All About Happiness
August 22, 2009Ten Commandments For
Happiness
"Happiness cometh not until we work out an integration between thought,
word and deed. Let us do what we speak. Let us speak what we think."
-J.P. Vaswani
1. Happiness is always possible, depending non how you set your mind.
2. Spread happiness - it will rebound on you.
3. Look at your assets and your strengths, they will inspire you.
4. Change what you can and accept what you cannot change.
5. Be concerned. But never worry, it can only take you deeper into frustration.
6. Never let little things bother you, because life is not a bed of roses.
7. Do not let criticism upset you, but let your conscience dictate your life.
8. Forgive from your heart, it can liberate you.
9. Be gainfully occupied, it can bring glory to God.
10.Discover the beauty of life because you have only one life to live.
- Mridula Agarwal
HAPPINESS IS A VOYAGE
Author Unknown
We convince ourselves that life will be better once we
are married, have a baby, then another.
Then we get frustrated because our children are not
old enough, and that all will be well when they are older.
Then we are frustrated because they reach adolescence
and we must deal with them. Surely we’ll be happier when they grow out of the
teen years.
We tell ourselves our life will be better when our
spouse gets hi/her act together, when we have a nicer car, when we can take a
vacation, when we finally retire.
The truth is that there is no better time to be happy
than right now. If not, then when? Your life will always be full of challenges.
It is better to admit as much and to decide to be happy in spite of it all.
For the longest time, it seemed that life was about to
start real life. But there was always some obstacle along the way, an ordeal to
get through, some work to be finished some time to be given, a bill to be paid.
Then life would start . I finally came to understand that those obstacles were
life.
That pint of view helped me see that there isn’t any
road to happiness.
Happiness Is the road.
So, enjoy every moment.
Stop waiting for school to end, for a return to
school, to lose ten pounds, to gain ten pounds, for work to begin, to get
married, for Friday evening, for Sunday morning, waiting for a new car for your
mortgage to be paid off, for spring, for summer, for fall, for winter, for the
first of the fifteenth of the month, for your song to be played on the radio,
to die, to be reborn,…before deciding to be happy.
Happiness is a voyage, not a destination. There is no
better time to be happy than…
NOW.
Live and enjoy the moment.
BE LITHE AND ENJOY LIFE!
By:Seema Anil Agarwal
Go about the journey of life, taking happiness and
peace to however many you can. Service to others is the greatest form of favor
you can do yourself. If you keep someone happy, there is no doubt that part of
that happiness will come back to you.
There is just one thing that may trouble some. You
could be thinking of certain people who are just not happy with you. Whatever
you do seems wrong in their eyes. You could break your back for them and they
would still complain that you could have done it better!
Yes! Such people do exist – in the lives of each one
of us. However good we may think ourselves to be, there will be some people who
just don’t like us! There have been lots of great people in the world. But, at
some time or the other, they have always faced opposition from lots of others.
We have to just go on doing what we have to do. There
is no other solution. You cannot close yourself up somewhere and hope those
people will disappear. They will not. They will continue to exist but will
torment you only until such time as you allow them to. Consider it their bad
fortune and
10 Interpretations Of A Happier Life
Stress affects all of us and can show its manifestations in
various forms. We cannot avoid it altogether, but what we can do is follow some
of these hints to reduce stress from our lives. Here is a list of ten
quotations and how we can interpret these to experience a happier and stress
free tomorrow.
1. Cry a river; build a bridge; get over it. Let go of
past failures, sadness and people whom we remember but who no longer care for
us. This sounds so easy but its easier said than done. We all have gone through
our share of heartaches and sadness. But when we constantly remember the pain
and suffering we had endured, we are allowing that sadness to gain an upper
hand over us. What we must realize is that what has happened has happened. Its
over and done with. People change and times change. Moving on in life is very
difficult but it’s the first constructive step to a better you.
