Archive | July, 2015

Finding Happiness

14 Jul

Life can be difficult sometimes. Things don’t go well, we get hurt, or we get lost. It’s hard to find peace in the midst of turmoil, and it’s hard to be happy when we’re struggling. Everyone has times of distress, and we all suffer at some point. It can be a brief moment of discomfort, or it can last for years. It all depends on what we’re facing, and what we have to navigate. But even in the worst moments, if we try, we can find respite from the sorrow. We can find peace. If we try, we can even find moments of happiness.

You often hear lovers tell each other how much they want to make each other happy. We’re often happy when we’re with those we love, but nobody can really give happiness to us. We have to find it ourselves. Of course, it’s easier to be happy when everything is working out according to our plans, when we have more than we need, and when we feel loved, and cared for. But even if these things aren’t in our lives right now, we can find some measure of happiness. We have to determine first that we really want to find it. If we do, then we can begin to do things that will bring it to us.

In times of distress, we can find happiness in the things we enjoy. Perhaps you love the outdoors, and being outside gives you comfort. If you’re suffering, plan to be outside and refresh yourself. Maybe you love music, and no matter where you are, when you hear it you feel lighter. Find the music you love the best, and keep it close. When you feel down, turn it on, and listen. Listen intently, escape the moment, and your spirits will rise. Or perhaps you love animals. Studies show that people who are ill or depressed are improved by spending time holding, and interacting with pets. If you don’t have one, visit a friend who does, and spend some time playing. These are small things that can help you find a little joy when you’re struggling. If you take a moment to identify what makes you happy, and then make it a priority to spend time doing those things, you’ll feel better, even when you’re suffering.

Today if you’re struggling and feeling bad, remember that happiness is still there waiting for you. Set aside some time to do the things that bring you joy. Immerse yourself in the activity, and let the sorrow go for a time. You will find peace. Eventually what you are going through will change. You will overcome it, and when you do you’ll be stronger. Until then, remember that your happiness is important, especially now. Look for it, plan for it, and embrace it. Every moment you live is precious. Make each one as happy as you can.

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Being Worthy

13 Jul

Trust is one of the most important facets of any relationship. When we have the trust of those who care about us, they know they can count on us, and we’ll be there for them. If we honor that trust, and follow through for them, our relationships will be fulfilling, and gratifying. If we break our word, fail to follow through, and leave them hanging, the relationship will suffer, and possibly fail.

Maybe you know someone who is very nice. They’re kind to animals, polite to strangers, pleasant, and generally fun to be with. People like them, and spend time with them socially. But despite their positive attributes, they can’t keep their word. They break it over, and over again. They say they’ll do things to help out, say they’ll be there, but when the time comes for them to follow through, they drop the ball. They do this routinely, and continually. People who know them have learned they aren’t trustworthy. Everyone agrees they are nice, but they can’t be trusted. They just won’t be there. They won’t follow through with their commitments.

It takes time to build trust in relationships, and it takes just a moment to ruin it. Once we’ve lost the trust of others, it’s hard to get it back. If we’ve let them down, and break the trust they had in us, it can take a long time for them to believe in us again. Even if we’re trying to change, and have successfully followed through a few times, it will take a while to restore the trust because we’ve broken it in the past. It’s important to value the trust we have from those who care about us. It’s priceless when we have it, and heartbreaking when we lose it. It’s a fragile thing, and one small bad decision can damage it. Repeated bad decisions can destroy it, sometimes forever.

Today if you’ve lost the trust of a friend because of something you’ve done, you may be able to restore it if you really want to. Talk to them, apologize for the offense, and determine that from here forward you will be worthy of their trust. Then do everything you can to be there when you say you will, and do what you said you would do. Over time you may be able to rebuild their trust again. We need to be able to trust others, and we want them to trust us. Be worthy of that trust. It’s precious. Value it, care for it, and be careful with it. The relationships you build are worth the effort. Be worthy of them today.

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Potential Greatness

12 Jul

Everyone is different. We all have our share of problems, talents, gifts, and drawbacks. Nobody gets all the good stuff or all the bad stuff. Everyone has a combination of things that make them feel confident, and things that try their patience. And every day we all have the potential for greatness. Not greatness in the worldly sense, like becoming President or world leaders, but greatness in the human sense. We can be great assets to those around us, great examples for good, and great inspirations to everyone we come in contact with. The potential is there, but potential does not guarantee we’ll gain those qualities. Potential is unrealized expectation. We have the ability to become great but we have to realize it, and we have to express it.

