Happiness

Genuine contentment arises from Inside

Life isn’t the sweetest candy.Occasionally, when I feel a bit like the world is simply too heavy, I look around and find folk who continued to live interesting and smashing lives. And then thoughts come popping into my mind like bubbles from nowhere -’How did their life become so adorably sweet? How come they still can manage to laugh and play around in spite of a busy nerve wracking life?’ Then I pause and observed for awhile I believed out that maybe, they start to work on a place called ’self’.

So, how do you expericence genuinely happiness? Step 1 is to like yourself. My theology professor once claimed that’loving means accepting.’ to love oneself means to accept that you aren’t a perfect being, but behind the defects must lie a great oz. of bravery to be ready to discover ways on how to boost your repertoire to recover from our mistakes.

Genuine contentment also relates to contentment. When you’re delighted with the job you have, the way you look, with your folks, your friends, the place you live in, your car, and everything you now have – actually, you know the solution to the query’how to be genuinely happy.There is a very good site from siddhaswarupananda about how to live life happily.

When we discover a small start somewhere from within, that tiny start will at last lead to something else, and to something else. But if you keep questioning life lit it hasn’t done you any good, you will never be ready to find real happiness.

I believe that life is about finding out about right and wrong, trying and failing, wining and losing. These are things that occur as often as you inhale and breathe out. Failure, in an individual’s life has become as abundant and obligatory as air. But this should not hinder us from becoming happy.

How to be really chuffed in spite all these? I tell you every time you exert effort to boost the standard of life and your being, whether or not it is cleaning up your room, helping a friend, taking care of your sick dog, fail on board examinations and trying again, life gives you equivalent points for that.

Imagine life as a massive score board like those which are employed in the NFLs. Each time you take a step forward, you make scoring points. Would it be nice to look at that board at the end of each game and think to oneself’Whew! I got a point today. I am pleased I gave it a shot.’, rather than having a look at it all blank and murmur’Geez, I did not even hit a score today. I just wish I had the guts to try out. We might have won!’ and then walk away.

Genuine happiness isn’t about driving the freshest Formula 1 vehicle, nor getting the worker of the year award, earning the highest 13th month pay, or beating the sales quota. Sometimes, the most sought after prizes in life doesn’t always go to the fastest, the strongest, the gutsiest or not even the best. So, how do you become truly happy? Each one has his very own definition of ‘happiness’. Happiness for a writer might mean launching as much best selling books as possible. Happiness for a basketball rookie could mean getting the rookie of the year award. Happiness for a beggar could mean a bunch of cash. Contentment for a business man could mean success. So, truly now, how will we become really happy? Straightforward. You don’t have to have the best things in this world. Its about doing and making the best out of every single thing. When you find yourself smiling at your own mistake and telling your self’Oh, I’ll do better next time’, you carry with you a flame of strong will power to persevere that may spread out like a brush fire. You possess an eagerness to stand up again and try – that may make you a genuinely happy person.

When you learn to accept yourself and your own faults. You pass step 1 in the project’how to become really happy’.For as long as you know the easy way to accept others, you will be accepted. For as long as you like and know the way to love, you’ll receive love 10 folds back.

Again, throw me that same question ‘how to become truly happy?’. I’ll refer you to a pal of mine who strongly quoted-’Most of us know that laughter is the best drugs to life’s aches and agony. But many of us do not know that the best sort of laughter is laughter over self. Coz then you do not just become cheerful you become free.

I am now in a happy place, I have pride in where I am at in comparison to where I have been and I now live a contented life. Why? Well because I have managed to turn my life around. No longer am I that paranoid man with a low self-confidence. I now live life with a smile on my face and am very much looking forward to the future. With the contents of this article I will be describing my journey to happiness and hope that it will prove to be an inspiration to other people out there.

