Happ-E-Newsletter for June 1, 2006

Welcome My Dearest Friend!

Dr. Bernie Siegel was our surprise guest at our last Happiness Club meeting. Bernie showed up to share happiness with over 100 people, who were thrilled to see him and hear what he had to tell us. Bernie came with his dog, Buddy and spoke about the value and benefits of man's best friend. Bernie also spoke about many other fascinating topics. Dr. Siegel left us inspired and empowered by his words.

Our next Happiness Club meeting will be a movie presentation called: "Conversations with Bernie on Health and Happiness." This is a one-hour video with Dr. Bernie Siegel and Lionel Ketchian that was aired on PBS. The meeting will be on Thursday, June 15, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Fairfield Public Library, in the Rotary Room at 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield. Meet some wonderful people using happiness in their lives. Admission is free; we will have free popcorn and soda and everyone is welcome.

There is no way to happiness; happiness is the way!

Ever since August 9, 2000 I have been writing this column on happiness. What more can I tell you about happiness? One more important thing I can tell you that you may have heard before is: There is no way to happiness; happiness is the way!

When I looked at the first article I wrote for the Fairfield Citizen-News almost six years ago there were the words I wrote: there is no way to happiness; happiness is the way! If you read Wayne W. Dyer's recent book, The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way, or saw it presented on PBS, you would have heard him say those exact words. "There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way."

Wayne Dyer actually first wrote those words in his book: There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, Thorsons published it in the UK in 2001. His direct words in that book were: "If you find serenity and happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. I always remind myself that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. If you seek the reactions of others as the basis of your way of being then you have turned the source of your happiness over to those whose reactions you covet. Happiness is an inside job. You don't get it from anyone or anything; you bring it to everyone and every event of your life."

Why do I tell you this story? Wayne Dyer and I have said exactly the same words. It is interesting that I used those exact words in my first article in this newspaper. I wrote them a year before Dr. Dyer. The important point is that the words are extremely important because they are absolutely true. It is not important that I used those words first. The important thing is that the universe is allowing us to understand these truths at the same time. Many important discoveries happen to more than one person. Usually one person receives the credit for it.

The important thing is that we understand the words and make use of this statement and begin to live by it. We must stop looking for happiness because there is no way to happiness. We must grasp the idea that happiness is the way. Happiness takes a great deal of awareness and wisdom to deal with life effectively. The extremely important thing is to realize that happiness is an inside job. My definition of happiness is that exact thought. "Happiness is an inner state of well-being that enables you to profit from your highest thoughts, intelligence, wisdom, awareness, common sense, emotions, health, and spiritual values." - Lionel Ketchian

As Dr. Wayne Dyer and I have been telling you, happiness is important. Learn all you can about being happy. Make it a point to be your own best friend and do the best you can for yourself. Happiness is easier than you think because it affects your thinking. The more you know about happiness the smarter you will be. Make it a point to read all you can, so you can give yourself the greatest gift we have...a happy life.

The thought that happiness is within is not new. Almost 2,000 years ago a man named Marcus Aurelius became the Emperor of Rome. He was born in Rome to a noble family on April 26, AD 121. He died on March 17, 180. During much of his rule, the Roman Empire suffered from epidemics, revolts, and frequent wars along its frontiers. Marcus became a philosopher for personal comfort. Marcus wrote a series of thoughts that were collected and published as a book called, Meditations. He hated selfishness and taught himself to ignore or forgive offenses. Perhaps his noblest quality was his sense of responsibility to humanity and his belief that all people are citizens of the universe and should live for each other.

Marcus Aurelius said, "Very little is needed to make life happy. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."

BE HAPPY ZONE by Lionel Ketchian

Published in the Fairfield Citizen-News - May 17, 2006

Life is complicated, happiness is simple!

Happiness Empowerment to You! LIVE RICHLY...PRACTICE HAPPINESS!

Sharing Love, Peace and Happiness with you,
Lionel Ketchian

Reminding you to make the "Happiness Decision." Sending you Happiness Club Meeting dates, The Happiness Show, on TV & the Internet and your latest copy of the Be Happy Zone Article published every other Wednesday in the Fairfield Citizen-News.

