This is a lovely hanging wall art / plaque from the Language of Life range. With a motivational verse this makes a powerful gift idea for a special someone . Would look great in a kitchen or near the front door!…
The Art Of Happiness Jonathan Harris: The art of collecting stories
People who know me always say I am a happy person and they are curious about it. They say life is tough and work is annoying. The family has problems and the salary is low. It seems everything is not ok for them. For me, I also have a low salary and furthermore, I am single. But why I lead a happy life?
First, I smile a lot. We meet difficulties and hardships in our lives. They are inevitable. But what is the best attitude towards it? Just smile it and keep faith. We should believe that all things will be better. Do not complain or be depressed. God helps those who help themselves. We shall make every effort to go through it. If we have families, we can pull this through with them. Or sometimes you can work it out by yourself. This would not worry your family members. In any case, we should not be pessimistic. For the sun will rise next day, we will have a different time then.
Second, I have a job which I like. Although the salary is not very high, I indulge myself in it. The reason first is because I am doing what I like to do. It does not matter how much you will be paid once you are given your desired job. The other reason is that I like my colleagues. They are nice and warm. They are family members to some extent. We help each other when we have difficulties in work. After work, we spend a lot time together. We may hang out and shop together. We also dinner and travel together. It makes life colorful and interesting.
Third, despite I am single; I have a big and happy family. My parents are tolerant and hard-working. They have tried their best to give us a better life. They have confidence in me. They support me when nobody understands me. Besides, I have cute and mutual caring siblings. We are concerned with each other. We share sorrows and joys with each other. If we have something to decide, we usually discuss it and then make the best choice. Even it may be wrong as time will prove; we are fine because who would not make mistakes in our lives?
It is not easy for us to live. But we can always find a way to make it easier and joyful. Only if we have faith and hopes, we will find life is not difficult as we think. Also we should be grateful for what we have or what we have been given. Once we have a heart full of appreciation, we will cherish the people we meet and then laugh all the unpleasant things off. Live well, love much and laugh often – Be happy.
Life is difficult, and unfortunately is long!
What I need is an art on how to spend my earning within the limits of my income without losing my personality
Financial problems can have a demoralizing influence on people. Honestly, even myself, I need to be assisted to spend my money within the limit of my income. How can I remove these obstacles to retain my happiness and caring environment?
If you want to be happy, don’t spend more than 90% of what you earn. Always keep some aside as savings. One of the easiest ways to do this is to have your employer put that 10% into another account that is hard to access, so you have to think about it before you actually go into the bank branch and get the money.
Seriously, your personality and your finances are not the same thing. You would be exactly the same person if you had no money.
If you need to spend heaps of money to keep friends, they’re not your friends. Get friends who like you for who you are, not what you spend. Don’t kid yourself with this garbage. If you’re using money to buy friendship, you will never have any real friends, and you will eventually run out of money. Just be yourself, spend within your income, and don’t use money to pretend to be something or someone you’re not.
An updated edition of a best-selling classic by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Tibetan spiritual leader shares counsel on how to dedicate one`s life to the pursuit of happiness while drawing on Buddhist principles in order to overcome obstacles and find…
A guide to dealing with everyday human problems and achieving happiness. Addressing various kind of daily problems, it covers subjects such as: the sources of happiness; desire and greed; marriage and romance; resolving conflict; facing our suffering; overcoming fear and anxiety; anger and hatred; honesty and self-confidence; and finding balance….
Dalai Lama Quotes On Happiness Joe H – Tribute to Runggye Adak (The truth stands alone)
I heard the Dalai Lama speak for the first time recently at the gorgeous Beacon Theatre in New York City. I was one of thousands in the midst of a stunningly diverse crowd representing every age, ethnicity, gender, and style. The kid with the spiked hair, the buff looking dude in the tight jeans and body shirt, the mom with an infant on her shoulder, the elderly gentleman with the cane – I could go on and on. We had all waited in the chilly rain in a line that wrapped around the block twice – to hear the Dalai Lama give the Buddhist view of compassion. Compassion! Have you heard the news lately? You would think that compassion had gone the way of the dime subway token, vinyl records and the pet rock. It was lovely to be in the midst of so many people who had actually bought a ticket to immerse themselves in a lecture about compassion. And it really made me wonder. Is this crowd so different than the ones I saw on the subway, in the train station, at the supermarket? Don’t we all love the idea of compassion? Isn’t there a little bit of Buddha in everyone?
