I’ve learned something very important about myself lately…as I continue to focus on improving myself, I have noticed immediate and quite positive results. It takes a shift in how you view the outside world, but more importantly…how you react to the happenings of the day.

Unless you were lost on some deserted island for about a decade, you are well aware that things just are not very optimistic as far as the economy goes. But, depending on how you react to the current situation, this does that have to hold us back! In fact, too many people just blindly believe that since the television news reported it, it must written in stone somewhere.

The media seems to thrive on causing people fear and anxiety. They attempt to put the very worst spin on practically every news story that they report. What is it that attracts people to the dark, negative and very harmful side of life? Is it within your power to break away from this dangerous and detrimental path? It is most definitely within your power! And, it is imperative that you stop following the ‘masses’ and start thinking for yourself, sooner rather than later

Start becoming accountable for your actions and for your thoughts. It is your responsibility to turn off the news, or if someone is watching it in your presence…walk away! When the next discussion about how awful the situation is in the world comes up…do yourself a big favor, and do not join in. Stop putting blame on others for actions that only you can control, and things will improve drastically in your life. Try it…I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how simple it becomes with just a little practice on your part.

Make The Impossible…Possible! “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”- Winston Churchill

Listening to your inner critic can sabotage your dreams. Silence the critic by reaffirming all the things you are capable of doing. Dream big and be excited about your future. It is possible to get through the difficult times in life. Learn from failures and take responsibility for your life. If you think it can’t happen…then it won’t. Take the necessary actions to achieve your goals!

Love Yourself And Others Unconditionally! “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs…..” I Corinthians 13: 3, 5)

To love unconditionally means to love without judging. Allow those you love to express themselves without fear of rejection. Do not punish yourself or your loved ones for past mistakes. Take the time to be responsible in how YOU show love. Allow yourself to love and to be loved.

Say Yes To Life! “Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.” -Henry James

When you say yes to life, it allows wonderful blessings to come to you. Say yes to opportunity and success. Say yes to a life that you live by YOUR standards. Say yes to making your own decisions and not seeking approval of others. Say yes to a promising
future. Say yes to living without guilt, resentment or regrets. Say yes to living an authentic life. Say yes to taking chances and freeing yourself from fear. Say yes to happiness and to every achievement.

Make Your Life Really Count! “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” – Annie Dillard

How do you want to be remembered? What is your legacy? The life you live defines who you are and the choices you make will determine what impact you will have on the lives of others. Never underestimate the power of your words and actions. Surround yourself with people who are supportive, positive and encouraging. Show appreciation and gratitude to those around you. Starting today, have a new perspective on life!

Take Risks! “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anais Nin

Everything in life involves a risk. Are you allowing fear of rejection and failure to dictate your life? Fear inhibits success. Take chances and free yourself from limiting beliefs. Taking risks empowers you to take charge of your life. Step out of what is safe, comfortable and familiar to you. Embrace the unknown and ANTICIPATE success!

Help the needy, the poor, the handicapped, the ailing, the homeless, the lost, or the environment. The list can go on, and on. When you help the needy – in services, monetary value, or other forms (lending a shoulder to cry on or an understanding ear to listen to other people’s problems) – the returns are tenfold. However, don’t expect anything in return. Just the contentment you experience in your heart is an incomparably satisfying feeling. Giving something wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return is what is important. Many times though, the person on the receiving end can’t wait to do their own favor when they get the opportunity to do so…paying it forward!

Another way to enjoy life is to listen to music. Play your good old favorite songs and sing along. Sing your best. Sing carelessly or out of tune – whatever it takes to make your heart content and whatever makes you laugh. Just hum the tune if you don’t remember the words. The idea is to cheer up. Do this in private, or only with your close friends or relatives though…you don’t want to annoy your neighbors.

The sound of nature is also music. The sound of river flowing, the gust of wind on a tree branch, waves on the seashore, and birds chirping are as natural as nature can be, and the way music should be. The sound of nature can make you optimistic because it is a beautiful and serene sound.

Let’s face reality. Life has its share of troubles, disasters, and misfortunes. Bad news exists and it disturbs the mind. Totally ignoring it may not always be the answer to approach life in a realistic manner. However, you can always find ways to avoid being affected by it to maintain the dominance of life’s beauty. You are the only person who can choose HOW you react to any given situation.