Everything we do in life is for the purpose of obtaining happiness!

Think Smart, Look Smart, Be Smart...Be Happy!

Happ-E-Quote :)
"The ability to love oneself, combined with the ability to love life, fully accepting that it won't last forever, enables one to improve the quality of life." - Bernie S. Siegel, MD from the book, Love, Medicine and Miracles : Lessons Learned About Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience With Exceptional Patients

Happ-E-Mail :)
Thank you for the opportunity to come to the Happiness Club Meeting. Thanks for the wonderful gifts you came up with! Bobbie loves the creature who sings and stomps and of course Buddy barks at him when he is singing. - Peace, Bernie Siegel, MD

Happ-E-Quote :)

"To paraphrase something the anthropologist Ashley Montagu once said, the way I change my life is to act as if I'm the person I want to be. This is, to me, the simplest, wisest advice you can give anyone. When you wake up and act like a loving person, you realize not only that you are altered, but that the people around you are also transformed, because everybody is changed by the reception of this love." - Bernie S. Siegel, MD

Happ-E-Mail :)
What a superb meeting! Melissa was wonderful; she is a remarkable woman. Learned a lot from her. And Dr. Bernie Siegel goes without saying. Sid and I took a two-day seminar with him several years ago, and we have never forgotten the lessons and the impact he made on so many people. Thank you for all you do for Happiness and all of us.- Miriam and Sid

Happ-E-Quote :)
"Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) Paleontologist and philosopher

Happ-E-Mail :)

Many years ago, when my Mom had some serious surgery, I bought her Bernie's book, Love, Medicine and Miracles. Because she was already flowing that optimistic attitude, it made a great impression on her. In fact, her surgeon told her the cancer was too far spread to operate, and she said Do It!. And she is still here, kicking at 93. Spreading peace and happiness, with you, is a great blessing. All smiles, Phyllis
Happ-E-Poem :)
Our friend David sent us this joyful poem.

Joy for Life
A simple moment of joy
An hour of joy
A day of joy
A week of joy
A year of joy
A lifetime of joy no matter what.

Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, "Did you bring joy?" The second was, "Did you find joy?" - Dr. Leo Buscaglia

Happ-E-Mail :)
Mail from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

I hope that all is going wonderful for you. I am very happy that Artscroll.com is moving along with publishing my new book: "Building Your Self-image and the Self-image of Others." Happiness and a positive self-image go together, the same is also true of the opposite. I have a section in the book on basic ideas for mastering happiness.

Be well my dear friend. All the best always, Zelig
The Self-image Builder and Happiness Teacher

Happ-E-Quote :)
"All things are permeated by a power which makes for health. A human being can relate himself to this power, and ally himself with it. He can also separate himself from it in his thoughts." - Wallace Wattles

Happ-E-Mail :)
GUESS WHAT?! Maria Carretero has decided to start a happiness club in Detroit! I want to introduce you to my mentor and good friend. Maria and I did an outline of for her first meeting, It will be on gratitude of course. I am really happy that Maria will be starting the happiness club because she really has a strong passion and desire to help people live happier lives!

Maria has jumped on the happiness bandwagon with me ever since I started all of my happiness initiatives. She graduated from Berkeley with a degree in psychology with an emphasis in happiness (positive psychology). Currently she is enrolled in a PhD Psychology program in Detroit, MI and she was just awarded a full scholarship because of her interests in helping the world be a happy place. - Aymee Coget

Happ-E-Quote :)
"I feel that the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more." - Jonas Salk (1914-1995), Physician and research scientist

Happ-E-Quote :)
"Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won't have to hunt for happiness." - William E. Gladstone (1809 - 1898)

Happ-E-Mail :)
I just came across a quote by Ann Landers that incorporates Lincoln's favorite quote: "Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and repeat to yourself the most comforting words of all, this, too, shall pass." - Dr. Richard Ellis

Happ-E-Quote :)
"There is only one way to happiness, and that is cease worrying about the things which are beyond the power of our will." - Epictetus

