Reasons To Be Happy

Eastern Wisdom

 zenhabits
breathe.

The Pause Upon Which All Else Relies
by Leo
9 Feb 2012 at 8:56am
Post written by Leo Babauta. There is one little habit I’ve learned that has changed everything else in my life. The pause. When we fail, it’s because we act on urges without thinking, without realizing it. We have the urge to eat junk, and we do it. We have the urge to check email instead [...]
The Thousand Cuts Fitness Program
by Leo
6 Feb 2012 at 10:43am
Post written by Leo Babauta. I’ve trained for marathons, triathlons, 10Ks, a 13.5-hour challenge, Ubanathlons, and more. But my favorite fitness program isn’t one where you train for a major event. It’s where you get fit by a thousand little actions. When the actions are tiny, they are easy. You have no excuse. You can [...]
The Two-Headed Beast of Successful Habit Change
by guest
2 Feb 2012 at 9:20am
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Tyler Tervooren of Advanced Riskology. I used to have a lot of bad habits. I still do, but I used to have a lot more. Here?s just a small sampling: I woke up late and went to bed early. I procrastinated on my most important work. I [...]
Create the Habit of Meditation, & the Zen Habits Premium Membership
by Leo
31 Jan 2012 at 3:03pm
Post written by Leo Babauta. It’s something I should have created a long time ago: the Zen Habits Premium Membership, and a mini-course that’s included with it called Create the Habit of Meditation. The membership is a monthly subscription of $19.99, but really it’s a commitment to changing your life, and the tools needed to [...]
Creating Silence from Chaos
by Leo
27 Jan 2012 at 3:20pm
Post written by Leo Babauta. We are often afraid of silence, because its emptiness feels idle, boring, unproductive, and scary. And so we fill our lives with chaos, noise, clutter. But silence can be lovely, and therapeutic, and powerful. It can be the remedy for our stress and the habits that crush us. If we [...]
The Habits That Crush Us
by Leo
23 Jan 2012 at 11:26am
‘Don’t panic.’ ~Douglas Adams Post written by Leo Babauta. Why is it that we cannot break the bad habits that stand in our way, crushing our desires to live a healthy life, be fit, simplify, be happier? How is it that our best intentions are nearly always beaten? We want to be focused and productive, [...]
Learning to Sit Alone, in a Quiet Empty Room
by Leo
17 Jan 2012 at 1:49pm
‘All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.’ ~Blaise Pascal Post written by Leo Babauta. Think about some of the problems of our daily lives, and how many of them would be eased if we could learn to sit alone, in a quiet empty room, with contentment. If [...]
Life as a Conscious Practice
by Leo
13 Jan 2012 at 9:15am
‘Everything is practice.’ ~Pele Post written by Leo Babauta. When we learn a martial art, or ballet, or gymnastics, or soccer ? we consciously practice movements in a deliberate way, repeatedly. By conscious, repeated practice, we become good at those movements. Our entire lives are like this, but we’re often less conscious of the practice. [...]
Your Top 10 Clutter Questions, Answered
by Leo
11 Jan 2012 at 11:33am
Post written by Leo Babauta. Decluttering is a skill that you learn with practice, just like any skill. And just like other skills, there are many little questions and problems you need answered and solved as you get started. Those of you taking the Clutterfat Challenge this month are facing these problems, and I’m here [...]
Clearing Your Life for a New Year
by Leo
9 Jan 2012 at 12:55pm
Post written by Leo Babauta. Every January, people rush out and get a gym membership, set a list of goals or resolutions, and get ready to take on a new year of frenetic activity. Unfortunately, we don’t often clear space to make room for all this new stuff. The beginning of the year is a [...]


