The Happiness Club Newsletter *
ARE YOU HAPPY? *
By Lionel Ketchian *
"Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your
grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you," this is a
quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne. *
My daughter-in-law, Tamara, sent me the above quote. I decided to try to hand feed some birds in my backyard. I put some crushed walnuts in my right hand and extended it. I stood absolutely motionless, and completely quiet on a very cold winter day. *
Within a few minutes, for the first time in my life, a bird landed on my hand. It was a Black Capped Chickadee, a cute tiny bird. It flew onto the tip of my fingers, picked up a piece of walnut and flew off to enjoy it. Soon it returned to land on my hand again. This time it picked up a piece of walnut and dropped it on the ground. Then it picked up another and dropped that on the ground as well. Finally it selected a third piece, which must have been just the right one, and flew off with it. It trusted me enough to take its time and make sure it had a nice delicious piece. *
It was not long after this event that I realized I had read the quote just the other day. Now I can say, "Happiness is a Black Capped Chickadee, a cute tiny bird, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." *
For me an interchange with nature is an unforgettable occasion in my life. It is nothing less than a spiritual experience. This made me realize that happiness requires us to quiet down and allow things to come to us. The more we pursue things that are beyond our grasp, the more they move away. The faster we pursue them, the faster they move away. Happiness requires us to relax, become quiet, and act as if we will get what we expect without being upset when we don't. *
Happiness, like the greatest things in life requires patience, gentleness, and knowledge of what is possible. I did not tell you about the book I received from Tamara and my son Glen called Hand-feeding Backyard Birds. I read it and knew what kinds of birds were most likely to hand feed. I also knew which food is the number one favorite. I had read the book and thought, I'll never be able to do it, it seems the odds are against me. *
Being happy is a similar thing. You may not think you can do it. If you learn enough about it, you can do it. The important thing is knowing it has been done. This allows you to know it can be done, because it has been done before. Remember the four-minute mile. People did not believe it was possible to run a mile in less than four minutes. As soon as one person did it, the record began to be broken over and over again. What one person can do, anyone can do. *
Is it possible to be happy all the time? ***
Yes, it is! How is it possible to be happy all the time? Being happy all the time does not mean bad things don't happen to you. It just means you have developed a way to do it and you are able to handle them and not let them make you helpless and hopeless. *
How can I be happy? *** You can be happy by making happiness a decision, and by choosing happiness all the time. You can be happy by not allowing a situation, or a person to make you unhappy. By not giving up your happiness, because happiness is what we all want more than anything else. *
Why is happiness important? ***
When things make you unhappy, you lose your power. In fact you give your power away to the things that make you unhappy. For example when you think someone makes you unhappy, the truth is you have given your power to the person to do that. Happiness is an issue of power. Take your power back! *
What if something bad happens? ***
That is when you need happiness the most. Happiness should be your strategy for dealing with negative things. When bad things happen you need all the balance, wisdom and endurance you can find. Happiness allows you to access your emotional intelligence. This is what you need the most at times of hardship and stress. Happiness is your connection to yourself. It is in times of difficulty that you need to control your thinking, so you do not allow stinking thinking. You become unhappy as a result of your thinking, not what has happened to you. Your reaction, your thinking makes you unhappy, not the event. *
How can I make happiness work for me? ***
The decision to be happy allows you to find out when you are off track. Just as soon as you realize you are unhappy, you are in control of changing your thoughts to allow you to choose happiness and get yourself back on the right track. You can practice being happy even when you feel unhappy. Even when you are pretending to be happy, you start to make yourself feel happy. Act as if you are happy and you become happy. Once you are operating with happiness you access your best thoughts, change your negative ones, and your whole state of mind is peaceful. You begin to be flooded with choices, alternatives, and options. You will begin to have ideas that will get you the best solutions to the problems you face. *
What if there is no solution to my problem? ***
If there is no solution then, you have no problem. You have something that you do not like and cannot change. In this case you are the problem. You will remain unhappy unless, and until you change your attitude toward what you think will not change. *
Do I have to live with what I don't like? ***
If you can change it -- change it! If you can't change it, then learn to love it, or it will make you unhappy. Once you change your attitude about the thing you can't change and don't like, it usually changes all by itself. When you stop fighting with what you can't do anything about, the problem usually vanishes. What you resist -- persists. Remember the Serenity Prayer and let happiness show you the wisdom to know the difference between what you can and cannot change. *
How do I learn more about Happiness? ***
Come to our meetings, read some good books on happiness, subscribe to our free Happiness Newsletter on our website. While you are there take a look around and you can get some free books downloaded as well. * When can I be happy? *** Stretch out your arm and as you open your hand, realize that happiness is right there in the palm of your hand. It has always been within you. Be Happy! It's time! *
Access Source Content ***: http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=00157CTivewlinTeIRfmXLxFQhK1TGjjJiFycFgqj13k5K4EAW2Tw1w2aoA5O19fZV7YDZbXgvksmlurrJxdHnubgSgiyYtGr2yfNJ_Yl9DyeJs-dM0QwaGsA%3D%3D
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http://dreamlearndobecome.blogspot.com This posting was made my Jim Jacobs, President & CEO of Jacobs Executive Advisors. Jim also serves as Leader of Jacobs Advisors' Insurance Practice.
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