The Relativity of "Happiness"

Who doesn't want to "BE HAPPY"?

I mean really - isn't that the ultimate goal we all seek in this life?

Every book we see on Amazon.com has some "secret" to happiness, the "125 ways to GET HAPPY", "Get Happy Now", "Your Way to Happiness", etc...or some variation.

With such an overwhelming emphasis on this seemingly elusive state of being and emotion, and with so many people, experts, pundits and ordinary folk (yours truly) spouting off about "Happiness" and ways to achieve it, wouldn't you think that EVERYONE - or at least the majority of people with access to all this genius, secrets, tips and know how would actually... Be.... Happy!

No?

Think about it - how many people can you name and count who are truly HAPPY? I mean 100%, unadulterated, genuine and all-encompassingly HAPPY?

Not many - if any at all... That I can cite off the top of my head!

Now, I understand there are many, many people that are NOT UNHAPPY - but that is an entirely different thing altogether is it not?

Why is that? Even if you named 2 people that you feel are really, truly happy in their current state, that does not really amount to that many people on this grand world on a strict percentage basis does it?

Again - why is that? Why is happiness so darn elusive and rare in these lives we are leading??

I think I have a theory!

I believe, in my Faith, that we are all Souls. Beautiful, amazing, loving, caring Souls.

Hear me out for a second!

Have you ever been somewhere amazing and beautiful and fun and peaceful in your life? Have you ever spent time somewhere special and spectacular and had to return to wherever it was you came from before you were in that amazing place. Or even more so, had to leave that amazing place for a lesser place?

How did that feel? Crummy, no doubt.

It gets so that you can only really remember that beautiful and amazing place while you are in the lesser venue and dream of how happy you were back in the beautiful place.

How difficult is it to duplicate that feeling of joy and happiness you experienced in the great place in the new place? How happy can you be in the new place having experienced the splendor of the beautiful spot??

It is challenging indeed.

Well, I believe that part of our struggle and difficulty in being happy in this current life is due to the fact that we had once experienced something so peaceful and beautiful and joyous, prior to our existence here on Earth, that although we cannot consciously remember it - we can sense it and feel it and just know that it was an amazingly special place compared to where we are now!

Subconsciously we long to be back in that place of Joy and Happiness and nothing material, earth-made, ego driven or in existence physically can bring us that total and complete sense of peace and love and joy that we have already tasted once before.

How does someone like Elvis Presley kill himself with drugs - when he seemingly has everything we all strive to achieve--- fame, fortune, adoration, wealth and celebrity? The obituaries are filled with unhappy, miserable people who have passed unhappy and incomplete.

Why???

I truly believe that our purpose on the earth is to serve each other - assist and help each other - to learn and grow and develop as beautiful Souls!

And I also believe we will end up back in that beautiful spot we know deep in our subconscious, surrounded by loved ones, experiencing only Joy and peace and love - and finally the true happiness that we seek will be ours!

But not so fast!!

We have work to do here first, people! There is a purpose and reason we are here and we must do our best to grow and develop and love one another until we can get to the greatest Happiness we could ever imagine!

Forget the material trappings and the measures of success we use on this earth!!

The measure of true success is the kindness and love we bring to others, the support and help we offer those who are struggling more than we may be - the growth we seek and achieve in service to one abother and to our God!

That is what we should use as a tape measure!! Because that is all that truly matters after this life is over here on this planet!!

Think about it - when are you closest to true joy??? True happiness?? What brings you closest to that feeling we so desire??

You know the answer!! ;)

Stay Strong and keep your eye on the Goal!!!

Happiness will be ours without doubt!!
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Free Play!!

For those of you who are familiar with American Football, the term "free play" means something to you.

For those who are not, a "free play" occurs when a penalty flag is thrown during a play and an impending penalty is signaled on the defense. The play, however, does not come to a stop as the rules allow the play to go on to completion before the penalty is assessed to the offender.

This creates a "free play" for the offense. They know there is a penalty on the defense and that NO MATTER WHAT they will either score, gain yardage, or if they fail to do so, will get the ball back due to the penalty! No worse for the wear!

It is a great feeling that allows you to take a risk you may not take normally - to really go for a big play - throw the ball deep toward the endzone in hopes of a big catch - all the while knowing that if the other team intercepts the ball - it will not hurt your team.

What a great concept huh?

A free play.

Well, I believe life is like a free play in American Football in that we have our spiritual strength and faith to fall back on - NO MATTER what happens to us, NO MATTER what is thrown our way, or what obstacles we must endure, etc!

We have a multitude of free plays because of the fact - that when all is said and done - and that final whistle blows - we will all be OK!