Granted, I’m using Buddha here as a representative of the compassionate ideal. But as you may know, Buddha has a lot of company in this regard. All the major religions of the world extol compassion in some form or another. Compassion is at the core of many ethical frameworks and spiritual practices. There are thousands of organizations dedicated to compassion in some way. If you doubt it, check it out on Google. There are almost 24 million entries on compassion. I am happy to say it beats out hatred by over a million entries. Compassion is a big subject.
You are part of the compassionate network
Let’s make it a smaller subject. A personal subject. Because compassion is always personal. Because it starts with us. Because we are all in this together. So, regardless of how you were raised, whether you have a religious, spiritual or ethical orientation, you are part of the compassionate network. You may not have noticed, but you have been the beneficiary of thousands of acts of compassion over the course of your life, which continues to this day, to this moment. From the time the nurse in the delivery room tenderly cleared your airways so you could take your first breath, to that helping hand you may have received today, compassion has made your life workable, magical, and even possible, in more ways than you may have realized. For a wonderful, refreshing experience, be on the lookout for acts of compassion taking place all around you — especially on those days when nothing seems to go right.
What is your contribution to the compassionate network?
If you have ever had the desire to help someone else, to ease their suffering, you are compassionate. Wouldn’t we all end suffering if we could? Any kind of suffering? Even if it is just our own suffering? Even if it is just for our close circle of friends and family? Whatever form it takes, however submerged or unformed, whatever the focus – don’t we all have that compassionate urge? I’m not talking about feeling sorry for people – I’m talking about the spontaneous reaction we often have when we see suffering. Try just imagining helping someone and see how it feels. Chances are, it feels good. It feels wonderful. In fact, there is a very close connection between compassion and happiness. One seems to fuel the other.
So look for that little splash of compassion to bubble up in you – that little touch of the Buddha. That impulse to help out. To grab a child about to run in front of a car. To take a sick friend a meal. To smile at a stranger. And most important to your own well-being, to have compassion for your own suffering, you own need for help. There’s no measuring stick that applies here. The compassionate urge comes from a place of love and generosity. What if we always saw it as a simple desire that is part of our nature, and never as an obligation or a should or a must?
Look for your compassionate urge and then observe what you do with it. What you say about it. What you believe about it. These are all questions that you can ask (with compassion!). Do you stifle the urge because you don’t want to take the time? Are you afraid of looking silly? Being seen as weak in some way? Do you have rules about compassion? Does your compassion require reciprocation? Do you angrily yank it back if someone doesn’t appreciate it? Does your compassion have to be deserved? Is it only reserved for certain people? Only you have the answers to these questions.
To the extent that we actively value and nurture compassion in ourselves and others, we are part of that vast compassionate network. It’s our gift and it’s our choice.
Wendy Dolber is the owner of Dialogues in Self Discovery LLC, dedicated to teachings in the Option Method, a personal growth and development tool. Ms Dolber has been involved in Option Method training and consultation since the early 1970s. She met Bruce Di Marsico, the creator of the Option Method, in 1971 at a private institute devoted to training group psychotherapists and lay counselors. She was associated with Bruce for over twenty-five years as his student, associate, and close friend.
Following Bruce’s death in 1995, Wendy began working to create a platform to expand the dissemination of his teachings and writings. She is the author of The Guru Next Door, A Teacher’s Legacy and is currently at work on her second book, Making Space for Happiness: A Guide to the Option Method.
Option Method is the cornerstone of Wendy’s life and worldview. She has spent the last three decades immersed in the practice of the Method for her own personal growth and happiness. Additionally, she has worked with clients all over the world.
A couple of years ago I found myself on public transport shouting a man (not something I normally do) who had just bumped into me and my partner, he hadn’t meant to it was just a busy rush hour. I had been feeling pretty down for some time and not sure of what I wanted and what direction to go in and where to start. If you don’t know what you want, it is easy to follow someone else’s lead who will tell you what they want you to do. This how I was feeling on the day o walked n to my boss’s office and unloaded all the anger that had built up in side of me. After an extended period of time off work, I had an opportunity to go on a two day coaching workshop. After the most positive and motivating two days I had experienced in a long while I spent the remainder of my time I was off work looking at my life and what I wanted from it. At the time I felt like I was walking around in the dark bumping into things and reacting, rather than being proactive and taking charge of my life.