Besides my nervous way of speaking (I had a speech impediment commonly referred to as stuttering), the following areas of confidence coaching were of interest to me:

I had, for whatever reason, a lack of belief at the workplace

For whatever reason I was a person who believed that he would fail every task that he was set

I wanted to become far more assertive

I would often get dragged down by negative comments

I was paranoid (at least a subtle feeling) that people don’t like me

I used to walk around as if the world owed me something and would often feel
very sorry for myself

I wanted to be able to speak with authority and presence

I wanted to see fear and anxiety as a challenge and not as a prison cell

I wanted to learn to be self-assured and to be able to feel comfortable in any place, anytime

I wanted to be able to talk to anyone, at anytime and feel completely in control and natural

As you can see I wanted quite a lot! By reading literature about how to gain confidence, how to increase self-confidence and about how to become a success helped me, in some degree, with all of the above. I realised that I needed to be a lot more care-free, I needed to stop worrying about what other people thought of me and I needed to appreciate what I had in life. Only by doing this will I ever have any chance of becoming a success.

I am now a lot more confident and proficient in my business life which is in the catering supplies UK sector. It is a good place to be – happy at work and happy at home.

Gratitude is something that doesn’t usually appear in an average person’s set of values or even their daily vocabulary. But the truth is that gratitude needs to be a part of everyone’s lives. From the small things to the big successes, if you don’t recognize them, you just won’t be as happy as you could be.

Gratitude is more than having a positive outlook on life. It is scientifically proven to make you happier, healthier, and sleep better!

And since we live in such a technologically inclined world, here are 5 fun and spectacular ways for you to show your gratitude and reap the benefits of doing so.

1.    Make a gratitude video or slide show

This is a great way to express gratitude and fun to watch and show off too. Using iMovie or even PowerPoint or KeyNote to make a slideshow, you can compile pictures and videos of all the things you’re grateful for.

Think about all the things that make your life complete and joyful. What drives you? Your friends, family, pets, your job, your house, etc. You get the idea. Once you’ve finished you can watch it in the mornings to pump you up for the rest of the day. And every time you think of something new that you’re grateful for, add it into the video or slide show.

2.    Send notes of appreciation to your loved ones using the internet

Who doesn’t like to feel appreciated? By doing this you’ll reinforce the bond between you and your friends and family and show them just how much you care about them. On top of that, people will start to see you for who you really are: a kind and caring person who doesn’t take anyone for granted.

You can do this through social networking sites like MySpace or FaceBook, through an e-card, or even just an old-fashioned email.

3.    Send yourself a list of things you’re grateful for via e-mail

This one’s a fun one. Before you go to bed, write down a list of things you’re grateful for in the course of your day into an email. After you’re done just send it to your work email or even to the same email address you’re writing from.

When the next day comes and you check your email you’ll have a list of things you’re grateful for to give you an extra reminder of all the amazing things you have in your life. And if you’re at work, this’ll definitely make you smile.

4.    Set up electronic reminders of what you’re grateful for.

We’re an extremely connected society. Either through our mobile phones, our email accounts, our social networks, or our calendars, it’s just so hard to get away from it all. So why not turn that into a good thing?

Set up reminders in Outlook or in another email program to send you quick reminders of what you’re thankful for. You can set up reminders for every 2 hours or just every morning when you go onto your computer. It’s nice to have a little pop-up reminder with something you’re grateful for instead of a deadline.

5.    Use social networking sites to show the world what you’re grateful for

Who doesn’t have a FaceBook, MySpace, or Twitter account these days? Pretty much everyone, so why don’t you use it as a technique to express your gratitude. Either through your FaceBook status or in your tweets in your Twitter account, it’s easier than you could imagine.

In fact there’s even a cool FireFox add-on, which turns your address bar into an automatic twitter tool. Just type in what you’re grateful in the address bar and click a tiny button and voila! You have just expressed some gratitude.

One of the best sites I’ve seen is one that’s specifically set up for expressions of gratitude. It’s called GratitudeLog.com and it’s where thousands of people express their gratitude everyday. On top of that, you can send people signed up on GratitudeLog notes of appreciation along with a little gift. You can even make your expressions of gratitude private so that only you can see them.

