“There is no way to happiness – happiness is the way.”
“We humans have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We worry too much. We don’t allow our bodies to heal, and we don’t allow our minds and hearts to heal.”
Zen Master and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Thich Nhat Hanh, remains a global spiritual leader even after his passing.
A More Practical View of Happiness
Comes From a Wealthy Person
“Money can’t buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you’re being miserable.”
Clare Boothe Luce*
*Wikipedia describes her this way.
“Clare Boothe Luce (née Ann Clare Boothe; March 10, 1903[1][2] – October 9, 1987) was an American author, politician, U.S. ambassador, and public conservative figure. A versatile author, she is best known for her 1936 hit play The Women, which had an all-female cast. Her writings extended from drama and screen scenarios to fiction, journalism, and war reportage. She was the wife of Henry Luce, publisher of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated.”
How Do People Find Happiness?
I’m not going to recount all the things you already know about healthful eating habits, exercising regularly, hugging and being hugged, etcetera. Instead, I’ll share some other techniques that people find useful in changing a mindset or frame of reference to enable and empower themselves to be happier on a regular basis.
“Do Good” In 3 Ways
According to Northwestern Medicine, people attempt to find happiness in three ways: “doing good for others; doing things you’re good at; and, doing things that are good for you.”
12 Steps
However, it can be more complicated than doing good things when people are faced with life’s severe harms and challenges.
The Twelve Step Programs have a lot to offer in such circumstances, by having their members cultivate “acceptance of the things they cannot change; the courage to change the things that they can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”
I confess to having changed the standard version of the Serenity Prayer into an affirmation. Click here to see how and why and to read my version which is done as affirmation statements.
I know hundreds of people who have benefited from regular attendance at their meetings and who, in turn, have become leaders in helping others overcome severe life challenges.
Twelve-step programs are international mutual aid programs supporting recovery from substance addictions,
behavioral addictions and compulsions. ~ Wikipedia
Mindfulness
Another approach is “Mindfulness.”
Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment. ~ Wikipedia
That, too, is a very helpful process when one has the discipline to enact it constantly and consistently.
Some people refer to it as being present “in the Here and Now.”
For me, the key is in the word, “here” because my consciousness of “the Present” includes awareness of what is happening at many levels, in many places, during a moment in time. I may be alone in my living room, but my awareness includes the current state of events in American politics, global famines, the Russian war against Ukraine and other wars, among other things. That doesn’t even count local and personal issues that are afoot.
I have to consciously narrow the scope of my attention down into the immediate physical surroundings and then, specifically, INTO my own body/mind/spirit to have any chance of finding peace. If there is physical pain or major discomfiture, peace is unlikely, even if I can transcend the sensations and move into other realms of thought or thoughtlessness.
It is a wonderful process, but may not be practical as a sole tool for many people.
Why Bother?
Quoting Northwestern Medicine again, “For most people, happiness is a sense of purpose and well-being. This positive attitude translates to a variety of effects on a person’s health both physically and mentally, including:
- Opening a person’s mind to positivity: Optimism and vitality are critical to a person’s well-being.
- Improving a person’s problem-solving ability: Positive-minded individuals believe they “can” and want to achieve their goals.
- Building physical, intellectual, and social resources: This allows people to learn better because they seek other positive-minded people.
- Protecting your health: Happiness lowers your risk for cardiovascular disease, lowers your blood pressure, enables better sleep, improves your diet, allows you to maintain a normal body weight through regular exercise, and reduces stress.”
So, it behooves us to try some new things, if we don’t already have the tools we need to be successful.
Learn New Techniques
While I don’t teach Happiness, per se, in my classes, I do teach a number of things that help people destress and to develop constructive coping patterns. The subject matter ranges from topics like setting boundaries and learning to say “no” to things you don’t want to do – all the way to techniques used in hypnotherapy, Neuro-linguistic Programming, plus many more tools for eliminating fears, limiting beliefs, sadness, and more.
To learn more, I invite you to have a FREE Sip & Share Session with me. If you want to “check me out” in advance, Click Here for a list of my certifications as a Life Coach, Spiritual Counselor, and in holistic healing modalities. For additional information about my background, Click Here.
How Do You Do That?
Whether your interests are about business, writing projects, presentations, overcoming PTSD, reframing how you view things, or personal and spiritual growth, just email me at
MyPersuasivePresentations@gmail.com.
We’ll discuss how my classes or consultations may help you stress less and gain insight into yourself, your situations, and possible solutions.
Please put “Request Sip & Share Session” in the subject line, and let me know, in your message, the topic you want to explore.
We’ll chat and see if more sessions could be beneficial to you. I’m not a high-pressure salesperson. We’re simply answering the question of whether I’m the best person to help you at this moment. If not, I may refer you to another professional. I look forward to talking with you.
Do It the Write Way! Let My Fingers Do Your Talking!
