Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

catfish4 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:13:55 GMT

dave' mom, I envy you! I wish I could be as you. But money has always played a big part with me.

Most people work hard for money, and if saved and invested money bring financial security, That's worth something. To know that if you need a new roof you can afford one. To know that if a relative needs a hand financially you can offer help. Wealth brings peace of mind. (at least to me)

Now I did not always think this way. Only within the last 3 months have I felt happiness is impossible without pease of mind. Like the Enron employees recently I've lost most of my life savings, and now I am trying to cope with this loss by centering on the fact that while I am down I can still pay my bills and if the truth be told me and my family are living a standard at the top 10% of the world. So I do count my blessings but I my mind is uneasy.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

chrissie.lenoir — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:46:41 GMT

I work as a Holistic Therapist and when people come to me with chronic depression we sit and talk first and foremost. We get to feel comfortable in each others presence, then we talk about the Inner Child and how important it is to forgive - (I forgive myself, I forgive others, I am forgiven) then we do a session of Reiki with a guided meditation where loads of positive stuff and happy memories are re-activated and the healing takes place on mental/emotional/spiritual/physical levels. If necessary we will do a Past Life Regression or a regression into childhood in this lifetime to see what underlying factors are causing the depression. Depression is always linked to self-esteem and how we view ourselves. It is often a result of our learning imprints as we grew up. And yes the media and society slams us with impossible standards and yardsticks to measure ourselves up against. BUT we can undo the imprinting and the faulty thinking and do a "mental detox" .... so be kind to yourself and love yourself - bless you!!

Chrissie

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

Stensie4JC — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:23:04 GMT

Anyone who pursues happiness as an end in itself is on the wrong track. Happiness is not an end, it's something you run into on your way to something greater than happiness. We all agree that money is not the key to happiness...what you do with your money is much more important than how much of it you have. Happiness is the same way, if you make it your goal you'll always miss, because your aim is wrong.

Also, incidentally, the author suggests you ask God to make you happy, because prayer works wonders. He's right, but a relationship with God is more than just asking Him for happiness. God isn't a slot machine, or an ATM, or a gumball machine. If you really want to be happy, ask God what you can do for Him. I did, and though I am greatly concerned about safety of vaccines and the ability of our government agencies to make unbiased decisions for our benefit, I prefer whole grains and organics, and I wonder what all the diet soda is doing to me (I'm not perfect) at my core, I'm happy.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

scoth — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:54:39 GMT

Regarding the Goswami article...

As a regular reader of the Bible, I was amazed at how many of the happiness principles in the article also are Biblical principles. I'd add one, though. The Bible says that God has a plan for each of us and that we will never reach our full potential in this life if we operate from our own instead. My personal experience is this...when I realized that my plan was not working for me and I sought out God's plan and began following it...happiness (joy) resulted. Now, for those who insist that there are human solutions to all of our problems, you simply haven't experienced the truth of what I've found. Try it with an open mind and heart, you'll like it.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

TM108 — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:35:56 GMT

Though there are many great points here, Fizz's quote of Buddha went the deepest. "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world." ~Buddha

Lasting happiness is not found on the surface of the lake. It won't result from swimming around. You need to dive below the surface and experience the depths and ultimately transcend even the finest depth. There you find it and then it never leaves you. You take it with you into activity.

Tapping into the source, getting to the quantum state is the answer. Every religiion, every philosophy, has always sought for a fountain of Bliss. Some few saints and sages have experienced it but the masses of humanity had not, until quite recently. In 1957, a practical technique from the oldest human tradition of knowledge, the Veda of India, was revived in its essential, effortless, and effective form. Transcendental Meditation brought to the world by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It has since brought real lasting happiness, "Bliss" to over 6 million people. Over 600 scientific studies published in peer reviewed journals attest to its effectiveness in improving mind, body, and society.

In 1971, my whole family learned TM and it changed the whole direction of our lives.

