Be Knowledgeable With CPA Tax Preparation

By Hilda Durham

There can be so much of the things to consider when dealing with all the information that you should have in the mind. Right there, you can let yourself find what you should be working on. This might let you deal with the right details you can have so you might have everything you are supposed to get.

Insurance from working on everything can just be known well when there should be the tasks to be handled right in the moment. Thinking about the details can just let them know about all those they should be dealing well. The right CPA tax preparation can just give them the details they should be working on.

The tax might just have them work on everything they should be dealing with so they can let everything be handled right. This will be giving them the advantages in their pay so they might just get them what they are targeting to get. There can be the best details to be working well as this ca let them find what you must be doing.

Tax will serve as your contribution to the government for the projects that they are making. This can have you some ideas you have never imagined to get. Right there, you may have some of the information to be taken in the mind so you can just learn everything they must have there.

One can also have the advantages of having their tax paid in the right time. They may have some gifts to be given. They can let themselves enjoy the ideas they can have there so they will only have everything they might know about.

Some people just assign somebody to have their money ready and pay their taxes to get what they wanted. There should be the things they can handle well so there should be enough of those to be handled well. This is going to have them everything they might have there so this can be enough details to know.

This should be worked well in a nice flow since there can be many stuffs to be affected with the money to pay for the insurance. Everything should be done in organization so there will be no more confusion in making the tasks go. There will be the best details in everything you can handle well so you might find all the info to be known right.

Working on everything might just guide you in making the things be done in the way that you should know right there. Everything can be known well so this should be taken to consideration. Right there, information about the taxes that you have paid can just be known since the updates may let you deal with everything you can handle.

Working on everything you should have there may find you the information to know as the plans should be plotted well so you might just have the income tax returns. This is going to have you everything you should deal right there. Taxes should be under monitor to work on everything to be done in the moment.

About the Author:

You can visit georgetrenenbushcpa.com for more helpful information about Doing The Right CPA Tax Preparation.

The Psychology of Happiness

A lot has been written about happiness and from psychology to philosophy, different theories of happiness have focused on issues of satisfaction, contentment, and even spiritual liberation. But happiness is one of the most subjective mental states and several factors could be at play when a person is truly happy. Whereas anger or fear could be defined with physical reactions and certain behavioural patterns, this is not so for happiness and that is how happiness is extremely subjective. For example one bar of chocolate could make one child happy whereas another child would want two chocolate bars to feel truly happy.
So why do we feel happy? Happiness is usually associated with some kind of gain or attainment. When we achieve or attain something, we feel satisfied and this triggers happiness. The attainment does not have to be material, it could very well be spiritual. It could even be bodily and physical, just as an insomniac person would feel happy after a good night's sleep. So, in defining happiness we have to locate a specific material, spiritual or physical gain or attainment and the contentment arising as a result of this attainment. The question would arise whether it is possible to be happy without any attainment. I would say that it is not possible to happy without attaining something and this attainment does not have to be immediate and could be related any past achievement. Now, you could say that you do know someone who is always happy without any specific reason. It's that you haven't found out the reason for his happiness. He may be a simple man with simple needs and happy after a warm bath or a nice meal, so that's still some attainment. So, happiness always involves some attainment or need fulfilment, however small or big that is.
Psychologists have used several models including bio psychosocial and PERMA models to explain happiness suggesting that happiness is attained when our biological, psychological and sociological needs are met or when there is pleasure (bodily for instance), engagement (in some activity for instance), relationships, meaning (for instance purpose of life) and accomplishments. These models suggest that happiness involves something deeper than just our fleeting pleasures. I would differ and suggest that happiness being extremely subjective, some people may just be happy attaining pleasures whereas some others would seek meaning or possibly accomplishments and relationships. So the level or type of attainment that makes one happy would vary from one person to another.
Thus some people would be happy when their basic needs are fulfilled whereas some others would not be happy even after significant professional accomplishments as they may be expecting some other level or kind of achievement. Thus happiness largely depends on our subjective understanding of what it means to be happy. Since happiness is so subjective it cannot be strictly placed within models or frameworks although the underlying common factor that makes people happy is always some kind of attainment, gain or need fulfilment.
The next level of analysis would be whether happiness could be categorized to generalized happiness or a continued happy state of mind and specific happiness for attaining one of the specific pleasures or goals. I would suggest that there cannot be a generalized state of happiness without a specific reason. A seemingly happy person may not be genuinely happy or may be genuinely happy as he may have attained an exalted spiritual state or accumulated substantial wealth. So again as we see a continued state of happiness could also be explained with attainment.
The need fulfilment or attainment that triggers happiness could be biological such as bodily pleasures as when we quench our thirst, satisfy physical desires etc. The attainment could be social when we form relationships and feel happy or simply talk to strangers at a large event or remain engaged in social activity, or the attainment could be spiritual when we seek and even find some kind of spiritual liberation. The attainment or need fulfilment could be psychological when our love needs are fulfilled or when we reach our goals or fulfil our ambitions. The biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of attainment could provide happiness according to their needs. Thus happiness is intricately tied to our specific needs although these needs could be interrelated as for example the need for status or power could be both social and psychological.
Thus we distinguish the factors that could lead to happiness
1. Biological (bodily pleasures, basic needs)
2. Social (status, relationships, social activity and engagement)
3. Psychological (emotional, love, friendship, personal accomplishments)
4. Spiritual (finding meaning and purpose, transpersonal needs)
There could be several reactions to happiness and this could range from smiling to engaging in rigorous physical activity as happiness could mean a sudden surge in energy levels. People who engage in physical activity are more likely to be happy due to improved blood circulation and general good health. However happiness being an extremely subjective emotional state, in order to feel genuinely happy, some achievement in terms of long term goals such as love or conjugal life, wealth, spiritual liberation, or professional achievement could help a person to attain a continued happy state of mind. This is the prolonged state of happiness that has causes similar to any transient state of happiness although the effects could be long lasting. The people who have a prolonged state of happiness are generally lively, sporty, fun loving and optimistic. A child may show a prolonged state of happiness when adequate care and love are provided by their parents or carers. However transient states of happiness are more common as prolonged states of happiness could be interrupted by adverse life events so momentary joys and pleasures provide us with reassurance to accept and embrace life.
From a more psychoanalytic point of view, happiness would be related to desire, libido, our energy levels and even the defense mechanisms that we unconsciously use to vent out our frustration and thus remain happy or calm. Happiness would naturally raise our libidinal levels and make us more energetic and high levels of energy could in turn make us happy, so this process is cyclical. Several scientific studies have shown that happiness is directly related to our levels of energy.
Considering defense mechanisms, psychoanalysis could in a way suggest that happiness is actually acting out or reaction formation when we show certain reactions that may be completely opposite to what we feel. For example in reaction formation we may show happiness, when in reality we are sad or depressed. Although genuine happiness could be explained with psychoanalysis as well, as for example, an artist is genuinely happy when he can sublimate his desires to socially acceptable forms of expression through his creativity. A sportsman is genuinely happy when he can channel his aggressive or sexual desires through sport or rigorous activity. So these defense mechanisms in psychoanalysis could actually produce genuine happiness in people because of the inherent survival and coping strategies involved in these defenses.
Finally, happiness being a state of mind would be entirely subjective and would evoke extreme subjective reactions. For instance, someone laughs on hearing a joke and feel happy about it and someone else would be sarcastic or may not feel the same level of excitement. Whereas anger and other emotions could be explained in terms of physical responses, happiness usually does not have defined physical responses although there is a general positive feeling of well being and the physical responses could vary considerably. As I have stated on the psychology of emotions, it would be necessary to determine the components of feeling and bodily reaction for every emotion including happiness and psychology has an extensive research project to consider for the future.