As George Bernard Shaw once said:
“Life isn’t about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself!”
As I sat there completing exercises that helped me look at where I was and where I wanted to be I was reminded of the dreams I once had, and the resources, skills and experience I already had within me. With this in mind and the positive feelings that came with this I started to plan changes that would make a positive difference in my life, including practicing Qigong daily and moving to an area close to a river and spending more time outside. Christmas 2010 I was flying up to Scotland and as I wondered around the shops I purchased the book called “Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, M.D, which is a great book that looks at amazing ways to deal with change in your life. It only took about an hour to read and raises you awareness, with positive quotes and affirmations to help view change with a positive frame of mind.
As we travel through life moving from one thing to another we can find ourselves doing the same old things that have always worked and make us feel safe and yet still feeling like something is missing.
If you to feel like you’re being pulled in different directions by the demands of employers, partners, family and friends? Are you feeling flat, lacking energy and generally out of sorts?
Change that feeling NOW?
It is possible to increase energy and balance in your life; I have compiled seven of the steps that I personally took to move from where I was to where I wanted to be. I am feeling more confident of my ability to handle change with a more positive view and am working towards achieving my goals. I hope you find the following information useful in living a life that is truly your own
Here are my top tips for achieving a better life balance:
1 – Make time for yourself. Spending just 20 minutes a day, perhaps before going to bed, being somewhere in silence with no distractions. Just focus on your breathing going in and out or repeating a positive affirmation in your mind for example on the in breath “I am calm” and on the out breath “I am confident”. If thoughts come into to your mind allow them to flow in and then flow out by concentrating on your breathing again.
2 – List what’s truly important to you and focus your energy there, remember it is your life so live it. Answer the following questions:
How do you want to feel?
What is important to you about your goal?
What are you willing to do or give up achieving your goal?
3 – Focus on what is important for you including your physical, emotional and general health and well-being. A balanced diet, exercise (just going for a short walk can help) and doing something that makes you happy will all have a positive impact on your life.
4 – Acknowledge your daily achievements, no matter how small they seem to you – keeping a journal, noting all the things that went well in your day and how happy this made you feel, helps immensely. Keep the focus positive and short so it’s fun. Writing it just before you go to sleep will leave you feeling positive.
5 – Listing your ambitions and striving to achieve them for a fulfilled life is one tip that has balance in all areas of your life –use the areas below to help you to focus on what is most important to you.
Where you live – now and in the future
Relationship – current or future life partner
Work & learning – job satisfaction or career path
Recreation & fun – artistic and leisure activities
Financial – savings and investments
Health – exercise and diet
Personal growth – self space and spirituality
Social – family, friends and activities
Consider each section – how satisfied are you with all these areas of your life?
Using the scale of 1-10. 1 means you are totally dissatisfied; 10 represents full satisfaction and achievement.
Decide your degree of satisfaction from 1 to 10 and mark it on the relevant segment.
How balanced is your life?
Which areas make you happy, satisfied and fulfilled?
Which areas need improvement?
6 – Try something completely new – take up something creative that you are interested in doing or learning. Having recently completed a wood sculpture course (no previous experience) I was amazed at how good I felt just doing something fun.
7 - Smile! As you read this just smile and see how you feel. Smiling takes less facial muscles than it does to frown. Plus, smiling makes you feel happy.
Hello my name is John Dyter; I am a qualified Personal Performance Coach and an Essential Life Style Facilitator and Certified Practitioner in NLP. I am also a member of The Coaching Academy, the largest coaching organisation in the Europe.
I offer a range of coaching service to support people in making positive changes in their lives. I have specialised in Life Balance Coaching and Personal Performance Coaching.
Wisdom from the Dalai Lama (Quotes) Art Poster Print – 30×91 cm…
Quotes From The Dalai Lama Quotes Of Perfect Wisdom – Meditation Music – Buddhism
Designing a passionate life requires nurturing of your relationships. Relationships are the key to our lives. As human beings, we crave them. When I speak of relationships I am speaking about all types which include; your relationship with yourself, parents, siblings, romantic partners, business partners, co-workers, customers, children, and vendors. The list can go on and on.
