How To Be Happy (from Shareen)

Everyone just wants to be happy. That's why people go on diets, spend too much money for clothes, or suck up to popular people - because they think it will make them happy! Happiness can be a "comfortable-good" or an "excited-good" or a "chilled-out-good" because it has many flavours and faces, depending on whom you are with, or what you are doing. However, if you get to know all different people, you will see what makes the happiest people happy.
Steps

1. Change your thought process. If you catch yourself thinking that things aren't going to work out, then think again. Remember that most things work out better than you fear - so imagine that your fears are ungrounded and that success is ahead. Rather than thinking of the problems and getting desperate, imagine the best outcome and then work out what you need to do to make that happen. Follow your "inner guidance system." If the thoughts you are thinking are not giving you a good feeling, then think about something else that will make you feel good in that moment. Monitor your thoughts consistently throughout the day. Sometimes this may not be as easy as you think if you are stuck in a "negative" train of thought and your brain chemicals are getting fired up and forming an "anxiety or anger" pathway. Anxiety, fear and anger patterns can be interrupted by focusing on doing a math problem, counting backwards, counting in odd numbers, doing a sudoku puzzle, etc. - this will dissipate the rush of chemicals that are making you feel bad. Immediately then go back to picturing scenes/remembering things/imagining, planning stuff that makes you feel GOOD.

2. See the world for what it really is. You have friends and family that love you. Learn How to be thankful. Think of all the things you have to be happy about. Relax, calm down, take things slower. No one has everything, and everyone has something of sorrow intermingled with gladness of life. The trick is to make the laughter outweigh the tears. We cannot change the past, but we can enjoy today, and look to the future. But if we are prepared to take credit for the past and accept that everything that happened in our life, good and bad, has made us the person we are - the battle is half won.

3. Lighten up. Don't take yourself too seriously. Stress can cause many mental, physical, and spiritual problems in your life. One of the major causes of stress is worrying about things that are out of your control. Learn to recognize these things and if you can truly do nothing about them, then just let them go. Take time to laugh at yourself and the situations you find yourself in. Laughter is a powerful, positive medicine and the calmer and more peaceful you can take things, the happier your life will be.

4. Be yourself. You can't please everybody. Don't let criticism worry you. Don’t compare yourself to other people – at work or in your personal life. In the first place, no one knows what other people are going through. More importantly, when you compare yourself to other people, you always tend to see yourself on the "short end". So this is never a good or helpful thing for you to do. One way to get in touch with yourself is through journaling. The goal is to open up completely to yourself and learn to be your best friend by knowing that the truth (to yourself) will set you free from fear! Practice self-acceptance no matter what. Never do something you're not comfortable with. You'll respect yourself for sticking to your guns, and that self-respect will make you happy.

5. Make a scheduled time every day for relaxation. This is a good time to go over any therapy that you’re working on. Having a "relaxation" time or a "quiet time" every day strengthens you, allows the stress and tension in your life to evaporate, and keeps you more on a positive, even keel.

6. Get a job you love. If you have a job you hate or dislike, seriously consider changing your job, or even changing careers. Having a job that makes you look forward to your day when you wake up in the morning is critical to a happy, fulfilled life. Making special time to enjoy interests, hobbies, and family, not only makes life happier, but helps us be more productive on the job.

7. Develop a strong relationship with your family. That includes trust. If you are in an abusive family, you must find a way to stop the abuse that may include separation. If you want a stronger relationship with your family, you're going to need to be honest with them. Tell your family about your life and don't insult them - it hurts them just as much as it hurts you to be insulted.

8. Choose the right companion. Get involved with activities that reflect who you are, and get to know people who like the things you do. Don't rule out the Internet as a place to find a significant other, just get to know them over the phone or through a few months of emails before agreeing to a meeting in person.

