Happ-E-Newsletter for December 1, 2007

Welcome My Dear Friend!

Thank you to those individuals that helped feed 350 families in need this Thanksgiving. We are grateful to all you wonderful people who helped make it happen again this year!

Here is an e-mail from Sarah Shapiro. Sarah is the daughter of Norman Cousins. Sarah addressed the Happiness Club this past October.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and to all my friends at the Happiness Club. Hello to everyone! Now that the rainy season has begun here in Israel, I have been taking with me, everywhere I go, the black umbrella you gave me with its multitude of yellow happy faces. I think of it as my Happiness Umbrella, which embraces everything. It reminds me that even if the sky is falling, the default program -- the underlying consciousness -- can be a smile; that no matter how intrinsically complicated the world and life must remain, the simplicity of a smile can be the constant underlying truth. Wishing you al the best, Sarah

Happiness Stability!

Stability and consistency seem to be things we do not experience very often these days. Starting about twenty or thirty years ago, our fathers and mothers and grandparents experienced a different life. Many had jobs that they worked at nearly all their lives. It was not unusual to have the same job for thirty or forty years and then retire. You might say that they had job security because they could keep that job as long as they performed it well.

Our parents and grandparents may not even have cared that much about their jobs. They were glad to have a job and earn a living, but they did not seem to make their job the center of their life. They went home at a normal time; they spent a great deal of time with their family and friends. For the most part, their interest was in other things besides work. The importance of work was to find a job they could do and earn enough money to take care of their family. Staying with the job provided a lifetime of job security, stability and consistency for many of them.

Another aspect of life then was that people did not get divorced as easily or as often as people do now. This is certainly another part of the inconsistency and in stability we now seem to experience so often. Things have changed. Today, it is not unusual for people to have new jobs every few years and even to change careers. Marriages do not last as long with more of them leading to divorce than ever before.

What we need now, more than ever before, is constancy. Where does it exist nowadays? Where can we find it in a world that does not seem to offer any kind of stability whatsoever. I have found that being happy provided this aspect of life to me. What can we really count on in life? The more we feel that we are in control of ourselves no matter what may be happening, the more constant our lives become.

It is a great feeling to know you can count on yourself. Being happy allows us to know we can count on being in control of ourselves in situations that we may not like. Life happens fast, it may not be what we like, but what really counts is what you do about what happens, not about what happened! It is time to allow ourselves some stability in our life. Having a more positive, happy and accepting attitude allows us to feel a smother road.

Happiness acts like a shock absorber to your brain. Instead of getting upset with what happens in life we can begin to give ourselves the gift of making the Happiness Decision to make our life experience more stable. As Charles Horton Cooley said: "Form the habit of making decisions when your spirit is fresh…to let dark moods lead is like choosing cowards to command armies."

You really can't choose happiness until you make the decision to be happy. Your decision to be happy supercedes all else and directs your ability to choose happiness. If you have not decided on happiness as a decision than your emotions will decide for you. They will choose how you will react in a given situation. You will not have the power to make choices, but your emotions will. Life is always forcing you to make choices, and that is where your problems are created.

Life doesn't force you to make decisions. It is only when you make your own decisions in life that you're meaning and purpose can emerge. Many people do not know what their meaning and purpose in life is. This is because they have not made a decision on what is most important in their life. Once you realize that happiness is more important than anything else, than your authentic meaning and purpose can be realized.

Viktor Frankel said: "Man does not simply exist, but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become in the next moment." I know I can count on feeling well every day and I feel good today. No matter what happens, I have made the decision to be happy and allow that positive feeling and mental wellbeing to handle any problem that may show up in my life. Being unhappy only makes every situation worse for you and everyone around you as well.

Our parents and grandparents had constancy and stability in their lives. This was the way things were back then in the world they grew up in. We have a new challenge in our world today and that is to find a way to experience stability into our lives. Being happy and making the happiness decision is a great way to bring something you can count on in your life. What you do is up to you. Don't give your power away to situations or people that you cannot control. Life is tough, so don't make it tougher on yourself. Be smart, stay happy and experience some constancy in your life. You owe it to yourself!

