Tag Archives: happiness

Changing Us

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“Sometimes the things we can’t change end up changing us.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Flickr by Sebastien Wiertz

Image from Flickr by Sebastien Wiertz

A topic that comes up fairly frequently in my coaching sessions these days is aging. As someone in the middle of the Baby Boom Generation, I see that most of my contemporaries are also experiencing the “grayification” of our society. We’re dealing with aging parents and our own health and fitness related issues.

Despite all of our best efforts to eat better, exercise more, and get much-needed rest to renew and recharge, we are heading toward an entropy of life, where things begin to break down and stop working optimally.

There happens to be a new form of coaching called “Eldering.” One of its tenets is to assist people in navigating these years with more grace, dignity, and life mastery.

EXERCISE:

How can you adjust, adapt, or change yourself in relationship to those issues and situations that are unchangeable, to more fully experience a life of greater happiness and fulfillment?

“True Happiness is…”

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“True Happiness is enjoying the scenery while on a detour.”

—Author Unknown

Image from www.culpwrit.com

Image from www.culpwrit.com

Over the spring and summer months, road construction in Michigan increases dramatically. Many people joke that we only have two seasons in Michigan—winter, and construction.

Unfortunately, the “happiness level” of many people drops considerably when the orange barrels and detour signs appear. These and other life detours—the things that differ from our intentions and expectations—will always be part of our lives. Today’s quote coaches us to make the most of them rather than resisting them.

EXERCISE:

How can you shift your perspective on the detours in your life, to claim a far greater helping of happiness each and every day?

“It is good to have an end to journey toward…”

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“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”

—Ernest Hemingway, American author and journalist

QC #789

Photo from Flickr by Jonty

If you examine the statistics related to life satisfaction and happiness, you will discover a fundamental trend. Those who are satisfied and happy consistently engage in their own life journey with a strong sense of meaning and purpose.

Far too many people lack this drive as they begin the day. They often wish parts of their lives away as they look forward to a weekend, or a vacation. In some cases, they look forward to retiring from what they experience as a dead-end job.

EXERCISE:

How can you be more of a map-maker and explorer in your professional and personal life, in order to make each day a fulfilling and satisfying journey?

“Even Socrates, who lived a very …”

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“Even Socrates, who lived a very frugal and simple life, loved to go to the market. When his students asked about this, he replied, ‘I love to go and see all the things I am happy without.’”

— Jack Kornfield, American author and Buddhist teacher

Photo from Flickr by Carlos Blanco

Photo from Flickr by Carlos Blanco

Nearly three years ago I began writing the Quotable Coach series. Six hundred and eighty-three posts later, I recall one of the very first quotes I selected: “The Best Things in Life are not Things.”

Consider exploring the nugget of wisdom by Jack Kornfield to examine the happiness Socrates found from leading a simple life.

EXERCISE:

What are your current sources of happiness? How might traveling lighter and living without some things make you even happier in the year ahead?

“Life’s strongest glue is being happy to be you!”

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“Life’s strongest glue is being happy to be you!”

-Author Unknown

Photo from Flickr by Sam-Catch

Photo from Flickr by Sam-Catch

Have you ever heard someone say another person “has it all together”?

What exactly does this mean? If we look at attributes that could pertain to this statement, we might include the following:

  • Professional Success
  • Quality Relationships
  • Health
  • Good Looks
  • Intelligence / Wisdom

This quote points to self-acceptance as an important factor, providing the foundation and adhesive that helps us have a fulfilling life.

EXERCISE:

What are your strongest inner qualities that most support your having a full and happy life?

In what ways can you expand or enhance these attributes to further strengthen your life?

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

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“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

– Buddha

Today, Wednesday 27th November, the holiday of Hanukkah begins. As part of this celebration, it is traditional to light the Hanukkah candles with the shamash candle. The shamash does not count as one of the Hanukkah candles but it is used to light all the others.

Exercise:

Imagine that your life force is a candle that has the power to bring happiness and light up the lives of others.

How will you use this gift today (and throughout the holiday season and the new year) to do just that?

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”

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“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”

– Phyllis Diller, late American comedian

Image from Unsplash by Petr Sevcovic

I recently attended a seminar where the speaker suggested that using Google was a great idea catalyst. From my research on the importance of smiling, here are a few interesting facts I’d like to share:

Smiling…

  • Slows the heart rate and relaxes the body.
  • Releases endorphins and diminishes stress and improves our mood.
  • Must have been used by the Seven Dwarves to increase their productivity as they whistled while they worked.
  • Improves relationships by increasing trust and building empathy.
  • Makes us more appealing and attractive – yes, smiling makes us look younger.
  • Improves our immune system and lowers our blood pressure.
  • Conveys optimism and positivity that helps us be more successful.

Exercise:

How can you smile more and turn that frown upside down to improve your life and, as Phyllis Diller suggests, to set everything straight?

“The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to forget is the happiest.”

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“The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to forget is the happiest.”

—Author Unknown

Recently, I have been working with my friend and personal organizer Lisa, to help remove some clutter from my home. It is amazing the happiness I experience to see my junk drawers open easily and to enter my closet where I have only the clothing that fits me. Donating those items I was not using felt pretty good too.

When I saw this quote, it made me think of the mental and emotional clutter we often carry around with us – and how this area can often benefit from a bit of a makeover.

Exercise:

Consider picking up a copy of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, where she describes her year-long journey using a wide variety of strategies to become happier.

#107: “Often the greatest enemy of present happiness is past happiness too well remembered.”

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– Oscar Hammling, writer

Many of us long for the good old days, the years of our youth – where things seemed simpler and the stresses of the modern world didn’t knock on our door, call us on our phone, or enter our email inboxes.

We selectively go into our memory banks and replay all those reruns of family vacations, personal adventures, and winning moments … without any of the commercials that were there all along.

Exercise:

Consider the Kodak experience at Disney World. Perhaps “making memories” is what our days are for. With this perspective in mind, how do you intend to live this day?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your details in the sidebar to the right.

#105: “Make happy those who are near and those who are far will come.”

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– Chinese proverb

Many years ago, I read a little book entitled Fish that presented a simple set of concepts to improve every work environment. The concept I remember most is “make their day.”

I get great pleasure looking for opportunities to add just a little bit more sunshine, one more smile, or an additional laugh to someone’s day. (Pretty corny, huh?)

The people in this world who focus on others tend to attract more people and more opportunities into their lives. We speak about their personalities with terms like “charisma” and “magnetic.”

Exercise:

What efforts do you take daily to support the happiness of others?

Who are the people in your life that bring you the greatest happiness?

What else can you do today and in the future to “make their day” and, in turn, attract more good things into your life?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your details in the sidebar to the right.