April 15, 2001

Dear Happy Friends,

Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Welcome to our 4th Happ-E-Newsletter for April 15, 2001.

This is a bimonthly newsletter whose purpose is to remind you to be happy. It will also let you know about meetings, happiness information, and a copy of the Be Happy Zone Articles published twice a month in the Fairfield Citizen-News. Read today's article: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff! Enjoy it, and pass it on to your friends.

Happ-E-Power: If your not in the right frame of mind. Reframe your mind and get rid of those negative thoughts. Happiness will put you in the right frame of mind, every time.

Happ-E-Health: People have always said "If you have your health, you have everything." Well, maybe that's true but if you have your happiness, you may keep your health. Then you will have both your health and your happiness, now you have everything. Be happy!

Humor: Interested in humor? I just got an e-mail about a group called T.H.E.M. (The Humor Education Movement), and it is a group for individuals who are interested in humor and its effects. Dr. Joyce Saltman is one of the members. Their next meeting is on Thursday, April, 19th at 7:30. is in Cheshire, CT. Anyone interested can call (203) 272-0701 (a fellow member) for additional information.

Happ-E-News: If you or someone you know is not getting the Newsletter just send an e-mail to happinessclub@aol.com.

Want to start a Happiness Club in your area: Let me know, by sending me an e-mail to PrintLRK@aol.com.

Happ-E-Helper: We need someone who knows about handling web pages. Anybody want to offer their assistance. Please send an e-mail to PrintLRK@aol.com.

Happ-E-Book Recommendation: You Can Feel Good Again, by Richard Carlson, Ph.D.

Happ-E-Quote: "The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us." - Volaire

Happ-E-Thought: How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it. - Author unknown

Happ-E-University: The students of "Personal Power and Success Through Happiness," at Sacred Heart University had their graduation last Tuesday. We have one last meeting this Tuesday. The class plans of using happiness to their benefit for the rest of their lives.

Happ-E-Meeting: Join us for the next HAPPINESS CLUB MEETING April 26, 2001, ALL YOU NEED IS...HAPPINESS

Presentation by Lionel Ketchian and Lynette Turner.

Date: April 26, 2001

Place: Fairfield Public Library

In the: Rotary Room

Address: 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06430

Time: 7:00 - 8:30 P.M.

Open to the Public and Admission is Free

Call Lionel Ketchian (203) 258-7777 or E-mail: PrintLRK@aol.com

http://www.happinessclub.com

Directions to the Fairfield Public Library

From New York - I- 95, Exit 21, Mill Plain Road, Right at bottom of ramp. Under railroad overpass. Left at light (Rt. 1), 1/2 mile on right

From New Haven - I- 95, Exit 22, North Benson Road. Left at bottom of ramp. Under railroad overpass. Right at light (Rt. 1), 1/2 mile on left

Be Smart! Stay Happ-E!

Hope to see you at the meeting!

Lionel

BE HAPPY ZONE, By Lionel Ketchian

April 11, 2001, Fairfield Citizen-News

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff!

This is a true story; the name of this individual has been changed for his privacy. I had the privilege of meeting and talking to Frank. He was recently scheduled to have an operation to remove cancer in his stomach. When he went to the doctor to get ready for the operation, they informed him, it could not be done. The doctor told Frank that the cancer had metastasized.

This is bad news for anyone, but Frank is meeting this difficulty in his life with extraordinary peace and power. I spoke to him about where he is with his fight against cancer. I think it is very important to share this with you, because it shows what people can do when faced with a worst case scenario. Frank told me, "I am happy!" He is not happy that he has cancer, he is happy in-spite of it. This has made all the difference in the world for him.

Frank has arrived at a place of peace regarding the cancer he is fighting. This peace is exceptional. He has been through it all. He has been sad, mad, and he had tears, lots of them, he had self-pity, fear, and he experienced every human emotion. As he puts it, self-pity is the worst; it brings you down and keeps you there, with absolutely no benefit.

Frank is meeting this challenge with weapons of happiness. He is grateful for all that life has given him. He is grateful for his wife, his children, and his entire family. He is grateful for living his life. Armed with gratefulness he goes on to handle the cancer the doctors have told him he has.

We discussed the fact that doctors must be careful of giving "false hope." So doctors tell us the way it is. Doctors can only give us their medical opinion. We always have more available to us than that. At the same time there is such a thing as "false despair." We must guard against this, because once we feel hopeless or helpless we will needlessly despair. Unhappiness can be as much of a problem as the obstacle we must face.

We also discussed the saying that "CANCER is just a WORD not a SENTENCE." Once you allow that word to have control over your mind and life, your problems only get worse. Another aspect we discussed is the way to ask for a healing. Unless you contemplate a full recovery you diminish your chances for success.

The way to "beat it," is a two-part path. First you must be grateful for being free of your cancer. In other words thanking God in advance that you are healthy. Seeing, feeling, and being healthy and showing gratitude for this victory.

After all, this is a demonstration of perfect faith, and faith is believing things that you cannot see. The next step is to accept whatever happens. You might look at this as God having the last word. Once you walk this thin edge, anything can happen, and the very best often does. Some call it a miracle. I call it getting out of the way and letting the best happen.

Gratitude is an interesting dynamic. Unless you are grateful for what you already have, having more will never be enough. Take an inventory of what you have and learn to appreciate it. Once you operate with gratefulness you allow the very best to transpire.

This is different from expecting the best to happen for you. When you expect something, you are asking for it to happen. When you are grateful, you act as if it has already happened. This works as long as you remember to accept whatever happens for the moment. Now you have made both sides of the spectrum work for you. You have set up a "win-win, no lose" way of dealing with life and the problems you encounter. You now have made peace a part of your life, and have it working for you.

"Of one thing I am certain, the body is not the measure of healing - peace is the measure." - George Melton

This entire article is about happiness, and finding peace even in the problems of life. It is about changing the things we can, and accepting the things we can't change. Peace and happiness give us the power to control ourselves. Then we can make the right choices for ourselves, because we are dealing with authentic power. We may not be able to have direct control over things in life, but we can control ourselves. In this way direct control of ourselves translates into the indirect control of life itself. This is our chance to allow the very best of everything to happen.

Our next meeting is Thursday, April 26, 2001, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. The topic is "Why We Need the Happiness Club!" it will be held in the Rotary Room, at the Fairfield Public Library, located at 1080 Old Post Road. There is no charge for the meeting.

Frank is positive proof that you can be happy -- no matter what! Frank said, "You know; when I think back on my life, I realize I did not need to sweat the small stuff, and it was all small stuff."

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

Click here: www.happinessclub.com