✨One man was happy all his life...

He smiled and laughed all the time, no one ever saw him sad. There were times when people would ask him different questions about it:

- Why are you never sad? How do you always manage to be happy? What is the secret of your happiness?

To which the man would usually reply:

- I was once as sad as you. Suddenly, it hit me: this is MY choice, MY life! And I make that choice - every day, every hour, every minute. And since then, every time I wake up, I ask myself:

- Well, 🤔 what will I choose today: sadness or happiness?

✨It always turns out that I choose HAPPY✨🤗

@Positivity

Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now

1. Smile. Raise the corners of your mouth. Soon your smile will become genuine. The smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine, and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy."

2. Breathe deeply and slowly. Focus your entire attention on each in-breath and out-breath. Imagine drawing new clean energy in through the top of your head on each in-breath, and expelling old stale energy out the soles of your feet on each out-breath.

3. Take a quiet walk by yourself. Focus on each step and on your breathing. As stray thoughts enter your mind, thank each one, and quickly release the thought and return to a focus on your breathing and your steps.

4. Count your blessings. Make a gratitude list. You have thousands of reasons to be thankful. Be thankful for those who serve you. Make a list of those you depend upon. Everyone has many people who help along the way. Don't forget those who grow and deliver your food, keep your electricity and telephone running, provide emergency medical care, and protect the safety of your community and your nation.

5. Forgive someone for something right now. Release the resentment and anger. This practice is for you to become happier. Telling the other person that you forgive them is completely optional, and is merely a bonus.

6. Stretch your body. Do yoga, do qigong, or just stand and stretch. As a simple stretch, stand and hold your arms out to your sides forming a cross. Gently bend each hand back at the wrist until the fingers point straight upward. Twist each hand and arm in a wringing motion as if you were operating a screwdriver.

7. Turn on happy music and dance. Don't stop 'til you're tired. Dance with someone or dance all by yourself. Choose music that makes you want to move and keep moving such as Latin Fitness Dance music.

8. Spend some time with a furry friend. If you don't have your own, borrow a cat or dog to love today.

9. Be of service. Find someone who has worse troubles than you and do something nice for them today.

10. Have a conversation with God (or whatever you call your Higher Power). Approach the conversation with an attitude of gratitude rather than neediness.

Aging With Grace by Dr. David Mokotoff

Aging With Grace
by Dr. David Mokotoff

I asked my office staff to pull the number of patients I had seen in the past year over the age of 90. I had assumed that maybe I had a couple dozen nonagenarians, but was stunned when the number came back at 81. And two of those were over the age of 100. The personality of these folks has always fascinated me, and I was looking for a common thread. Did they get to this age because of luck, clean living, great medical care, or good genetic background? In the end, I have concluded that it is largely serendipity. However, what I did learn in listening to them, two or three times a year, was mostly a non-complaining, victimless view of life. For the most part, they had aged with grace.

One man who I recently saw, age 95, responded to my question, “So how are you feeling?” with the following: “I have some aches and pains, you know, but at my age, everyday is a bonus.” This is an attitude that I rarely hear out of my patients in their seventh and eight decades.

Another delightful woman, who will turn 105 in October, has an intact mind and touch of humor. Every time I see her for during a semi-annual visit, her first words, given from a mischievous half-smile, are “Are you surprised that I’m still here?” In truth, I am not surprised, but stunned. With the degree of her heart disease, and by all objective parameters, she should have died ten years ago.

This solidified my belief that one never really knows when they will die. Several years, two of my colleagues died in their fifties during a horrific private plane crash in North Carolina. So when my very elderly patients ask, “Will I see you next time?” meaning “Will I live another six months?” I answer, “I don’t know if I will be here in another six months.” This places the value of living one day at a time in perspective for them.

It seems to me that for many of those lucky enough to reach 90, they appreciate life more than the rest of us. For the most part, they approach life with optimism, gratitude, and grace. Maybe this is why they got to this station in life after all.

Who Is Responsible For Your Life?

The Great News ... It's YOU!

For anyone who dislikes when others tell you what to do, here's your chance to take responsibility for yourself and your life. You get to set the direction and requirements for where you will be going and what you will need to take with you.

Think about this ... your journey will take you to many beautiful places, including a look inside yourself. What will you see? What questions will you ask yourself? One might be: Am I living a happy, joyful, loving, and kind life right now? If you are, that's wonderful. If you need to improve in certain areas, that's great too.

Discovery and responsibility go hand-in-hand, just like an archeologist. Once a treasure is discovered, it must be decided what to do with it. That's the responsibility part. Do you keep the discovery hidden away, tell no one about it, and seldom look at it? Or do you look at it in the light, examine it for any damage, then make plans to showcase it?

Your life can be anything you want it to be; take a leap and go! It might feel scary at first and that' okay. You will get better each time you make a new move.

Factors That Lead To Success

The Power Of Significance

Most people want to be successful. But how you attain it is important. According to an article written by Courtney Lukitsch, CEO and Founder of Gotham PR,

"At this important moment in time, as we move forward into a new world of work and innovation, we're presented with a unique opportunity to focus on significance in everything we do as industry leaders."

• Significance is sustainable success.
  
  
• Without social engagement, success is not as significant. (To me, it's just old-school self-aggrandizement.)
  
  
• Significance is mission-driven, with other people and the world in mind.
  
  
• Significance is values-driven and valuable.

In addition, "The quality of being worthy of attention is perhaps the most important issue of our time and is at the very core definition of significance. As an industry leader writing a book on this topic, I'm exploring the factors that led my clients over the past two decades to become successful — by creating significance at home and in businesses around the globe.

Remembering The Victims

It's hard to find the right words to say when innocent children and adults are victims of such a senseless, cruel, and unthinkable act of violence. Though we cannot hold the families and friends in our arms, we hold them in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers. We are so sorry for your losses and grieve with you. We will never forget your loved ones who were taken away from you. May God give you the strength to make it through each day.

 

I know that grief touches everybody, and sometimes we need to get away to clear our heads; other times, we need to cry.

Finding And Living Your Purpose

How do you feel when someone says "bless you"? I don't know about you, but I am thrilled to get extra blessings sent to me. I embrace the intention that someone took the time to think of me in such a positive way. I send blessings to you each day because I love you and want to help you reach your full potential.

I have always served others throughout my life and in various careers. You probably have too, but you may not have thought of it that way. I also include love in my signature. It comes from my heart to let you know I appreciate your existence, that you are not alone, and that I want you to do well in your life.

Our world is filled with many wonderful and caring people, yet some are not that way. We've all seen it far too many times. My heart hurts with each evil report when it surfaces.

So I ask you, can you focus on something good today and remember you are here to serve your higher purpose? Sometimes you won't exactly know what it is until you are in the middle of it. Your purpose is something bigger than yourself; it's about others and how you can serve them.

Improving my skills so I can help you even more, is always at the front of my mind. I intentionally take action to improve my life so I can help you improve yours. How do I do it? By learning something new, broadening my horizons, and engaging with others who think or live differently than I do. In addition, mentors and coaches help me discover and clarify what may be holding me back from taking the next steps to living the total life I envision.

My purpose, goals, and problems are all part of who I am. Each day I get better because I choose to stay on purpose and take action. Remember nothing happens until you make a move.