Reflections in Psychology - Part I - by Saberi Roy (2009)
http://www.lulu.com/content/5865445
Reflections in Psychology - Part II - by Saberi Roy (2011)
[http://www.saberiroy.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saberi_Roy

Insights On The Concept Of Hospital Coding

By Sherry Gross

All professions and activities in provision of healthcare are subject to the stipulated systems of universal health management.Hospital coding is extremely esential and acts as a major health management tool. It refers to how medical diagnostics, procedures and other health concerns are converted into universally recognized code numbers.

Diagnosis codes track diseases and related health concerns including chronic ailments like diabetes melitus and cardiac diseases, and ailments which spread easily such as norvirus, athlete foot and the flu. The procedural codes are applied in public health programs, private insurance companies and others sectors including workers compensation carriers.

These medical classification numbers and codes are used in all areas of medicine, public health sectors as well as medical informatics. These include therapeutic reactions, statistical analysis of ailments, reimbursement in diagnosis groups and oversight on epidemics and pandemic impacts.There are two main classes in coding systems, these are country specific standards and international standards.

The statistical classification system puts similar clinical concerns into specific categories. This coding is limited in order to a small size in order to prompt easy and quick mastery. Statistical methods are used in international statistical grouping of diseases and general health concerns. For instance, circulatory diseases are all placed in chapter ix and are coded as 100 to 199.There are precise categories such as supra-ventricular tachycardia under which we also have concepts such as auricular tachycardia, nodal tachycardia and proximal junction tachycardia. Another distinguishing feature is seen in the provision of unspecified conditions that are absent in any particular category. A special feature of the statistical method is that it contains provision of residual categories for other unspecified conditions.

In nomenclatures, there exists a separate listing and code for each clinical concept. From the above instance, each of the tachycardia that is listed has its own code. Thus, in this regard, it is viewed as ineffective in compiling these health statistics.

The types of coding methods as discussed include diagnostic codes generally used in determination of disorders, diseases and symptoms which may be used to determine morbidity and death, pharmaceutical codes which identify medications, procedural codes that are the alphanumeric codes or numbers used to identify given health interventions undertaken by medical professionals and topographical codes that indicate a precise location in the body.

The world health organization gives several globally adopted classification designs to provide surveillance on health data for the population with regard to time and compiling national data in a consistent manner.

Healthcare coding is growing rampantly in the health industry and the demand for coders is very high. In most countries, this job is plentiful and the salaries mostly start at $30000 a year. Anyone considering to join a career in this particular healthcare line must have the two main basics of the field, education and certification. In addition, aspirants competence and preciseness are two qualities that would give one an upper hand in the job

An upcoming trend is outsourcing coding tasks to third parties. As technology evolves day by day, coding platforms will emerge and the outsourcing model will become more established in the industry.

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Finding The Best Psychic Advisor On The Internet

By Sherry Gross

Life tends to being a lot of questions and uncertainties. Getting the help of psychics is something that some people do if they want to attain peace of mind and enlightenment. If you are on the hunt for a psychic advisor, you simply need to sit in front of your computer. It's for certain that you will run into a highly reputable one to consult in cyberspace.

These days, so many psychics are operating in cyberspace. They come from various places on the planet. The methods or techniques they use vary tremendously as well. You can be sure, however, that not all of them can give you what you are looking for exactly. Aside from flushing your money down the drain, opting for a bad one will only leave you with the wrong recommendations.

In cyberspace, both reputable psychics and those masquerading to be experts coexist. It's a good thing that you are not going to have a difficult time determining which one of them should be trusted. Finding excellent psychics on the web can be as easy as asking for some referrals. You may also obtain a listing of top-notch service providers using a search engine.

The best psychics in cyberspace will surely be sought after by a lot of people. It's a good thing if the expert you wish to opt for is preferred by so many customers who like to get consultations electronically. This is sign that the individual is really good at what he or she does. However, you definitely want to choose someone who is available when you need advice.

You can rest assured that you need to pay more if you want to go for accomplished psychics. Grabbing cheap deals can be very tempting but you are very likely to end up feeling frustrated afterwards. Similarly, it's not advisable for you to go for someone who asks for an exorbitant amount of cash most especially if it's going to leave your budget in shambles.

A lot of the pros operating on the internet provide free readings in order to persuade their customers to go for their paid services. Even though you may obtain limited information, it is usually good enough to let you see whether the advisor is good or not. Search for a different service provider if the psychic who gave you free advice failed to make an impact.

Never seal the deal with a person who makes you feel more anxious than positive. There are those who will lure you to pay for the subsequent consultations by claiming that your life is in peril and they are the only ones who can lend a hand. The best psychics out there won't force you to choose them. Instead, they will leave it up to you to make the right decision.

When searching for psychics online, focus your attention only on those getting positive reviews from their previous customers. Stay away from a person who seems to get nothing but negative comments. You may also try checking if you have relatives, friends or associates who know of highly reputable psychics operating in cyberspace.

About the Author:

You can visit kimbasworld.com for more helpful information about Looking For The Best Online Psychic Advisor.

Making Positive Changes In Your Life

Happiness is a satisfied feeling of being content. How many people do you know that are in that state? Most people are always searching for the one thing that will make them happy. Comments like when I get out of college, I'll be happy or when I buy my BMW, I'll be happy or when I win the lottery, I'll be happy.

Accumulation of physical objects is not the prerequisite of being happy. Some of the richest people in the world who appear to have everything one could desire are not happy people. True happiness is a state of mind. Getting to that state of mind may be more difficult to achieve.

The first step is to appreciate all that you do have in your life and not focus on the items you are lacking. Try to surround yourself with positive energy such as happy people, funny movies, upbeat music and positive reading material. We don't need to expose ourselves to negative movies and television. Negative people drain the positive energy from you so it's best to avoid these individuals when you can. You are in charge of your life.

You should take very seriously everything that you consume and that means not just watching everything you expose yourself to but those things that you eat, drink, and inhale. It is important to the body to attain balance and harmony and a body that is being exposed to toxins regularly will not be the positive temple that you are looking for to fill with positive messages.

Mental positive thoughts will manifest into positive physical changes that will benefit you throughout your life. You can picture positive things happening in your mind and continue to maintain those thoughts and soon the thoughts become actions and what you seek will begin to materialize. Accomplishments begin as a conquering thought within your mind. If you think it, you can achieve it

Motivational speakers are the first that will attest to the mind as being the most powerful tool in your arsenal. These speakers encourage people to think they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. It is important to teach our youth this concept at an early age. If one puts their mind to achieving something not many obstacles will discourage them from seeking out the goals they desire.

How to Find Happiness - 5 Simple Techniques

It would seem fair and accurate to say that a common 'quest' shared by many would be how to find happiness in our daily lives. Authentic happiness may be defined by different people in different ways but ultimately it comes down to an inner peace we feel. It therefore stands to reason that the key to happiness is finding that inner peace which brings us to our discussion here today. What is it we can do to or how is it we can act that will help bring happiness, or more of it, into our lives?

Here are 5 simple techniques you can immediately use with little effort that will help put 'pep in your step' and bring happiness into your life.

Be Grateful

It is amazing how showing a little gratitude can make your insides feel so warm and fuzzy. Besides the fact that it feels nice to be nice these actions bring out the best in others also. The result is they respond to you in the same fashion and in the end this can bring happiness to everybody involved.

Also by giving thanks it consciously makes you aware that others are acting kindly towards you so you therefore appreciate it more.

Be Optimistic

If you stop and consider how much influence each one of us has over our own destiny there is no reason not to have hope. Possessing hope or optimism gives you more energy and a certain sense of excitement about the way things 'can' be. This helps to 'lighten' your mood and can bring happiness to those around you.

