My search for happiness began a number of years ago.
What I have noticed this year is that it seems as though people are not very happy. Tempers are running high and patience is running low. One of the questions I ask myself …is this is due to the constant barrage of negativity from the news/TV/social media? I have come across a lot of articles about the search for happiness. One of the article I read somewhere stated that in order to improve your mental attitude you should stop watching TV. I tried that and what I have noticed that since I have stopped watching the news first thing every morning that my mood has improved significantly. I figure if something important happens someone is bound to tell me during the day. I certainly don’t want to hear it first thing in the morning.
In my search for happiness, there are three things that I do instead of watching TV in the morning?
One: The first thing I do in the morning is read. Recently I have been reading Psycho-cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. I have had this book for a long time and I am just now getting around to reading it. What I am finding as I read this book is how many similar ideas it has to Haanel’s Master Key system. As I become more aware I am seeing more and more connections with other books that I read.
One of the chapters in this book deals with how to be happy and successful.
“Within you, whoever you may be, regardless of how big a failure you may think yourself to be, is the ability and the power to do whatever you need to do to be happy and successful. Within you right now is the power to do things that you never thought possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs.”
Who would have thought that it could be so simple? Now keep in mind I did not say easy!!
“No one can decide what your thoughts will be but yourself. If you wait until circumstances “justify” your thinking pleasant thoughts, you are likely to wait forever.”
Two: The second thing that I do is meditate or “sit” for a minimum of 15 minutes. During this time I am focused on what I want and seeing myself as I want to be seen. I visualize myself as already being in possession of what I want and the type of person I want to be. In reading Haanel’s book “Master Key System”, he goes thru a progression of different ways to focus to improve your attention and concentration. There were some of the assignments that I was able to do easily and some that I am still struggling to do. I have made progress and I keep working on it.
One of the exercises is to look at a picture for a few minutes and then close your eyes and try to visualize that same picture. See every little detail including colors, shapes, etc…
Three: I am working on changing my thoughts and creating an attitude of gratitude. I take time to appreciate my abundance and all that I have. When I say abundance I am not speaking about finances. I am thankful for my friends and family, for the beauty of nature, etc… I am taking the time to appreciate the small things. This takes constant diligence and attention.
It is very easy to get sucked back into having a negative outlook. I have noticed that a lot of people prefer to talk about the negative things that are going on in the world. They are very quick to voice their negative attitude/opinion. Life is too short to not be happy. I think it was Henry David Thoreau who said: “most men are living lives of quiet desperation and die with their song still inside them.”
The book that has been most helpful on my journey to increase my happiness is by Emmet Fox and it is called the Mind Shift. Click Here if you would like to get a free copy of the book. There is a challenge in this book that if you are able to complete it successfully you will change your life. To be honest I have not been successful yet…
In summary, to improve your mental attitude and outlook on the day, stop watching TV, meditate, and work on changing your thoughts.
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