Check out the videos and research at www.TM.org

Good luck and love to all.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

feelingdictionary — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:30:03 GMT

If HAPPINESS is that rather short-lived but sweet feeling-information that we have resolved a conflict (inner or outer), UNHAPPINESS is the seed to find a resolution ... it is what urges us to find that happy resolution and it is not to be avoided but to be understood exactly for what it is. The feeling that eats away at us is the feeling of ANXIETY ... that we believe a resolution to be impossible. With that belief, we defend ourselves by suppressing the cause of it and it robs us most effectively of happiness and has a tendency of becoming chronic. So unpleasant as it is, I always try to get the conflict understood and looked at as something I can eventually find a solution to.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

daves mom — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:46:44 GMT

This is the first time for me to also write in. After reading this article, and understanding how desperately most people want to be happy, I wanted to write. For years I searched for happiness in other people, through chemical abuse, movies, books, religion, etc but failed to find what I was looking for. Then I was introduced to a relationship with Jesus Christ, not religion. I found that in Him, through His Spirit there is righteousness, peace and joy. I find that those three things add up to happiness. There is nothing like it. Then adding in family, helping others, giving of yourself, learning , all have much more meaning.If I start with Him, everything else falls into place including real happiness. Also the Manual (Bible) gives instrucion in finding happiness: Think on things that are pure, lovely, good, etc. Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in your life which is self control, faith, goodness, etc. & the greatest of all gifts is love. He has given me a reason for living, loving, giving which result in a feeling of happiness.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

andrew.prowse — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:54:15 GMT

Don't get me wrong, I think the newsletter is great. But I don't understand why Dr. Mercola keeps including this sort of womens-magazine fairy floss inevitably written by self-appointed gurus with Indian-sounding names floating up on their clouds in the lotus position. The advice is not wrong, but it is ineffective for people with genuine depression. And as anyone with genuine depression will tell you, the advice is impossible to follow anyway. As for the map of happiness - it's laughable! A whole lot of hedonistic, miserable, isolated first-worlders self-report that they're happy because they have a holiday house and a BMW! Pull the other one!

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

AL777 — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:55:54 GMT

Samurai, I found your comments to Sheila regarding lynching and burn marks on the neck too graphic and violent for blogging on this site. Take that kind of blogging somewhere else.. In response to your comments on SSRI/MAOI and getting the Psych office, the Psych. office and and SSRI/ MAOI's may actually help with un necessary agression and control issues.... The issue is why are you giving the general public any advice regarding treatments. Are you a medical doctor??

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

katybo — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:06:17 GMT

Found the article "right on" , having suffered majoe depression and come out of it by these very ideas and methods. Thanks Kassie for the uplifting comments. Aferter reading some of the negative ones I also felt my stress level rising as someone else commented. Great article.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

66nkickn — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:33:57 GMT

The Way to Happiness Foundation - www.thewaytohappiness.org

Watch the public service announcement videos.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

Yod — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:29:31 GMT

I've seen so many books, seminars, articles, etc. on happiness...it seems like most folks have different opinions on what happiness is.

Is it an emotion? Most definitely not. Temporary feelings of elation or exhuberance can be an emotion - it depends on the individual and circumstances.

Ever feel HAPPY or JOYFUL for 'no good reason'? Some say that happiness is our nature, or inborn state. How easy is that to access in today's society? It's doable :-)

The attitude of gratitude has indeed picked me up when I feel lost in the delusion of the world.

Many scientists are looking in the wrong direction. Sure, there can be physical consequences or markers of people that are not feeling happy in the moment. But predominantly, these are not at all causes.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

aemit — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:45:35 GMT

I think it is pretty amazing how many comments this article triggered so far. It seems that we are all intrigued by the happiness issue on some level. Again, the original article was interesting but it is all these comments too and how each and every person sees happiness from various viewpoints. Very educating and eye-opening. I wonder if Dr. Mercola checks back and sees what everybody wrote? It was great to bring up such an inspiring topic.

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

peregrin — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:47:36 GMT

Unfortunately, Happiness is a conditional emotional feeling. Unfortunate because it depends on external (to you) factors occuring. It is an addiction which, in its extreme form (excitement) people jump out of airplanes and bungee jump off bridges to experience. Bill Harris (of Holosync) talks about how he discovered happiness as a child when his mother bought him an ice cream, and how he discovered unhappiness 3 minutes later when it had all melted and fallen out of the cone onto the ground. Ekhart Tolle (the Power of Now) suggests that happiness and unhappiness are on the same continuum separated only by time.

Instead, Joseph Campbell talks about following your Bliss. It's a state of being, dependent on nothing.

Tolle, further suggests that we find the unconditional states of love, joy and peace and maybe in this state you feel happiness, or not, for it doesn't matter. you're in a state of enlightened Being.

Be in Peace

re: Simple Secrets of How to be Happy

emmaline — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:39:55 GMT

this is what i know,no person can make you happy,no pill can make you happy,all these books that you read wont make you happy,i dont like the word.i go for little joys or contentment,but nothing last forever.