Well, these are just a few of the many things you can do using technology to show your gratitude. So let’s get our creativity on and get happy!

Achievement Video

There is a subtle mystery to the concept of being grateful. Those who are truly successful and live lives of lasting richness understand this mystery and apply it every day. In turn, they carry with them an overflowing heart and a feeling of deep, abiding happiness.

The path of gratitude is available to everyone that takes the time to find it. But what is gratitude?

Gratitude is defined as, ‘the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful’. Perhaps though, Melodie Beattie describes it best in her words below:

‘Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, confusion into clarity and chaos into order…. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.’

To be truly grateful is a fundamental part of creating an amazing life. Everything in the world can begin and end with being thankful. It is a mindset that, when adopted, will keep your heart filled with happiness and your ‘cup half full’. There is a cost however to being grateful and that is the cost of your time.

Making time each day to reflect on the gifts in your life is the fastest way to create an abundance mindset.

The trick is to find something that you truly feel grateful for and then to revisit that feeling of gratitude each day. This in turn will give you the strength and confidence you need to overcome the obstacles between you and your goals.

For example, you may have a goal to fit into a certain size of pants or dress. A typical challenge around losing weight is negative self talk. You can use gratitude to combat negative self talk by first recognizing that you have been blessed with a body that despite the extra weight, is still keeping you strong.

Your body is just waiting for you to mentally and emotionally shift into a higher level of fitness and health. When you are ready, it will respond to your new commands and transform itself into the new image you hold for it. So, when you next start playing the ‘negative self talk’ tape see if you can replace it with words and feelings that reflect the deep sense of gratitude you have for your body.

As the challenges and realities of life take hold, gratitude can be a virtue to cling to in those moments of deepest sorrow. Everyone will at some time experience the heartache of death, illness or divorce.

It’s how we choose to handle these difficult circumstances that will determine our ability to move through them.

Some consideration and thought concerning Vision Boards will help you achieve some amazing changes in a short period of time.

Take divorce for example. Approximately 50% of the population will go through a divorce.Think about someone you know of who is divorced or is considering leaving their partner.

Now think about how that person is choosing to handle the divorce. Are they bitter and angry? Are they lashing out at their spouse?

Or, have they taken the high road and are quietly going about their business, advocating for themselves without hurting anyone around them. Have they chosen to be grateful for the time they were happy?Perhaps they have discovered the ability to be grateful for the children that came from the marriage. They may be grateful for the experience of learning more about themselves and for discovering what’s most important to them.

If you take the time to look deeply into something, you can usually discover one or two areas for which to be grateful. Clearly, finding gratitude isn’t always easy but it is a worthwhile endeavor.

At the most basic level, you can start with listing just two or three things every day for which you are grateful. Need help getting started?

How about:
1. Being able to take a deep breath
2. Being able to see the sun rise and set
2. Being able to learn and to make different choices

It takes only a moment of reflection to experience gratitude for things like the ability to hear, to touch, to give and receive hugs, a warm house, a safe home, a full stomach, pets, family and friends.

Just imagine how you’d feel if you didn’t have these blessings in your life!

Even on your most difficult days take just a few minutes to give thanks for the gifts that you have in your life. In giving thanks you will be strengthening your sense of abundance.

This in turn will allow you to see more options for happiness and give you the awareness to make other choices.

A spirit of Gratitude is an often overlooked component to creating a life of greatness and happiness. Apply the mystery of Gratitude and you’ll find it turns the everyday aspects of life into experiences of richness and joy.

Do you see your glass as half empty or half full?

Your quality of life always better when you see the positive in things. But have you heard of the immediate benefits that you will see in yourself when you decide to become an optimist?

1. Confidence - Want an instant self esteem booster? When you choose to focus on the positives in your life, that also means you start to focus on the positives in yourself.

2. Motivation - Its hard to start and stay on a task when you feel like the outcome is going to fail in the end. So once you focus on what you like doing, you will start loving what you do.