BE HAPPY ZONE by Lionel Ketchian. Published in the Fairfield Citizen-News on November 21, 2007

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 :) "We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God." - Marianne Williamson

Happ-E-Quote :) "I think that more of our children would grow up happier and more stable if they were acquiring a conviction, all through childhood, that the most important thing that human beings can do is serve humanity in some function and to live by their ideals." - Benjamin Spock

Happ-E-Mail :) So far, the kids at the Happy Club for Teenagers have had an extremely busy schedule of events since September. They participated in the beach clean up with Soundwaters as "the Happy Club Team," they also conducted a day of beauty at a local Nursing Home/ Brighton Gardens by giving manicures, trivia games, bingo etc., plus they spent the afternoon a couple of weeks ago with mothers in recovery and their children at St. Luke’s. While at St. Luke’s they turned the facility into a bowling alley, decorated cupcakes and did arts and crafts projects. Last weekend, they were able to get 2000 pounds of food donated to the Lower Fairfield County Food Bank while standing outside the A & P. As you can imagine each event was most rewarding for the kids.

As you know Dr. Cynthia Barnett has been extremely busy and has recommended Nicholas Hall to step in and help facilitate meetings. He conducted his first meeting by showing the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness". Rosalie & Cathy

Happ-E-Quote :) "What we learn with pleasure we never forget." - Alfred Mercier

Happ-E-Mail :) TO GIVE THANKS!!! with a natural smile... because I smile when I am fascinated, not for pure politeness, a constant smile can be considered by some a 'smile on duty'... unwillingness to show real feelings. However, I smile because my heart is singing, so I nurture that music to keep smiling, some people do not smile at strangers I do because I see love in everyone and everywhere, that invisible connection is a personal attraction, a glue of life, for I do not need 'a reason to smile' it is not an intellectual act is my soul, and yours, and yours too it make us stronger it make us healthier it is a window, a passport to a better world nature smiles all the time can you feel it? yes I can there is so much to be thankful for. Peace be with you! Kathy Ward

Happ-E-Mail :) CHEERS! I don't have to ask how you are. I know...happy. I'm 99% sure you already have read Jonathan Haidt's book The Happiness Hypothesis. 2006. Basic Books. It's at the top of my list, and am still reading. Cal Sutliff

Happ-E-Quote :) "Fulfilled life is possible in spite of unfulfilled wishes." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Happ-E-Quote :) "Happiness must be cultivated. It is like character. It is not a thing to be safely let alone for a moment, or it will run to weeds." - Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (1844-1911)

Happy-Book :) "Happiness-Producing Questions" From Kindness: Making a Difference in People's Lives: Formulas, stories, and insights By Rabbi Zelig Pliskin. When you ask people questions, you get them to focus on specific pieces of information and memories. It’s an act of kindness to ask the type of questions that gives people pleasure and increases their level of happiness.

Here are some questions that you can use as tools to help people access positive states:
What gives you the most happiness in your life? What were your greatest moments? What are your favorite childhood memories? What are some of the nicest things that people have said to you? What was your best vacation? What makes you smile? What makes you laugh? Who makes you feel good just by being in that person’s presence? What do you enjoy reading? What songs put you in positive states? What is your favorite possession? What is your favorite day of the year? When have you unexpectedly had a better time than you thought you would? When have you been pleasantly surprised by the way something you did turned out? When did you feel you would succeed and you actually did? When have you felt joy about seeing someone you hadn’t seen in a long time? What praises and positive feedback have you appreciated?
What is the nicest thing a teacher ever told you? When did you surprise yourself by being more skillful at something than you thought you could? How do you look when you smile at yourself in a mirror? When has someone given you a gift that you greatly appreciated? What do you consider your wisest decision? What advice do you have for others to increase their happiness? What did you do for someone else that you felt great about? What is the nicest thing a total stranger ever did for you? What have you been grateful for in the past? What are you grateful for in the present? When have you felt joyous for no special reason? What healthy activities give you a natural high? When were you about to give up and someone’s encouragement kept you motivated? (For grandparents): What is a clever thing one of your grandchildren said? What is your favorite question that anyone ever asked you?