9. Choose your friends carefully. Nearly everyone needs someone who cares for them and treats them well. If you have friends who are treating you badly, then ditch them and find friends that do care about you. If you can't find any friends like that in your current circumstances, then look elsewhere. If you're feeling sad, there's nothing like going out with your friends to make you feel better. Surround yourself with friends who are positive, encouraging, and helpful. We all need this continuing, positive encouragement to make solid positive progress in life.

10. Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself. Volunteer at a hospital or be a part of a program, which take care of patients in some way. When you leave the hospital, you will be so much happier knowing what you have.

11. Wish the best for others and mean it. It is so easy to be jealous and petty and forget to celebrate the good fortune of your coworkers, friends and family.

12. Keep learning. Whether it is a new hobby or a new dance, just keep learning something that interests you. Just find a new interest and go for it!! It will give you something to keep you occupied, and a new outlook on life.

13. Set goals. Live up to them. When you accomplish a goal, it's a great feeling. If you put all your failures down to other people, you put yourself in their power. Take responsibility for when things go wrong in your life.

14. Be healthy. Give your body and mind what it most needs in order to function in an "optimal" way. "Optimal" in this case means being the healthiest you can be, and the most psychologically balanced you can be. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and ensure that you get all the vital vitamins and minerals that your body requires for its optimal biochemical functioning. Supplement your diet with the appropriate vitamins and minerals. Get plenty of exercise. This will prompt the production of the "feel good" hormones that make you feel happy (endorphins). Plus, there are all the other obvious fitness and disease fighting benefits, too numerous to mention here.

15. Strive for long term goals vs. short term satisfaction. It is very easy to gain short term satisfaction, a quick high, a fast relief from your current problems. But it is what it is , a "short term" satisfaction, its effects die out very soon, leaving you again with this empty feeling. Set long term goals, set a goal which takes some time, some thought, some effort to achive. This will make you continually work towards improving yourself bit by bit and will give you the satisfaction of bringing a permanent change in your life. A permanent revolution.


Tips

* If you have problems getting your feelings and opinions out, learn the techniques of self-assertion, rather than using anger or avoidance by bottling them all up inside.
* Research suggests that happy people have a simple mental strategy towards life. When they think about something good that happened to them, they explore how they personally contributed to that good feeling and feel happy about themselves.
* Listen to the music that makes you feel good. When you wake up put on some uplifting/upbeat music.
* Be honest with yourself. Is there something that is keeping you from being happy -- an addiction, an insecurity? Do something about it!
* Smile! It's contagious and takes less effort than frowning.Stop stressing about money or things out of your control.
* Get plenty of sleep every night.
* When you receive a compliment from others, accept it and say "thank you".
* Get healthy or stay healthy by eating right and exercising.
* The true key to happiness is learning to be happy with what you already have. Never ever compare your life with that of the others.
* Pay your bills on time, and be in the habit of keeping an orderly home. Treat yourself to something special once in a while, not because you 'need' it, but just because you 'want' it.
* Caring for and loving a pet is a great way to stay happy once you reach that goal. If you have the time, energy, and stability to take on the responsibility of caring for a pet (for many years), you might consider this. (Don't rush into this or adopt a pet for the wrong reasons! This is a long-term commitment, but is a great way to share your happiness)
* Make new friends and talk to them about your problems.
* Find a girlfriend or boyfriend and fall in love.
* Get out of your house and hang out with friends.


Warnings

* If you can't be happy from within, and be satisfied with what you have or who you are, then you will never be truly happy with anyone else.
* You can only temporarily buy happiness.
* Do not spend your money only for necessities. Money is only a tool used to acquire the things you need or want in life. Do not love the tool or become a slave to it. Occasionally you should treat yourself and others to something special to enjoy the fruits of your labors.
* Remember that actions do have consequences.
* Ignorance may actually be bliss, but what you do not know may also hurt you.
* The secret to happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible. - Bertrand Russell

Life is so short

LIFE IS SO SHORT.

SO, THINK WHAT IS GOOD,

SPEAK WHAT IS KIND,

AND TRY TO LIVE YOUR BEST,

THEN THIS WORLD WILL BE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL TO YOU

WHEN MONEY IS LOST NOTHING IS LOST.