3. React to Stress Better - Positive thinking is an instant mood booster. When you practice looking on the bright side, you can reduce the upsurge of hormones and other mood depressing chemicals that are released during times of stress.

4. Longer Life Span - It has been scientifically proven that optimists live longer than pessimists. Being a pessimist invites stress into your life, which does critical damage to your physical body.

5. Better at Decision Making - When faced with a difficult decision, the optimist will always make a better informed decision, because they are focused on the right things.

6. Healthier Body - What someone focuses on(whether they focus on wanting it or not wanting it) is often what comes into their life. That holds true for illness and wellness. This can also be applied retro-actively People so strongly believe in this that they often meditate or use techniques like the Silva Method.

7. Can Endure Bad Situations – Good and bad times are apart of everyones life. When an optimistic person comes upon a hard time in their life, like losing a job or a natural disaster, the positive thinking will focus on the next steps, instead of going into a state of panic.

These are just a few examples of the power of positive thinking. So on monday mornings when you hit the snooze, next time your stuck in traffic or finding yourself in a situation you don't particularly enjoy, just remember, attitude creats reality.

It is rightly said that Buddies are like stars of the sky and love is like the moon of the sky; but the truth is that the sky can look beautiful without moon but not without the stars. Friends are the lot in life that makes your life beautiful. It a friend, that supports you when you are in trouble and cherishes in your happiness. It is truly said that a friend halves sorrow and doubles the happiness. It’s a friend that is like a back support for us. Pals should definitely be treasured, as it’s a bond that is formed without any blood relation; very deep and very true. But one should be very cautious while selecting Pals and mates. There are two types of Pals; one who is a friend in good times and other, the true friend, who is the friend even in the bad times. Finding true Buddies is really a very difficult task. But once found, they stay in your life for the rest of your life. No matter whatever ups and downs come in your life, these Friends will be there to support and guide you. This support is sufficient enough for you to leave no stone upturned to achieve success in your life. Thus, Pals are worth to be made and kept along forever. Some of the legendary personalities of the world have shared their personal experience on this context. This list comprises legendary Queen Creek Plumbers (Need one? click here!), Santa Clara electricians(Need one?click here!) and Stafford roofers. They relate the friend circle to that of a social circle. And we all know that man being a social animal can’t survive in loneliness. He needs mate and partners to accomplish every task required for his survival. Thus, Pals should be made and loved as they provide you the support when required. In need even a small assistance can be of great help. As rightly said by our ancestors that- A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Gratitude plays a huge part in all our lives whether we’re conscious of it or not. When we say thank you for a gift or for the person holding the door for us, we’re expressing one of the most important values of all our lives.

Gratitude is scientifically proven to increase your levels of happiness, your health, self-confidence, motivation, and it’ll make you more fun to be around. Sounds pretty good for something so easy to practice.

In fact, a study by Dr. Michael McCollough, of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Robert Emmons, of the University of California at Davis proved that gratitude was a major factor in someone’s well-being.

So to get the ball rolling and to give you some quirky and fun ways to express gratitude, here are 5 ingenious ways to show your appreciation.

1. Do a gratitude dance

Sounds a little crazy but it’s a lot more common than you’d imagine. Think about all those touchdown dances football players do. So when you feel like a million bucks or you’ve just achieved something amazing, get up and do a gratitude dance.

In fact, 2 guys from Canada called the GratiDudes have started a gratitude dance on YouTube.

2. Start a gratitude journal

Everyone at some point of their lives starts a journal or a diary.  But what about one that’s solely dedicated to expressing gratitude? This is a fun and incredibly inspiring activity. Get yourself (or even make one) a gorgeous notebook and everyday write down what you’re grateful for. Do it in the morning and the evening for all the big things and the small things.

It’s hard to have a bad day when you’ve got something to be grateful for. If you don’t want to start a journal exclusively for gratitude, incorporate it into your daily journaling routine. Just start off each entry with 3 things your grateful for.

