Your Top 10 List

June 28, 2006
BE HAPPY ZONE
By Lionel Ketchian

What are the top 10 things that are most important to you? At the time, when I did this list, I ended up finding happiness. That is because I went further, reducing the list to the one most important thing.

What will you find on your list of top 10 important things? Who can tell, only you will know? That is if you take the time to write your 10 most important things on a piece of paper. It may not sound like much of an assignment, but you may never know how powerful it is unless you do it. Why not give it a try? You may have much insight to gain.

Below is a letter I received from one of my students, who was attending my course on Happiness, which was being given at Sacred Heart University at the time.

April 12, 2001

Thank you Lionel,

Thank you for making happiness your crusade. All should hear the message you share, there is nothing goofy or silly about it. Nay Sayers should stop and think, next Fridays paycheck is important, however, the things it will buy are not happiness, they are just things. As you say, "happiness is not conditional".

Each person should take a little time to review the conditions they put on happiness. Your class on Happiness and personal power and success has helped me in my quest to answer that big question: "What am I working for?"

Your assignment to list the ten most important things to me was even more appropriate than you could have imagined. I was given this assignment in Humanities class when I was a senior in High School. You have given me a chance to correct an error I made twenty-nine years ago. I just wish Mr. Strauss were here to hear about it…

I matter, I matter to me. It's not important what anyone else thinks; it's what I feel about myself that makes me happy.

The list of ten most important things to me consists of...

I matter
I don't hurt anyone on the way
Today matters
Giving my best effort, facing the tasks at hand
Realizing what I cannot do, and admitting it
Working with my heart, with honesty and compassion
Caring for those that care for me
Accepting those that don't
Admitting my faults, with sincerity, acknowledging the failures I have committed
Making each day count

This is all that matters, nobody, no money, no job, no toy; it is the moment and each day that counts. Each day is the only day; each day is special and unique. Give thanks for each sunrise, for color, for speech, for greetings in friendship, for gifts given and received in love and caring.

Happiness is not out there; it is not in the future or the past. Happiness is right now, it is in self-satisfaction and no one else is responsible for providing it to you. Happiness can be done everywhere, it is not a private thing, and it is a gift we can share! Find peace and share it. It is a smile, a joke, or a moment in sorrow with someone who needs it. This is happiness, being available, in life right now!

Thank you Lionel for making happiness important. Finding happiness is smiling from the heart. Jim Comstock

Jim has been coming to Happiness Club meetings for over five years. Jim has introduced many people to the club and he continues to attend meetings. As a person who understands happiness, Jim wants others to experience being happy as well. For this reason Jim has chosen to share his list with you.

Thank you Jim Comstock for your outstanding contributions in making this world a happier place.

What are the top 10 most important things for you? Get out the paper and pen and you might find the most important things in your life. Your list may include money, love, security, health, family, God and peace, just to name a few. What's important to you?

Lionel Ketchian is the founder of the Happiness Club and can be reached at PrintLRK@aol.com. The Web site is www.happinessclub.com.