Very Happy Phil

Hello Very Happy People!

Happy people are kind and kind people are happy! Fact! Scientists have proved it. We can increase our happiness through kindness! I will give you an example; Happiness researchers asked students to perform five random acts of kindness a week. The acts would benefit a person(s) and be at a material cost or time cost to the students. Those that carried out all their acts in one day increased their happiness significantly. Lesson; If we carry out lots of kind acts every Monday we will feel lots of happiness every day! I have included an inspiring story of kindness at the bottom of this email.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes which inspire me;

"I love people. I do it all for me. I'm selfish. We need to love everybody. If you're a caring person you're a hero. It's good for you to care. Try a test. Be a jerk for 2 months. Be nice for 2 months. Notice the difference."
- Dr Patch Adams

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them. The purpose of our lives is to be happy. Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."
-Dalai Lama

"If you cannot be nice, be as nice as you can!"

"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end."
-Scott Adams

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
-Philo

"Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profundity (wisdom).
Kindness in giving creates love."
-Lao-Tse

Hello Very Happy People!

Can you say 'I love you' in the mirror? Are you kind and positive, to yourself?! Happy people love themselves! Loving yourself is just like being a great friend to yourself. If we love ourselves we are more likely to feel we deserve happiness. Lack of self love is a happiness killer! If we don't love ourselves its like wiping the smile off our face. Self love is holding positive attitudes about ourselves despite awareness of our limitations. I will tell you a little story; I was disappointed with someone for 'being lazy' and later that night after leaving the dishes to soak till the morning I realised I am lazy too! I had to learn to love and accept and love my strong points and non strong points. And love the strong points and non strong points of others. No one is perfect!

Self Love Test; look in the mirror and say 'I love you'. If you can do it, great! If you are not yet able to do it, you need to be more positive about yourself and stop being hard on yourself. Focus on compiling a list of your positive points until you can love yourself. I recommend saying 'I love you' every time you look in the mirror. Write 'I love you' on a post it and stick it on a mirror you use (car mirror?!).

Here are a few of my favourite quotes which inspire me;
"Self Acceptance (Optimal level); the person has a positive attitude towards the self; accepts his or her good and bad qualities; feels positive about his or her past life"
-Carol Ryff

"Well being (happiness) is neutralized by a chronic dissatisfaction with self."

Hello Very Happy People!

When I meet people I rarely think about whether they like me. I like me! My family and friends like me. I don't have a need for people to like me. Don't get me wrong I enjoy meeting new people and making new friends but I don't have a fear that people won't like me. Not every body will like me. And not everybody does like me. I don't waste my energy trying to get people to like me. I don't waste my time worrying about people that don't like me. I have some qualities and strengths and I have some faults and weaknesses but I still like me and I am still liked and loved by others. I am enough. I am me. I am sure it is the same for you too. We must be kind and positive and forgive our mistakes and non strengths.

I will tell you a little story; There is a theory that we sometimes change ourselves or alter our personality in order to fit in with other people. Over the years we may even add layers to our character like an onion to protect ourselves. Years ago a colleague noticed I was wearing a different face to work when she said; 'You don't smile much like when you first started'! I appreciated the honest wake up call.

I will tell you a little story; In Thailand in 1957 monks were moving a giant clay Buddha and due to rain during the move some of the clay came off and revealed a golden Buddha inside. A monk used a hammer and chisel to remove the rest of the clay.