Happ-E-Newsletter for May 15, 2007

Welcome My Dear Friend!

"There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy." - Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
Writer

We are happy to announce the new World Wide Web Happiness Club, as the newest chapter.

The World's First Internet Voice Discussion Room for Becoming Happier Will Open on Monday, June 4, 2007. It will be open every Monday from 9:00 - 11:00 PM. We have reserved space for you and are looking forward to having you join us. You will be able to listen and you can talk, or you can communicate with text messages on your keyboard.

You may only need the speakers on your computer to listen. If you would like to speak to others in the room, you can buy an inexpensive microphone. A cheap headset will work just like a microphone. You can speak into the headset and listen through your computer speakers.

George Ortega the host of the The Happiness Show on TV and a happiness researcher and promoter, is breaking new ground by setting up the world's first happiness room on Paltalk, the Internet's #1 voice-chat web site. George Ortega and Richard D. Banton, LCSW, of The Happiness Institute in Wilmington, NC and the facilitator of the Wilmington, North Carolina Happiness Club will be the moderators for the meetings. George's goal is to keep the new Paltalk happiness room open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

People worldwide will be joining together to boost their happiness through this new interactive Paltalk voice room. Anyone wanting to become happier will be able to achieve this noble goal by joining the free Happiness Club World Wide Web for training sessions and discussions about happiness.

Advice about downloading the program:

HARVARD HAPPINESS!

BE HAPPY ZONE
By Lionel Ketchian

I would like to introduce you to a great new book called: Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, by Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D.

Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D., is one of Harvard University's most popular lecturers. More students have signed up to hear Ben-Shahar than any other teacher in Harvard's history. His classes attract 1,400 students per semester - approximately 20 percent of all Harvard graduates. He has been profiled on NPR and featured on CNN and CBS and in the New York Times and the Boston Globe. Ben-Shahar graduated from Harvard with a degree in philosophy and psychology. For the last ten years, he has been teaching personal and organizational excellence, leadership, ethics, and self-esteem.

The book Happier is short and very easy to read. It is a delightful and delicious assortment of valuable happiness insights and exercises. One thing about this book is that it allows you to understand happiness from a common sense approach. Ben-Shahar uses logic and reason to explain happiness in a straightforward way.

The book Happier will allow you to learn to become exactly what it says...happier. Another important aspect of the book Happier is that a teacher cannot make you happy. What you can do is learn to be happy from a person that has learned about being happy. Ben-Shahar understands happiness because he boils happiness down to the simple things of life as well as the meaning you have in your life.
Ben-Shahar's students have discovered that they can become happier. Ben-Shahar has lead his class on positive psychology - a branch of psychology that combines the latest scientific research with good old common sense.

I would like to use the words of Ben Dean, Ph.D. to describe what positive psychology is: "Positive psychology is the scientific study of what goes right in life, from birth to death and at all stops in between. It is a newly christened approach within psychology that takes seriously the examination of that which makes life most worth living. Everyone's life has peaks and valleys, and positive psychology does not deny the valleys. What is good about life is as genuine as what is bad and, therefore, deserves equal attention from psychologists. Positive psychology as an explicit perspective has existed only since 1998, but enough relevant theory and research now exists to fill a textbook suitable for a semester-long college course."

The title of the book actually reveals and delivers what it proposes. You will learn to live with daily joy if you read this book and actually practice and apply the words of wisdom in this book. Another key thing you will learn is that there really is a lasting fulfillment to life. You can learn to be happy and this book will give you the essentials to being happy.

To quote Dr, Tal Ben-Shahar: "The happiness revolution, which is about the change from material perception to happiness perception, is mental and therefore internal. No outside force is required to bring about this change. Conscious choice - the choice to focus on happiness as the ultimate currency - is the only agent."

Ben-Shahar states so perfectly: "The happiness revolution is about creating a society-wide paradigm shift to a higher level of consciousness, a higher plane of existence - to happiness perception. If most people in our society understand and internalize the ideas that happiness is not a zero-sum game and that pursuing it does not put us in competition with others, a quiet revolution will unfold where the pursuit of happiness and helping others attain higher levels of happiness will be two complimentary ends. When this revolution comes about, we will witness a society-wide abundance of not only happiness but also goodness."

Congratulations to Dr, Tal Ben-Shahar for writing the book Happier and contributing to the Happiness Revolution.

Dr, Tal Ben-Shahar might ask you questions like these. "Can you recognize that happiness, not money or prestige, is the ultimate currency - the currency by which we ought to take measure of our lives? Can you accept that you have a right to be happy?"

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

Happ-E-Quote :) "Whenever suffering happens, don't collect it. Allow it to happen, but don't nourish it. Why go on talking about it? Everyone talks about his suffering. Why is there so much emphasis on it? Why give so much attention to it? Remember one of the laws: that whatsoever you pay much attention to grows. Attention is a growth helping element. If you pay attention to something, it grows more." - Osho

Happ-E-Mail :) One of the things that makes me very happy is when I open my copy of the Happ-E-Newsletter on the 1st and 15th of every month, and nothing makes me happier than to see the greeting at the top "Welcome My Dear Friend." This greeting always gives my spirit a lift. I wish that in real life, person to person contact, that this greeting was used more often and openly without more people without it being felt uncomfortably by many. Sometimes I will leave out the "dear" in a greeting. I greet you all as My Dear Friends (spoken with sincere warmth). Thank you! I appreciate your website and your newsletter very much. In an informal way I study happiness. I enjoy reading about it, searching for it in the eyes and faces of people, and I make a priority in my life each day. It is nice to know that you are there. I look forward to the 1st and 15th of the month, and I know there will always be outstanding content for all of us to read.Love, Peace and Happiness to you also! grand katz

