Happ-E-Newsletter for November 15, 2006

Welcome My Dear Friend!

Woodrow Wilson said: "You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."

Thursday, November 16 is our next Happiness Club meeting and the presentation is called: "Simple Steps to Health & Happiness," by Dr. Veronica Waks. Dr. Waks believes that most illnesses are the body's reaction to a stressful, toxic environment and unwise lifestyle choices. 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. at the Fairfield Public Library.

ATTITUDINAL GRATITUDE

Gratitude is an attitude of happiness. Gratitude will enable you to experience the best things in your life. Gratitude is one of the basic things we need to experience, in order to feel happy. Gratitude is the trailblazer to happiness. Do you want to be happy? Be grateful! You just can't be unhappy if you're grateful!

Melody Beattie said: "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

How do you access that attitude of gratitude? You can do it by finding something to be grateful for, it could be anything. It may possibly be a loved one or something about your health such as the fact that you can see, or anything else that comes into your mind. Think about how fortunate you are to have all this in your life. You can also be grateful for the many negative things that you don't have. Some of these things may include a life of poverty, illness and so many other unfortunate life events.

Instead of thinking about the things you don't have, you can be grateful for the good things you do have and you will feel happier and wealthier. Being grateful adds value to your life! You have an opportunity to get yourself into a happier state of mind. If you want to feel good and make a difference, then get into the Holiday Spirit by being part of the Thanksgiving Basket Brigade.

Would you like to help? You can volunteer your time on Saturday, November 18th, at 9:00 A.M. our mission will be to put together and deliver 300 complete Thanksgiving dinners directly to families in need. Meet us at Innovative Measurement Solutions (IMS) Inc. 70 Robinson Blvd., Orange, CT 06477 (203) 795-9047. Since 1994, on the weekend before Thanksgiving, more than 75 volunteers have been putting their time, energies and dollars together into delivering baskets with all the fixings to those in need in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport, CT areas.

We work with several agencies to find families in need of assistance. These agencies include CCCC (Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis), Yale Child Study Center, Cornerstone, Bella Vista, and The Kennedy Center. The Connecticut Basket Brigade was inspired from the larger international efforts of The Basket Brigade organization created by The Anthony Robbins Foundation in San Diego, CA. The baskets include a turkey, and a complete Thanksgiving family dinner, with many other healthful and useful items.

Giving and sharing is a large part of happiness. You can share in the gift of happiness this Thanksgiving, by sending a 100% tax-deductible check to Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis. In the memo section of your check please write "Thanksgiving," or "Basket Brigade," so the donation will go toward food for the needy. A donation of $250 feeds 10 families, $125 feeds 5 families, and $25 feeds 1 family. Any donation will help tremendously! Every dollar you donate will go to buying the items delivered on November 18th. Send your check to CCCC, 131 Dwight Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Their phone # is (203) 624-2600.

Thanking you in advance, for sending in a donation or volunteering your time, or doing both. I have been participating in this event for years, and it makes me feel great all year! Do something for yourself by doing something nice for someone else. If you want happiness, give happiness to someone, and you will have it. I trust you will elevate yourself to a higher altitude, and profit from an attitude of gratitude. I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. I look forward to seeing you there!

Our next Happiness Club meeting is on November 16, from 7:00-9:00 P.M. The presentation is called: "Simple Steps to Health & Happiness," by Dr. Veronica Waks. Dr. Waks believes that most illnesses are the body's reaction to a stressful, toxic environment and unwise lifestyle choices. The meeting will be held in the Memorial Room, at the Fairfield Public Library, located at 1080 Old Post Road. There is no charge for the meeting and everyone's welcome!

BE HAPPY ZONE by Lionel Ketchian

Published in the Fairfield Citizen-News on November 8, 2006

Life is complicated, happiness is simple! LIVE RICHLY...PRACTICE HAPPINESS!

Everything we do in life is for the purpose of obtaining happiness! Happiness Empowerment to You! Reminding you to make the "Happiness Decision." Think Smart, Look Smart, Be Smart...Be Happy! Sharing Love, Peace and Happiness with you, Lionel Ketchian

Join us for our first monthly meeting January 6, 2007. At the Stamford Marriott, 275 Summer Street. Open for all high school students. Call for additional information: (203) 322 9990

Happ-E-Quote :) "Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful." - Annette Funicello

