Take the big jump - happiness

After remembering to be the one to create the positive atmosphere, you have then have to take the BIG jump and remember that it takes everyone.  Imagine something so little such as the pen you write with.  Think about all of the people it takes to manufacture that one pen: the people it takes to manufacture the plastic, metal, ink, etc.; then those that have to market and advertise the raw materials to the pen company; all of the different pen company employees on the line; the office support teams at all places; the custodians; the trash removal companies; the sales team that markets the pen; companies that distribute and the freight companies that deliver the pen.  The list could go on and on.  All just to make a pen.  Now think about bigger things, the shirt you are wearing or the shoes on your feet, the technology piece you are using to read this, medical equipment you may need, a hospital, a library, etc.  Think of all the people it takes to create any of these from beginning to end.  Countless numbers of HUMANS, people just like you and me.  It takes every one of us to make this world what it is.  AND we have the power to make it BETTER.  We are all connected, we all rely on others, we are all human AND we can treat each other like friends.  A happier place for you and me.  

First Steps for Finding Happiness

Taking the first step, being the first person, to create a positive atmosphere with another person, whether it is your best friend or a stranger, can open up new opportunities that can lead you to happiness.  Always approaching a situation with compassion allows for an openness to occur between the participants that encourages a deeper connection.  The ability to connect with others, especially others of like mind, can reduce feelings of loneliness and increase feelings of acceptance.  The sense of community is one that is needed for ultimate happiness.  We all want to know that we are not alone.  To feel alone is to feel sadness, self-depreciation, and, among others, to feel misunderstood.  To attempt to dissolve feelings of loneliness, one must attempt to create connections.  Starting small can be less intimidating.  For instance, when at the grocery store, as you approach workers and other shoppers, remember the common connection is that we are all humans.  Remember that we are all fighting our own personal fight.  Hopefully it is a fight to find complete happiness.  

Living with compassion. The more I do, the less I see.

It is heart breaking to see the amount of people who live so negatively.  There are all of these negative behaviors and thoughts we have been conditioned in for centuries like always needed the best, always wanting to be the best, always wanting more, jealously of our neighbor, etc.  The underlying emotions that come from said behaviors/thoughts like anger, blood-thirst, frustration, sadness, fear, maliciousness, are bring our society down.  When we will be grateful for what we have?  When will we be grateful for who we have?  What we will love ourselves?

To instead be grateful for what and who we have and to look at through eyes of more positive emotions (kindness, compassion, mindfulness, love, etc.), we open up so many more possibilities for ourselves.  We allow ourselves a better quality of life and we allow ourselves to experience more peace in the world we live in. 

Imagine if every time you saw something from a negative point of view you practiced always looking for the silver lining.  Or, if every time you experienced a negative emotion you changed your perspective and took on a positive emotion.  Imagine if this became your habit.  Imagine your mind and body automatically doing this for you.  Imagine if this became your neighbor’s habit and the people you work with.  What if it were habit for all those that you serve and all those that serve you? 

Living with compassion.  The more compassionate, kind, caring and loving person I become, the less evil I see. 

Change your perspective, change your life.  What did you practice today?

What is Setting the Moral High Ground of Today?

I grew up, or am growing up, during a period of time when popularity of organized religion is declining.  However, because I was raised in the church, when faced with a moral dilemma I have "God" to help me with my decision making.  Now, I am not saying how much I believe in God, I certainly am not going to give a sermon and I am definitely not going to turn this blog into a religious venue.  I do want to say, though, that because of this upbringing, I was given a good moral platform.  I do believe there are other ways to obtain this platform (living with love), but this is how I first received mine.  I also see that with the decline of organized religion, I do not see anything coming to take its place.  Therefore, we are losing an avenue for people in our society to gain this perspective.  But, we really only need one avenue to reach the highest level of happiness.  I believe that in order to reach true happiness, you must live with love.  Love toward ALL  people and the world.  If making decisions based on this thought, you would never be put into a moral predicament that you couldn't easily solve.  Taking the path to happiness by living with love means acting with kindness, being compassionate and finding warmth in your heart for all, for everything.  

Be kind to someone and they will be kind to you.  In that moment, your world will be at peace and your mind will be free to accept greater things, like happiness!  

The Right Frame Of Mind

I often wonder about how certain things like chemicals in processed foods, pesticides, etc., effect my body.  I almost never wonder how negative emotions like jealously, anger, etc., effect my mind.  Where or what do these emotions lead to?  Hatred?  How can I work to eliminate or reduced my negative emotions?  How can I focus, support and grow the positive emotions? 

Like happiness manifests on to others, hatred and other negative emotions can too.  We are creating and supporting our own environments.  It is because we have the ability to learn and the choice of perspective that we can decide to choose happiness.  Imagine if everyone chose to make decisions that led to happiness, true happiness not just pleasure, what a peaceful world we would live in.  What kind, caring and compassionate neighbors we would have! 

There have been studies that have shown that the more unhappy a person is, the more self-focused they are.  On the other hand, happier people have shown to be more giving, compassionate and kind.  Therefore, learning to cultivate our positive emotions, reaching higher levels of happiness and letting that happiness manifest truly is good for the world.  All we need to do is learn to categorize these emotions as negative (leading to hatred) or positive (leading to happiness).  Then we need to practice alway choosing the positive and releasing the bad.  

What negativity did you let go of today?

 

Moment to moment happiness

Moment to moment happiness.  Can it be found  in even the most monotonous moments? Where does happiness come from?  Where is it found?  Certainly it is not found in my longing for material possessions. I have found, more than once, that after receiving a desired object and a period of "happiness", the happiness wears off and I begin to want the new model or the more expensive version, which I usually can't afford.  This always makes me feel defeated.  Fact:  Even a new pair of shoes won't give real happiness.  What if I redirected my desires?  Maybe instead of the latest and greatest thing, I desire to be kind and compassionate.  What if instead of wanting new, I became grateful for the old?  Would this quite my mind?  Would I be closer to happiness?  Could I spread and share my happiness with others?  We are all human, that is our common bond.  If we all treated each other accordingly and not according to social status there would be less to be jealous of, less to want.  If I believe in that common bond, the millionaire is my equal and for the pauper I find compassion.  With this thought, I value myself more and objects less.  Back to shoes, I know they are not lasting happiness but instead an indulgent that brings me pleasure.  Do I have to completely give up pleasures to find happiness or can I have both?  All decisions will be made with the question of will this bring me happiness or pleasure?  If happiness is the answer, I will proceed.  If pleasure is the answer, I will rethink.  If the answer is both, BONUS!  

What decisions brought you happiness and pleasure today? 

Happiness? A constant journey.

Happiness?  I believe I am happy but while taking stock of my life in general and my life on a general day to day basis, I had two very different results to report.  In general, I am lucky to consistently have enough.  I am able to do and afford things I enjoy like traveling, eating at nice restaurants, etc.   On a general day to day basis, however, I place to much value in materialistic items and ideals which actually lessen the quality or level of my happiness.  Does true happiness exist?  How do you reach the highest level and then remain there?  Where do the negative people go?  This is my journey through and beyond The Art of Happiness, a Handbook for Living by the  Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutlet, M.D.  

What did you do to make yourself happy today?