I truly believe that we cannot do wrong when we live rightly in our hearts - when we allow ourselves to be guided by FAITH, HOPE, LOVE and seek PEACE!

We have a plethora of FREE PLAYS at our disposal when we realize that after all of our battles, hard trials, pain and suffering, hurdles, uncertainty, and FEAR here on earth are over - when we reach the Final Goal -- what George Anderson call the "Garden of Souls" - we will look back and realize we had nothing but Free Plays in our lives!

Take the risk - LIVE and LOVE without fear or anxiety or worry!!! Throw the proverbial football all the way downfield and see what happens!! By doing so you cannot be harmed!!!

Do not play your life conservatively in the aspects of love, kindness, Faith and HOPE!!

Let it Fly!!

No harm will come of it! There is nothing to FEAR when you know it is a FREE PLAY!!

And all of our lives are filled with FREE PLAYS!!

Stay Strong!!
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Simplify your Life and Find Joy

Life is full of complications, dilemmas, choices, obstacles, roadblocks, unknowns, cross-roads, etc. It is often overwhelming when you think about exactly how complex we make our lives!

There are only 24 hours in a day yet we manage to easily fill up each day with activities, meetings, events, tasks, chores, responsibilities, etc!

Sometimes it seems there is no end in sight and we can sometimes feel the pressure of the life we have created bearing down on us so hard it takes your breath away!!

What can be done??

It comes down to a choice we all can make and control -- a choice to SIMPLIFY our lives!

Get back to the basics and remember what it is that makes you happy!!

Do not continue to add layers of complexities, drama and unnecessary things to your life.

Narrow down what it is you WANT in your life and FOCUS all of your attention to that single desire.

Put aside all else that distracts you from your goal and keep things simple.

Write it down - meditate on it - pray for guidance on it and pursue it!

If you can scale back all else except for this singular focus and purpose, it is amazing how simple your life suddenly appears to you!

You don't have to become a monk or a recluse, just focus your mind on exactly what it is that you want from your life and go after it fully.

It takes some practice but it is achievable!!

Life does not have to be so hard all of the time! Get past your fears and remember what it is you are here on this earth to do!

The Beatles summed it up nicely for all of us... "All you need is................"?????




LOVE - correct!! :)

Love and kindness is all the matters!

Try it and work at it .... You will be glad you did!

Stay Strong!!
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The Decision for God

A Course in Miracles... A Plan for Peace - RIGHT NOW! Please read all of it -- it is Powerful... Stay Strong!

Do you really believe you can make a voice that can drown out God's? Do you really believe you can devise a thought system that can separate you from Him?

Do you really believe you can plan for your safety and Joy better than He can? You need be neither careful or careless; you need merely cast your cares upon Him because he careth for you.

You are His care because he loves you.

His voice reminds you always that all Hope is yours because of His care! You cannot "choose" to escape His care because that is not His Will, but you can choose to accept His care and use the infinite power of his Care for all those He created by it.

Why should you listen to the endless insane calls you think are made upon you, when you can know the Voice of God is in you?

God commended His Spirit to you, and asks that you commend yours to Him. He wills to keep it in perfect peace, because you are of one mind and spirit with Him.

You have not been asked to work out a plan of "salvation" yourself because, as I told you before, the remedy could not be of your making.

Your part is merely to return your thinking to the point in which the error in deciding was made, and give it over to God in peace.

Say this to yourself as sincerely as you can, remembering the Holy Spirit will respond FULLY to YOUR SLIGHTEST INVITATION:

"I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at Peace.

I made the decision myself, but I can also decide otherwise.

I want to decide otherwise, because I want to be at Peace.

I do not feel guilty, because the Holy Spirit will undo all the consequences of my wrong decision if I will let Him.

I choose to let Him, by allowing Him to decide for God for me."
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DO IT ANYWAY!!

Do it Anyway

Sign In Mother Teresa's Office

People are unreasonable,illogical, and self-centered,

LOVE THEM ANYWAY

If you do good, people willaccuse you of selfish,ulterior motives,

DO GOOD ANYWAY

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies,

SUCCEED ANYWAY

The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow,

DO GOOD ANYWAY

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,

BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY

What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight,

BUILD ANYWAY

People really need help but may attack you if you help them,

HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY

Stressed Out? Depressed? Solution: Remember what truly matters!

As a kid of about 6 years old, I remember vividly having this epiphany regarding life in general and it ranked up there with one other enlightening moment that brought me a sense of relief.

The other light bulb that went off in my mind and brought me such "whewwwwwww" relief was that as a Man, I would not have to endure childbirth! That whole prospect freaked me out and after asking my Dad (who must have really been concerned about my state of mind back then) and receiving the defimitive word back that I could actually skip that experience due to my gender, I was so relieved. And now having witnessed 2 of my own births up close and personal since that time, I know now that I had every right to be relieved! Lol

My respect and awe remains and grows daily for my lovely wife and all you women!