Perform Random Acts of Kindness

Much like giving thanks being helpful to others without expectations of reward or reciprocation makes you feel good about yourself. The resulting reactions you get from the people who you helped only serve to make you feel even better.

Emphasize Your Strengths

So you got some weaknesses, big deal, everybody does too. Learn to put more emphasis on the strengths you posses whether it is a sense of humor being a good listener or something else. Using your strengths gives you more confidence and likely gets a better reaction from others both of which tend to make you feel better about yourself.

Count Your Blessings

Look around you and see others that have various challenges such as physical, financial or emotional in nature and appreciate what you have and who you are. No matter what the situation may be there is ALWAYS somebody who has it tougher than you! Life is only as bad as you 'perceive' it to be.

With lifestyles that seem to be consumed by work and stress it is no wonder that many question how to find happiness in their own lives. Not the happiness you may experience when leaving work for the day or perhaps a long weekend but true authentic happiness that stress can NOT erase. These 5 techniques reviewed here today can quickly establish that sense of 'well being' to help make you feel a more 'positive connection' with your own life. Stimulating this sense of inner peace is the key to happiness and comes with giving thanks for what it is we ALREADY have.

The Art Of Happiness- Authentic Tips

Would you like to be 100% happier than you are now? How about 1,000% happier? What stands between you and having greater happiness now? Read on to see how you can discover the happiness you're looking for in your life. It's just one step away.

Have you ever noticed how often people rely on others in their pursuit of happiness? How they expect someone else to make them happy? You might hear people say things like: "If only he would be nicer." "Didn't she know that would hurt my feelings?" "I would be happy if he would only talk to me more."
When people have this idea in their head they can spend a lot of time figuring out how to fix or change other people.

What's the trouble if you try this strategy? Not only do the other people feel irritated, they often get defensive at your attempt to "FIX" them. And it leaves you powerless. If THEY don't change, YOU can't be happy.
But even more important is that, since what you focus your attention on grows, focusing on what you don't like will cause it to become what you notice most in your life.

Say, for example, when your significant other comes home they often leave a trail with their clothes, bags, books, whatever, strewn throughout the house. It drives you nuts! Every time you look at the residue of stuff they leave behind them, you feel irritated.

This has gone on for so long that now you notice every little piece of debris, everywhere you look, all the time.

Where you place your attention increases.

Perhaps you say something like this to them: "Can't you pick up after yourself? You are such a slob."
It's probably not the first time you've talked about the clothes on the floor. And probably not much has changed since that first time. So what happens next?

The person leaving the clothes around probably gets annoyed at being told what to do. You lose hope that things will ever change. And you focus more and more on what you don't enjoy about your partner.
Remember, what you focus your attention on grows!

So here it is, the step that will move you closer to being happier than ever before: Develop YOUR ability to focus your attention on what you ENJOY.

Maybe this sounds too simple. But ask yourself: "What would my day be like if I started and ended it by simply noticing or remembering everything that I enjoy in my life?"

Remember, what you focus your attention on grows. Focus on what you enjoy - it's quite simply the fastest, easiest step you can take to start finding happiness in every moment.

Try this. Pretend that you have an emotional bank account. Every one of your thoughts makes a deposit. This means that if you're constantly depositing painful memories in your emotional bank account, they will grow and grow.

Those painful memories will multiply just like in regular bank account giving interest. What's this? It's compounding the effect of thoughts like: "What a slob!" with more thoughts like: "She doesn't care about me." or "He's the most selfish person I've ever met."

Now, do you feel happy?

Take each day and look for things you are grateful for and really bring you true pleasure.

Your significant other comes into the house and smiles. Is that something to be thankful for? They ask you if you would like a cup of tea. Is that something to be thankful for? You see them put something away, without being asked. Is that something to be thankful for?

Now imagine depositing these memories in your emotional bank account, day after day. And compound them with as many other thankful, grateful thoughts as you can so they grow and grow. "I love it when he remember I like milk in my coffee; he's so considerate sometimes." "I'm so glad we like doing things together." "We just have so much in common; she is so much fun to be with"

How do you feel now?

Happy or sad, good or bad, pleasure or pain - authentic happiness is up to you. Focus on what you enjoy. Enjoy being thankful. It's something anyone can do, even you.

What you focus your attention on will grow. You do have an emotional bank account so start saving your happiness up today. With a bank-full of thankful, you'll be a master at the art of "having happiness now."

What Really Creates Happiness?

 

Some people believe that achieving happiness is the purpose of life, yet the pursuit of happiness often leads to unhappiness. This is because happiness is actually a consequence of a different life purpose – the pursuit of evolving our souls in our ability to love ourselves and others.

When achieving happiness is your goal, you might pursue this in three different ways:

1) You might pursue momentary pleasure, believing that your happiness is the same as pleasure. When this is your belief, you might pursue happiness through substances such as alcohol, drugs, nicotine, or food. Or you might pursue happiness through activities such as sex, spending or gambling.

2) If you believe that your happiness is attached to money and the outcome of things regarding money, you might pursue control over outcomes through spending most of your time working, as well as accumulating and managing money.

3) If you believe that your happiness is attached to people, you might pursue control over getting love, approval, attention, admiration, or acknowledgement.

While momentary pleasure feels good, it is just momentary. Which means that you need to keep on doing whatever you believe will bring you happiness, over and over. This is what creates addictions – the pursuit of what you believe will avoid pain and bring pleasure. The problem is that none of these pursuits bring deep and abiding happiness, because their affects are always momentary.

True happiness is not the result of DOING, but of a way of BEING. Rather than being a result of the momentary pleasures of the outside world, it is the result of your intention to evolve daily as a loving human being.

What does this mean?
This means that ongoing happiness is the result of choosing the spiritual path of kindness, compassion, understanding, and acceptance.

Yet it is not enough to express kindness and compassion toward others. Many have tried this and still end up feeling empty and angry when the deep happiness they desire continues to elude them.

The path toward happiness starts with opening to learning about what is most loving and compassionate toward YOURSELF. You can have all the things that people believe will bring happiness – money, a good relationship, a family, work you enjoy – yet if you are critical and judgmental toward yourself instead of accepting and compassionate with yourself, you will not feel happy.

Imagine a child who seemingly has everything – tons of toys, the best schools, great vacations, lots of friends. But imagine that this child has parents who ignore him or her, or who are very critical, judgmental and controlling of him or her. This child will not be happy, no matter how many external things he or she has.

Imagine that this child is you – the feelings within you. How are you treating this child? How do you treat your feelings? Do you ignore your feelings and cover them over with substance or process addictions? Are you judgmental of yourself, constantly telling yourself that you are not good enough, that you are inadequate in some way?Ignoring yourself or judging yourself will always lead to unhappiness, so matter how much you have in the external world or how loving you are to others. Until you decide to start treating yourself the way you want others to treat you, deep and abiding happiness will elude you. As long as you are treating yourself the way your parents may have treated you or themselves, you will continue to feel the emptiness and aloneness that comes from self-abandonment.

If you want to experience true happiness, then start to pay attention to your own feelings with a deep desire to learn about what you are doing or not doing that is causing your pain and unhappiness. Happiness will be the natural consequence of your willingness to take full, 100% responsibility for your own feelings, and learn about and take action regarding what truly brings you joy.

Happiness at Work? Is it Possible? Yes, if You Know the Nuances of Happiness

Do you ever feel lethargic and lost at work? Do you ever feel vulnerable and powerless, like a tiny cog in a huge machine? Do you wish that you could be truly happy at work?

