What are you waiting for?

If we are lucky, we get about 70 or 80 years on this planet. Yet so may of us spend much of his time trying and waiting to be happy. I would like to suggest that perhaps you are trying too hard! Perhaps you are waiting for the right circumstances to be happy and are overlooking all the great things that you have and have experienced which mean you can be happy right now.
There's a well-known saying about stopping to smell the roses. This is something so many of us fail to do. Rather than putting off your happiness until certain conditions arise. Consider what is happening in this moment and whether you are overlooking the joy in your present circumstances.
So rather than wait to get that new job; or find a new love; in order to feel happy, just be happy now at this moment ,with where you are and what you have. Stop delaying your happiness or you may find you put it off indefinitely.

Please have a look around.

I have just had a look back over some of my older posts from previous months.I suggest you do the same.You never know you might find something relevant and interesting. I know I did.
You can also scroll down to the bottom of the page and use the 'search this site' feature!
I would also like to strongly recommend that you check out my 'recommended sites' page. These are links to other sites I have developed with a view to helping you save money or make money.

If you don't try, you won't fail!

As is today's fashion, I have a T-shirt with a slogan on it. This reads ' if you don't try, you won't fail!' What I love about this, is that it suggests that you are better off not giving anything a try, as this means you will never be disappointed. But the most important thing is that it also points to the opposite. If you don't try you won't succeed either!
 I have tried many things in my life, some of which I have been successful at and others of which I have failed miserably. The trick I have learnt is not to see these failures as a bad thing, but rather as an opportunity to learn and grow. It takes a child on average at least 200 attempts at walking before they succeed. Each one of those failures contributes to the ultimate goal. As long as you learn from your mistakes they are not failures. If you never try anything you will never reach your potential and never know just how good you can be.

Have yourself a Ceremony

So often we let our worries get on top of us. Take five minutes, right now, to make a list of all your worries on piece of paper. Put down absolutely everything no matter how small. When you are happy (so to speak) with your list - destroy it! Tear it up, scrunch it up or even shred it! Now allow yourself to be worry free the rest of the day.  

You don't HAVE to win.

Someone once said that life is a game. A game that can't be won but can only be played (I think it was Will Smith in the film The Legend of Bagger Vance). The choice is how do you play the game? Or perhaps you don't play the game, perhaps the game plays you. There is a saying in Golf; let your mood control you're game not you're game control your mood. This could equally be applied to life. When you come across difficulties, how do you approach them? You can treat them as part of the game and play them as well as you can. After all, by adopting the right attitude and putting in enough effort surely the outcome will be more beneficial!
Life is all about the journey, not the destination. Sometimes it's about playing a bad hand well, rather than being dealt the best cards. It is also a matter of perspective. You don't have to win, you just have to know that you have played your best.

Tame your mind

Many of us have little or no control over the ramblings of our mind. In today's busy world we are so used to flitting our attention from one thing to another, that our poor mind gets no rest at all. Even when we sleep out minds slip into frantic dreaming.
 I would like to suggest you might like to have a go at mindfulness meditation. Just take five minutes to sit in comfortable silence and count your breaths. Start with 1 on the in breath and 2 on the out breath. Up to 10 and then start again. I also use the image of my mind as a horse in a huge field that has been let off its leash to run free. At first it goes like the wind, but soon settles and stands still in a relaxed state. You might find that 5 minutes of this every day will have a wonderful rejuvenating effect on your mind and may even help you get a more restorative nights sleep.

Be realistic about happiness

Most of us want to be happy for pretty much most if not all of the time. But let's be realistic about this. No-one can be happy 100% of the time. Life is not always smooth sailing. Sometimes we have to ride the waves of adversity. During these moments it is unrealistic to expect us to be happy, so don't get even more upset because you are not.
I have learnt to be patient and wait for those moments of happiness, no matter how fleeting. I appreciate them even more because I know their true value and I also know they will pass. As will moments of sadness. I believe a good approach is to aim for contentment most of the time. Be content with what you have, where you are and most importantly who you are. Happiness (and sadness) will come and go but you will/can always return to the standpoint of contentment in the end. Be realistic about what happiness is to you and you will appreciate it more.

Count your blessings

So many of us have got into the habit of complaining about things in our lives that we often forget to stop and smell the roses. First thing in the morning, just before you rise, name five things in your life you are thankful for. It could be anything; from having a loving partner to simply having clean water to drink. Repeat this exercise just before you go to sleep in the evening. Try to think of different things each time. Hopefully you will soon generate the habit of being appreciative for the good in your life rather than focusing on the bad, as we so often do.

Headspace

Here is a great website for learning the art of meditation and mindfulness - Headspace. There is also a great App for the iPhone.

Just let go.

Whatever you are worried about, I can almost guarantee that it won't matter in ten years. Maybe not even in 10 days or even 10 hours. Think back to a problem you had ten years ago. I bet it doesn't matter now. What's the use in worrying, it's really not worthwhile. All you end up doing is going from one worry to another. Most of which you will have forgotten about soon enough. If you find yourself moving from one worry to another, try re-framing them in you're mind as a challenge, or a chance to achieve success. This really is a more healthy approach.

Be a good listener.

When in  conversation with another person how often do you use the word I? It is always better to be interested that interesting. Strive to pay attention to what is being said and ask questions about the other person. This is so much better than not really listening and talking about oneself. Unfortunately we often fall into the trap of citing one of our experiences. Is this out of  empathy or is it one upmanship? You have two ears and one mouth, so you should listen twice as much as you talk.

You are unique.

So often we associate ourselves with our jobs so much that we often find it difficult to disassociate ourselves between who we are and what we do. If your job is becoming too important in your life then who are you when not at work. If you are what you do then when you don't you aren't! You are more than your job or Social Security number. You are unique and special person with so many facets. Explore them and enjoy being special.