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May 1999, Issue #2 I'll Be Happy When... |
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Welcome to the second monthly issue of my "Surpass Your Dreams" Newsletter. The feedback has been tremendous. I want to thank all of you who sent in your kind words.
The goal of this newsletter is to help you recognize your potential and surpass your dreams. Reaching your dreams is amazing, but surpassing them is a miracle. I wish that you have the courage to follow your dreams, whatever they may be.
This newsletter is written for you; my friends, family and people who visit my web-site. Each topic is selected with you in mind. So, tell me what you'd like to see, and what's important to you. Are you trying to figure out what your dreams are? Have you found what they are, but are afraid to pursue them? Have you reached your dreams, and are now ready to take it to the next level? Please share with our readers what is going on with you, and how you came to the place where you are today. You can send your stories to info@surpassyourdreams.com
Are you happy with who, what, or where you are today? Are you having fun? Are you enjoying your career? Are you excited about your future? Are you jumping out of bed each day, waiting to take on whatever comes your way? Are you living your life to the fullest? If the answer is no, then I ask "Why Not?"
Most of us are searching for something, or sometime in the future when we will finally be happy. We tell ourselves that if we can only get to "that place", then our lives will be perfect. What we miss when we go through life with this perspective, is the joy of today, and all the wonderful things that it brings.
So what will it take for you be happy? Will it be the bigger house, the new car, getting married, getting divorced, becoming pregnant, getting a new job, moving to a new home, etc? When will you stop running and enjoy what you have today? The search for happiness is internal and impossible to obtain from outside things. Sure, they may make you smile initially, but the emptiness will not go away.
So, how can you be happy? Being happy means accepting your life as it is today, and not where you would like to be in the future. It's about being in awe for having the opportunity to learn something new each day. You don't know what your life will bring tomorrow, so appreciate today!
Being happy today means appreciating what's great about your life. Whether it's being grateful for having your health, a job, a place to live, food everyday or a family that loves you. Being happy today is doing something nice for someone else. This could be as simple as holding the door for the person behind you, or as big as volunteering your time to your favorite charity. Or, you could do something nice for yourself. It's up to you!
And last, being happy today is accepting who you are; the good and the bad. Knowing that you are doing the best you can do, and accepting where you are today. I'm not saying to ignore what you'd like to improve in your life, but by only seeing what's missing, you lose out on "loving" what's great about you.
This is a story from one of our readers, Dr. Lisa Avila. Lisa is an awesome chiropractor (she nursed me back to health!) Lisa can be reached at lavila4721@aol.com. If you would like your story or suggestion included, please send it to me at info@surpassyourdreams.com.
The story below is a great example on how to bring happiness into your life, no matter what the circumstances are that you are facing. This story touched my heart, and I hope it will do the same for you.
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, even where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed in similar fashion. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
Epilogue...There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can't buy.
This section was a suggestion by Barbi Schwartzberg. Barbi is a very savvy and talented Sales Trader at Warburg Dillon Read. Barbi can be reached at Barbi.Schwartzberg@wdr.com.
This month's Book Corner is devoted to providing you with suggested resources to continue on your path to being happy today.
Being Happy : A Handbook to Greater Confidence and Security by Andrew Matthews This book is full of valuable, insightful information about the nature of human beings, relationships, thinking, and happiness.
101 Ways to Happiness, by Louise L. Hay. Hay shows readers 101 ways to achieve and maintain a joyful state of being. Her warm and inspirational messages offer powerful reminders that the keys to a happy life are within each individual and can be accessed at any time.
14,000 Things to Be Happy About, by Barbara Ann Kipfer. This book will help you find something to make you smile. Each page is filled with big, bright pictures that illustrate 14,000 things that make people happy.
Being happy is hard work. Sometimes our focus on what's missing can be our biggest obstacle.
If you are ready to surpass your dreams and be happy today, then Personal Coaching may be right for you.
For a Free 30-minute Telephone Coaching Session, call me at (516) 432-2440, or send an e-mail to info@surpassyourdreams.com. This session will give you the opportunity to see first hand if a personal coach is right for you. My web-site is at http://www.surpassyourdreams.com.
Anyone can subscribe to the "Surpass Your Dreams" newsletter by sending an email with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line to newsletter@surpassyourdreams.com. To cancel, send an email with the words "UNSUBSCRIBE" to the same address.
Your e-mail address will be kept strictly CONFIDENTIAL and will NOT be shared with any other party or mailing list.
Have a great month!
Deborah
Copyright © 1999, all rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute text from the newsletter or the content in its entirety so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author (Deborah J. Brown) is attached.