Reasons To Be Happy

Here is your Tuesday STORY on: SELF DEVELOPMENT: Can we ever be sure of making the right decision? Whenever one is asked to improve oneself, you would be perfectly correct in assuming that any knowledge gained, would also extend your skill and judgement in making decisions. QUOTE: 'If you motivate an idiot with enthusiasm, all you get is a motivated idiot. You need to educate first.' (Jim Rohn) To self develop in any manner whatsoever we must therefore be aware that education is a much needed ingredient. We must also be aware that there are dozens of opportunities each day to advance our knowledge, but often they simply pass us by. Instead of puffing and panting and being troubled by your daily events we need to see our day as invigorating and challenging. If we remain positive there is little that would stop our stride. Yet on the other hand if we become negative our 'today' follows the same pattern as yesterday. So the reality to study is that if we don't continually self develop; each day will be the same. Perhaps a few different situations along the way but we fall back into the same old thought pattern that never resolves anything. We must remember therefore to expect a new challenge each and every day, wait in anticipation and be invigorated by its attendance. In being positive we SEE the opportunities arise. Today's story illustrates an important event that helped educate. From this knowledge a greater understanding of compassion; plus the importance of living in the NOW became tools that were never forgotten. DARYLE, I'VE GOT A BUNCH OF THEM They were in all different sizes, ranks and poses. They were even on different sides. They were miniature Revolutionary War soldiers made out of pewter. They were well-crafted and amazing things to see. They were given to me and I took them, without even mumbling a "much obliged." My older cousin, Daryle, had given them to me. Daryle was all dressed up in his army uniform. He looked even more impressive than the little soldiers. I didn't really want the little soldiers he offered me, but I took them. Daryle was older that I was and, as my elder, he deserved some respect. I was at that awkward age when it came to such things. I was too old to play with the small troops and too young to really appreciate them. The only material things I was interested in at that age were my baseball glove, my GE transistor radio with the earplugs and my dream car, that I would be much too young to drive, even if I could afford to buy it. My mother always told me that a person can never be too thankful. Even with that wonderful instruction, I had neglected to thank Daryle for the little soldiers. I wish my mother had taken them from me, along with my old comic books and baseball cards, and told me that she would give them back to me when I turned 30, in the hopes that I would have developed a brain by then. I had a Springfield single-shot .22 rifle. I wanted to practice with it. Daryle had shown me his marksmanship badge and I thought maybe I could earn myself one of those one day. He was plenty proud of that badge and told me that it had taken a lot of practice to get it. A decent target cost good money and I wasn't much of a hunter, so the little soldiers were the perfect prey for me. I set the little army men up on a rock pile and then began picking them off one-by-one with my Springfield rifle. The shooting did wonders for my marksmanship, but it didn't do the little pewter figures much good. Soon they were all gone -- shot to pieces -- yet another item tossed upon my life's scrap heap. Time passed. I had forgotten all about the tiny pewter soldiers until I received word that Daryle had been killed in Vietnam. The day he gave me the little soldiers was the last day I was to ever see Daryle alive. He left a wife and two young children. I wanted to bring Daryle back. I wanted to bring those little army men back. I never did thank Daryle for those little soldiers. Perhaps playing with the little soldiers is what made Daryle want to make the Army his career. I will never know. Since that day that I learned of Daryle's death, I try very hard to thank everyone for everything. Sometimes I forget, but I try real hard. Some years ago, I made a trip to Washington, DC, and visited the Vietnam Memorial. I was going to make rubbings of Daryle's name on the Memorial Wall, keeping one for myself and giving the rest to a number of my aunts. I was doing okay at this task until a little blond haired girl, wearing a white dress, put a flower at the base of a row of names. This little girl, probably the grandchild of one of the deceased, brought back a flood of memories for me. She caused me to give much thought to Daryle and some to those little Revolutionary War soldiers made out of pewter, as I stood by that Wall. I cried as I made a rubbing of Daryle's name from that Wall of names of people who died doing their duty in the jungles of a foreign land. It took me a number of attempts before I was able to finish making the rubbings. I never thanked Daryle for the little pewter soldiers. I never thanked Daryle for serving this country well, for being willing to die for all of us back home. For some reason, I know that whenever I thank a veteran, that Daryle hears me and understands that I am thanking him, too. (Al Batt) QUOTE: "If you don't have a vision for the future, then your future is threatened to be a repeat of the past.' (A. R. Bernard, Clergyman)