2. Everything happens in its own time. There are things
that we do and expect to be rewarded for which does not happen. In offices,
there might be a promotion that we might have wanted, a high score on a test,
or a job offer that we were sure that was to be given to us that never worked
out. At such times we lose perspective and blame our luck and become
despondent. We need to realize that there is a time for everything that happens
in our lives. And when the appropriate time comes, things will start working
the way they were suppose to work.
3. You are the only person who can make yourself happy.
Think of “your” happiness, too, and be kind to yourself. In life, all of us
have goals and ambitions. But in the pursuit of those goals, we lose sight of
the bigger picture that we are doing these things to make ourselves happy. This
is seen especially in the case of mothers who are doing so many things for
their kids and family that they don’t own happiness. It happens to all of us.
Be gentler with yourself. Make yourself happy, and that can be done in so many
ways. Treat yourself to some ice cream, buy a book that you were dying to read,
spend a day lolling in the bed doing nothing. We deserve it and so do our
bodies.
4. Laughter is the best tranquilizer with no side
effects. Laugh each and every day of your life. Humorous situations happen to
us every single day. Whether you choose to enjoy the moment or not is your
decision. There are so many excuses in our day-to-day life to have a good
laugh. All we need to do is just look at the lighter side of life and enjoy the
moment. When you laugh, don’t think whether people are watching you or how much
you laugh. It’s their problem that they cannot find the humor in the situation
that you have found.
5. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. As we
make our journey through life, we have so many things to savor and experience.
There is no such things as instant happiness or happiness that can be found
somewhere. Live your life each day, the same way you would climb a mountain. An
occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful
scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.
6. Do today what others won’t so you can live tomorrow
like others can’t. So many times we are faced with duties and work that we are
not happy doing or performing. In those times, instead of hating or shirking
from that work, we can try and make use of the thought that somehow, whatever
we are doing will prove beneficial to us one day or another. Maybe the results
won’t be seen tomorrow, but surely we will benefit because we did something
that no one was willing to do. An example would be the people who started
companies which are million dollar establishments today. They dared to venture
and put their money in something that their colleagues would not have been
willing to do, and today their work is paying off rich dividends.
7. It is never too late to be what you might have
become. There are several factors that cause us to end up doing the work we do.
Many of us, at some point of time, would have definitely wanted to make a
career change and thought that it’s too late to do it. But the truth is it’s
never too late. You can start doing whatever we want to do because it’s your
life and your decisions. Think of the people who attend college in their late
60’s and 70’s because they always wanted to do it. Such people are the ones who
truly believe in this adage.
8. Treasure the love you receive; it will survive long
after your gold and good health have vanished. We always seem to cherish our
material possessions more than we should. But life can take a lot more from us.
Today we might have good health, family love and a good home to go back to.
What we forget is that there are so many calamities that can take away all our
comforts, but love is something that can never be taken away. We need to be
more demonstrative of our love towards others and treat our loved ones with
more kindness and affection.
9. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single
step. Any huge task that needs to be done seems very daunting at first. But if
we analyze the task carefully, and do it step-by-step, we will find that things
get resolved very quickly and easily. But we need to be bold enough to take the
first small step. Once that is done, we just need to proceed with additional
small steps towards our goal.
10. Always have something to do, something to love, and
something to hope for. These three things are what will keep the flame burning
within all of us. Something to do will keep us busy, something to love will
keep us motivated and something to hope for will take us faster towards our
goal.
The Joys of Life
(Sirach 40:18-27)
Wealth and wages make life sweet, but better than
either is finding a treasure.
Children and the building of a city establish one’s
name, but better than either is the one who finds wisdom.
Cattle and orchards make one prosperous; but a
blameless wife is accounted better than either.
Wine and music gladden the heart, but the love of
friends is better than either.
The flute and the harp make sweet melody, but a
pleasant voice is better than either.
The eye desires grace and beauty, but the green shoots
of grain more than either.
A friend or companion is always welcome, but a sensible
wife is better than either.
Kindred and helpers are for a time of trouble, but alms
giving rescues better than either.
Gold and silver make one stand firm, but good counsel
is esteemed more than either.
Riches and strength build up confidence, but the fear
of the Lord is better than either.
