When Words Fail

How do you describe happiness If you feel better today can that elated feeling carry you through tomorrow,the next day and the next? How does one describe contentment when rare are the occasions when it is actually felt and appreciated.I guess what I am trying to ask you is are you happy? Be honest. Making do is not the same as being happy, it never was and it never will. To some people happiness is an ideal that must be pursued, a state of being that essentially completes them. Well, yes and no. Happiness is a feeling. It's a gauge which tells you you are essentially in the right path, that you are in good hands, and that you are loved. How does one arrive at being happy then? Do we simply decide one Tuesday morning after an awful Monday that we are simply going to be happy the rest of the week? If it were that simple, pharmaceutical companies making anti-depressants would be out of business in no time at all. All wars would end and the world would be a peaceful and happy place to live in. If it were only true.

The reason why most, if not all, of us are never contented is because we are hardly ever satisfied with what we have. The yearning to be more, to have more, and to do more drives us in a restless state of apprehension. We just want more of our desires be fulfilled and we want it now and fast. Now therein lies the ordeal of human nature as we spiral down this path.If you have a family remember the day your first child was born? Words fail you do they not? That indescribable feeling just takes over you and there are no words, no words at all, to describe how you've felt that day. Do you remember? Of course you do. THAT is happiness. Why would it not be worth it then to want to feel like that everyday, to feel blessed beyond your dreams, to feel complete? It's worth it and it's worth all of it.

Here are some Golden Rules on being happy:

Identify what your needs and desires are and draw the line between the two. Know what your basic fundamental needs are and what you deem to be commodities.

Don't make a habit of keeping your expectations too high. Aim high but be realistic with your expected results. If you keep them lofty most of the time you'd have to plan ahead in case of disappointments.

Learn how to accept and make do with what you have. What's in front of you is more real and tangible than what you can ever expect to have.

Practice patience. Know that being patient will yield more results than fumbling blindly into things.


Be humble at all times. Let people discover what you are about instead of broadcasting to the world and fail to deliver.

Stay away from negative people because negative people don't live very long.

Develop an open mind.

Never lash out in anger.

Nurture your relationships with other people and do play your part. Never promise what you can't deliver because losing someone's trust creates tension and basically says you are insensitive to other people's needs as well.

Be kind always.

Don't be afraid to say that you are sorry when you slight someone. Admitting your mistakes says a ton about your character. Remember that pride can only take you so far.

Be positive at all times.

Love more.

If you think about what you lack in your life and what you have try to assess what each means to you. What's more real? Work with what you have, That way you will develop a deeper appreciation of the many things that comprise your life. Be happy because you are blessed more than you know. Be happy because you are loved. Be happy because you love. If you keep this in mind you'll feel better today and everyday. Until our next post then...do take care and be kind to one another. Thank you for your time.

How to be more Productive

A lot of people mistake productivity with creativity. Being productive can also mean having conscious control over your resources so that they are more readily available when the need arises. If you are an artist but hadn't painted in years you are creative by nature, but not productive presently. You get the picture.One aspect of productivity has to do with managing and making the most of your time.We always complain that there isn't enough time for anything but we fail to take into account the many hours we spend in idle anticipation, waiting for something to happen, anything in fact. Being productive means also being proactive and not just with your time, mind you.What if you ended your day laying in your bed knowing today was a blast. It was productive, you've done and completed all that you've set out to do. Say you are in bed now with a smile and earnestly planning how to make tomorrow better because you felt good about today. In a sense, you've become productive and unleashed a potential you didn't know you had. What if for instance you felt that today was a total disappointment because nothing ever went right and you were late for almost all your appointments and your car had to break down in the middle of  4 p.m. traffic in Interstate 805. I mean let's face it folks THIS CAN HAPPEN to you and in more than one occassion. See setbacks like these as mere challenges, as a way life tests your mettle. I mean it could have been worse right? I sometimes expect the worst so my surprises are pleasent ones. What I am trying to drive at is IT'S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE. Why ruin a perfectly good day especially when you woke up feeling good about it.

Well, as before, being productive requires careful planning as well as identifying ( and nurturing) key qualities which you need. Plan ahead. Plan for a backup plan and a contingency plan should your backup plan fail too. Organize your activities into sets of time. Don't say, " Today I'll mow the lawn.". Instead, say, " Today, I'll mow the lawn before 10 a.m.." Do you see the difference? You were specific on the second statement but on the former what you actually meant was ," Today, I'll mow the lawn at my leisure and convenience." The right mindset changes everything. Set your goals in small increments towards a larger goal. This takes away most of the pressure brought about by time constraint. Be flexible with your time but be aware where you take off and where you add to. Be mindful of your time as well as that of others. If what you set out to do today couldn't be finished then finish something else (which, in most cases, was something you've put off since who knows when anyway). I never make a schedule planner of daily events because they tend to be stress inducing. You open yours and see which schedules and appointments you have to move to another date because you didn't have enough time. Always take into account the "in-betweens". For example your commute to another appointment you presume would take you a good 30 minutes; Then make that 45 minutes and say you needed the extra 15 minutes to freshen up. I know we don't always have this commodity but making your day less stressful makes you more productive and proactive.

Set your goals in time increments. What do you plan to accomplish today? What do you plan to accomplish tomorrow? In a week's time? In a month? In the near future? In the long run? You get the drift. Write down what your goal needs to see completion. Make a list of several key areas you need to address and give each area a realistic time frame by which you plan to accomplish it. Don't cut corners and don't compromise by taking risks. You'll only slow down and be really familiar with the column you'll have to write down called ,     " Reformulate your plan". Lastly, try to be more positive in all that you do. Don't lose your cool. Forge ahead and if you need to take the long way out to see today through completion then do so. You'll feel better knowing you've done what most people would have given up on. Until our next post, folks...do take care and thanks again for your time.