“Happiness at work is elusive,” says psychiatrist Dr. Kerry J. Sulkowicz. Sulkowicz teaches that a better goal is to enjoy your work and strive for high performance. That is more realistic. Why? Happiness is complex. It is difficult to sustain for long periods of time. It often ebbs and flows with the people around you and ultimately, happiness must be generated from within.

In your quest for happiness at work, it is important to understand root causes. When identified, root causes give you clues to why you feel vulnerable and powerless. I learned this when I worked in a corporation where I was expected to be merely a puppet, doing exactly what the manager said and acting precisely when he pulled my strings.

The behavior of my manager was my root cause for unhappiness as he drained essential life force from me but I displaced my anger on my family and work associates. Seeing my relationships suffer, I had to step back and analyze why I was so unhappy. As I consciously looked at my feelings and emotions, I realized that the root cause of my anger was a manager who did not allow me to collaborate, have input, think through and solve problems related to my work.

Once I identified, admitted to myself, and accepted this root cause of my unhappiness, my annoyance and irritation subsided. I was no longer a victim, but had a sense of power coming from my ability to cope with negative feelings. By insulating myself mentally and emotionally from the behaviors of my manager, I returned to a pleasant person. I restored my good relationships with friends and family, regained my mental energy, and climbed on top of my workload.

The ups and downs of work life are inevitable. Work is work! Only in Cinderella fairy tales is work free from pressure, demands, and anxiety. Believing you are entitled to happiness at work every hour of the day makes you neurotic and causes your mental state to go up and down like a yo-yo.

Next time you feel unhappy and lethargic at work, look for the root cause which may not be your manager but an overdue project or an assignment just out of your skill set. Stabilize your identity as a valuable cog in organizational progress, believe in your inner power to manage your mental and emotional energy, and then focus on consistent and excellent results.

It is possible to find happiness at work when you understand the subtle nuances of creating a mental and emotional environment where happiness can thrive within.

A New Definition of Happiness

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Happiness.  It’s a word we hear about all the time.  It’s something that we work for, that we work to achieve.  Yet day by day we seem no closer to attaining it.  Happiness eludes us.

Yes, we’ve had moments when we felt happy.  Perhaps it was a wedding.  Or a birth of a child.  Or it was that other night, when we were hanging out with friends, or spending time with family.  In those moments, we felt happy, truly, deeply happy.  Transcendent almost.

And then it fades.  Darkness ensues.  The happiness is gone.  In its place will often be a vacuum. 

We ask, “What’s the point?”  If we have the inalienable right to pursue happiness, then what is the point if we don’t feel like we can ever reach it, or achieve it?  That which we want more than anything, to be happy, seems to be something that we can’t have.

Maybe if we had more money!  That’s really all we need!  Or maybe it’s that brand spankin’ new 3D-LED HD TV.  A new car?  Yes, that’s it!

No, no it’s not money or things we want, but we want a relationship.  A man or woman who will complete us – that will make us happy!  If we’re in a relationship – if only we weren’t in the relationship! 

But then we get those things and after a brief honeymoon we’re back where we started. 

Empty.  Sad.  So we try to think of other things.  And the cycle continues.

It seems we can’t be happy.  So what do we do? 

We employ distraction.  We watch TV (obsessively) to distract ourselves from our lives so we don’t have to think about how miserable we are or how miserable the world is.  We drink.  We smoke.  We eat.  We check our phones every thirty seconds. 

We take subconscious shortcuts to happiness.  Yet we never seem to be any happier, if anything, the shortcuts seem to be part of the problem.  Then we become addicted to the distractions and we are even more unhappy.  Turn on the 11:00 news – you know what I mean.  The world sucks, so how can we be happy anyway?

A NEW DEFINITION OF HAPPINESS
After spending the last paragraphs utterly depressed it’s time to step away from the ledge.  Because we can be happy.  But in order to be happy we have to unlearn everything we’ve ever thought about or even lived about happiness.

First – what happiness ISN’T.

Happiness is not an endpoint. 

If our goal is to achieve happiness then we will never be happy.
Yes, read that again. 

Happiness is not the goal.  The pursuit of happiness is an illusion.  If we pursue happiness we will never reach it.

Until now we’ve thought about happiness as the destination.  It’s not.

“Wait, what are you talking about?” 

We have been told from everyone – parents, teachers, politicians, tv personalities, that the goal of our lives is to achieve happiness.  It’s in the Declaration of Independence!  Can Thomas Jefferson be wrong?

Yes, it’s everywhere.  We are told time and time again that we must pursue happiness.  We are told the goal of our lives is to be happy.

Yet how many of us are happy?  Not many.  Because we cannot pursue happiness.  Let me rephrase, we can pursue happiness if we wish, but we’ll never get there.  Our efforts will be futile.  We know this because we have lived this.  We are living this.

It’s time for us to develop a new concept of happiness.  It’s time for us to redefine happiness because our current definition is just not working.  No – it’s worse than that.  Our current definition, of happiness as our goal/destination is simply wrong.

So what is happiness? 

Happiness is a result.  

Happiness is what results when we are on the path we instinctually know that we should be on. 

Happiness is what results when we are growing, when we are expanding, when we are developing.
Happiness is not something we can do, or achieve.  It’s a result.  It’s a byproduct.  When we are growing, when we are expanding, the result will be happiness.

We will never achieve happiness if our goal is happiness. 

Our goal must be one of expansion, growth, development.  While we are working toward that goal, we will be happy. 

Happiness is not about smiling.  It isn’t about the expression of joy on the face.  We might be toiling harder than we have ever toiled before.  The expressions on our faces might be one of pain, contempt.  But inside we will be singing because we are working on ourselves and developing and growing.  The result is happiness. 

Therefore, the key, the key for you to be thinking about right now is – are you on the right path?  Are you learning?  Are you growing?  Are you developing?  Because when you can honestly answer “Yes” to those questions, then you will be on your journey, and the result will be happiness.

How to Attract Happiness

I wonder whether you noticed an article by the columnist David Brooks in the New York Times entitled the "Sandra Bullock Trade". It certainly caught my eye as it focuses upon the interactions between personal and professional success with levels of happiness.

Over the last few decades much research has been carried out with regards to the science of happiness. A state of happiness is after all what we would all wish to experience. There are many different and varied goals which we might pursue, but ultimately the thing which we seek through any of these diverse routes is happiness.

One of the many pieces of research has identified that to achieve professional success does not necessarily mean that you will achieve corresponding levels of happiness. But success in your personal life, in your marriage or close relationships, does provide a good indication of happiness. More money might lead you to greater happiness, but not necessarily so; a good relationship is far more likely to pave the way to happiness (and also longevity, but that is another story).

So why are so many more people in this day and age apparently so fixated upon their careers and monetary goals, seemingly oblivious to the potential negative impact upon their relationships? It seems that we are searching for happiness in the wrong places and perhaps it is time for many of us to take a step back and view our lives from a different angle.

This can however be hard to do when we live in a society where our self confidence, self image and sense of achievement is often measured by what we do as opposed to who we really are. Our sense of identity can become blurred and indistinct as our professional persona grows larger and our inner self takes a back seat. As time goes by it becomes easier to live with that persona as it becomes more familiar to us, and frequently shields us from our inner fears and doubts.

Many of us reach a point where we do not want to let go of either the trappings of a successful career or the persona of that successful professional image. But if it is not making you happy or, worse still, standing in the way of your happiness, then it is time for a change. When one reaches such an insight, it becomes important to strip away a few of those superficial layers and look instead at ones inner reality.

Hypnosis is very helpful in this process as it allows you to access your subconscious mind, the part where instinctive thoughts and behaviors are stored. In effect, hypnosis allows you to take a step back and see things from a different angle. Hypnosis helps you to relax in the moment and to experience happiness at the same time.