Happ-E-Quote :) "What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?" - Robert Schuller

Accentuate The Positive. Consciously make an effort to fill your mind with positive thoughts. Practice focusing on the hundreds of positive aspects of your life. Be aware of your ability to see, talk, walk, etc. Thoughts always keep racing through your mind, so gently keep your focus on all the positive details of your life. Realize that you are the one who chooses what thoughts to dwell on. Choose those thoughts which enhance your life. From Rabbi Pliskin's book: "Gateway to Happiness," p.179

Happ-E-Quote :) "Forget mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day." - Will Durant

Happ-E-Quote :) "One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life." - E. M. Forster

Happ-E-Mail :) All I have to say is wow, wow and wow. I love your website I visit it everyday and I start each day with your article "Your Keys to Happiness." I really love that article. - Rich

Happ-E-Quote :) "...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happ-E-Mail :) Someone sent me an e-mail with this saying and thought you might be interested in putting it in your newsletter (I don't remember ever seeing it). "Always remember to be happy because you never know who is falling in love with your smile." - Unknown author. Thanks, Barbara Zarifian

Happ-E-Quote :) "Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happ-E-News :) Articles about our Happiness Clubs!

Bloom, a Clinical Psychologist, and Lionel Ketchian, founder of the Happiness Club of Fairfield. Each of them has dealt with people who have had ...

Happ-E-News :) Some excellent articles on happiness!

CLUB HAPPINESS, E-CLUB :)

FAIRFIELD CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Our next Happiness Club meeting will include a presentation called: "How I Got Involved with Happiness!" by Dr. Mark K. Setton. Dr. Setton is an Associate Professor of World Religions and Chairman of the Martial Arts Studies Program at the University of Bridgeport. Dr. Setton will speak about the importance of happiness.

MENTORS HAPPINESS CLUB :) Meeting: Monday, June 4, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Fairfield Public Library in the conference room. This meeting is for Happiness Club facilitators in CT.

Maximize Your Happiness Seminars :)

Date :) May 15th, from & June 20th (2 more meetings to be announced)
Time :) 6:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place :) At the Fairfield Public Library Rotary Room
Address :) 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824

WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT SMILING SINGLE SENIORS HAPPINESS CLUB :)
Our next Happiness Club meeting will be a presentation by C.J. Golden the author of the book:

The Tao Of The Defiant Woman. C.J. wrote this book to celebrate the transitions that we all (men, too) face as we go through our lives. This book was done as a self-help project to help her accept this thing we call aging - and in the process changed C.J.'s attitude towards life (and her gray hair and wrinkles).

Date :) Thursday, May 31, 2007
Time :) 6:30- 8:00 P.M.
Place :) The Westport Senior Center

Address :) 21 Imperial Ave. Westport CT 06880.

Admission is free and the meetings are for people single and over 50 years old. Meet some wonderful people using happiness in their lives. Stay happy and healthy - get well connected. Stacy Enyeart is the group facilitator. Future meetings will be held on Thursday, May 31, Thursday, June 28, Thursday, July 26, 2007.

MADISON CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)
Our next Happiness Club meeting is a presentation called :"How to Activate the Happiness Habit When Challenged by Adversity" by Melissa Zollo.

STAMFORD,CONNECTICUT TEEN HAPPY CLUB :)
Open to all high school students. Meetings are held twice a month on Saturdays from 11:00 - 12:30 P.M. At the Daniel and Grace Tully & Family Health Center, 32 Strawberry Hill Court, Stamford, Connecticut 06902.

WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA HAPPINESS CLUB :)
Event Description: Come and participate in an exciting exercise where we will learn the Option Philosophy. The Option Philosophy is a group of observations that we can use to change various aspects of ourselves including our emotions and behaviors. This will be a fun and enlightening experience that just may change your life! It would be beneficial to read the book "To Love is To Be Happy With" by Barry Neil Kaufmann beforehand. It is available free and online. Just google "to love is to be happy with." Also check out our "latest added pages" and "Option Method Resources" when you click on the "About Us" tab to the
left.

Date :) Friday, May 25, 2007

Time :) 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place :) The Happiness Institute Counseling and Wellness Center

Address :) 6336 Oleander Drive Suite #4, Wilmington NC 28403.

Organizer' feature on the Meetup.com website:

VIRTUAL HAPPINESS CLUB :) Join us from your home, on your phone, on the new VIRTUAL HAPPINESS CLUB with Dr. Cynthia Barnett. You can listen and talk with a great happiness teacher each month.

Date: Monday, June 4, 2007
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 PM, EST in the USA.
Phone number: (712) 775-7000
Your Access Code is: 122856#.

The Virtual Happiness Club is free, just your normal long distance charges apply. The first 90 callers may participate. The Virtual Happiness Club meets the first Monday of each month from 7:00 - 8:00. PM, EST in the USA. Our guest for the next Virtual Happiness Club meeting will be pending his schedule.

New - Virtual Happiness Club - For more information:

New - Club Happiness, an E-Club - For more information:

Happ-E-Quote :) "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. 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!

REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS: No longer wish to receive the Happ-E-Newsletter, reply with "Remove" in the subject line.

"Unhappiness is a form of suffering." Eckhart Tolle. "Do or do not. There is no try." Yoda

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 2007, Lionel R. Ketchian, all rights reserved.