my rules on happiness

i remember reading a fwdd email with this message some ten years back. the truth is, i did not see the wisdom in it back then. it was an idea i didn't quite grasp. it said for students, do not wait till you graduate & get a job to be happy; for singles, till you get married (for married couples, till you get annulled? ;p); for childless couples, till you have a kid; for parents, till your kids get a job & settle down; for the employed, till you get a promotion. i guess you get the drift by now, happiness is a state of mind. it is not a reward you get by accomplishing something. it is not inherent in your goals. it is in you.

if we define happiness as an end result, it will always be beyond our reach. it will be fleeting. for a student, by the time s/he graduates, sure, he will be joyful. shortly thereafter, s/he will need to get a job. s/he will become worried and anxious, put happiness on hold till the next goal is achieved. whereas, if s/he recognizes happiness as his choice and could be his anytime, anywhere, and not tied to his accomplishments, then life will be as it should be, a bliss.
rules of wealth author, (whose name i forget as of writing because my copy is missing. whoever borrowed my book, pls. return asap ;p) explained it beautifully. he said why place our happiness in material things. i have to admit i have this dream of owning a bmw. of all the examples, he used a beemer to make a point. i’m attributing this to their mktg campaign “joy is bmw” and not a message directed to me.

anyhow, his point is that bmw’s, however expensive and beautiful they are, were not manufactured with joy or happiness infused in it. or for any material thing like shoes, bags, for that matter. people, like me included have this mindset that we will be happy when we covet these things. conditional.

but, let me clarify, i’ve gotten out of that thinking already. the new me is happy and is counting her blessings. that life is about giving and serving, that i can be happy with or without a beemer. though of course, it would always be better to have one. :p

my book review: bo sanchez's how your words can change your world

reprint from Ambassadors Dispatch
If you are looking a book to guide you in transforming your life from good or maybe not-so-good to great and fantastic, this is what you are looking for- Bo Sanchez’s latest, “How Your Words Can Change Your World.” Mind you, he surely knows what he is talking about because this handsome lay preacher is successful in every area of his life. He is healthy. He has a great relationship with his family and friends, flourishing career and businesses. Aren’t you curious to know how he achieved it? One way is to get into his mind, read his book. If you haven’t read any of his titles, this is a good one to start with.

At first glance, his formula for success seems all too simplistic. You might argue, how can merely the use of words that I speak alter my future? I am not God who created the world by mere words, you might say. But apparently, there is power in the words we speak, write and use to mold our destiny and that of the people around us, too. Words can be a blessing or a curse. [Even Robert Kiyosaki, of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad fame, is in the same line of thinking. He claims that the difference between a rich man and a poor man is his use of words. He asserts that words and thoughts are free and should be used wisely.] That is probably why Bro. Bo, as he is fondly called by the members of the Light of Jesus Family, a religious Catholic community he founded and leads, included 31 Faith Declarations meant for you to read out loud for the next 31 days and expect to be amazed by the changes in your life.

Let Bro. Bo mesmerize you through his amusing way of weaving stories together to make his point. Before you know it, you’ll be nodding your head in agreement and cannot put this handy book down. He will not only make you laugh as he showcases his talent in writing and joking, but will surely hit a spot in your heart, which isn’t bad because when you’re done snorting and hooting, you’ll realize, you’re sold and on your way to a great life. Next thing you know, you’re back in the bookstore looking for his other titles and has become an ardent fan. Welcome to the club.

To buy the book, go to http://shepherdsvoice.com.ph/