WHEN HEALTH IS LOST SOMETHING IS LOST.

WHEN CHARACTER IS LOST EVERYTHING IS LOST

LIVE LIKE A CANDLE,

WHICH BURNS ITSELF,

BUT GIVES LIGHT TO OTHERS.

IMPOSE YOUR OWN TERMS UPON LIFE.

IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT THE TERMS OF OTHERS.

LOOK BACKWARDS WITH GRATITUDE,

UPWARDS WITH CONFIDENCE

AND FORWARD WITH HOPE.

WHEN YOU TRULY CARE FOR SOMEONE,

YOU DON'T LOOK FOR FAULTS,

YOU DON'T LOOK FOR ANSWERS,

YOU DON'T LOOK FOR MISTAKES,

INSTEAD YOU FIGHT THE MISTAKES,

YOU ACCEPT THE FAULTS,

AND YOU OVERLOOK THE EXCUSES.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY

Words of Wisdom

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had .
















It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.











Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.













Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.











May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.











Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too















The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.











Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.











When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.











Please send this message to those people who mean something to you, to those who have touched your life in one way or another, to those who make you smile when you really need it, to those that make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down, to those who you want to let them know that you appreciate their friendship. And if you don't, don't worry, nothing bad will happen to you, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with this message...

Women-as explained by Engineers

Finally - an explanation of Woman that makes sense to a man:

This is Wonderful

Money Angel This is a money angel Pass it to 6 of your good friends, or family and be rich in 4 Days. Pass it to 12 of your good friends or family and be rich in 2 Days. I am not joking. You will find an unexpected windfall. If you delete it, you will never know!

The Right Person

Sharing to you something nice to read that was forwarded to me…

THE RIGHT PERSON?

Pedro Arrupe, SJ





During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, " How do I know if I married the right person ?"



I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"





In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?" Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind. Here's the answer.



EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies.



Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... because it's happening TO YOU.



People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that ___expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.



Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.



But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.



The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.



At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.



Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.



But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):



THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON;

IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.



SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the _expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.



Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.



Just as there are physical laws of the universe such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable. .. you can "make" love.



Love in marriage is indeed a "decision".. . not just a feeling.

The Rain

In case you haven't seen this before.....

Stop at the picture for a second, and watch the Rain... then read on...





One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets

of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the

roads are wet and slick. Suddenly, my daughter, Aspen ,

spoke up from her relaxed position in her seat. "Dad, I'm

thinking of something." This announcement usually meant she had been pondering some fact for a while, and was now ready to expound all

that her six-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear.



"What are you thinking?" I asked.



"The rain!" she began, "is like sin, and the windshield

wipers are like God wiping our sins away."

After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond.



"That's really good, Aspen."



Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little girl take

this revelation? So I asked... "Do you notice how the rain

keeps on coming? What does that tell you?"



Aspen didn't hesitate one moment with her answer:



"We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us."



I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on.

Isn't it distressing to know that when you forward this message

you will not send it to many on your address list because

you're not sure what they believe, or what they

will think of you for sending it to them.



Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think

of us than what God thinks of us.

In order to see the Rainbow, you must first endure some Rain.





Hope the water flows when you get the picture







READ THE FIRST LINE CAREFULLY.



If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.



Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God..

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.



This is a Thomas Kinkade painting. It's rumored to carry a miracle!



The water is supposed to be running, so if it's not moving then the picture

didn't come through entirely.







They say if you pass this on, you will receive a miracle.

I am passing this on because I thought it was really pretty,

and besides, who couldn't use a miracle?!

The Positive Side of Life

Living on Earth is expensive,

but it does include a free trip

around the sun every year.




How long a minute is

depends on what side of the

bathroom door you're on.





Birthdays are good for you;

the more you have,

the longer you live.





Happiness comes through doors you

didn't even know you left open.






Ever notice that the people who are late

are often much jollier

than the people who have to wait for them?