Long Distance Relationship?
Hey guys i'm new here but i have a weird question that needs answering. i have never really been a happy guy, i've never had a reason to be happy and smile. So i met this girl about a year ago at a regional competition. We were both running for spots to become regional officers. well we both got spots and at first i kinda likethat's, because she did something i didn't. she smiled. i usually don't smile because i don't like to. but she did it a lot and to me it was the most gorgeous smile i had ever seen. well anways we both had to go to a leadership camp last june and that as where i completely fell for her. in that one week at camp i got to know her on such a personal level, she had the most amazing personality, she was kind, caring, and she made me feel amazing when i talked to her or even looked at her and of course her amazing smile that always made me melt. there was only one problem. she lived about three hours away from me, and i was going to be a senior and she was going to be a sophomore. she is 16 and i am 17. but the distance did not matter because i would get to see her a lot because of the regional offices we held. so we decided to stay in touch. during the summer i talked to her over facebook and i got to know her even more. i discovered she was a christian girl with good moral values. so this got me to think, maybe she was what i needed to be happy and learn how to smile. also i was never a good christian. at one point i had been, but after a few hurtful losses i shunned religion and became an athiest. but this girl, she made me feel as if maybe god did exist and maybe she was what i needed to find my way back to him. so we talked and i sent her some songs that showed her how i felt about her, and she said she liked them and sent me some songs too. well the summer ended and we stopped talking as much as we had, but i still had strong feelings for her. and school started up again and ppl started to realize that i had began to change. i was not as angry at life and at everyone as i used to be. the reason was because i wanted to change for this girl. so we had to run a regional meeting because of our offices and so we got to spend the last few days of january working together. and this was were it seemed like she did like me also. she even made went as far as to waiting for me before she left and we saying a long goodbye and hugged me for a really long time. after this we started texting a lot.and i sent her some more songs but this time they were more personel and showed her how i really felt about her. she loved them. well here comes the real part of my questions. yesterday she told me that she was not going to be able to come to the state meeting (the last time i would get a chance to see her ever again) and this dealt me a crushing blow. so i decided to tell her how i felt about her. i told her i liked her and she said that she liked me too, but had made the same discovery as me that it would be hard to make anything happen between us because of the distance. so this crushed me even more, because she did feel the same but there was no way to make our relationship work out. so here is my question. should i keep trying to talk to her and do everything that is possible to be with her. i am going to a university next year and i am going to be 2 hours away from her. i could go visit her now and maybe have a shot at it. but what do you think, should i try. i really want an honest answer and i am going to be honest with you. if you say to forget her it will be really hard because i fell completely in love with her. oh and i am a senior and she is a sophomore and she has even said, more than once, that she would like to go to the same college as me after she graduates but i don't know if she was joking or not. I am sorry it is really long but this is just a brief summary of the entire story. here is a smaller summary. i am trying to be with a girl who lives 3 hours away from me. we both live in texas so 3 hours is not a big deal here. she is a sophomore and i am a senior. she is 16 and i am 17. i have fallen for her because of her i decided to find my way back to god. because of her i feel a lot happier and want to live my life for others and not just for me. me and her both agree that the distance will make it tough make it work, but i don't want to jump to conclusions without trying it out first. i know there is a chance and i still have hope, but what do you think should i try and fight to be with her, or not. it is going to be really painful forgetting about her if i don't.

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My boyfriend cheated on me... sorry it's a little long?
As far as I know, he slept with another girl once when he was drunk during the time we were dating. He didn't deny it when I confronted him about it and said he was sorry. I broke up with him then and there, and that was that. Except 20 days later he talks to me suddenly. He was sort of still in my life a little because our mutual friend still talked to him, and told me the things he'd say to her about me, stuff like "I need her, I don't know why but I just need her" and "I don't want to lose her. I feel so lost." and apparently he stopped going to work and wasn't sleeping well. For me, it hit me on a subconscious level. Consciously, I was livid, furious, depressed and felt emotionally robbed, never wanted to see him again. But unconsciously, I was deeply depressed an felt so alone. I didn't even notice that I wasn't hungry anymore and I didn't even notice the world around me, always sleeping and never went to work. I just didn't feel like I had a goal in my life anymore, no reason to be happy, no reason to keep living and I didn't know why. He talked to me today, and he told me he didn't agree to us breaking up. He kept asking me to forgive me and he gave me roses. Said stuff like "We have been separated, but only our bodies, our hearts will never be separated." I told him that he survived 20 years without me in his life, he'll survive another 20. And then he said "I didn't know you, but that is the fate, because of the world of you, I survived." I don't know what to do. He seems really sincere and always says he's so sorry and asks me to forgive him. He was even crying and trying to hug me. I want to forgive him because we were so good with eachother. We've been together for 11 months now. I know it was just a mistake and we are all human, and deserve second chances. I think I can never forgive him, but I want to forget it. I just want things to be ok.. He's the only person who can make me laugh no matter what, even when I'm furious. And can make me laugh on a dime. What do you think I should do?

