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The "Secret Ingredient" of a Happy Life
When I speak with people about what makes them happy, I hear many responses. These range from good jobs to solid relationships and money in the bank, to a connection to their Creator. If I dig a little deeper, it is not any of these things in and of themselves that brings the happiness we all crave, but rather the feeling that is created when they have these items in their lives. I know that it sounds like I am talking semantics, but if you really stop to think about it, when you are at your happiest there is a definite feeling INSIDE that is associated with the person, place or thing that is occurring on the OUTSIDE!
One of the strongest and most powerful emotions that you can have which will actually generate a feeling of happiness inside you is GRATITUDE!! The more things you can find to be grateful for, the more happiness you will literally generate for yourself. Think about what that means for a minute...instead of depending on circumstance to determine what is a "good day" vs. a "bad one", you can actually have some control over how you feel. You can literally be happy almost every day of your life!
An Attitude of Gratitude
Have you ever taken the time to think about all of the things that you have been blessed with? Seriously, you live in the greatest country on earth, have a roof over your head, people who care about you, food in your belly and a hundred other things, I'm sure. Once you identify the amazing things and people that are in your life, you can begin the process of truly appreciating them and before you know it, you'll be creating a wave of "good feelings" that will move throughout your entire body. The following are some steps that you can take to begin feeling AMAZING, and creating a very, very happy life:
1. Break your life down into categories: Segment your life into major areas such as your health, your family and friends, your career, your social activities and hobbies, etc.
2. Make a list of things you are grateful for in each of your life categories: Take the time to identify as many things as you can that you are grateful for in each area of your life. Writing them all down is best as it allows you to use multiple senses (touch, sight and sound), but you should at least put yourself in a quiet space and go through them, one by one.
3. Review the list daily, and add to it whenever possible: If you will spend time every day FOCUSING on those things for which you are grateful, you will begin to notice a feeling of contentment, thankfulness and joy welling up inside you. In fact, when you get good at this stuff, it is very common to have a smile come across your face as you think, read or say those things for which you are grateful. The beautiful thing about doing this exercise daily is that you will create a momentum where the more things you look to be grateful for, the more things you will find! You can create what Jerry and Esther Hicks call a "Rampage of Appreciation" in their book, The Astonishing Power of Emotions. This flood of positive emotion creates a chemical reaction in the brain where a drugstore full of health promoting chemicals is produced! In other words, being happy is the best medicine you can take!!
What I'm Grateful For:
I am such a lucky and blessed individual. I have a wonderful wife who is the center of my world, my career has me speaking with amazing people every day, my circle of friends are absolutely phenomenal, I am incredibly healthy, and...I get to fly fish! I can be on one of several beautiful streams in less than 2 hours catching rainbows, browns, cutthroats or brookies on a nymph, dry or streamer with one of my fishing partners. I get to fish year around while staying in cool hotels, eating in wonderful restaurants, and making memories that will last a lifetime. I'm also grateful for the chance to share some of the information on health and wellness as it applies to we fly-fishers. The opportunity I have had to work with Flyfisherpros.com has truly been a wonderful experience for which I am very grateful. So, for all of you who have gone on this journey with me to this point, thank you for helping me stay grateful and happy...I can't wait to see what happens next!
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