Relationships are key elements to living a passionate life as well. Without good relationships you aren’t going to make it very far down the road with your passions. You need people to support you in your passion in one manner or another. Relationships are the foundation of functioning on this planet in any culture.
To come up with ideas on how to nurture your relationships ask yourself the following questions:
How can I create a deeper connection with myself?
How can I improve my relationship with my parents?
How can I take my service to my customers to the next level?
What areas in my romantic relationship could use more love and understanding? How will I accomplish this?
What can I do to improve my communications with my co-workers?
How can I contribute to a higher level of team participation with my business partners?
How can I bring fun to my relationships with my siblings?
How can I contribute to a deeper connection with my children?
Nurturing relationships is an ongoing process and one to be aware of in all dealings with people, even people you meet in passing. Think about it, what makes or breaks your day? For me, it is usually the interactions that I have with other people. If they went well, I feel good about my day. If there were challenges then I don’t feel as good and my energy level is low.
How you handle and nurture your relationships has a direct affect on your energy level, your feeling of well being, and the ease with which your life flows. Time spent nurturing and improving all of your relationships will reward you on many levels.
How do you nurture the relationships that will support you in living your passions?
I wonder what would happen if you were able to identify your passions and start living in alignment with them? I offer tips and methods for living passionately on my blog. I’d like to invite you to receive my free Passion Deficit Disorder (PDD) Report and find out why passion is so important in your life and what you can do about it. You can get your instant access at http://www.DesigningAPassionateLife.com
In what article did the Dalai Lama say “It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act”?
I have been trying to figure out what speech, interview, book, article, etc…. this quote came from. Does anyone know?
I am pasting the full quote from the book Ocean of Wisdom by the Dalai Lama – Publisher: McClelland (Feb 1/90
It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.
There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefitting others, one needs to be engaged, involved.
-Dalai Lama, Ocean of Wisdom; Guidelines for Living, 1989
For more date clic this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama
This scroll, placed in a special place of your home, will always be there to help put positive thoughts in your mind. The inspiring wall banner showcases a beautiful design to go with the motivating words of wisdom.
These quotations from the writings, speeches, and interviews of the Dalai Lama are arranged for every day of the year. They address everyday concerns and spiritual matters in a tone of compassion and peace.
art poster awakening by J. Velasco is available in sizes (W x H): 40 x 30 cm, 70 x 50 cm, 80 x 60 cm, 100 x 70 cm…
Awakening The Buddha Buddha’s Message of Awakening (Part 1 of 6)
Thangka paintings are also referred to as Pauba and Mandala paintings in Nepal. Buddhist Thangka is the Tibetan version of ancient Buddhist scroll paintings practiced since Buddha’s era in Nepal and India. Tibetan Thangkas originated in Nepal’s Kathmandu valley where Newari Vajrayana Buddhist culture is practiced. Newari paubha art is the foundation of today’s Tibetan Thangkas. Various metaphysical and religious elements such as images of Bodhisattvas, images of Buddha, wheel of lifes, map of universe, life cycle of Buddha, etc are the common themes of Tibetan Thangka. These ancient traditional thangka arts are designed to aid meditation, show direction to the seekers of enlightenment/nirvana, and serve as sacred ritual tools during religious ceremonies.
Contemporary Buddhist Thangka painting are increasingly seen by westerners as fine exemplary of oriental art perfect for wall decoration. Yet, there are some western art collectors who buy Tibetan Thangkas for their spiritual significance. For those conscious of the deep meaning portrayed in these artworks, Thangka painitings are not just a beautiful piece of art, but an epitome of universal truth. Art enthusiasts from every corners of the globe have come to respect and recognize Tibetan Thangkas as works of divine beauty and knowledge, unparalleled in the entire world. Tibetan Thangkas are found in many forms like paper scroll, cloth painting, embroidered, etc. The theme of the Tibetan Thangkas also differ according to it’s purpose. The symbols, gestures, colours, images, shapes and sizes -all of these factors denote underlying meanings. Tibetan Thangkas are regarded by art specialists as true example of the balance between beauty and truth.
Early beginnings of Thangka art.