3. Write a gratitude letter

Writing a letter can be extremely empowering and can lift a whole load of emotions off you. In the same way, writing a gratitude letter does the same thing. Pick one person in your life that means a lot to you and in a letter format write about all the things you’re grateful for about that person. What they’ve done for you, times they’ve been there for you, their laugh and smile, and their quirks.

You don’t have to give them the letter.  The act of writing it is enough. However if you did give it to them, they’d be happier than happy for the rest of the day.

Another gratitude letter is one to yourself. This is a great exercise in self-discovery. You may realize strengths within you that you never consciously recognized.

4. Gratitude sticky notes

Take a pad of sticky notes and everyday write something that you’re grateful for on as many pieces of paper as you can. Then stick them all over the place. On the fridge, in your closet, on your desk, on a book… You get the point.

These little reminders will brighten up your day and if anyone sees them, they’ll definitely be inspired.

Eventually when you get too many around your house or desk, put them in a book that you can flip through and remind yourself of all the good things in your life.

5. Make a collage of gratitude

Take a big poster board, grab some scissors and glue, find some old magazines and photos.  Start collaging!

Cut out all the things you’re grateful for in the form of pictures. You can find things in magazines, pictures from news articles, photographs of family and friends, pictures taken from holidays, etc.

Once you’ve got a good compilation, stick them all over your poster board. It’ll be a constant reminder of all the beautiful things in your life that give you a constant stream of strength, inspiration, encouragement, and love.

Once you’re done, frame it and put it in a place that is easily viewable.

These are just a few of the ways you can express gratitude and keep your perspective positive and bright. Of course there are a billion other ways to express your gratitude, just as long as you consciously do it on a daily basis. The benefits are immense. So happy gratitude-ing and have fun!

One of the most difficult things to get over in life is the worry about what other people think of us. We can worry about the careers or partners we choose and what others will think about this. It is basic human nature to care about how we are thought of to an extent, however, when this goes to an extreme it can have a really big and really negative impact upon your life. However these feelings can be removed by following our how to stop caring what others think guidance:

• When you get a feeling that somebody is judging you, think rationally as it is very unlikely that they are. Other people often have many things going on and their own worries to be too concerned with what you are doing. Keep telling yourself this and you will begin to feel #better.

• Avoid those who will seek to put your self esteem down in order to boost their own. Concentrate on people who are positive and lift your mood, who reassure you and build your confidence. If people you trust give you compliments and positive energy then your chances are you that you will believe them over negative people and start to believe in your own value.

• Pursue a hobby or interest in order to meet people with similar likes to you. Due to this similarity it is not very likely that they will think badly towards. In order to meet like-minded people and improve skills at the same time joining a class is a good option.

• The ultimate advice is to look for your own strengths and weaknesses andlearn to accept them without worrying what others think - it sounds simple but if you can do this you will then be able to see what you really want from your life, you will be less tied to your worries and have a greater sense of freedom.

• subliminal CDs can greatly help to increase self esteem. The power of subliminals can be used to increase your willpower and strength of mind. This will thicken your skin and help you to get past what people think of you, and ultimately find a deeper sense of self satisfaction.

When you re-connect passion and purpose you are automatically raising your level of happiness and there are some things you can do to help you get there much faster including using motivational affirmations.

Motivational affirmations are a great way to lift our mood when things aren’t going our way.  Our mood is controlled by our internal dialogue which can be our best friend or our own worst enemy. It can limit us from doing what we want to do resulting in a lack of confidence even though we know that other people believe in our abilities.  It doesn’t have to be that way because we all have complete control over the way we think and feel (whether you believe that or not!) and can regain control by using a variety of methods, one I recommend is affirmations.

Constantly using affirmations can help you towards transforming what you think about yourself and also the world around you. These positive statements can bring you the motivation you seek, as well as happiness, joy, and passion.  When you’re feeling down repeating affirmations can immediately improve your mood.  Even though affirmations can work immediately don’t think of them as a quick fix. Positive affirmations are most effective in the long-term so you can get what you deeply desire out of life.

