Live Happy!

Does it feel some days like the Universe is trying to tell you something?  For me this week, the lesson is about finding ways to feel as great as I can feel and to create more joy and happiness in my life.

Did you know that it’s in our hands to be happy or sad, to have a positive attitude or a negative one?  It’s really all about making a choice. Some people are truly afraid to be happy.  They are afraid to share it with their friends, out of either guilt or a fear that if they claim happiness the other shoe will drop and something bad will happen.

Actually the opposite it true.  It takes less energy to be in a good mood than it does to be in a bad one, but as a society, we bond over common complaints … the weather, the traffic the economy … the list of things to complain about can be never-ending. We meet all kinds of situations during that day that are not conducive to happiness. The trick is to try to find the good in each situation, there are two sides to every coin.

For most of us, it’s the simple everyday inconvenient things that ruffle our feathers most frequently.  Like being stuck in traffic … think about it.  Is getting frustrated and losing your patience really going to make the situation any better? I personally have enforced a no-honk policy on myself.  It isn’t just about having self-restraint and reducing noise pollution … it’s a gift I give to myself and to others -- a gift of being patient, respectful and polite.  Surprisingly in most cases, my courtesy is returned tenfold! 

Ask yourself, what kind of impact do you have on other people you interact with during the day?  Do you want to be the one who shows up flustered and angry and spreads that kind of energy?  Or do you want to be the one who arrives happy and in a calm state of mind with a smile on your face?  Who would you rather see arrive at your home or office?

It’s time to break free from the complaining trap and get into the happiness habit. Our attitude toward life determines our level of success. Like the Richard Carlson said, ‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.’

Here’s a tip:  When you find yourself complaining about the small stuff, try and let it go, and if you absolutely can’t then ask yourself, ‘what lesson am I supposed to be learning from this?’