Thangka art began in ancient India where these sacred Buddhist Thangka paintings were referred to as ‘Patrabhattrak’ or simply ‘Pata’ meaning portrayal of divine figures on a flat surface. It was in the 5th century B.C when the art of Buddhist Thangka (also called Paubha in Newari and Pata in Sanskrit) emerged in India. According to Buddhist mythology, Buddhist Thangkas were the first portrayal of Gautam Buddha. It is attested by scholars of Buddhism that the enlightened one allowed a famous painter called Sharipura of North India to create his image. Sharipura was unable to see Lord Buddha with his naked eyes due to the powerful rays radiating from Buddha’s body. Then, Gautam Buddha advised Sharipura to look at the shadows reflected on a sheet of cotton cloth. The painter then painted the first image of Buddha on that sheet according to Buddha’s suggestion. In this way, the art of Buddhist Thangka was initiated.
Other representations of Buddhism such as wheel of life, mandala, cycle of reincarnation, sacred symbols, signs and gesture were also incorporated into Thangka art tradition. However in the years that followed Muslim invaders completely destroyed Buddhist culture and art in India. Afterwards Indian Buddhist monks travelled to Nepal where they trained Newars of Kathmandu on this art. During Licchavi period fifteen centuries ago, the art of Thangka painting making reached it’s zenith in Nepal. Many exquisite antique Thangka paintings of that period still remain in private and museum collection. Late king Tribhuvan’s magnificent life sized Tibetan Thangkas dating from Licchavi era is on display at the National Museum at Chhauni, Kathmandu. When Licchavi princess Vrikuti volunteered to be the queen of Tibetan king Srong Btsan Sgam Po, she introduced Nepali art and Buddhist religion to Tibet. Then in the thirteenth century, the legendary Nepali artisan Arniko visited Tibet, bringing with him the art of Tibetan Thangka painting. Thus, Tibetan Thangka and Tibetan Buddhism have their origin in Kathmandu valley of Nepal.
To know the secret behind the original Thangka paintings of Nepal and Tibet, please check Tibetan Thangka from Nepal.
Do you think that Gautam Buddha became enlightened doing meditation ? The Kundalini awakening meditation or something else ? How did he became what he is known for ?
The Buddha became enlightened through diligent practice of Vipassana or Mindfulness Meditation. Then after His enlightenment he formulated The Four Noble Truths/Noble Eightfold Path. It is in practicing The Noble Eightfold Path that one ends suffering and attains Nibbana. How can we overcome Suffering? By learning the Four Noble Truths and by following the Noble Eightfold Path, set forth by The Buddha.
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS:
1) There is Dukkha/suffering exists; it has a cause.
2) Suffering is caused by Craving {selfish desires; selfish attachments.
3) Dukkha/Suffering ‘can’ be eliminated.
4) Suffering can be eliminated by following ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’.
THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH:
1) Right Understanding: understanding skillful behavior in terms of cause and effect and the Four Noble Truths and how they fit into the overall scheme of the Buddha’s teachings.
2) Right Thinking: generosity, letting go, loving-kindness, and compassion.
3) Right Speech: telling the truth and avoiding malicious talk, harsh language, and gossip.
4) Right Action: the principles for leading an ethical life; abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and intoxication.
5) Right Livelihood: choosing an appropriate profession that is important to spiritual practice.
6) Right Effort: preventing negative states of mind, overcoming negative states of mind, cultivating positive states of mind, and maintain positive states of mind.
7) *Right Mindfulness: the practice of mindfulness meditation; cultivating mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and thoughts. Right Concentration: the stages of deep absorption reached in meditation.
*THE FIVE PRECEPTS-which are actually part of #4 Right Action in the Eightfold Path.
These basic training rules are observed by all practicing Buddhist lay men and women. The precepts are often recited after reciting the formula for taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.
1. I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.
2. I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
3. I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.
4. I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.
5. I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.
“The Non-Doing of any evil, the performance of what is Skillful, The cleansing of one’s Mind: this is the teaching of the awakened.” -Dhammapada 13.
