Happiness -- Who Needs It?? How Do I Get It??

Be As Happy as You Want to Be

Almost everyone have heard the hit single 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone. Bobby Mcferiin's simple message surely made a lot of people by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is wonderful, and is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life. Stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.

One of the better things ever said is - 'The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change'. 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 can change.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for who or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and 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 well with the person.

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

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

There are several ways by 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 and 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 say they 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 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 pent up anger or frustrations, 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 worthy of your time.

Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday. Learning also makes 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.

As Abraham Lincoln, said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

So, be happy

Enjoy your life and make other people happy too.

Remember, it takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown

To your happiness

Fran Watson

Who Is In Control?

I woke up late this morning, after a very peaceful night's sleep. I read and meditated for about half an hour and when I came downstairs I began my task of filing and then dong some cleaning and I realized that sometimes it is the simple tasks that can be the most important in clearing my mind to be able to take on more difficult tasks later. By clearing my "working space" I also clear the working space in my mind.  

I have been learning a lot recently about minimalism, appreciating simple things in life and I recognize that I have too much stuff.  I also realized that my "stuff", the things "living" in my house are the things that are often in control of what I do.  The things constantly need to be moved, looked after, and they take up space.  Now some of these things may be important, but I recently cleaned out my pantry and at the back I found cake mixes that were several years outdated.  If I hadn''t had so much "stuff" in my pantry, I would have noticed that sooner.

I also have too much food in my freezer.  I live alone, so I don't really need to have a big freezer anymore, but since I do I often will buy things to put in it.  The problem is, if I don't eat it soon enough it gets freezer burn and is then wasted.  So who is in control?.....my stuff.

I retired from my day job almost 5 years ago and brought home boxes of papers and books from my 25 years of career counseling.  My thought was that I would use this "stuff" as I continued to work in the field part-time from my home.  I have not yet opened some of the boxes.  They are sitting upstairs in one of the bedrooms just taking up space.  So who is in control?....again my stuff.

My kitchen table is a "catch-all" for all kinds of papers, pens,, pencils and more, and this is where I work.  Is it any wonder that sometimes I feel scattered?  I think it is time that I begin to control my life instead of being controlled.  I will begin today to spend a minimum of 15 minutes per day cleaning some aspect of my world.  This may involve giving away books (gasp, the horror, but am I really going to read them all?) or perhaps some of my material (but really, I am going to quilt some day........) or even some of my yarn?  I have a whole container of knitted scarfs and toques to give to someone or some group.  Yes, today is the day I take control.   How about you?

To your success
BANABU

Fran

What Innovation Can Do to Your Life

If you've ever marvelled at somebody's creative prowess, guess what, you can create and innovate too. It just takes time. Everyone is born creative. The box of crayons in kindergarten were not limited to those who possessed potential; because the truth is, everybody has potential.

You know how long it took to learn to ride a bike or drive or to learn a new habit? It's the same with innovation. It takes a  bit of practice and a lot of time before this mind function comes easily when called. This article will provide you with a few tips on how to bring innovation into your life.

First of all, follow the beat of your own drum. Allowing for the input of other people will only bring cacophony to the music you are trying to make. If you have an original idea, don't waste your time and effort trying to make people understand. They won't. And the "so-called help" you will get probably will come in the form of negative feedback. If all the geniuses listened to their peers, we would probably still be living in the middle ages.

Spend time on it. Exercise. Take a walk. Run a mile or two. Send all those endorphins coursing through your veins. Exercising certainly clears and relaxes your mind and allows for anything to pop up.

Record your dreams. Aren't some of them just the craziest things that your conscious mind would never have thought of? If you've had these dreams before, and I'm sure have, this only shows you the untapped innovative power you have lying within. So jot down those notes. Those dreams may just create an innovative spark in you.

Find your own style. You can always tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse. You'll know Hemingway wrote something by the choice of words on the paper. So it is the same with you. People will appreciate your innovation more because it is uniquely yours and that no one else would have thought of what you were thinking. That will let people see how valuable an asset you are.

Don't hide behind nifty gadgets or tools. You don't need the most expensive set of paints to produce a masterpiece. The same way with writing. You don't need some expensive fountain pen and really smooth paper for a bestseller. In fact, J.K. Rowling wrote the first book of the Harry Potter Series on bits of tissue. So what if you've got an expensive SLR camera if you're a crappy photographer? Who cares if you've got a blinging laptop if you can't write at all? The artist actually reduces the number of tools he has as he gets better at his craft: he knows what works and what doesn't.

And remember, nothing will work without passion.

What wakes you up in the mornings?

What keeps the flame burning?

What is the one thing that you'll die if you don't do?

Sometimes people with talent are overtaken by the people who want it more. Think the hare and the tortoise. Ellen Degeneres once said that if you're not doing something that you want to do, then you don't really want to do it. And that's true. Sometimes you just want something so badly you become a virtual unstoppable. And that is passion. Passion will keep you going.

Don't worry about inspiration. You can't force it; inspiration hits when you least expect it to, for those unpredictable yet inevitable moments you should prepare. An idea could strike you on the subway, yet alas, you poor unfortunate soul; you have no sheet of paper to scribble down a thought that could change the world. Avoid these disasters. Have a pen and paper within your arm's reach at all times.

I hope this article has helped you bring more innovation into your life. Keep in mind that you're doing these things for your own satisfaction and not anybody else's. But soon enough they will notice, and everything should snowball from there.

Remember... you are unique.  There is no one in this world quite like you.  No one capable of doing or being like you.  Step forward along your unique path to your unique future.

BANABU

Fran Watson

Are You A Winner?

Today I am continuing on with my 3 wins per day as set up by Matthew Graves.  He challenged a number of us to come up with 3 wins each night for the next day and to report back to the group on how we did on our wins.

