Be as Happy as You Want to Be

A lot of people must have heard the song 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin at one time or another. The song has a catchy way of conveying its message to everyone about being happy. Bobby McFerrin’s simple message surely motivated a lot of people by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient, and optimistic life is wonderful, and it is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from all the stress in your life. That’s good because stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

One of the best things ever said is – “The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change”. In our lives we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation, we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, so accept people for whom or what they are and avoid clashes and constant arguments. Also, let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable, still try and make an effort to understand the situation, and you might just get along with well with it.

Happiness is actually found in everyone, so increasing it is a way to make life more wonderful and healthier.

Being happy is relatively easy. Just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, or how bright or dull their outlook will be. The choice is simple really, so choose to be happy.

There are several ways which you can do this.

Being grateful is a great attitude. We have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely. Thank the cook for a wonderful dinner. Even thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also, thank the mailman for bringing you your mail, thank the policeman for making your place safe, and thank God for being alive.

News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.

A religious connection is also recommended. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers, and meditations foster inner peace.

Manage your time. Time is invaluable and is too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do, and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

Laugh and laugh heartily everyday. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say – “Laughter is the best medicine”.

Express your feelings, affections, friendship, and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep built-up anger or frustrations as this is bad for your health. Instead, find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.

Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us. They give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel are worthy of your time.

Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday. Learning also helps us expand and broaden our horizons and could also give us more opportunities in the future.

Run, jog, walk, and do other things that your body was made for! Feel alive!

Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins, and hazardous places.

These are the few simple things you can do everyday to be happy.

Finally, always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln. "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

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"A Piece of the Blarney Stone": 10 Ways to Improve Your Communication

The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of chatter. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).

There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though life watching talk shows, listening to radio programs, joining clubs dedicated to public speaking, getting involved in ordinary conversations, yet certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communicator than to know the very person closest to you: YOU!

1. What You Know

Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker means to practice what you've learned. My stint as a guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to has taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Listening

It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little more confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Humility

We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what they mean and yet rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly, and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh, and you can get away with it as well.

4. Eye Contact

There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though a certain someone may be gorgeous.

5. Kidding Around

A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when speaking. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd, and they'll feel that you're just as approachable and as human to those who listen.

6. Be Like the Rest of Them

Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as learning what makes people the way they are.

7. Me, Myself, and I

Admit it, there are times you when sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. Also while you're at it you can spruce it up as well.

8. With a Smile

A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.

9. A Role Model

There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

10. Preparation

Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.

That about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking, and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.

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