Happ-E-Mail :)
From Phyllis Freeman
Tell everyone you know: "My happiness depends on me, so you're off the hook. And then demonstrate it. Be happy, no matter what they're doing. Practice feeling good, no matter what. And before you know it, you will not give anyone else responsibility for the way you feel - and then, you'll love them all. Because the only reason you don't love them, is because you're using them as your excuse not to feel good." - Abraham, Ashville, NC 4/30/05

Happ-E-Quote :)
"It is good to love as many things as one can, for therein lies true strength, and those who love much, do much and accomplish much, and whatever is done with love is done well." - Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)

Happ-E-Mail :)
With regard to the "Count the "F's" in the last newsletter, a trick my Father taught me, when I was looking for a specific letter or symbol, was to turn the page upside down. I too found only 3 F's when I read it normally. When I remembered to turn it upside down I found five immediately and then saw the sixth-one as part of a hyphenated word. I'm glad that I stumbled across you newsletter. Alan Dierksen.

Happ-E-Quote :)
"The "how" thinker gets problems solved effectively because he wastes no time with futile "ifs" but goes right to work on the creative "how." - Rev. Norman Vincent Peale

Happ-E-Mail :)
I agree, being happy is the most amazing feeling in the world. It's so fascinating how one smile, one word of happiness can affect another human being, to the point of change. I'm dumbfounded, b/c being happy is so extraordinary! I have chosen to be a happy person...that is ME! - kaitlin h

Happ-E-Quote :)
"Your life is the sum total of all your choices up to this present minute." - Brian Tracy

Happ-E-Mail :)
Life is complicated, happiness is simple! Whew!! I have passed on to sooo many people the thought you passed on to me. Reactions to the words brought smiles, thoughtful faces, shaking of heads...and some just looked off in the distance. Some were total strangers, too...they were the ones who seemed to enthusiastically appreciate the words. All promised to pass the words on. So thanks, once again for helping to make the world a more sensible place...by the way the thought must be spreading around Charleston, S.C as that was where I said it the most...Blessings, Joanie

Happ-E-Quote :)
"Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your promotion." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happ-E-Mail :)

Really, all I can say is wow. Thank you guys so much for making the world a better place! I wish there were more people like you!

Happ-E-Quote :)
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." - William Jennings Bryan

Happ-E-Mail :)
Happiness Anonymous presents: Your Joy is a Gift. 'Slow down a while, cease to hurry for a moment, and let your inner happiness bubble up. The soul is JOY!' Dr. Robert Holden, 'Happiness Now.' Based on the work and creativity of Dr. Robert Holden and hosted by In Lynch, Happiness Anonymous is an opportunity to share, to provide support and to deepen our connection to joy and happiness in a warm, friendly and relaxed setting.
*SPECIAL EVENT*
The Happiness Formula, featuring Dr. Robert Holden and clips from the Happiness NOW! 8 -Week course will be shown on 24th May, 7:00 pm on BBC2. To celebrate, we will be showing the programme during the Happiness Anonymous meeting.

Time: 7:30-9:30 pm
Location: Friends House, Euston, London, NW1 2BJ
Cost: £10 per meeting (pay on night)
Dates for next meetings: 21st June, 19th July

Contact Ian Lynch or Leah Mohammed on 0845 430 9236 or email info@happiness.co.uk for more information. Best wishes, Leah

The Happiness Show on TV:)
"The Happiness Show," is on every Monday night, from 9:30 - 10:00 PM. Your co-hosts are Lionel Ketchian and George Ortega. Cablevision of Connecticut broadcasts the TV show on channel 77. Airs in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Milford, Orange, Stratford & Woodbridge.

Happ-E-Quote :)

"Life has an incredible way of working out the details of our difficulties when we choose not to give up." - Josh Hinds

FAIRFIELD CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Our next Happiness Club meeting will be a movie presentation called: "Conversations with Bernie on Health and Happiness." This is a one-hour video with Dr. Bernie Siegel and Lionel Ketchian that was aired on PBS.

