted to discovering what leads to happiness and understanding what that "happiness" word means. What we share here... The information, comments, and pictures... might just point the way to joining that fortunate VERY HAPPY group of contented and satisfied people.
I started this site to share what has lead me to a happier life and also to provide a way for others to contribute their thoughts, comments and ideas.
I had my share of bumps and potholes in my life... laid off a few times, fired one time, unemployed a while, becoming very sick, depression and anxiety, and a few other "heart-stopping" type events. I've also had a smooth ride at times... a loving family, a chance to learn and grow, recovery from sickness and depression, a good bit of financial success.
Now I'm almost sixty and I'm happier than I've ever been. Nothing in life changed that much. Something inside of me changed. I don't worry as much about how things turn out. I've learned that no day is better than today, that no time is better than right now. Events that would send me into a panic of anxiety or depression have a lot less power on my well-being now. I don't spend a lot of time worrying anymore... planning, yes... worry, no. I notice that I'm content most of the time, having learned that simple things and good people can lead to happiness much more than big possessions, fame, and being a success.
As your host, I'll continue to contribute my own ideas, and post what you send as comments and contributions. Thanks for visiting!
Be Happy!
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