Empower Yourself!

August 8, 2007
BE HAPPY ZONE
By Lionel Ketchian

The way to empower yourself is to decide to be happy no matter what. Choose happiness over everything else. This gives you the power to deal with life and yourself in the best way possible. Happiness is a powerful strategy for those who practice it. When you're happy it gives you the awareness to realize the choices you have and what option is right for you. What is the real power that you have in doing this? You have power over yourself, and this is very important my friend, because being happy is authentic power.

We know that money can't buy happiness, because happiness is a decision. Happiness is a decision that only you can make. The happiness decision is just a one step method, not three steps, or twelve steps. Who can remember so many? But everybody can remember just one step. All you have to do is remember to choose happiness in every moment in your life over anything that can take your happiness away! Now that you have made the happiness decision you realize that happiness is where you're headed. Choose happiness instead of allowing anything to upset you. Once you have made the happiness decision, it becomes easier and easier to be happy from one moment to the next.

Have you noticed how hard it is for you to control anyone or anything? Well, you can control yourself by lightening up, relaxing, and laughing about things, having fun, and enjoying life. Being happy allows you to learn that you can control yourself, and not let anyone or anything else control you. Learn to let go of the things you can't change. This way you do not let them change you. Live with happiness and allow the experience of being happy to work for you.

When you think something makes you unhappy, you feel like a victim because you think someone or something has taken your happiness away from you. You have let yourself become a victim. Feeling and thinking like a victim does not work. When you are unhappy you become a victim because you are thinking about your problems and not about your choices.

You're unhappy because you have a problem. Now, you have cut yourself off from the choices you have available. The problem becomes bigger than life, as it consumes and overwhelms you. You feel there is nothing you can do about it because your state of unhappiness directs you to see life in only that one negative way. Once you think unhappily, and think in terms of the problem and not the solution, you disempower yourself from dealing with the problem effectively.

Why choose happiness? Because that's what you really want. In a happy state you can deal with any problem because you can see with clarity what choices you have. This clarity enables you to deal with your problem. You can only make the best choices available to you. First, you need to know what your choices are. Happiness allows you to see your choices very clearly. Unhappiness does not allow you to see your choices. Unhappiness hides your choices from you so you are cut off from your power and unaware of your strength.

Do you know the reason why people do not live with happiness? Many people are not even aware that happiness is a choice they can make. Once you learn that being happy is a choice, you may think that you don't deserve it. Some people do not love themselves enough to treat themselves with happiness. BE HAPPY, take my word for it, YOU'RE WORTH IT!

Why be happy? Because it's the best way to live, and it's the best way to give. Happiness is a power source. You can't give away what you don't have. When you're happy, you start use that power source. Now you can share your happiness with others. Show them your happiness and let them model this behavior from you. People will become aware of happiness through you. Others will see the wisdom of choosing to be happy for themselves. It is all about controlling yourself, not others. People can't contaminate you with their unhappiness. To the contrary you will infect them with your happiness.

Learn to change what you can, and accept what you can't change. Being Happy allows you to tap into your own wisdom and common sense. Choosing happiness will make a big difference in your life … and you will be making a positive difference in the world. Empower yourself with happiness now and keep choosing it over everything else.

Our next Happiness Club meeting will have a presentation called: Why I Chose Happiness For My Life's Work! By Nicholas Hall, MAPP. Nick has earned his masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Applied Positive Psychology in 2006. This rigorous program taught the theoretical and scientific underpinnings of the psychology and behavior of flourishing, positive emotions, success, and coaching. Nick has received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and music from SUNY College at Buffalo in 1996. He has also completed graduate coursework in education and financial planning.

The meeting will be on Thursday, August 16, from 7:00-9:00 P.M. at the Fairfield Public Library, at 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

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