We know from research findings that to be in a good close relationship is a better indicator of happiness than anything else. Thus the most important thing to focus upon so as to attract happiness into your life is the area of personal relationships. In creating deeper and more meaningful bonds in your personal relationships you will derive far more happiness than from professional success.

Tips On How To Be Happy At Work

Unfortunately a lot of people state that their work place or job makes them unhappy. If this is something that affects your levels of happiness, then take a look at the following tips on how to be happy at work.

Let's start by saying that no one is permanently happy in their workplace, and we all face days where we just don't want to go. However there are certain things that we can do in order to avoid those days. The first tip I can give you is to never put things off. Many of us have had difficult clients that we just don't want to deal with, but unfortunately putting things off can only lead to us feeling unhappy. When you are faced with this situation you should tackle it quickly and get it done. That way you are not dwelling on it, and you will feel a sense of achievement once it is done.

Do not overload yourself with work. Many people take on too much work and become stressed and unhappy. One of the best ways to be happy at work is to stay on top of your workload. That doesn't mean that you should skip lunch in order to get work done, as this will just affect your concentration and work. If you are falling behind on urgent work then you could always eat and work at the same time.

You can improve the way in which you feel about work by personalising your work area. This means pinning up photos of your loved ones or placing a photo on your desk. If you start to feel low then a quick glimpse of your family or even your pet will put a smile on your face.

One of the key ways to be happy at work is not to be scared to say no. Many of us feel stressed and pressurised into saying yes to colleagues when they get asked for help, this can sometimes add more pressure onto ourselves. No one likes to say no, but saying yes when you really can't or don't want to is going to affect your happiness.

One final bit of information that I suggest for you to be happy at work is not to involve yourself in things that do not concern you. Within the workplace the less you know is sometimes better, as it keeps you focused on what is important. This allows you to free your brain of the stressful situations that you no control over. Through following the simple tips listed above you will be able to ensure that you remain happy at work.

What Does It Take to Keep a Guy Happy? Here Are a Set of Things You Can Do Consistently

When we want a relationship to work out well then we have to make an effort to keep our partner happy. If you want to know what you need to do to keep your guy happy and smiling then read on.

     Be honest with him
When you want to keep a man happy then you have to be honest with him in all your interactions. Have an open and transparent relationship where he is allowed to be. You also need to see that you don't try to act like someone else to impress him. Be honest about who you are and your man will be happy.

     Love him completely
Much like women, men too need to feel the love. Show your man that you love him. Do things that make him feel special. Tell him how much you appreciate all the things that he does for you and your man will be happy.

     Don't try to change him
When you want a man to be happy then you have to make him feel that he is perfect. Don't try to make him see his faults or make him feel inadequate by constantly criticizing him or trying to change him.

     Give him the freedom and space that he needs
To be happy in a relationship men need to know that they are free and that their space hasn't and isn't going to be compromised. So, allow your man to feel like he has all the control that he wants. Let him feel free to go out with his buddies. Show him that you trust him by not meddling with his stuff. Do all of this and your man will be happy with you.

     Don't use guilt as a weapon
Don't use guilt to manipulate your man to do something for you. The less guilt you use to get your way, the better you look in your man's eyes. And the less manipulated he feels, the happier he is in a relationship.

     Value people he values
When you want to keep your guy happy you have to take a look at the things and people who matter to him. Show him that you care for all that matters to him. Take special care of his needs. Make an effort to get along with his friends and family and your man will be happy.

     Don't be difficult to handle
Lastly, to keep your man happy you need to be easy to get along with. Keep the diva act aside and focus on keeping your relationship easy and fun and your man will always be happy.

The Life You Want: Get Motivated, Lose Weight, and Be Happy by Bob Greene

"The Life You Want: Get Motivated, Lose Weight, and Be Happy" is the newest book by fitness author Bob Greene, who also wrote "Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body and a Better Life," "Keep the Connection: Choices for a Better Body and a Healthier Life," "The Best Life Diet," and a number of others.

This book, written with psychologist Ann Kearney-Cooke and nutritionist Janis Jibrin focuses on common barriers to weight loss success and provides practical tips in regards to emotional eating and lack of motivation.

After an introduction, where Greene tells a personal story that involves his looking into the emotional and psychological side of weight loss, and what this book can do for the reader, it begins with a chapter on barriers to weight loss success. Greene addresses eight barriers, and none of them are eating or exercising, but rather mental or emotional aspects.

In chapter two, Kearney-Cooke addresses overcoming emotional eating. This is a big problem for many, and this chapter reveals some simple ways to find your motivation, overcome barriers, and find replacements for eating to deal with emotions. It's a practical chapter with advice on how to achieve your goals in these areas.

The third chapter is by Jibrin, and it focuses on rewiring your sugar, fat, and salt loving brain. There is some interesting information on why we eat what we do, eight reasons why we should get control of our eating, and her nine step program for sticking to a nutritious, calorie appropriate diet.

Greene is back with chapter four, where he covers conquering exercise aversion. If you have trouble getting up and getting going, this chapter may just help you find some motivation to move.

He lists thirteen reasons to exercise, and you really only need to pick one to motivate yourself to do it. He addresses many common excuses and to overcome them, as well as different types of exercises you should be including into your workouts.

Chapter five is on transforming your body image, and in it Kearney-Cooke addresses a topic that many people need help with, especially with the images we are bombarded with on television and the print media.
Greene is back again with chapter six, which covers maintaining weight loss. He looks at what works and what doesn't, and provides some good suggestions and tips in making sure when you lose weight, you keep it off.

Being happy is important, and Kearney-Cooke looks at what it takes to be happy in chapter seven. I liked this chapter and think a lot of people could benefit from following the simple guidelines set forth in these pages.

Following chapter seven, there is Appendix 1 which contains The Lifestyle Log. This is an encouragement with a sample worksheet, to record important things about your lifestyle such as your sleep, hunger, food and drink consumption, etc.

Appendix 2 covers Body Mass Index, while Appendix 3 has the Goldberg Depression Scale. Appendix 4 has instructions on goal setting worksheets with a sample, and Appendix 5 has The Motivational Interview to help you assess yourself. Appendix 6 is The Best Life Approach to Exercise by Greene. Simple plan with suggested exercises. Short descriptions of the exercises, but no pictures.

Overall, this is a good book for many people who are having difficulties losing weight, or keeping it off, due to emotional hangups or the lack of motivation.

The authors offer simple and practical guidance to overcome such barriers, get motivated, lose weight, and be happy. If you need assistance in these areas, check out this book, but more importantly, apply what the authors teach.

Can You Be Happy in a Loveless Marriage?

On an almost daily basis, I have people who contact me and ask for advice on handling or coping with their "loveless marriage." Sometimes they are describing a relationship where the spark, connection, affection, and chemistry is gone.

And other times, they mean that they and their spouse are no longer having sex. Whatever the actual living arrangements, they are usually reaching out because they know that there is a serious flaw in their marriage and they want to find a way to be with happy within in.

Most of the time, they don't see divorce as an option perhaps because of their children or because they believe that this commitment should be forever. I often hear comments like "We'll never get divorced so how can I learn to be happy in my loveless marriage?" Or, "how can I survive and keep my sanity in a marriage without love?" In the following article, I'll explore whether it's possible to truly be happy when you're living in a loveless marriage.

Finding Happiness In A Loveless Marriage. Is It Possible? Before I get to this specific question, I want to offer some reassurance that this is an incredibly common situation. Often, when people tell me that they're living in a marriage which they don't see as loving, it's as if they confessing something truly strange, and they're almost ashamed of it.