Although many of the group are Internet Marketers, some are new and just getting started, while others have offline businesses as well.  The wins are determined by the person, not the group, and can be as simple as getting to Church on Sunday, cleaning the  kitchen, chopping wood for the fireplace and surfing Traffic Exchanges.  Others may commit to contacting new signups or finding a new way to market their product.  What you choose doesn't matter.  What matters is that you complete your set tasks for the "Win". 

We started just before New Years - December 30th - and each day Matthew posts a reminder so that all the posts can be made as comments and easily read by others. 

Some of my wins have included writing a letter to my daughter who is overseas.  I have committed to writing a letter on the first day of each month for this year.  My wins have also included writing a blog post, preparing speeches for Toastmasters, calling a plumber about my frozen pipes, surfing traffic exchanges and sending out emails, updating my website, my boyfriend's website, our computer club website, etc.

Why not challenge yourself to 3 wins per day for the next month.  Get a friend to join you so that you can encourage each other.  You may be surprised how much you can accomplish if you try.

Here is the link to our Facebook page

As Matthew says:  "If you want this week to be a "Turning Point" then it is completely up to you! You are the one who will either make this week AWESOME or "just another week in the rut"."

To your success

Fran Watson

P.S.  Click here for more info

Creating Your Reality

It’s really no secret that we create our own reality with out thoughts.  Everything that we are or have is with us because we’ve wanted it.  Whether it’s conscious or not, we bring things, people, and experiences to our lives with our way of thinking.  Like the verses in the bible that say “ask and ye shall receive”, our life follows the same message:  ask, believe and receive.

To begin we must clear our mind of all distracting thoughts, such as I need to clean the house, do the laundry, finish this project, etc..  We need to find a place where we can relax and really clear our mind.  This place is going to be the place where you can let your mind think and wander instead of JUST relaxing and letting go of your stress.  A place where you can think of your intentions in life or what you want and how you will get it.  It is important to make this place comfortable and inviting, so add a plant, a small water fountain, candles or whatever brings you peace.

Once you have found this place, you can begin to think about what you want or what gift you want to receive.  It is important to have no other thoughts when you begin to think about what you actually want.  It could be a million dollars, a doctorate, to be a famous musician or outstanding athlete, or any number of other things. 

We need to be clear with ourselves about what it is we want.  To excel, we must be specific.  If I say I want to lose weight, then just saying it is not specific enough.  I should say that I want to be healthy, live longer, eat less, and look better, and have a specific weight goal in mind, i.e. lose 10 pounds by a specific date. 

The next step is to believe that you will achieve your goal.  In order to achieve what you want, you’ll have a much better chance if you can visualize it.  Many times basketball coaches will tell young people to “visualize” the ball going into the basket in order to score.  It has been proven that imagining something is close to actually doing it.  If your thoughts and feelings are on the same level as what you want, you will raise your emotional bar and expand your imagination.  You have a great chance of being successful.  This is something that winning athletes do all the time.

Something else that is important to do is to express your gratitude.  Make a list of all the things you are grateful for; and that will open the door for more good things to come to you.  It will open your heart to give gratitude for the beautiful life that you have received.  Gratitude should be an enormous part of your life and should come as natural as breathing.

Once you’ve cleared your mind, decided what you wanted, visualized having it and expressed gratitude for what you have, your request is heard.  The details of how it will happen will then fall into place.  Make sure and stay positive by monitoring your feelings, but let go of trying to control things.

Whenever you start to feel down, sad or angry, quickly turn your feelings around so you will be surrounded by good, positive vibes.  Remember to stay positive and do something that helps you feel good.  Read a book, listen to music, walk in nature or anything else that will keep you inspired and feeling positive.

Continue to be patient if your dreams do not come true in hours, days or even months.  Just keep believing and sending out positive thoughts and feelings and continue to keep negative thoughts away.  Remember to be grateful and really enjoy your gift when you do receive it.  Surround yourself with the luxury of having the gift and enjoying it.  Make it part of your life, nurture it, and let it grow.  Look for the positive parts and always follow that path.  Enjoy your life and expect it to be good.

To your success

BANABU

Fran Watson

The True Story of Rudolph The Reindeer

I was just reviewing some of the email I got around Christmas time and found this story.  To me it fits the description of BANABU, so I wanted to share it here for you.

The True Story of
Rudolph

A man named Bob May, depressed and broken-hearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap, quietly sobbing.  Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.

Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?"

 

Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life.

 

Life always had to be different for Bob. Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often

called names he'd rather not remember.

 

From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with
his little girl. But it was all short-lived.

 

Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

 

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined to make one - a storybook!

 

Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling.

 

Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose.

 

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there. The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Montgomery Ward went on to print, “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores.

 

By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Montgomery Ward to print an updated version of the book. In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Montgomery Ward returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller.

 

Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.

But the story doesn't end there either. Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular
vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

 

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a

blessing.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

Enjoy life... it has an expiration date

Fran

New Beginnings

Building A New And Better Universe - Building A New And Better YOU

That is our goal.  Getting better each and every day.  Releasing our bad habits and creating new habits that will help and not hinder us.

What goals have you set for 2016?
What habits are you going to build?
Who will hold you accountable?
How will you know if you succeed?

Why not state your goals in the comments section below.  Share your goals and your determination to achieve them.  I'll start.

1.  To write a letter to my daughter who is far away on the 1st day of each month.  (I started early, so I have completed 2 so far.)
2.  To update my website.  (It is a mess, I have neglected it for a while now.)
3.  To write a blog post every week in 2016.  (I have 4 blogs, and I hope to be able to write a post for each one each week, but will commit to writing at least one post per week.)

This is a start.  I hope to add more as the year progresses.  Now, how about you?

Fran