Most of us go to our grave

with our music still inside of us.






If Tescos and Asda are lowering prices every day,

how come nothing is free yet?





You may be only one person in the world,

but you may also be the world to one person.







Some mistakes are too much fun

to only make once.







Don't cry because it's over;

smile because it happened.







We could learn a lot from crayons:

some are sharp, some are pretty,

some are dull, some have weird names,

and all are different colours....but

they all exist very nicely in the same box.






A truly happy person is one who

can enjoy the scenery on a detour.






Have an awesome day, and

know that someone

who thinks you're great

has thought about you today!..







"And that person was me.".....

Please don't keep this message

to yourself.....send it to those

who mean so much to you.... "NOW"..

The Poem

I knelt to pray but not for long, I had too much to do.

I had to hurry and get to work For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,

And jumped up off my knees.



My Christian duty was now done



My soul could rest at ease.



All day long I had no time



To spread a word of cheer. No time to speak of Christ to friends,



They'd laugh at me I'd fear.



No time, no time, too much to do,



That was my constant cry,



No time to give to souls in need



But at last the time, the time to die.



I went before the Lord, I came, I stood with downcast eyes.

For in his hands God held a book;

It was the book of life.



God looked into his book and said



"Your name I cannot find.



I once was going to write it down...



But never found the time"





Now do you have the time to pass it on?

Passion

Let me tell you, make sure you read all the way to the bottom. I almost deleted this email but I was blessed when I got to the end.



Subject: READ ONLY IF YOU HAVE TIME FOR GOD



God, when I received this e-mail, I thought...



I don't have time for this... And, this is really inappropriate during work.



Then, I realized that this kind of thinking is... Exactly, what has caused lot of the problems in our world today.



We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning...

Maybe, Sunday night...



And, the unlikely event of a midweek service.



We do like to have Him around during sickness...



And, of course, at funerals.



However, we don't have time, or room, for Him during work or play...



Because.... That's the part of our lives we think... We can, and should, handle on our own.



May God forgive me for ever thinking...



That... there is a time or place where.....



HE is not to be FIRST in my life.



We should always have time to remember all HE has done for us.



If, You aren't ashamed to do this...



Please follow the directions.



Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father."



Not ashamed?



Pass this on ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT!!



Yes, I do Love God.



HE is my source of existence and Savior.



He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I will be nothing. Without Him, I am nothing. But, with Christ, HE strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

This is the simplest test...



If You Love God... And, are not ashamed of all the marvelous things HE has done for you...



Send this to ten people and the person who sent it to you!



I don't think I know 10 people who would admit they love Jesus. Do You love Him?

Lucky Joke

THE LUCKY JOKE: YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE.



This is a joke that is supposed to bring you luck.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

An elderly woman walked into the Bank of Canada one morning with a purse full of money. She wanted to open a savings

account and insisted on talking to the president of the Bank

because, she said , she had a lot of money.



After

many lengthy discussions (after all, the client is always

right) an employee took the elderly woman to the president's

office.



The president of the Bank asked her how much she wanted to deposit. She placed her purse on his desk and replied,

"$165,000". The president was curious and asked her how she had been able to save so much money. The elderly woman

replied that she made bets.



The president was surprised and asked, "What kind of bets?"



The elderly woman replied, "Well, I bet you $25,000 that your testicles are square."



The president started to laugh and told the woman that it was

impossible to win a bet like that.



The woman never batted an eye. She just looked at the president and said, "Would you like to take my bet?"



"Certainly", replied the president. "I bet you $25,000 that my

testicles are not square."



"Done", the elderly woman answered. "But given the amount of money involved, if you don't mind I

would like to come back at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning with my lawyer as a witness."



"No problem", said the president of the Bank confidently.



That night, the president became very nervous about the bet

and spent a long time in front of the mirror examining his

testicles, turning them this way and that , checking them over

again and again until he was positive that no one could

consider his testicles as square and reassuring himself that there was no way he could lose the bet.