I have to tell you though that I'm seeing this situation with much more frequency. Perhaps it's because of our economy or other external factors, but this situation is not one that is at all uncommon. So, if you're feeling guilt or shame, you can rest assured that you're most definitely not alone.

Another issue that I've noticed is that most people who contact me about this issue have given up hope that their marriage can or will change. Many of them see the lack of love as something that is going to be permanent.

They usually aren't looking for a way to change the marriage into a loving one (at least at first.) Instead, they're looking for a way to be happy or to cope in spite of it. I find this to be somewhat frustrating because I've seen even marriages which appeared to be completely devoid of affection turn around.

But back to question of whether it's possible to be happy in this situation. I think that it's possible to be happy in other areas of your life.

For example, you can be happy because of your children or your career or your friends. You can be happy with yourself. You can have a very rich internal and even external life so long as you are able to separate all of these things from your marriage.

And that's really where the problem lies. When you are in this situation, your ability to be happy almost lies within your ability to simultaneously separate your life from your marriage. This is not to say that it can't be done because I've seen people who are able to do this. They basically have come to accept their marriage for what it is and they live around it. And some of them even appear to be content.

But I'm always left wondering what would happen and what their life and contentment level would look like if they were able to find some love or loving feelings within their marriage again. I suspect life would go from firing on half cylinders to full cylinders and this would feel quite different to all involved.

I truly believe that you don't need to be in a romantic relationship to be happy. In other words, I certainly don't believe that a woman always needs a man to be complete or to feel fulfilled. But, when you are already in a relationship and are accepting that this relationship will never be a loving or fulfilling one, then I suspect that you might be selling yourself short.

Sure, you can learn to separate your satisfaction in other areas of your life from your marriage and in this case you could function just fine and even feel happiness and satisfaction. But the joy that comes from loving and feeling loved would be absent and I suspect that this absence would be certainly be felt.

Does this mean you can't be happy? Absolutely not. It just means that you have to learn to be happy without this particular aspect of your life present, which could potentially mean that although you don't reach your entire capacity for happiness, you generally feel happy enough.

What Are Your Options When You're Living In A Loveless Marriage?: Sometimes when I discuss this topic with folks, they tell me that they don't feel as if they really have any choices. For a variety of reasons, they aren't going to walk away from their marriage or from their spouse. Mostly, I don't think that they feel that their problems are severe enough to walk away. Many tell me that their spouse is a good person with whom that get along but whom they just aren't "in love with."

So, the options would appear to be to leave the relationship in search of a better one. (And as I said this usually is seen as the last resort.

I can certainly respect this because I too believe that in many cases, marriage should be forever.) The second option would be to learn to live around the marriage as best as you can and to seek happiness in other areas of your life. And some people have become quite good at this.

The third option would be try to improve the marriage so that you no longer have to try to mesh a loveless marriage with your own happiness. I am generally surprised that more people don't pursue this option.

I firmly believe and have experienced marriages which had been "loveless" for years make dramatic and satisfying come backs. And I'll often suggest that this is certainly worth a try. What do you have to lose if the marriage is already one that is lacking in love? I would suspect that the possibility of being happy in all areas of your life would make this an option worth pursuing.

It was my husband, not me, who felt that our marriage was "loveless," so he threatened to end it. I knew that it wasn't over for me and I refused to give up. I felt very strongly that we could be happy again. But, for a long time I drew on negative emotions rather than positive ones.

How to Motivate Yourself - Best 3 Tips for Getting Motivated

I guess you would like to know how to motivate yourself. Who wouldn't? Imagine a man fired up and his motivation to the roof. Imagine that this state of mind lasts for years.

What do you think a man like that could achieve in his life? Yes, you are right! Everything! Motivation is the key to success in our life and we know that but we do not know the key to motivation. This is where we struggle and desperately want to find an easy way on how to motivate ourselves so that we can achieve everything that we have always dreamt about.

Tip1 Distractions are Bad - Get Rid of Them Quickly
First thing you want to do if you would like to get motivated is to get rid of everything that distracts you in any way. Sit down, take a paper and write everything that you are doing in a routine every day but which is not important and which can be sliced out.

Most common thing that people do is watching TV too much. It's time to stop it. I'm not saying that you should throw the TV out of your home but at least make a list of things that you can watch and keep it really small because TV is not important.

We just think it is because we have accustomed us to it. I assure you even if you throw it out of your home after a month you won't even need a TV. Daily news can be read on internet and I believe it's everything you need. Movies and specially TV series are time consuming.

Educational material can also always be found on internet and you'll search only for things you want to know and you'll not lose time listening to 9 things you are not interested to find out one thing that is important to you.

Like TV you can also get rid of any other stuff in your life to free some space for important things.

Tip2 Why do You Want to Know How to Motivate Yourself
OK, after the distractions we still need to know how to motivate yourself. So this is the next thing and maybe the most important thing you should do. Write down WHY you want to do something. For example why do you want to lose weight?

Write everything down. If the reason is your health write all the good things if you exercise and all the bad things if you don't. What are the benefits of a great body you are dreaming of? Does attracting the girls/boys with a great body mean something to you? If yes write it down. Write everything, and write in details. This should be at least a one paper of text and whenever you feel down you should read this. Of course, on the way of exercising you'll find other benefits and the list should be changed. Keep revising the list on the way.

Tip3 Setting Goals Will Get Your Motivation High Enough
After you got rid of distractions and after you've written down all the WHYs there is only one thing you should know about how to motivate yourself and this is setting goals. This is very important and it has to be done right. Writing only one final goal is not enough.

You have to set many small goals and steps on the way to the final goal. You should also set the time deadlines for every goal.

Goals have to be achievable, but on the other side they have to be challenging too. I personally go even further and set my goals for every day that comes. I take 5-10 minutes in evening and write down everything I'm going to do tomorrow. This has really helped me to do a lot of stuff that I've usually tried to avoid.

Let's do it NOW
These three steps are very good but they'll not work if you are not ready to implement them. You have to start doing it now. It's all up to you.

I've only given you the tools; you have to use these tools to get a higher motivation level that will lead you to your dreams. I hope that I've helped you a little in your quest of how to motivate yourself.

How To Be Happy When Things Are Going Wrong

When things are going wrong, there is an intense focus on the bad things in your life. This intense focus on bad things also brings up more fear that you will experience more bad things, hence making your life seem even worse.

It isn't that we are to deny that we have fears or try to fight our negative thoughts; it is that we are to come home to our center. When I say "come home to our center" it is to simply let go and forgive all those negative thoughts and images flying around in your head.

Coming home to your center is bringing your energy and your focus to the inner you, to connect with that part of you that is God, that is all loving, that is joyful.

We have looked away from this area of ourselves for so long that we have forgotten ourselves and our own connection to God. Listening to your intuition (God speaking within you) is near impossible to hear when you are so focused on the bad things happening in your life.

You have a choice to focus on peace and balance in the midst of the bad things that are happening to you. Do not resist your bad feelings, most likely anyone experiencing what you are experiencing would certainly feel the same way. But, if you ever want to experience happiness when everything is going wrong, then you must focus and CHOOSE to look at the value of your spirit and your inner self. That value has nothing to do with what the ego says is wrong in your life.

Let the ego (that negative, limiting voice in your head) spout off all the bad things that might happen to you, let it scream like a whining child in the background, send it love, and choose not to take it so seriously. What is says is not THE ONLY TRUTH.

Choose something more positive and loving. Practice makes perfect, you may not feel like you are getting it right the first time you try. Keep trying and have faith. What have you got to lose?

If you are having problems getting your emotions to follow along with your decision to be happy and positive, then there are ways to change that permanently. Through a little research, you can rediscover your power of choice and create the joy filled life you desire.

