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This article is more about inspiration than any particular business tool or way to be a more effective entrepreneur. We won't talk about manifesting greatness in your life or how to attract a better financial situation. Nope, today, I wanted to share on this topic of choosing to be happy. "What!" you say. "I can't choose happiness!" Ah but in fact you can and do choose if you will be happy each and every day of your life. Whatever decisions you make during your day determine this. Right down to what you're going to wear, the articles you choose to read in the newspaper, the movies you go to see and the people you surround yourself with - do they make you feel good or bad? Happy or sad? These choices set up the core note for the day. Elated or Deflated. Joyful or depressed. Self-confident or self-effacing.
Recently I had an interesting reminder of this from an unlikely source. In my life I find that the Universe sends me messages or in this case messengers to teach me or remind me of something important. Sometimes they prompt me to take an action I may have been avoiding. If you start to really consider this concept you will see that these "gifts" as I call them, probably also show up in your own life. In fact, I am 100% sure they do.
I was riding the subway on my way into the office, caught up in my internal list of what needed to be done, hiding behind my big black sunglasses. Some mornings, I just want to be quiet and stay in my own world. My sunglasses, ipod and my thoughts hold me there. From my seat I could see an older couple standing in the doorway of the car looking at the subway map. Clearly they were trying to get somewhere - the maps don't really help much if you're an out of towner and are unaware of the snaking that goes with each train line. One wrong connection and you can end up on the completely wrong side of town.
I took my glasses off and caught the gentleman's eyes and mouthed to him "do you need directions?" He nods, with an enormous sparkling smile and mouths back "Fifty Fifth Street". In this silent language I tell him which stop to get off at. The sunglasses go down and I return to my own world. Suddenly I realized they could end of cross down instead of midtown. I got up from my seat and began inquiring as to which part of town they really wanted.
Then suddenly I realized that the lovely woman with this gentleman is completely deaf and he, partially. Now I understood our earlier exchange. He spoke with broken tone words to me as we organized their journey. As I turned from him, he tapped me on the shoulders and asked me where I was going. I told him. Then his soft eyes looked right into my heart and he asked me "Are you happy? " I paused for a moment, smiled and deep within me came the answer "Yes, yes, I am happy." Hearing myself say that was so . . . I can't even explain it! Amazing! To know that deep in my soul I truly was happy in my life. Then he placed his hand on my forearm and once again looked deep inside me and said "this is good, because no matter what, you must always do whatever it takes TO BE happy. This is the secret to life." I was so touched and flustered as a wave of emotion flooded over me. I got off at the wrong stop and sat on a bench having a good blubber. I knew he was right. And the things I was fretting over that week needed to be fixed - to bring them in line with making myself happy. It was a choice. It had never been so clear to me that I was in control of this. I actually had the power to choose.
Sometimes we all get caught up in doing what we think others want us to do. Or what we think we don't deserve. Or conforming to the norms of our peers. When these situations and circumstances appear usually we feel discomfort in the form of discontent, depression and self- loathing. Why? This is because we are out of alignment with our true selves. Have you ever felt so uncomfortable in making a choice because you knew that your mother, brother or partner would prefer that you make choice A but choice B is what you really truly in your heart wanted? You make choice A to stay in accord with them. But afterwards there is sadness, a want and disappointment because choice B is the route you wanted to take. You think about this lost opportunity with great sadness.
This concept is a simple one. There is really no need to make it complicated. It's a three-step process:
1. Take a moment to think about an area of your life that you're unhappy with.
2. What different choices or actions would you need to change this circumstance? No blaming others, no waiting for someone else to do something. . .blah blah blah.
3. I don't mean to be overly tough with you (actually I do) but make a different choice! Choose to be happy. You'll feel much better for it.
Take control of your outlook and the outcome. Choose to be as deliriously happy as you can! Life will be so much more fun. Besides those laugh lines around your eyes would be easier to accept in your later years!
Recently I had an interesting reminder of this from an unlikely source. In my life I find that the Universe sends me messages or in this case messengers to teach me or remind me of something important. Sometimes they prompt me to take an action I may have been avoiding. If you start to really consider this concept you will see that these "gifts" as I call them, probably also show up in your own life. In fact, I am 100% sure they do.
I was riding the subway on my way into the office, caught up in my internal list of what needed to be done, hiding behind my big black sunglasses. Some mornings, I just want to be quiet and stay in my own world. My sunglasses, ipod and my thoughts hold me there. From my seat I could see an older couple standing in the doorway of the car looking at the subway map. Clearly they were trying to get somewhere - the maps don't really help much if you're an out of towner and are unaware of the snaking that goes with each train line. One wrong connection and you can end up on the completely wrong side of town.
I took my glasses off and caught the gentleman's eyes and mouthed to him "do you need directions?" He nods, with an enormous sparkling smile and mouths back "Fifty Fifth Street". In this silent language I tell him which stop to get off at. The sunglasses go down and I return to my own world. Suddenly I realized they could end of cross down instead of midtown. I got up from my seat and began inquiring as to which part of town they really wanted.
Then suddenly I realized that the lovely woman with this gentleman is completely deaf and he, partially. Now I understood our earlier exchange. He spoke with broken tone words to me as we organized their journey. As I turned from him, he tapped me on the shoulders and asked me where I was going. I told him. Then his soft eyes looked right into my heart and he asked me "Are you happy? " I paused for a moment, smiled and deep within me came the answer "Yes, yes, I am happy." Hearing myself say that was so . . . I can't even explain it! Amazing! To know that deep in my soul I truly was happy in my life. Then he placed his hand on my forearm and once again looked deep inside me and said "this is good, because no matter what, you must always do whatever it takes TO BE happy. This is the secret to life." I was so touched and flustered as a wave of emotion flooded over me. I got off at the wrong stop and sat on a bench having a good blubber. I knew he was right. And the things I was fretting over that week needed to be fixed - to bring them in line with making myself happy. It was a choice. It had never been so clear to me that I was in control of this. I actually had the power to choose.
Sometimes we all get caught up in doing what we think others want us to do. Or what we think we don't deserve. Or conforming to the norms of our peers. When these situations and circumstances appear usually we feel discomfort in the form of discontent, depression and self- loathing. Why? This is because we are out of alignment with our true selves. Have you ever felt so uncomfortable in making a choice because you knew that your mother, brother or partner would prefer that you make choice A but choice B is what you really truly in your heart wanted? You make choice A to stay in accord with them. But afterwards there is sadness, a want and disappointment because choice B is the route you wanted to take. You think about this lost opportunity with great sadness.
This concept is a simple one. There is really no need to make it complicated. It's a three-step process:
1. Take a moment to think about an area of your life that you're unhappy with.
2. What different choices or actions would you need to change this circumstance? No blaming others, no waiting for someone else to do something. . .blah blah blah.
3. I don't mean to be overly tough with you (actually I do) but make a different choice! Choose to be happy. You'll feel much better for it.
Take control of your outlook and the outcome. Choose to be as deliriously happy as you can! Life will be so much more fun. Besides those laugh lines around your eyes would be easier to accept in your later years!