happiness

Traits That Happy People Have In Common

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Mark and Angel provide some great reminders that life is what you make of it. I know, it is sometimes difficult to make anything of it, but happiness is often found in trying. Bottom line: You can choose happiness. Enjoy

  1. They are ‘glass half full’ people – while still being practical and down-to-earth. They have an ability to find the good in any situation.
  2. They understand that happiness is a choice, and consciously and methodically create their own happiness, while others hope happiness will find them.
  3. They are ambitious. They don’t believe in, or wait for fate, destiny, chance or luck to determine or shape their future. They take control and choose to live their best life rather than spending it on auto-pilot.
  4. They have clarity and certainty about what they want and don’t want for their life. They visualize and plan their best reality while others are merely spectators of life. They have identified their core values – what is important to them – and they do their best to live a life which is reflective of these values.
  5. They ask the right questions – the ones which put them in a happy, creative, positive mindset and emotional state.
  6. They rarely complain because they know it’s a waste of energy. All complaining does is put the complainer in a negative state of mind.
  7. They don’t procrastinate and they don’t spend their life waiting for the ‘right time’. They are busy, productive and proactive with their goals. While most are laying on the couch, over-planning, over-thinking, sitting on their hands and generally going around in circles, they are out there taking steps in the right direction.
  8. They are fearful like everyone else, but they are not controlled or limited by their fears – they face them and grow beyond them over time.
  9. They don’t blame others. They take complete responsibility for their actions and outcomes, or their lack thereof.
  10. While they are not necessarily more talented than the majority, they always find ways to maximize their potential. They get more out of themselves by exercising their talents and their passions. In other words, they use what they have more effectively, which leads to long-term personal achievement and happiness.

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Tetrapharmakos: The Four-Part Cure

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“The four-part cure,” is the Greek philosopher Epicurus’ remedy for leading the happiest possible life.

Don’t fear god,
Don’t worry about death;
What is good is easy to get, and
What is terrible is easy to endure

The “tetrapharmakos” was originally a compound of four drugs (wax, tallow, pitch and resin); the word has been used metaphorically by Epicurus and his disciples to refer to the four remedies for healing the soul.

Principles Of Being An Adult

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Many years ago, on the eve of his 30th birthday, John Perry Barlow sat down and created a list of guiding principles to being an adult. A few weeks ago he shared them all. I thought it was a great list so I assembled all here from his twitter feed.

  • Be patient. No matter what.
  • Don’t badmouth: Assign responsibility, not blame. Say nothing of another you wouldn’t say to him.
  • Never assume the motives of others are, to them, less noble than yours are to you.
  • Expand your sense of the possible.
  • Don’t trouble yourself with matters you truly cannot change.<
  • Don’t ask more of others than you can deliver yourself.
  • Tolerate ambiguity.
  • Laugh at yourself frequently.
  • Concern yourself with what is right rather than who is right.
  • Try not to forget that, no matter how certain, you might be wrong.
  • Give up blood sports.
  • Remember that your life belongs to others as well. Don’t risk it frivolously.
  • Never lie to anyone for any reason. (Lies of omission are sometimes exempt.)
  • Learn the needs of those around you and respect them.
  • Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that.
  • Reduce your use of the first personal pronoun.
  • Praise at least as often as you disparage.
  • Admit your errors freely and quickly.
  • Become less suspicious of joy.
  • Understand humility.
  • Remember that love forgives everything.
  • Foster dignity.
  • Live memorably.
  • Love yourself.
  • Endure.

Also from Mr. Barlow, who considers himself “an excellent ex”, comes this tweeted bit of advice:
http://twitter.com/#!/JPBarlow/status/25980071256784896

I’m About To Whip Somebody’s Ass

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As far as I now, this song (right-click to download) comes from a man named Ray. Ray has a daughter who was stressed out about her job. So he wrote this song to cheer up his daughter and for the benefit of “all employees under stress”. Ray has shared it on the internet and I’m sharing it with you.

A bunch of Ze Frank minions have created a ton of remixes of the song to pay Ray back for the happiness he brought.

“Now you might not be able to sing that out loud, but you can hum it to yourself, and you know what the words are, and let it give you some strength to get through the next few moments on your job.”

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Congratulations!!!

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The Wedding Cake :: My brothers wedding :: Jefferson Island, LA

I spent most of last week in Louisiana celebrating the marriage of my brother and his Bride.

My brother is hitched. It’s hard to find words to describe how happy I am for the both of them. That’s part of the reason I slipped past doing my best man speech (which I now feel totally guilty about). I’d written it on the plane ride down there, I had the angle I was going to take outlined in my mind for months, I had it all written down and in my pocket ready to go. But when it came down to it, my nerves got the best of me and I failed to deliver. I handed the hand written speech to them after the wedding and told them to open it on the first night of their honeymoon. That made me feel a little better. Anyway, I wish everyone could have as much happiness and fun as they do together.

All of it was gorgeous. It was a great afternoon/evening/night of friends, family, and celebration. So much happened that it’s hard to remember it all. My brother and Pandy are two of the most important people in my life and I wish them the best of everything life has to offer.

Congratulations!!!

The sunset on Lake Peigneur :: My brothers wedding :: Jefferson Island, LA
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Forrest Grove Estates

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Imagine waking up each morning in the luxury of a community planned to meet your every need and desire. A place where the birds are always singing and the sun is always shining. A place where you can socialize with other residents in the community lounge, play golf on a private course set among acres of virginal woodlands or splash around in a crystal-blue pool, washing away the recollection of the outside world. A place with a community spirit of a high school cheerleading team and the charm of a small country town. A place where happiness is secured and security is guaranteed. Forest Grove is a place where the good life is a way of life.

How To Be Good

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Last night I just finished up reading Nick Horby’s most recent novel “How To Be Good”. Nick Hornby, author of both “About A Boy” and “High Fidelity” (which is one of my favorite movies) has taken a different approach on his most recent novel. I can’t see this book being made into a movie, the book deals with issues and ideas that wouldn’t be easily transferred into the film media. Generally the novel concerns itself with what it means to lead a good life, how can we go about doing it, and how good does a person have to be in order to be happy?
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