The Art Of Gratitude: Happiness (Don’t Worry, Be Happy)

Happy Thanksgiving … Merry Christmas … Happy New Year!  Okay, I don’t want to sound like a Grinch or something, however, why do I get the impression that we need to be merry or happy just once, twice or maybe three times a year?  I started thinking that life would be grand, and our world will be a better place to live if we can find a way to be happy every day.  Whoa … down boy … almost stepped onto my soap box again!

While pondering those thoughts, guess what song started playing in my head … Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” … that tune gets a little addictive and keeps on playing in your head, over and over … don’t you think?!?  So, while this tune is playing, I’ll be writing this blog as I start whistling its melody, snapping my fingers (mentally), and hitting some high notes.

Please understand, I don’t subscribe to all of the song’s lyrics.  Especially the one that goes, “The land lord say your rent is late, He may have to litigate, Don't worry, be happy.”  Well, okay, that‘s no laughing matter … and let’s show some responsibility here!

So, what is happiness to you?

To me, happiness is a state of joy and gratitude for what we have and what we are.  It is the ability to look at the present and see it as good.  If happiness is based on a future event, then what do we have to be grateful for???  It’s like saying, “If I get that new job, then I’ll be happy.”  So during this waiting period you’ll be hoping and praying that you get the job, and at the same time worrying that you won’t get that job.  So if you don’t get the job, what then?  That type of thinking is flawed, it’s counter-productive.  Don’t worry (about what may or may not materialize), and be happy for what you have and what you are.  In so doing, you open the channel for more good to come.

As this year is winding down, focus on what worked for you, and be grateful for it.  Analyze what worked, why it worked and how you can improve on it.  Then apply the golden nuggets you discovered to your future, up-coming projects.

Live in the present, and be happy and grateful for what you have right now.  But never be satisfied with the status quo.

Here’s the music video for “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”  I remember seeing this video years ago on MTV, and now it’s on YouTube.  You’ll get a kick viewing it.  Robin Williams is funny as ever.

Best Wishes To You & Yours On This Wonderful Holiday Season,

g.Hiro.s

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The Art Of Gratitude: Non-Resistance

You run a red light, and a police officer flags you down – you’ve been busted!  He asks for your driver’s license and car insurance, and voila(!), your car insurance expired!  Well, actually, you just forgot to replace the expired insurance card with the new one you got through the mail last week.  The officer looks you right in the eye, and tells you that you ran a red light, and on top of that, you’re driving the car with, theoretically, no car insurance.  The officer then states that if your car insurance was up-to-date, he’ll let you go this time.  However, since it’s not, he can’t release you of the infraction.  You explain to the officer that you have it, however, it is at home … and plead with him that if he follows you home you will present him with the new insurance card.  Well, the officer goes on to say that it is illegal to leave the scene, etc., etc., etc., and gives you a ticket and advises you to write a letter to the court or present your case to the presiding judge.

So you write the letter and mail it to the address on the ticket.  No response at all … you wait till the day before the court appearance … and still no response to your letter.  You have no choice but to go to your scheduled court appearance.  And when the judge asks you about the “charges”, you say “not guilty, your honor”.  The premise of your “not guilty” response?  Well, because the officer mentioned that if your car insurance was not expired, that he would have let you go.  And two, since it was a “T” intersection with two traffic lights not very far apart, you got caught on the 2^nd light which turned red quickly.  And so you rationalize.

The verdict?

GUILTY!  Guilty as guilty can be!

When you look at that incident and the final decision rendered by the judge, the decision could have favored the individual who ran the red light.  However, he tried to “fight” the system … or, in this case, resisted the situation (i.e., running a red light).  And the outcome?  A decision not in favor of that person.  If he just went with the flow, and admitted that he was wrong in running the red light, the judge could have given him a chance and not charged him.  However, since the individual went against the flow, he got the decision he deserved.

Note … what you resist always persists.  When you go against the flow, that is, resisting something, you are directing negative energy to it.  And this resistance strengthens it and affects you more negatively … you start to struggle with it … depleting your precious energy reserves.

Now then … how do we combat this?

You need to “change directions” when you notice that you are struggling with a situation … go with the flow, let non-resistance work for you.  Just remember … what is, is … don’t fight it.

You should see the situation for what it is, and just acknowledge it.  This will free you from the negative aspect of the situation (i.e., “the problem”), and allow you to view the situation in the best possible way, for what the situation truly is.  In doing so, you direct positive energy to work out the situation.

Whenever you give out positive energy, you inevitably become the recipient of positive energy.  So if you take a positive action to solve a problem, your problem will be resolved in return. Always take positive rather than negative action. This will make non-resistance work for you.

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