“A wealth of inspiration and practical tips for enjoying the Kingdom of God, the Pure Land of the Buddha, now.” —Thich Nhat Hanh, bestselling author of Peace Is Every Step “For newcomers to Buddhism (and non-Buddhists interested…
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit down with the Dalai Lama and really press him about life’s persistent questions? Why are so many people unhappy? How can I abjure loneliness? How can we reduce conflict? Is romantic love true love? Why do we suffer? How should we deal with unfairness and anger? How do you handle the death of a loved one? These are the conundrums that psychiatrist…
Dalai Lama Happiness Quotes Lost civilisations: Tibet. 1/5
At the recent Oregon Country Fair, I had an opportunity to visit again with my friend and sister Agnes Baker Pilgrim. Grandmother Agnes is a renowned spiritual leader and keeper of the sacred Salmon Ceremony for her people, the Siletz Indians of Oregon. An 83-year-old great-great-great grandmother, she is Chairperson of an international group, the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers; who travel the globe praying for the healing of the earth and all its creatures.
The Grandmothers have prayed with the Dalai Lama, at the Vatican, and wherever they go they speak of the dangers of a materially-driven culture that exploits the earth and threatens the survival of lands, plants, and way of life.
We sat in the shade while drinking morning coffee and as is the custom with a younger brother, she has license to tease me at any opportunity. When Agnes looked at me she said what’s with those ski poles? I told her that I have a balance problem especially at nighttime and they help get around these dirt paths in the dark.. “You could just use a cane” she said, to which I responded that I thought I looked better walking with the poles.
She smiled and said you need an attitude adjustment brother and shook her wooden cane at me. I call this my attitude adjuster, I can reach my grandkids if they need a reminder to change their behavior. She poked at my leg and said “get rid of those poles, you need a walking stick, a wooden stick, look at it as a gift from the Earth Mother who is holding your hand as she guides your feet on her face. She will keep you in balance.
She blessed me before we broke camp, fanned me with her eagle feathers asked the Great Spirit to watch over me as I continued to walk this path of life. When she finished we hugged, and she whispered in my ear, you could walk with a cane and still be a man.
I thought I was coming to the Fair to speak, but I really came to listen to my older sister share her wisdom. In spite of all the reminders it’s still difficult to let go of my preconceptions. Every time I think I’ve got it, something happens to remind me how full of it I am.
Nobody gets it, we are always getting it, so stay connected to your relatives and listen to their wisdom.
Dr. Carl Hammerschlag “The Healing Doc” is a Yale-trained psychiatrist and University of Arizona Medical School faculty member who is considered a true pioneer in mind-body-spirit medicine. After spending more than twenty years working with Native Americans, Dr. Hammerschlag is considered a “survival expert” for people in rapidly changing cultures and times. Get “The Healing Doc’s” Free Newsletter at http://www.healingdoc.com
20 Tips for Happiness
How to Be Happy -20 Tips That Really Work! from Michelle
Rowley,author of “Personal Growth Strategies”.
Tip 1 Have a positive attitude. One of the most significant,
contributing factors to happiness is optimistic thinking.
Although you won’t always have a choice in determining what goes
on around you, you will always have a choice in determining how
react to what goes on around you. This will largely determine
the extent to which you are, or aren’t happy.
Tip 2 Make happiness a priority. If happiness is not at the top
of your list then other things will take your focus. We become
what we think about all day, so think, positive happy thoughts.
It’s a choice, moment by moment.
Tip 3 Live your values. Be true to yourself. By living your life
according to your values, you will develop an attitude of true
acceptance of yourself. You will realize that you are fine the
way you are. You may choose to make some changes in your life
simply because you realize that you have greater potential than
you have utilized so far.
Tip 4 Love Yourself. High self-esteem is crucial for a happy
life. Healthy self-esteem means relying on what’s on the inside,
rather than what’s happening in the outside world to make you
happy. Self-esteem is the core of your power and all else stems
from this.
Tip 5 Set goals for success. Give your mind a positive goal to
focus on. Just like in any other life area, the successful
pursuit of happiness requires planning. Planning requires
effective goal setting. And don’t forget to make sure your goals
are SMART (specific,measurable, achievable, relevant and timed).
Tip 6 Do things that make you happy. Although this sounds
obvious, many people simply forget to do things from which they
gain pleasure. And do them as often as possible.
Tip 7 Live in the present moment. Remember that life is finite.
The author, Henry Miller once said “Every moment is a golden one
for him who has the vision to recognize it as such. “The only
moment in which we can truly be happy is the present moment. The
only moment over which we have control is the present moment. So
be happy now! Because if not now, then when?