When you use affirmations, you are literally reprogramming the way you think. You replace your negative self-talk and doubts with positive, motivating thoughts. Eventually, these positive thoughts become reality.  These motivational affirmations work because they push away the negative thoughts that are limiting you day in and day out. Leaving your negative thinking behind becomes easier when you fill your mind with positive affirmations.

Before you know it these positive affirmations will become second nature allowing you to change your life systematically, one thought at a time.  Here are ten motivational affirmations you can use to improve your mood:

1. I welcome positive energy and I use that feeling to accomplish more.

2. I use my energy to live my life to the fullest.

3. No matter what I’m working on, I’m always committed to completing my goal.

4. I trust my thought processes. They are clear and I am very capable.

5. I can find my own intrinsic motivator.

6. No matter how hard I may fall, I get back up, dust myself off, and forge on.

7. No matter the challenge, I will see it through.

8. I enjoy being responsible for my actions.

9. My life is full of purpose, exciting chang, and many recognized deeds.

10. I stay motivated to complete larger tasks by celebraing my small successes

As you start on your journey towards reconnecting to passion and purpose use this list of affirmations in those moments of frustration to help you find the motivation you need to continue. Repeat them in the morning when you first wake up, or make them your last thoughts at night before you sleep.  Add your own energy into them by making them your own, change the words or add to them. Positive affirmations that you write yourself are far more powerful to use than any other.  It doesn’t matter where you get them, as long as they speak to your heart and are focused on the present.

We all need a motivational boost from time to time. Now you don’t have to look to other people or situations to keep you moving forward. Keep your affirmation list updated with the thoughts you’d like to be thinking, repeat your affirmations several times a day, and soon you will easily be able to command and master your emotions rather than having them control you.

For more information about re-connecting to passion and purpose visit us.

Kirkland McCauley purchased an elephant for his wifes birthday. It was not a present she liked or understood, and it made a mess on her carpets. In fact it was the elephant in the room, and this horror that separated them for the remaining three days of their marriage.

Kirkland bought his present on the Internet. Nowadays it’s easy to be imaginative. Simply scroll through amazon or google for ‘presents’ and your choice is,if not unlimited, extremely vast. It ranges from ‘adopt a monkey’ to track days, having a star named after somebody to buying a glass cased piece of Highbury turf.

But being imaginative is not enough, as Mrs McCauley was quick to tell her husband of the moment. The miracle of having a mobile phone that meant he could access the web, and thereby arrange such decisions as buying an elephant while down the pub with his mates, did not compensate for the inconvenience. And anyway he always knew she never liked grey.

So choosing suitable christmas or birthday presents is an art form requiring a mixture of diplomacy, creativity, sensitivity, and inspiration.

The world wide web is a excellent aid as it opens up endless possibilities. But this is not the entire picture.

‘Something different’ is not enough. Being impractical is not enough, although it can help. After all, who likes a practical present – a new lawnmower, new knifes and forks on or iron?

‘Frivolous’ often helps, as does ‘extravagance’ – or at least the appearance of either.

{Buying something because you have always wanted one yourself is certainly not the way to go}. What wife wants the almost complete set of Charlton Athletic football programmes, 1967 to 1983 – missing only the April 1971 Accrington Stanley game?

Finding something ‘challenging’ or that send a message can be worse. Time at boot camp rarely does the job.

‘So ‘appropriate’, possibly in a witty way, is the most important gift adjective – but appropriate to the receiver not the giver. The worst that can happen is that the gift says more about the giver and their interests than the receiver. The best that can happen is that the giver receives in return more appreciation of their thoughtfulness and sensitivity.

Meanwhile Kirkland went back to his job at the zoo a wiser man, and Mrs McCauley was remarried to a big game hunter who always brought her gift sets - and jewellery, and chocolates and only the occasional subscription to Rifles and Telescopic Sights magazine.