There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and with it
there is no need to seek for help.
The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing, and
covers a person better than any glory.
HOW TO LIVE WITH YOURSELF AND ENJOY IT
1. Learn really to know and esteem yourself.
2. Cultivate a self you can trust and believe in.
3. Picture yourself as the kind of person you wish to
be, affirm that you are that, then practice being it.
4. Keep some inspirational dissatisfaction as a goad to
self-motivation. Complete self-liking dulls the drive factor.
5. Yourself is well named. It’s yours to keeps. You’re
stuck with yourself.
6. Since you have to live with yourself it’s important
to develop a self that’s pleasant to live with.
7. Love God and you will develop a normal respect and
regard for yourself.
8. Learn to let God run your life. You’ll like the
results than your own self-management.
9. Be humble, be big in mind and soul, be kindly; you
will like yourself that way and so will other people.
How
To Live A Happy Life
By:
Valerio Albisetti
Happiness
is the discovery of being, a magic moment in which we enjoy being in the world
with everything around us.
Happiness
is …
Happiness
is awareness.
Happiness
is truth.
Happiness
is self-respect; dignity.
Happiness
is maturity.
Happiness
is humility.
Happiness
is the capacity to suffer, but is not masochism.
Happiness
is the capacity to take decisions, but is not sadism.
Happiness
is also knowing how to say no.
Happiness
is knowing how to choose.
Happiness
is taking the courage in one’s own ideas, in one’s own actions.
Happiness
is contemplation.
Happiness
is not possession.
Happiness
is not dependence.
Happiness
is not fear of loneliness.
Happiness
is not conformism.
Happiness
is not just physical desire.
Happiness
is not a right.
Happiness
is knowing oneself and understanding oneself. The comprehension of oneself
which anticipates and brings balance, serenity and harmony, leads to the very
essence of humanity, where money, sex, success and power become useless and
indifferent exterior signs.
With
self-knowledge, with the desire to understand the human conditions, to give
meaning to existence and therefore to all things, one overcomes inner
loneliness, which is one of the prime causes of unhappiness.
A Counsel
Do
not pursue grand things, myths, grand words, grand sentiments. They are
illusions and they never die. Instead, keep close to the things which die every
day. This is the secret of happiness.
We feel happy and alive every
time we face the mystery of existence, even though we know from the start that
it can never be exhausted with a definitive answer.
A Counsel
Convince yourself that being
happy is a mental attitude and that nothing depends absolutely on external
reality. So, face life courageously and do not allow difficulties to disturb
your reserves of serenity.
Live today. Do not live in
the past and do not let yourself be paralyzed by fear of the future. Be proud
to exist. Never be afraid to live. There is no right moment for living. It is
always the right moment. The past must never be put in front of us, but rather
alongside us. Before us it would paralyzed us, but alongside us it can help us
not to repeat the same mistake.
Happiness is eternity.
Happiness is not a period
during life.
Happiness is a state of mind.
Happiness is ageless.
A Counsel
Remind yourself that your
worth goes beyond the work you do. Feel yourself to be a divine creature,
because you really are, whether you believe it or not.
Happiness is applying one’s
own energy to realize the divine component which is in each of us.
Each of us is unique and
original.
A Counsel
When people give you
compliments, or show you affection or friendship or sympathy, do not feel
embarrassed or skeptical. Don’t think that you don’t deserve it, just answer
with simplicity, accepting the compliment, feeling grateful for being
appreciated.
Take care of your body,
whatever shape it is in. Watch your food, don’t smoke, and drink alcoholic
beverages moderately. When you eat, choose what you like, without being
controlled by someone else’s taste.
Respect your body. Nourish
it. Exercise it! It is sacred by the mere fact that it exists.
Don’t depend on others for
your views or for your orientation. Listen to everybody, challenge yourself,
but always have your own mind.
We feel happy when we accept
humbly (humility is truth) our condition as human beings, when we understand
the structure of life, when we know ourselves.
A Counsel
If we have a sick body we
will give it meaning; if we have a healthy body we will give it meaning, and
then everything will have meaning. All that is happiness.