Tip 8 Have a laugh Laughing is one of the quickest ways to send
our happiness levels soaring. A Stanford University study showed
that one minute of laughter equaled 10 minutes on a rowing
machine in terms of warding off stress.
Tip 9 Engage in random acts of kindness. Did you know that by
simply being kind to another person or witnessing a kind act
boosts your serotonin levels in you and the other person? It
also increases the levels in another person witnessing the act.
Happy people are more generous and altruistic.
Tip 10 Eat your way to happiness. Fuel up on fish: Fish are high
in omega-3s which boost your happiness. Eat complex
carbohydrates – this means wholegrain bread, starchy vegetables,
beans and pulses, and wholegrain cereals. MIT scientists say
these boost the brain’s levels of serotonin, which plays a big
role in how happy we feel. Take Tryptophan. Found in turkey,
avocados and bananas, tryptophan promotes the production of
serotonin. A study published in the journal Brain, Behavior and
Immunity found a lack of tryptophan can lower your mood levels.
Don’t forget to take a good amino acid supplement- more and more
information is coming out that we need to be supplementing our
diets with the building blocks of protein- amino-acids.
Tip 11 Go, go and keep going all the way. We all face obstacles
and problems at times. Happy people expect this and adapt to
them. All of the components outlined above are skills that can
be learned. Just like any other skills, you’ll get better at
utilizing these strategies with practice and perseverance. Stick
at it and happiness will be yours.
Tip 12 Focus on your strengths, not weaknesses. Work out what
you’re good at and find ways to do it as much as possible.
Happiness is not as much about fixing your faults and overcoming
your weaknesses as it is about finding ways to focus your life
on and around your talents and qualities.
Tip 13 Have fun and enjoy humor Take delight in life and create
fun experiencesfor yourself. Don’t make life be too heavy!
Tip 14 Control what you can control. Cultivate the feeling that
you are in control of your own destiny. Happiness can be
enhanced by maximizing the control you have over your life. So
learn and practice skills such as problem solving, time
management and meditation and communication. At the same time,
however, no one has complete control and so it is also important
to be realistic and to accept that over which you have no
control. Accept what youcan’t control. And learn to change
problems into opportunities for growth and development.
Tip 15 Invest time and energy in to your key relationships.
Happy people spend more time working on, and in, their
relationships. Happy people tend to be more supportive of other
people in their life.
Tip 16 When a problems arises see what you can learn from
itEverything you do and every person you meet, in every
situation, presents an opportunity to learn, change and grow.
Every situation you find yourself in can be a great opportunity
to expand yourself. There is always something to learn from a
problem. This is the same for problems in a relationship. Look
at problems as challenges to learn and grow from both for
yourselves and your relationship.
Tip 17 Replace negative self talk with positive self talkThe
Dalai Lama has been quoted saying that “The central method for
achieving a happier life is to train your mind in a daily
practice that weakens negative attitudes and strengthens
positive ones.” Learn first to identify your negativethoughts
and then begin to challenge those that are negative and
unhelpful.
Tip 18 Ensure you get adequate sleep, rest, exercise and
waterListen to your body and what it is telling you. You need to
take care of yourself and this also involves getting plenty of
rest, drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day and
relaxation and/or meditation strategies. Exercise regularly.
Exercising produces endorphins or “happy” hormones.
Tip 19 Develop a sense of life purpose. Developing a sense of
life purpose will also markedly increase your chances of
experiencing true happiness. As well as working out where you
want to get to, make sure you have a good reason for why you’re
trying to go there.
Tip 20 Be grateful and appreciate what you have. We all have
many choices in life, one of which is whether to focus on all
the things we don’t have (of which theremight be many), or to
focus on all the things we do have. There’s no doubt, that
gratitude and appreciation will significantly increase your
chances of experiencing happiness
Many of the tips listed here are described in more detail in the
ebook,Personal Growth
Strategieshttp://www.personal-growth-strategies.com/
About the Author
Michelle Rowley is a Master Practitioner of NLP, Timeline
Therapy™ and Hypnotherapy and is certified by their respective
American Boards. She is the author of Personal Growth
Strategies. http://www.personal-growth-strategies.com
Right Concentration: the stages of deep absorption reached in meditation.