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My boyfriend says I don't make him happy&he doesn't have a reason to be in good moods..?
Me&my bf have been together for a year,we've always argued..but now its more than usual. He always seems annoyed with me&i sometimes feel like he doesn't wanna talk to me or text. &now he tells me that he doesn't have a reason to be happy or in good moods,but regardless I'm always happy&in good moods just bc I'm with him..help!?

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Reasons To Be Happy News


Got Happiness? Where Marketing Meets the Science of Well-Being - Huffington Post

10 Feb 2012 at 7:40am  Are you happy? Have you noticed the number of companies that are no longer promising the best quality, experience or even the best price for a product or service as the reason to give them a try? Instead they appear to be offering something we used to ...

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Khloe Kardashian Happy To Not Be Pregnant - Ear Sucker

10 Feb 2012 at 6:36am  The happy couple have been married since 2009 after a very short ... But looking back, I think everything happens for a reason.? She went on to say, ?I think, ?Gosh, what if I did get pregnant last season or a few months ago??

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Tips to finding happiness - Burnaby Now

10 Feb 2012 at 3:23am  but doesn't feel happy. Depression is one reason why many people feel unhappy, in which case please see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. Faulty expectations are another reason why many people are unhappy. Here are a couple things you ...

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I'm determined to pay club back ? Harden - This is Gloucestershire

10 Feb 2012 at 12:09am  "Bryan Redpath is great to work for as well, so that plus the fact that all the boys are awesome, there wasn't any reason to leave, to be honest. "I've got all my mates here, and I'm very happy. "There's an element of loyalty in this, definitely.

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French Way: How to Raise Happy and Well-Behaved Children? - Int'l Business Times

9 Feb 2012 at 11:19pm  They teach babies how to fall back to sleep by themselves. This is also the reason why French toddlers are less of a hassle when eating in a restaurant. They just sit happily while waiting for their mother to feed them.

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'Jersey Shore' Poll: Did JWOWW Have A Reason To Be Upset? - MTV

9 Feb 2012 at 8:56pm  The "Jersey Shore" castie was visibly annoyed with Roger's tale of a phone-gone-missing, but all signs of happiness completely vanished when he called later on to say that he was running late for their date, leaving the (un)happy couple just 90 ...

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Happy Fm Mass Wedding Ready To Unveil Couples On 14th Of February - GhanaHome...

9 Feb 2012 at 3:13pm  Families and loved ones will have a great reason to celebrate the day of Love as the7th Annual Happy FM Mass Wedding consecrates the union of couples in an all expense paid ceremony. On the 14th of February at the National Theatre, 30 couples will have ...

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USC Football: New Reason to Get Excited? Lane Kiffin Talks Up 3-Receiver Offe...

9 Feb 2012 at 2:37pm  Because if they don't, Matt Barkley will be all too happy to hit tight ends Xavier Grimble or Randall Telfer, who will fill it for them. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images But the main reason for Trojan fans to get excited is the notion of Barkley embarking on a ...

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Happy Red Ryan Ludwick says ?San Diego screwed me up? - NBC Sports

8 Feb 2012 at 11:56pm  Ryan Ludwick is really happy to be a member of the Cincinnati Reds. One reason for his happiness is that he comes from Georgetown, Ohio and grew up rooting for the Reds and Bengals. Another reason for his joy is because of where he isn?t: ...

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Create your own happy ending - Examiner

25 Jan 2012 at 12:17pm  One tool that some people find helpful for finding reasons to be happy every day is a gratitude journal. Many counselors and therapists suggest this tool to those suffering from mild depression. In a gratitude journal, you write down five things every day ...

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