A Counsel
·
Learn to replace
negative thoughts with positive thoughts.
·
Remember that
you, and no one else, are the maker of who you are.
·
Never cheat
yourself. Accept yourself.
·
At the end of the
day, analyze the things that have happened to you, especially how you have
reacted to them, and your life will gain more meaning.
·
Control your
emotions!
·
Do not be afraid
of yourself!
·
Remember that you
are a divine creature!
·
Do not look for
what divides, but for what unites.
·
Live everything
with intensity, with concentration, with authenticity.
·
Don’t expect
esteem from others if you are the first not to respect yourself.
A Counsel
Don’t stay paralyzed in a situation of conflict. Choose, It is always better to
choose than to remain inert or passive. Don’t let life pass you by without
taking it into your hands. Make a decision in some way.
·
Learn to observe
others without any sense of inferiority, and you will realize that we are all
alike.
·
Remember that
nothing exists that is preordained. We are the result of choices made
previously.
·
Accept your
shyness so that you can modify it.
Happiness is realized only
when desire and will are together.
Only with perseverance and
determination is true happiness attained.
A Counsel
Don’t trust happiness
attained in a short time or in an easy way, it is usually false. Learn that a
minute is made up of sixty seconds. Live intensely every moment of your life,
giving space to whatever you feel.
Happiness is also wanting the
well-being of others. This does not mean
sacrificing yourself for another to the point of forgetting yourself, but
rather giving the person the possibility of loving himself/herself.
To help someone who is
“starved” for happiness is to provide the person with the tools to discover
one’s own happiness by oneself.
God has made humans free.
Free to pursue interior happiness, but also free to get sick, to die. We should
not impose happiness on someone else. We would thus be reducing the person’s
freedom.
It is not true that every
body is looking for happiness. There are many who are looking for illness, for
death…Our task is simply that of giving witness to our choices.
If our choice to live is
authentic and our desire for happiness is genuine, spontaneous and strong,
nothing and no one will be able to separate us from our objective.
Happiness is to love and to
be loved. Love is a positive sentiment. Love, however, is not exaltation.
Exaltation is the excess of love.
To love is to give. Whoever
does not give does not love and is not loved.
But you cannot give love if
you do not have love.
·
Loving is the
result of a long, continuous interior training.
·
It is said: Love
others like yourself. This means that before loving others you have first to
take loving care of yourself.
Happiness in love is
succeeding in expressing strength with gentleness.
To love happily means to
create the conditions under which others might resolve the problems for them.
Thus it means to respect others, their personalities, their orientations. We
should not want to change a person through force or by threats. It is the proof
of a much greater love to provide that person with tools so that he/she can
change. But in order to change people or to love them, fine words are not
enough. It is not enough to say: “I love you.” Deeds are necessary.
A Counsel
Learn not to be afraid of
change. If we really have to believe that a person cannot modify
himself/herself, then life would lose its meaning.
Happiness is having the
courage to choose.
Choosing belongs to free
creatures, reacting belongs to slaves. Anyone reacting is not choosing.
Absolute perfection does not exist. Imperfection motivates us to grow. The fear
of making mistakes leads us to make even more mistakes, because it makes us
lose sight of our objective. It is necessary to accept making mistakes in order
to learn not to commit further mistakes.
A Counsel
·
Learn not to want
to be right at all times, and all costs.
·
Aim at being
ready to change ideas and to admit having made mistakes.
Fear does not exist. It is a
concept, an abstraction, a form of thought.
Someone said: Fear knocked at
the door. Courage went to open it and found no one there.
The impatient person can
never be happy.
To be happy, it is necessary
to be dynamic. Dynamic, not impatient. Nothing worthwhile in life is within
easy reach!
One understands what
happiness is when one realizes that life is made of continual deaths and
continual births. Nothing is static. To live through things deeply means to be
born and to die in them.
Many times, wanting someone
else’s happiness means letting the person go. Experiencing happiness also means
knowing how to die.
Happiness is never a
superficiality.
Posted by Rose Fortich.