It’s easy to skate through life. We can do just enough to get by, we can be just nice enough to get what we want, and we can share just enough of ourselves that we are accepted. It takes effort to do more. We are all certainly capable of more, but that requires time, and it requires attention. Instead of choosing to do just enough to get by, if we want to be great, we need to choose to do the best we can all the time. Instead of being just nice enough to get what we want, we must choose to extend ourselves for others, and help whenever help is needed. And instead of sharing just enough to be accepted, we have to be fully engaged, fully participating, and actively involved.

Mediocrity is easy. We don’t have to do much, or give much. It’s easy to blend in. But it’s not as rewarding or fulfilling as pushing ourselves to be the best we can be. When we push for greatness we learn to feel things more deeply, and we become a higher version of ourselves. We can always be more than we are. We can be more sensitive, more understanding, more compassionate, and more human. If everyone tried to be the best they could be, the world would become a far different place. There would be more love and less conflict, more sharing and less greed, more caring and less indifference. It would be a better place, and we can do our part to make that happen.

Today as you go about your life, as you take care of your details, as you interact with others, remember you have the potential for greatness within you. It’s already there waiting to be expressed. Today do something more to extend that to those around you. Use your potential to the fullest. You have the power to change the world. Today think about how you could change it for good.

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Light

11 Jul

There are so many people in and out of our lives all the time. We have family, friends, acquaintances, and people we meet in passing. Every time we interact with them we have the chance to be a light in their lives. We have the chance to lift their hearts, make them feel valued, and show we care. There is a lot of darkness in this world. Crime, death, disasters, wars – we hear, and read about them constantly. But there is light as well. And we can be part of that if we so choose.

It’s sometimes hard to feel like we fit in, and sometimes we may feel alone. It seems we are more isolated today than in years past. All the technology makes it easy to communicate without spending time with others. Instead of a phone call on our birthday, we may get an email message. It’s nice to be remembered but without the personal interaction, it doesn’t mean as much. More and more we have lost the need to meet and talk in person, to call and chat, or to spend social time with our friends and family. As a result, we are more separate and apart, and that can make us feel alone and lonely, even surrounded by others.

When people feel left out, or lonely, it’s hard for them to be happy. They can feel forgotten by others, and sad. We have the opportunity every day to be a light to those around us. We can lift them by just showing that we care. We can show we are aware of them by saying hello when we pass them. We can support them by stopping for a moment to ask how they’re doing, and really listen when they talk to us. We can call those we haven’t seen in a while just to say hello, and remind them that we are thinking about them. And we can plan to spend more time together with those we’re close to so they remember we love them. We can share a smile with everyone we meet, and we can extend the hand of friendship. This world can be a lonely place, and it can be dark, and sad. If we care, we can lift others, and bring a smile. We can be the ones to bring the light.

Today try to extend yourself to someone around you. Say hello, have a short conversation, ask how they are, and let them know you are aware of them, and that you care. Tomorrow do it again with someone new. Share your light with others who may feel alone. If you light one candle with another, you have two flames without diminishing the first. The world needs all the light it can find. You have enough to share. Be the one to share your light today.

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Because I Can

10 Jul

We can do anything we want to in this life. We can make good decisions, and bad decisions. We can be wise, and we can be foolish. There is no limit to what we can do if we want to. Perhaps when someone has done something you didn’t understand you’ve asked them why, and their answer was, “Because I can.” Well, we ‘can’ do anything. But the big question really isn’t can we do it, but should we do it. Just because we can do something isn’t always enough reason to justify actually doing it.

Mistakes in judgment are part of the human experience. We all make them. Unfortunately we don’t have a personal manual to read every day to alert us when our judgment isn’t quite on target. We make decisions where we are, and we learn as we go. Even when we try to be wise, we may falter. But we will falter more often if we go plowing through things not thinking at all. If we just follow our noses around, and make decisions because we can, we may find ourselves in situations that aren’t exactly where we want to be.

Having the ability to do something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice for us. For instance, a Maserati is a very nice car, and we may find a dealer who will gladly sell us one even if we can’t afford it. We could buy it, and be the envy of our friends. But if we do, we may not have money for our essentials as we struggle to pay it off. But we could do it. However, if we can’t afford it, the purchase will likely bring us hardship. There are countless examples of things we could do just because we can. But that doesn’t guarantee the choice will bring us what we want.

It’s best to remember that even though we can do whatever we want, we need to take some time to evaluate the choices we are considering. There are two sides to every coin. It’s wise to look at them both before choosing the side we want. We need to ensure that our decisions are not just what we could do, but also what we should do so we can be successful going forward, and don’t create unnecessary stress.

Today before you jump on a decision just because you can, take a moment to reflect on whether or not it’s a move you should make going forward. You can do anything you want, but it’s wise to make sure your choices bring you happiness, and not hardship. Think about your decisions. Look at both sides of the coin, and then choose. You’ll be wiser if you do, and happier with the results. And happiness is the best thing you can give yourself today.

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