A party without humor and laughter is a dull one. The same is true in real life. Fill your life with lots of humor and laughter to keep it positive. The more spontaneous a humorous situation is, the more natural it is, and the better it can liven up your spirits.

Look at the lessons that can be derived from misfortunes. Mistakes allow you to learn and see opportunities hidden behind adversities. Always find meaning from every event in your life. See through life’s shell game and value every lesson that you learn!

1. I am the #1 New York Yankees fan, even though I live about an hour away from Philadelphia and the world champion Phillies. (I just can NOT root for teams just because of the home town thing)

2. I was 5 feet 3 inches in high school, but now I’m only 5′ 1”, so I’m kind of scared to live a whole lot longer.

3. I am EXTREMELY competitive! Actually, I am an extreme person…in everything. That is NOT always good, trust me.

4. While I consider myself very ‘street wise’, at times I am much more naive than I would like to be.

5. I absolutely LOVE animals, especially dogs! In fact, I have a Cocker Spaniel named Tucker.

6. I get distracted VERY easily and continue to work to improve on that. It’s a tough habit to break…and to stick with! (at least it is for me)

7. Although I am a very positive person NOW, when I was young, my dad was ALWAYS telling me that I needed to look at the glass as being half-full and NOT half-empty.

8. I meditate EVERY day…it sure helps with my mood. Don’t get me wrong, the problems are there IF I want to ‘look for them’, but I am less likely to do that after meditating. Some days, I actually have felt the need to do so MORE than one time per day!

9. I am very independent, which is why being single works for me! Don’t get me wrong…it’s not like I hate other people, but I just never wanted to coordinate my life with someone else’s.

10. After graduating from high school, I had a job as a security guard…guarding mustard! (one hot commodity)

11. I LOVE to gamble, BUT…I have a serious issue. (goes back to my ‘extreme personality’) Not too many people who know me even know THIS about me. And, because I live so close to Atlantic City, there have been invitations to join friends and do a little gambling, & I’ve had to fess up to my problem and decline. (probably why I still own a home)

12. I went to Catholic school when I was a child, until the 8th grade. When I hit the public high school scene…I was a HOLY TERROR! My parents threatened to send me to the Catholic high school MANY times…I believe that I was thisclose to going!

13. I don’t drink alcohol anymore, again that extreme word comes into play! I gave it up after WAY too many close calls, with WAY too many things. I once fell from a 9 foot cliff after getting smashed and going for a walk. Luckily, 5 friends pulled me back up by making a human chain.

14. I played the accordion from when I was about 8 years old, until I was 12. I wanted to play the trumpet, but this was one of my parents cruel jokes. The funniest part was, it was a…MARCHING BAND!!! I am NOT kidding!!!

15. I absolutely HATE to shop OR get dressed up! If I could have my way, I would LIVE in jeans and t-shirts. To me, it’s all about being comfy.

16. I am a HUGE procrastinator when it comes to a few things…especially cleaning! People tease me that my place is always so clean & tell me that I am so anal. And so, because people expect it of me…I HAVE to keep up with the cleaning. (even though I HATE it with a passion)

17. I LOVE sports…especially watching them! Now, a long, long time ago…that was another story! I PROBABLY can’t break any bones just watching, I figure!

18. I do NOT watch the news! I refuse…all it does is get me ‘worked up’. If I want to get sports scores…I go right to ESPN.

19. I am the oldest child in our family…I have 2 brothers, and a sister! Out of the 4 of us, there was only one grandchild for my parents to spoil. (that we know of, my one brother…)

20. I swam competitively when I was a kid…backstroke! I ALWAYS had earaches…DUH!!!

21. I worked weekends (25 1/4 hours per week) for the last 14 years of my career AND got paid for full time. Therefore, I was ‘off’ all week long!!! TOO bad my job was outsourced!!!

22. I tend to become frustrated VERY easily. SOME days, I should just leave meditation audio & my headphones on ALL DAY LONG!

23. I quit smoking after more than 30 years! I can be very obstinate when I make up my mind to do something!

24. My dream in life is to own at least 20 acres of land and to build my dream home smack in the middle of it. Of course, it will need to have an indoor pool, among MANY other things! I also always wanted to own a nursing home that was pet friendly, so the elderly would not need to part with their furry friends.

25. No matter what is going on in my life…I believe that I must stay positive and then any fear that I might have about the situation, will be conquered by the faith I have in myself!