Date :) Thursday, June 15, 2006

Time :) 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place :) At the Fairfield Public Library, in the Rotary Room

Address :) 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824

Everyone is welcome; admission is free.

We will have free popcorn and soda.

Meet some wonderful people using happiness in their lives.

Future meetings at the Fairfield Library will be:

Thursday, July 20, Thursday, August 17, 2006.

Directions to Fairfield Public Library: 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824

(diagonally across the street from the movie theatre)

I-95 Northbound Exit 21: From New York - I-95, Exit 21, Mill Plain Road. Right at bottom of ramp. Under railroad overpass make a left at light (Post Rd.), 1/2 mile on right at the corner.

I-95 Southbound Exit 22: From New Haven - I-95, Exit 22, North Benson Rd. Left at bottom of ramp. Under railroad overpass make right at light (Post Rd.), 1/2 mile on left at the corner.

The Happiness Club at Bridge House meets every Tuesday from 12:00 - 1:00 PM for a happy meal and a happy hour meeting!

Bridge House is a Clubhouse which is modeled on the Fountain House model of psychiatric rehabilitation. The men and women who attend assist with the running of the program, which helps to restore their sense of purpose,dignity and self worth. The members also work at part time jobs, with staff providing intensive supports. New employers are always welcome! In addition,case management, social events, residential supports, and educational opportunities are provided. The program is open 365 days a year, and just celebrated their 20th year of helping it's members realize their potential as valued members of the community.

WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT SMILING SINGLE SENIORS HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Dr. Paul Epstein will be the speaker at our next meeting on Monday, June 26th.

Time 7:00 - 8:30 PM at the Westport Public Library. Located at: Arnold Bernhard Plaza, 20 Jesup Road, Westport, CT 06880. Library is located along the Saugatuck River in Westport.

Future meetings will be on Monday, July 24th

Smiling Senior Singles is a group for seniors who have found themselves alone. Many people, who live in the area, have found themselves without any family. This can be difficult, so it is important to find friends you can relate to. Meet some wonderful people and start using happiness in your life.

Stacy Enyeart is the group facilitator. Stacy has a background in publishing, advertising, TV producing and is President of the AARP of Westport/Weston Chapter.

SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA HAPPINESS CLUB MEETING :)

Date: One Sunday per month. Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Robert Nozik, M.D. is the author of Happy 4 Life: Here’s How to Do It.

DIABLO VALLEY HAPPINESS CLUB MEETING :)

The Lafayette Senior Happiness Club has been officially renamed the Diablo Valley Happiness Club.

Our next meeting will be Thursday, June 8th, from 10:30 - 12:00 Noon.

We will be playing Pollyanna's Game at this interactive meeting.

We meet at the Lafayette Senior Center, 500 St. Mary's Road.

Robert Nozik, M.D with co-hosts Mei Sun Li and Alysa Anderson

WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA HAPPINESS CLUB :)

We had our second meeting on Tuesday, May 30th!

The Happiness Club Of North Carolina in Wilmington meets on the last Tuesday of each the month at 7:00 PM. The next meeting is June 27th. The club will initially be a free one hour discussion/seminar on a topic pertaining to happiness.

CANADIAN AMBASSADOR OF HAPPINESS :)

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Happiness is an inner state of well being. A state that enables you to profit from your highest thoughts, intelligence, wisdom, awareness, common sense, emotions, health, and spiritual values.

Happiness is one of the most important things in your life.

Don't give away your power by being unhappy! Practice "Premeditated Happiness," because happiness is an issue of power. We give our power to others for many reasons, and we think that they will make us happy. The truth is that we have given others power over ourselves. We can now take our power back in order to be happy again. Happiness does wonders for your soul. Now is the time to learn to use happiness in dealing with challenges and difficult people in your life so you can develop the strength to prevail.

Reading this newsletter will not just make your life better; it will make the world a better place...because you have decided to be happy!

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If you're not happy by now, it's time to have a talk with yourself.

Make the Happiness Decision Now!

© Copyright 2006, Lionel R. Ketchian, all rights reserved.