Be Happy

Accept the pains. - You must get in touch with your situation. Sometimes people deny their hardship, thinking that if they don't face them, they will be happier. But it's the other way around. Allow yourself to go through the pains.

Choose not to stay in pain. - They say this is self-empowerment. You can nor be bitter about the pain, and feel very powerless. Or you can do something and feel powerful enough to handle them. It's a choice to live with or without pain.

Forgive yourself, other people. - But before forgiveness comes in, think about how other people hurt. Then realize that you can see yourself for what you actually are and not how they want you to be. So finding happiness is no longer rooted outside, but it's inside you what you see, how you view things, what you want. Then it leads to you choice; to live your life with yourself.

Take responsibility for your life. - We sometimes allow ourselves to let other people, circumstances, or pains to rule out lives. So we become very unhappy and very bitter because we live blaming others on who we are, where we're at, or how we should be. Its an exhausting process because you'll forever be blaming other people. Don't be bothered by what others think who you are or the standards they set. Take responsibility for your life.

Learn to let go and Trust yourself. - To be happy means learning to let go of expectations from your self or from other people. You can't always have your way. At work, you can't always be sure your strategies will work of your plans will happen. But before you let go, have a deeper trust in yourself.

Learn to receive blessings. - Think of the little things that make you happy or the people that give you assurance where you're good at. This called receiving. Most of us have reasons to be happy, only that we don't see them or we take them granted. We need to have little eyes and little hearts too, and realize that all things that make us happy have been there all long.

Have somebody to turn to. - Even if you're in turmoil, there are people who will support you. But often stick with people who make us unhappy. If you're unhappy, seek people who will nurture you or look for a partner who will serve as a well-spring of inspiration.

Be hopeful. Hoping is better than being optimistic since it's whole and real. - Because sometimes, one optimism can be denial of hardship. Its easy to be optimistic about things, but inside you, you're anxious about him. Hoping is deeper. Its something you look forward to even when you recognize the difficulties and pains. The more hopeful a person is, the more he recognizes how bad the situation is, and lets him self to bear it. In the end, he knows it will bear results. You don't deny difficulties. You're touching ground instead.

Keep the faith Alive. - There'll be points in your life when you can't handle problems alone. Think about someone whos more powerful, and who loves you dearly to take care of you. Having faith in God will give you hope.

Share yourself. You can actually give intangible gifts even without your conscious effort. - People will tell you later that you've helped them, and gradually, you will help others, they affirm you by saying, You're Good. Then you realize that you're good person and your goodness is not merely based on meeting deadlines or getting a raise. Its more of proving your self-worth based on being loved for who you really are and not simply for the result you can deliver of the money you can contribute towards difficulties in life.

Be grateful. - You have to develop in yourself the sense of gratitude. You should be thankful for what you have. But you should recognize that there are things you can do to improve your life.

Its all in the mind. - We are unhappy because we think we are. Unhappy people are attached to their unhappiness. They refuse to change. When one thinks negatively, then he attacks negative thoughts. If you think that a tragedy will fall on you, somehow you fulfil it. Unconsciously, you make it happen.

Money isn't everything. - People accumulate more and more money, but the moment of happiness they can buy gets smaller and smaller. Although more money may bring greater feeling of empowerment, studies show that personal relationship, spirituality and feelings about oneself most directly influence well-being.

Discover the best friend in you. - We can all change for the better. You can be happy even with yourself by discovering the best friend in you. Get real. Don't be hard on yourself with those high, unattainable goals. It's time you dont look for happiness outside you.

---

HARSH WORDS

I ran into a stranger as he passed by.
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.

But at home a different story is told,
how we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
my son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use, but the children you love,
you seem to abuse. Go look on the kitchen floor,
you'll find some flowers there by the door."
" Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself; pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
and you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."

By this time, I felt very small,
and now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.

"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em out by the tree."
"I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."

I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today.
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh Mom, that's okay, I love you anyway.
I said, "Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers,
especially the blue.

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the
company that we are working for could easily
replace us in a matter of days. But the family
we left behind will feel the loss for the rest
of their lives? And come to think of it, we pour
ourselves more into work than to our own family,
an unwise investment indeed, don't you think?

---

A--Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.

B--Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C--Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

D--Decide
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

E--Explore
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

F--Forgive
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

G--Grow
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

H--Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

I--Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

J--Journey
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

K--Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

L--Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

M--Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

N--Notice
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.

O--Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

P--Play
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.

Q--Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.

R--Relax
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

S--Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

T--Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

U--Use
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

V--Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

W--Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.

X--X-Ray
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

Y--Yield
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

Z--Zoom
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head. Let nothing interfere with your goals. Instead, focus on your abilities, your dreams, and a brighter tomorrow.

A long time ago, there was an Emperor who told his horseman that if he could ride on his horse and cover as much land area as he likes, then the Emperor would give him the area of land he has covered.
Sure enough, the horseman quickly jumped onto his horse and rode as fast as possible to cover as much land area as he could. He kept on riding and riding, whipping the horse to go as fast as possible. When he was hungry or tired, he did not stop because he wanted to cover as much area as possible.

Came to a point when he had covered a substantial area and he was exhausted and was dying. Then he asked himself, "Why did I push myself so hard to cover so much land area? Now I am dying and I only need a very small area to bury myself."

The above story is similar with the journey of our Life. We push very hard everyday to make more money, to gain power and recognition. We neglect our health, time with our family and to appreciate the surrounding beauty and the hobbies we love.

One day when we look back, we will realize that we don't really need that much, but then we cannot turn back time for what we have missed.

Life is not about making money, acquiring power or recognition. Life is definitely not about work! Work is only necessary to keep us living so as to enjoy the beauty and pleasures of life. Life is a balance of Work and Play, Family and Personal time. You have to decide how you want to balance your Life. Define your priorities, realize what you are able to compromise but always let some of your decisions be based on your instincts. Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of Life, the whole aim of human existence.

So, take it easy, do what you want to do and appreciate nature. Life is fragile, Life is short. Do not take Life for granted. Live a balanced lifestyle and enjoy Life!