There are techniques that can change the way you feel and create the life of your dreams in a short period of time.

Don't give up hope and let life get you down! If it's your motivation for life you have lost, then learn different ways of getting motivated by clicking the link.

Can You Be Happy In A Same Sex Marriage? - Pros And Cons

Men and women, all have the same dream - to commit themselves fully to someone that they love and who loves them back and this is manifested through marriage between parties.

Though it seems impossible and was considered taboo in the last few decades or so, and at the same time persecuted often in public, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals can now enjoy this public declaration of their love to their partner through the passing of same-sex marriage laws. Same-sex marriage gives our LGBT community the power to enjoy the same benefits as well as obligations as that of other married couples.

Where Same-Sex Marriage is Allowed
Although same-sex marriage is now seen as inevitable, it is still not accepted in many countries as well as in several US states. Countries that legally recognized same-sex include Argentina, Brazil, France, Iceland, New Zealand, Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay and Sweden.

Progress however can be seen as UK will fully recognize same sex marriage in 2014 and several states in the US have already started recognizing and issuing marriage licenses for LGBT couples including Connecticut, Hawaii, California, Iowa, Maryland, New Hampshire, Delaware, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington, Maine, Rhode Island, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois and the District of Columbia.

Is Same-Sex Marriage For You and Your Partner?
Those who wish to get married under the same-sex marriage law should understand the pros and cons before getting married. Talking with their partner can help decide whether getting married will benefit both or not. Below are some of the pros and cons that one has to consider before getting married.

PROS
If the couple lives in the US then they would get to enjoy the benefits that the government provides for married couples as well. Some examples of these benefits would include health care, nursing home and social security benefits. Other benefits exclusive to the state also applies if the couple lives in the state that recognizes civil union or same-sex marriages.

Another benefit of getting married is the fact that one can have children and have the same support, rights and responsibilities as accorded by the law with heterosexual couples.

One partner can also adopt their biological kid from another partner and can even enjoy visitation and custody rights as opposed to those who are unmarried. The other partner also automatically becomes the guardian and legal parent of the children should one partner die.

CONS
As any marriage that does fall apart, getting divorced has its own complexities that couples should take note of. One of the cons would include splitting up properties especially for those who have no pre-nuptial agreement made beforehand. Properties are merged and thus would be split in half when one files for divorce. The other partner is also entitled under the law to seek alimony.

Whatever you and your partner decide, marriage is a beautiful event that happens once in a lifetime - make it count.

How to Relax and Be Happy During Hard Times

 

Knowing how to relax and be happy, no matter what is happening around you, is a real gift. There have been real life accounts of people who were rich and healthy, who seemed to lead an ideal life, and yet, they were unhappy or sad. On the other hand, there have also been accounts of people whose lives were hard, even painful, and yet, they were happy. How can this be?

The reason for these paradoxes is that happiness and sadness are not determined by circumstances, but by our state of mind. That may be one of the greatest gifts of life and each of us may partake of it merely by learning how to focus on things that bring peace, relaxation, happiness.

Whatever we focus on will determine our mental, emotional, and even physical state. Of course, there are some limitations, but I have rarely found a person who couldn't be happier or more relaxed.

I learned the value of focusing my mind many years ago when I had to overcome a very big challenge. I had a young family to support and managed to land a job in a shipyard repairing submarines. It was a good job with health benefits and security that I needed for my wife and son.

However, I was assigned to the torpedo room and was told that I would be working inside tanks and even inside the long torpedo tubes. I had suffered from pretty severe claustrophobia all my life and had omitted to mention that when I got hired because I was afraid I wouldn't get the job if I brought it up.

For those of you who may never have been on a submarine, particularly a small, fast attack submarine, let me describe it for you. Every square inch of space in a submarine is precious and almost every part has equipment and pipes in the way.

Humans are the last piece of equipment to be added and therefore, we have to work around all those pipes, wires, machines, pumps and gear. Worse yet, a torpedo tube is a long metal pipe, like a big gun barrel, with a door on each end. At one end is the torpedo room and at the other end, the ocean. It is cold, dark, and so small you have to crawl in and out. There isn't enough room to turn around in a torpedo tube so if you crawl in headfirst, you are looking at the dark end.

The first day I went into the torpedo room, my boss asked if I was afraid of tight places. I tried to hide my fear and said, "No." He then told me to crawl inside the torpedo tube with an inside micrometer (a measuring device) to measure at certain intervals the entire length of the tube. I was afraid that I would panic once in the tube, but managed to crawl inside with my drop light and micrometer, pen and paper. Then, a thought occurred to me. Maybe if I kept focused on measuring and writing, I wouldn't notice the tight spot or think about a panic attack.

I crawled to the far end of the tube, about 30 feet away, all the while thinking about the job and how to do it. Before I knew it, I was at the far end of the tube. I put the light down and started measuring and writing the measurements on the paper. When I say I focused, I mean I really focused, consequently, I did a great job. Unfortunately for me, I did such a good job that I wound up working in those torpedo tubes day after day, measuring and grinding them back into shape.

I crawled all over those submarines during the next two years, in tighter spots than the torpedo tubes, too. My method was always the same, just focus on what you want to do and do it. The fact that I was also studying meditation and learning how to focus was a great help to me, as well. It was a valuable life lesson about how your surroundings have less to do with your feelings than your attitude and desire. My desire was to provide for my family and myself, even if it meant doing something difficult and fear producing, my attitude was that I could do it if I focused on the job.

It may be the same for you. Focus on what you want in life. I am not talking about material things, but rather, the feelings you want. What thought makes you feel happy? You will only be as happy or sad as you feel and thoughts lead to feelings. While chemical changes in the body and brain do affect our feelings, our thoughts affect the chemicals in our bodies.

Every thought that you have is an electro-chemical event in your body and produces polypeptides and hormones that affect how you feel, even your physical health. While clinical depression is a medical condition that does require medical care, for many of us, our thoughts and learning to use them for our own happiness, is all it takes to feel good even when times are bad.

How To Be Happy In Life - Keys To Staying Young And Happy

What is happiness? A lot of people want to be happy but when you ask them about the meaning of the word happiness, the answers always different. In some cases, people cannot even tell what it really means for them. However, we all know that each and one of us wants to have a happy and fulfilled life. It does not only make life a lot more exciting but it also makes people look vibrant and young. We should also remember that happiness is not always about having material things. How can we achieve it? Here are some keys on how to stay young and happy.

Optimism - A person with a positive outlook on life will always find a way to be happy. Life is all about how you view it and this means that happiness is a choice. You either feel sad and negative about the things that are happening to you or you accept things and looking at the brighter side. One you develop optimism, you will realize that life is not at all bad. Therefore, when challenges come and you have to face them, always think positively.

Future - The future is always exciting if that is how you view it. You need to look forward to it. Having something - an event, a person, a date - to look forward to will make you feel happy. It will energize your mornings and it will make you feel excited about starting the day. Starting the day with the right mindset and feelings will always make it end well. From time to time, set up dates with your friends or family. Have a feasible goal that you want to achieve in a certain time frame. This way, you will always have an inspiration to make every day worthwhile.

Instinct - You should always follow your instincts or your gut feelings. It is not because they are always true but because that is the only way you can feel less guilty if things do not work out well. Decision making is always a difficult task. The longer you think about it, the harder and more frustrating it gets. Therefore, the next time you have to choose among several options, trust your instinct and follow it right away. If it turns out not fine, do not regret so much. Sometimes, wrong decisions can be right at some point.