Alright, I told you it wasn’t anything people would line up to find out about, but I have FINALLY done it. NOW, who is next???

I tag: Veronica Purdey
Mick Fallon
Nick Browne
Barbara Harvey

You might look at people who have absolutely everything and you strive to be like them. These things may be wealth, possessions, status, or even the position you hold at work. None of these things create happiness. Happiness is a choice. There are many people who have wealth and a high status who are completely miserable. They may be lonely, divorced and more. Happiness comes from within. These people may be working jobs they absolutely hate but just have a knack for making money.

There are things in life that can make you happy that are subjective. They are subjective because happiness comes differently for everyone. You might find joy and happiness seeking thrills through rides like roller coasters and bungee jumping. This thrill may be more than torture for someone with a fear of heights who would never step foot on a roller coaster or ever be brave enough to jump from a bridge suspended by a bungee cord. Everyone seeks happiness in their own way. What makes you happy is a natural high that you deserve to seek. There is nothing wrong with the things that you find joy in. You may be told you are crazy but that is because of the subjectivity.

It is true some people are just naturally happy. This is proven through a genetic disposition. This doesn’t mean that you were born to be miserable if you are anything other than a happy person. Your happiness is influenced by your genetics but it is not fixed as a determining factor.

If you are not a naturally happy person you can change the way you think and feel so that you are. The key is to change the way your brain thinks and the things you do. You can learn to do things on a daily basis to raise your happiness level which will help you learn to smile more and be a happier person.

Sleep

Sleep is a big factor if you want to be a happy person. Sleep is needed for the body to be able to function properly. I know that when I don’t get enough sleep, I am moody, I can’t think clearly…I am just plain irritable. Lack of sleep can cause problems with your health, also. Ensuring total well being requires a good night sleep.

If you are not sleeping well… you need to fix this. You might need to change your daily schedule so you can get to bed earlier. You also might need to encourage other people in your household to help you a little bit more if you are working too hard. To ensure happiness you need to get a good night of sleep.

Exercise

Exercise is very good for the body, endorphins are released by the brain & they are partially responsible for making you happy. Exercise is important for total health. This doesn’t mean that you have to be on a wicked daily exercise routine. You can get an amazing exercise by just cleaning the house and doing normal household chores. I’m not talking strenuous exercise, this isn’t about losing weight…it’s about creating happiness.

Meditation

Practicing meditation doesn’t mean you belong to a cult or you are doing anything religiously wrong. Many people associate meditation with Buddhism and think it is somehow wrong. They are missing out on something extremely important which could be exactly what they need to balance out their days.

Meditation is one of the most effective ways to change your subjective well being. Doctors have proven that meditation generates brain activity on the left side, which produces a positive emotion in the body.

AND…SMILE, SMILE, SMILE!!!

These statements reflect the thought of an individual who has given up on creativity. Sadly, a lot of people share this way of thinking. They never viewed creativity as a very useful tool to improve or improvise in life in all its diversity.

A situation that requires a solution can be approached in a variety of ways. There isn’t only one way to fix a problem. Being creative opens new horizons and can deliver many benefits. Creativity can sometimes be mistakenly interpreted as an obstinate attitude. Some people think that insisting on doing things in a different way is a sign of stubbornness.

Never hold back a good idea. Everyone is free to interpret his own unique way. Any interpretation by itself is creativity at work. A person who enjoys creative thinking can easily come up with innovative solutions for situations that require a quick fix.

For instance, your car stalled on a deserted highway due to a leaky rubber hose on the cooling system. Tough luck! Of all places, it had to happen in the remotest places. Never seems to fail, does it?

If you have some chewing gum, it just might be a handy fix. Start chewing the gum and patch it on the leak. To keep the gum in place, tie it with a piece of rag. This quick fix might do the trick so you can drive several miles without an overheated engine, until you get to a service station to have the leaky hose replaced. (I had to do this once)

There used to be a television series entitled “MacGyver.” The main character is an extremely creative and crafty guy. Whenever he finds himself in a tight fix, he tries to find a way out of it with his quick fixes utilizing available materials around him.

In a way, creativity is a never-ending learning process. From learning, you gain untold benefits, which you can use in real life situations.

Being creative might require you to think outside-of-the-box, venturing your mind into the uncommon. You can never be sure of your ideas until you try them. Go for it!