The other concept that struck me at that very young age was "We all end up in the same place".

I remember vividly grasping this notion while in my sister's room after Church and thinking that no matter what I do or become, I will end up in the same ending spot as everyone else on the planet.

Whether I am President or homeless, all of us will arrive at the same end! I remember thinking that "Nothing" I do in my life can change that - spare me the grave, or alter this FACT!

It was pretty heady stuff at that age but it is a truly insightful concept to remember as adults when you are down about your job, your relationships, your family, situation, your life, etc.

We all have unlimited potential to build a joyous and happy life while we are on Earth - but remember that when the final bell or buzzer (or horn for you hockey afficianados) sounds for each of us - we are ALL arriving at the same place - back from whence we came!

From the wealthiest, most powerful person to the most destitute and humble - it does not matter!!

So how can and does this knowledge help us in our daily lives?

This understanding should give us peace and take some pressure off of us in our stressful, hectic lives whereby we scrap and struggle and aim at goals that we feel will make us happy - only to find that no matter how high you rise, or how much money you have, or the amount of power you wield, we ALL are going to end up in that same resting spot!

What we need to focus upon instead is HOW we live this life!

Do not get me wrong - I am all for ambition, success, wealth, etc.... There is absolutely nothing wrong with these and I seek them myself.

However, in the end what truly matters is what kind of friend you were, what kind of co-worker, neighbor, spouse, parent, sibling, offspring, etc. How kind were you to others, helpful, compassionate, merciful. How did you ACT - not what did you DO. These are subtle but dramatic differences.

I believe that the greatest resume' in the world will not matter a lick when the final buzzer sounds, but the "report card" that matters is how did we help, treat, assist, nurture, console and comfort each other?

I read a story a while back about a child (since grown) who visited his Dad's work one day. He recalls in his later years that what struck him the most back then as he met his Dad's co-workers was NOT his reputation for being a high performer, top producer, or 8 time Sales Champion-- what struck him then and still resonates with him 40 years later is the "way my Dad's co-workers spoke of him as a person". "What a great man". "A great boss". "A great friend". "Supportive - kind-compassionate".
It was clear that his Dad's co-workers liked and respected him not only for his accomplishments but mostly for the way he acted and treated others. It was a lesson for him and it should be a lesson for all of us indeed!

So stop beating yourself up over your career, financial situation, number of sales awards, relationship struggles, the lack of car, houses, money, gadgets!

KEEP striving for all of this success - Just do not replace WHAT TRULY brings us all happiness and peace with that constant drive and importance to succeed and collect material goods at all costss!!

Balance is key!

As Mother Teresa pointed out:

"Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush - anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that parents have very little time for their children. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the HOME begins the disruption of the Peace of the World."

Remember what matters! We all have a purpose - we all have a responsibility to love, care for, and comfort one another!

We are all in this TOGETHER and we ALL end up in the same place in the end - so LOVE, LOVE , LOVE - Seek out each other and provide the STRENGTH and KINDNESS that others may need TODAY - and peace will be yours!!

Stay Strong!

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Don't Fight it - Yet still Overcome it!

The battle to stay positive, upbeat and happy is a constant one - every minute seems to matter as forces in our own minds tend to perpetually attempt to remind us of worry, fear and anxiety.

We struggle, battle and fight against this onslaught in an effort to stop from being overwhelmed and overrun by negative emotion.

Quite frankly, it is exhausting!

Well, it does not have to be exhausting if we grasp and understand one thing -- the battle and presence of these negative thoughts will always be there BUT we can ride them out and resist their urges each and every time!

We do not have to flail and continually fight back against each and every negative thought - but instead we can ACCEPT that we will be challenged and allow them to bounce off of us!

KNOW you will be faced with these negative emotions and KNOW that they will pass - that you have the POWER to let them roll off of your shoulders!

Often we are confronted with overwhelming pressure and we panic or overreact!

Be cool in the face of these enemy thoughts -- Be waiting for them and laugh them off!! Accept that they will nag at your mind and try to drag you down - and then HIT them with your FAITH, your Mental Aces in the Hole (MAITH), or simply respond with a prayer - recite it over and over a few times and you will be amazed how quickly these cowardly thoughts retreat!

THEY know they cannot beat you when you UNDERSTAND them and their intentions! And they disappear and wait to hit you again at another vulnerable time!

Forewarned is forearmed they say .. And it is true with our mind and thoughts!

Thought is SUPREME indeed and if you can control and have power over your thoughts - Happiness, peace and Joy are inevitably yours!!

Stay Strong!

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