Happ-E-Mail :) Show your blessings and gratitude, by jotting down a note of thanks. Whenever something nice happens to any member of your household, write it on a slip of paper and place it into a special container. Then, once a week or at a family gathering, meal, or on Thanksgiving, use the slips to compose a prayer. Perhaps, just read them aloud, to remind everyone of all the things to be thankful for. Thank you... for being in my life and for all you do for others. God bless you today and always. The best things in Life aren't things ---they're people like you. HAPPY THANKSGIVING - Anne Fasanella

Happ-E-Quote :) "In relation to others, gratitude is good manners; in relation to ourselves, it is a habit of the heart and a spiritual discipline." - Daphne Rose Kingma

Happ-E-Mail :) Helen Keller said: "If you face the sunshine you never see the shadows." Congratulations on the growth of the Happiness Club. I had a short class on laughter yoga as part of a workshop I was doing and think it would be great for Happiness Club meetings. I couldn't stop laughing for no reason, it felt very good! - Peace, Bernie (Sent to us from Bernie Siegel, M.D.)

Happ-E-Quote :) "One filled with joy preaches without preaching." - Mother Teresa

Happy-Book :) Understanding Others is the Key to Anger

Frequently when we get angry with someone, we fail to realize that he sees the situation much differently than we do. Since he is acting in a manner he considers proper, we should not condemn him and become angry. Always ask yourself, "How does this person perceive the situation?" You might still strongly disagree with him, but understanding his point of view will help calm you down. The greater your understanding of someone else's perception of reality, the greater your ability to communicate with him effectively.

Happ-E-Mail :) Video Description of Free Hugs!!! Sent to us from Karen Heffner

Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man who's sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives. In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.As this symbol of human hope spread across the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.In the Spirit of the free hugs campaign, PASS THIS TO A FRIEND and HUG A STRANGER! After all, If you can reach just one person...Music by Sick Puppies.

Happ-E-Quote :) "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." - William Arthur Ward

Happ-E-Book :) I just read the wonderful book called: Get Happy Get Healthy Be Wealth: It's your choice by Michael Framberger. As Michael says, it is a cycle: "Becoming happier will make you healthier. Becoming healthier will make you happier. Becoming happier and healthier will make you wealthier. It's Your Choice...what are you waiting for?" Michael advises us to remember: "It's My Choice! I Will consciously choose: - Irrepressible Happiness - Optimal Health & Mental Well Being. - Life Enhancing, Abundant Wealth.

Happ-E-Quote :) "Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other." - Joseph Addison

Our next Happiness Club meeting will be a presentation called: "Simple Steps to Health & Happiness," by Dr. Veronica Waks. Dr. Waks believes that most illnesses are the body's reaction to a stressful, toxic environment and unwise lifestyle choices.

Date :) Thursday, November 16

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

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

Everyone is welcome; admission is free. Meet some wonderful people using happiness in their lives. Future meetings at the Fairfield Library will be: Holiday Gathering on Thursday, December 7, 2006, Thursday, January 18th, February 15th, 2007

WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT SMILING SINGLE SENIORS HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Our next meeting will be: "Music For Your Happiness," by Hilary Caldwell. The meeting will be held Thursday, November 30, 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Westport Senior Center, 21 Imperial Ave., Westport CT 06880. Ms. Caldwell is a Norwalk resident for many years. Hilary has a BS degree in music, majoring in piano and voice. Hilary has taught music in Westport, Norwalk and Greenwich public schools and presently teaches piano and voice. Hilary is also church organist and choir director and soloist at several area churches. Hilary exudes happiness and laughter!

Admission is free and you if your single and over 50 you can meet some wonderful people using happiness in their lives. Stay happy and healthy - get well connected. Stacy Enyeart is the group facilitator. For further information, www.happinessclub.com or call Lionel Ketchian at 203 258-7777. Future meetings: Thursday, December 21, 2006. Also Thursday, December 7, 2006 a joint meeting with Happiness Club at Fairfield Public Library.

NEW! - MADISON CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, November 28th, 2006.

"Happiness In The Workplace!" by Cal Sutliff

Date :) Wednesday, November 29th, 2006..

Time :) 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place :) At the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library

Address :) 801 Boston Post Road, Madison, Ct. 06443

Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month except for December 20, 2006.

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. We mistakenly think that doing this will make us happy. The truth is that we have given others power over ourselves. We can now consciously reclaim our power and experience happiness. Happiness does wonders for your soul. Now is the time to learn to use happiness for dealing with challenges and difficult people so you can empower your life. 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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"Unhappiness is a form of suffering." Eckhart Tolle If you're not happy by now, it's time to have a talk with yourself. Make the Happiness Decision Now! THAT'S ALL FOLKS...NOW BE HAPPY!

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