Money - Money is not the source of happiness but it can be a way for people to be happy. People who claim that they do not need money to be happy are just plain hypocrites. You need money because you need food and shelter. What you do not need is too much money. No matter how much you have in excess, it does not matter. It will all depend on how positively you view things around you and how you react to life's challenges.

Loved Ones - You need others to be happy. What is the point of achieving happiness if you do not have someone to share it with? Treasure your family, your relatives and your friends. You should also treasure new people in your life.
 

12 Simple Ways to Be Happy in Life

Happiness is one of the most sought-after goals in life. Of course, all of us want to be happy and there are many ways to be happy in life - whatever we have, wherever we are and in whatever things we do. Sometimes we tend to be chasing some material things because we think that can make us happy. But as always said, happiness is a choice. It is how we see things.
 
I personally was surprised that simple things such as these can make us happy. We often thought happiness is difficult to achieve because we think happiness is some job promotion, or a game show prize or a brand new car. Indeed, there are simple ways to be happy in life and we tend to forget them.
 
(1)  Be Thankful. Count your blessings. Focus on what you have achieved. Instead of thinking what you want to have in life, make a list or even a mental list of what you already have and be thankful for it. Being appreciative of the blessing you have will tend to attract more of it.
 
(2) Share. Sharing indeed can make a big difference. You can give somebody a little joy by sharing your abilities and what you have and you will feel that happiness in you. Indeed, the joy of giving is one of the good ways to be happy.
 
(3) Stay healthy. It can be difficult to be happy with a sickly body. Having problems with your health can also be the cause of many worries in life. So take care of yourself, take care of your body, eat healthy and enjoy a good health.
 
(4) Get out of debt. Manage your finances. Do not spend more than you can afford.
 
(5) Know how to deal with stress. Stress has been a major part of our lives these days. From a demanding work to stress with family problems - they are all around. But as mentioned, happiness is a choice. Do not let stress overrule your life. Find creative ways to relieve stress. Practice meditation. Practice deep relaxation.
 
(6) Make healthy relationships. Good friendships, healthy marriage and great family are good ways to attain happiness in life. Not everything may be perfect but you can always do something about it. Remember, happiness is a choice.
 
(7) Help others. Volunteer to help others with their needs. This way you get to realize that there are more people who need your attention than being too focused on your selfish goals in life.
 
(8) Exercise. It does not only keep you active but it can also boost your body's natural mood enhancers.
 
(9) Enjoy simple things. Happiness sometimes comes from simple things in life, like having a good time with your pet dog, a flower blooming in your garden or the joys of cooking your favorite recipe.
 
(10) Do what you enjoy. If your passion is writing, spend some time writing. If you love swimming or you enjoy teaching the children, find ways to enjoy your passion.
 
(11) Enjoy good music. Play your favorite musical instrument or enjoy a good dance.
 
(12) Enjoy the pleasures of walking. Smell the fresh scent of the air, take time to enjoy the beauty of flowers or enjoy the rising of the sun while having your morning walk.
 
Indeed, these are simple ways to be happy in life. If you are one of the many people who think happiness is so elusive, think again.

How To Be Happy: Growth and Goals

Positive psychologist Professor Martin Seligmann identified attainment as an area of vital importance when it comes to fulfilling our potential to be happy. Through his studies he discovered that when we foster new skills and focus on working towards meaningful goals, we are directly investing in our psychological resilience and wellbeing.
So it's official: having goals is good for our mental health, and this has been backed up by many subsequent studies. For example a research study of 30,000 people at Melbourne University revealed that the happiest people in the participant sample were those that were actively pursuing their own goals. The goals spanned a wide area: they concerned studies, careers, recreation, relationships, hobbies, health and leisure. The goals included short term, medium term and long term ones. The one thing that the goals did have in common is that they were instrinsic goals. An instrinsic goal is one that holds personal meaning for the person pursuing it. That is to say it is not a goal that has been imposed on them by the expectations of others.
Another study found that people who focus on and actively enjoy the process of working towards their goals gain a greater boost to their psychological wellbeing than those who are concentrating just on getting across the 'finishing line', and not allowing themselves to enjoy the process at all, merely viewing it as a means to an end.
But why are goals so good for us? There are many reasons, here are just three key ones: For one, goals help us master the use of time, when we are pursuing a goal we feel strongly about we develop schedules and become more efficient at using the time that's available to us, rather than wasting time procrastinating or watching too much TV. In this way they bring structure and meaning to our lives. A second reason is goals lead to positive emotion: every step we complete that brings us closer to our goal gives us an emotional boost and a sense of accomplishment. Linked to this, goals increase our confidence in ourselves. As we actively determine what we are doing with our time and energy, we get a sense of our own power. Thirdly, goals can help us through difficult times. When situations beyond our control challenge our emotional wellbeing, our goals gives us a life line - something to hold on to and pull ourselves forward through the difficult period.
If you think you could benefit from a few more active goals in your life, here is a good way five step method you can use. 1. Brainstorm as many instrinsic goals as you can come up with and then pick out the few you are most drawn to. 2. Breakdown the goals in to smaller subgoals, the stepping stones of the journey to get there. 3. Break the sub goals down further into micro goals if needs be. The point it to get the goal into small enough chunks that they are not daunting but enjoyable. 4. Take the very first few sub goals and make a schedule for when you will have achieved them by. Writing the deadlines in your calendar, diary or phone is an important part of this step. Also, remember it is better to start slow and give yourself more time than you need than to feel rushed and fail to meet your deadlines. 5. Pick your mile stones and decide how you will celebrate them. Ask yourself what are the key subgoals that will mark out that you're well on the way to achieving the end goal. Write the reward you'll give yourself (e.g. music, some clothes, a weekend away) at each milestone and don't forget to give it!
Begin your own experiment today to see if the powerful effect of goals on wellbeing holds up as much in your life as it does in the research papers. What would you love to have or become or achieve? Ask yourself this honest question and then sit back and enjoy the journey.

How To Be Happy: The Meaning of Life

In western consumer society, pleasure is elevated as the most vital ingredient to happiness. Pleasure produces positive emotion and undoubtedly positive emotion does have a critical role to play when it comes to our wellbeing.

The positive emotions we experience by engaging in pleasurable, leisure activities such as eating, drinking, shopping or watching films is short lived though. A life that is full of passive leisure and little else would ultimately not be a satisfying one or indeed a happy one, in the broader sense of the word. Why? Because although pleasurable activity can bring positive emotion it does not offer meaning.

To be as happy as we can, we need to seek the meaning in our lives. We do this by living what Aristotle called 'the good life'. Unlike the pleasant life of just leisure, the good life involves knowing what your character strengths are adapting your life so you use them more, and to use them in service of something larger than you are.

When we are working to our strengths we also get to experience flow, which is a state of mindfulness during which we are fully absorbed in the present to the point where 'time stands still'. Some describe being in flow as being at one with what you are doing.

As multiple research studies has shown that living 'a good life' increases life satisfaction and living a 'pleasant life' does not, it is worth learning about our strengths and how they can help us to generate and experience more meaning.

Meaning varies from person to person: what is meaningful to you might mean nothing much to me. But wherever your personal meaning in life might lie, it almost always involves being attached to something bigger than you are. We never find much meaning within our selves alone. It's important to remember too that people usually draw meaning form a number of sources, including religion, hobbies, campaigns, projects, career, family and friends.

A good first step to take if we are seeking to enrich the meaning in our lives is to complete the free VIA strengths survey that you can access on the authentic happiness.org website (which is a great positive psychology resource). This will give you a definite idea of what your signature strengths are, and this will allow you to think of ways that you could use them more.

To conclude: the meaning of life lies in learning about who you uniquely are and then connecting yourself to some bigger pictures, and contribute to them using your natural strengths.