The next morning at exactly 10 o'clock the elderly woman

arrived at the president's office with her lawyer and

acknowledged the $25,000 bet made the day before that the

president's testicles were square.



The

president confirmed that the bet was the same as the one

made the day before. Then the elderly woman asked him to

drop his pants etc. so that she and her lawyer could see clearly.



The president was happy to oblige.



The elderly woman came closer so she could see better and

asked the president if she could touch them. "Of course", said the president "Given the amount of money involved, you

should be 100% sure."



The elderly woman did so with a little smile. Suddenly the

president noticed that the lawyer was banging his head against

the wall. He asked the elderly woman why he was doing that

and she replied, "Oh, it's probably because I bet him $100,000 that around 10 o'clock in the morning I would be holding the

balls of the President of the Bank of Canada !"



The origin of this Canadian story is unknown but it brings luck to everyone to whom it is sent. Whoever breaks the chain

would definitely be unlucky.



Do not keep this letter. And do not send money. Just forward it to five of your friends to whom you wish good

luck. Something good will happen to you in the next four days. If the chain is not broken, you will have good luck during the four days.



Even if all you do is make someone laugh, send it on!

Police Cars

THE BEST POLICE CARS IN THE WORLD!!!!!



ENJOY



German police car...Lamborgini..gallardo..max speed 320km/hr







Japan...lancer Evo IX..max speed 280km/hr







France ...pegaut...sports gt







spain .....audi TT max speed 280km/hr







england .....porsche ......Do I have to tell the speed...







Now for the Ultimate Police Car in the World !!!



.



FROM PHILIPPINES !!!!



.



.



.







Max Speed not disclosed due to Security Reasons ..))

Mr. Bean

The Best Of Mr. Bean Jokes Of Mr. Bean 1) BRAIN TUMOR:



Doctor: I regret to tell you that you have a brain tumor. Mr. Bean: Yesss!!! (jumps in joy)



Doctor: Did you understand what I just told you? Mr. Bean: Yes of course, do you think I'm dumb?



Doctor: Then why are you so happy? Mr. Bean: Because that proves that I have a brain!





2) MR. BEAN WHILE IN GRADE SCHOOL:



Teacher: What is 5 plus 4? Mr. Bean: 9



Teacher: What is 4 plus 5? Mr. Bean: Are you trying to fool me, you've just twisted the figure, the answer is 6!!





3) WHILE IN A DRUG STORE:



Mr. Bean: I'd like some vitamins for my grandson. Clerk: Sir, vitamin A, B or C? Mr. Bean: Any will do, my grandson doesn't know the alphabet yet!!



4) AT AN ATM MACHINE:



Friend: What are you looking at? Mr. Bean: I know your PIN no., hee, hee.

Friend: Alright, what is my PIN no. if you saw it? Mr. Bean: four asterisks (****)! 5) Marriage:



Friend: How many women do you believe must a man marry? Mr. Bean: 16



Friend: Why? Mr. Bean: Because the priest says 4 richer, 4 poorer, 4 better and 4worse.





6) CHATTING WITH HIS FRIEND:



Friend: How was the tape you borrowed from me, is it Ok? Mr. Bean: What do you mean ok, I thought it's a horror film. I didn't see any picture.



Friend: What tape did you took anyway? Mr. Bean: Head Cleaner.





7)DEATH OF HIS MOTHER: Mr. Bean:(crying) the doctor called, Mom's dead. Friend: condolence, my friend.



(After 2 minutes) Mr. Bean cries even louder Friend: what now?



Mr. Bean: my sister just called, her mom died too!





8) MR. BEAN ATTENDING A MEETING:



Colleague: Sorry I'm late. I got stuck in an elevator for 4 hrs because of a power failure. Mr. Bean: That's alright, me too...I got stuck on the escalator for 3 hrs.





9) Spelling lesson:



Mr. Bean's Son: Dad, what is the spelling of successful....is it one c or two c? Mr. Bean: Make it three c to be sure!