Happ-E-Quote :) "The whole worth of a kind deed is in the love that inspires it." - The Talmud

Happ-E-News :) Recent happiness articles and items of interest!

CLUB HAPPINESS, E-CLUB :) Everybody should join this club, try it, you'll love it!!!

VIRTUAL HAPPINESS CLUB :) Our guest speaker will be Robert A. Nozik, M.D., author of the book, HAPPY 4 LIFE: Here's How to Do It. In this book Bob reveals all the secrets he's unearthed for getting the happiness we all dream of having, and he saves us 20 years in the process.
Date: Monday, January 14. 2008

Time: 7:00 - 8:00 PM, EST in the USA.
The Virtual Happiness Club is free, just your normal long distance charges apply. The first 90 callers may participate. The Virtual Happiness Club meets one Monday each month.

FAIRFIELD CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Our next Happiness Club meeting is a Holiday Gathering and will include a presentation by international documentary photographer Daryl Hawk who will present a slide show entitled, "Visions of Happiness," a showcase of 250 of Daryl's favorite photographs taken from some of the most remote places in the world, including "The Last Shangri-La". We will have refreshments afterwards.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY GATHERING - Please feel free to bring a dish or beverage to share for the holiday season, or feel free to come without a snack!
Date :) Thursday, December 6, 2007
Time :) 7:00 - 9:30 P.M.
Place :) At the Fairfield Public Library, Rotary room, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824

FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT SENIORS HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Join us at our first meeting of the Fairfield Seniors Happiness Club for a presentation called: Positive Living! by Eileen Armstrong, Director of Social Services at Connecticut Health in Southport, CT, Many seniors have illnesses which debilitate them, but the important thing is to LIVE. To wake up everyday thankful for what you do have because there is always someone who is worse off than you. The best medicine is laughter and love. I am glad I have Lupus, because it makes me a better caretaker for my Residents, because I feel their pain in more ways then one....

Date :) Wednesday, December 12, 2007

WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT SMILING SINGLE SENIORS HAPPINESS CLUB :)
See meeting details above. We will join the regular Fairfield Happiness Club Holiday Gathering on Thursday, December 6, 2007, from 7:00 - 9:30 P.M. at the Fairfield Public Library, Rotary room, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. Stacy Enyeart is the group facilitator.

GREENWICH CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)
Our next meeting features a presentation by Anne Fasanella, R.N, B.S.N.: "The Good Life" and "The Art of Living." Anne's talk will include: Secret techniques for lovin' life 24/7 and simple and practical solutions for how to cope with adversities, illness, pain, and depression.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY SEASON - Everyone, please feel free to bring a small snack or beverage for people to share for this holiday happiness club meeting - a snack that makes you happy. :) And feel free to come without a snack as well - we'll have fun things.

Date :) Tuesday, December 11, 2007

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.

NEW YORK HAPPINESS CLUB :)
Event Description: This December meeting, we focus on positive psychology and the whole person:"TEACH yourself Positive Tools:" (T) Positive Thinking, (E) Positive Emotions, (A) Positive Authenticity, (C) Positive Choices, (H), Positive Habits. Presented by Senia Maymin MBA, MAPP. Hosted in association with the Creativity and Personal Mastery program at Columbia Business School, as taught by Professor Rao. No dues, no registration and open to everyone!

Date :) Thursday, December 20, 2007

Time :) 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place :) At Columbia Business School - Warren Hall Room 416 (4th floor) corner of Amsterdam and 115th street, Columbia University campus New York, NY 10027

MENTORS HAPPINESS CLUB :) Meeting: Friday, December 14th, open to all Happiness Club facilitators.

Virtual Happiness 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!

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"May the good lord be with you, Down every road you roam, And may sunshine and happiness, Surround you when you're far from home." - Words from the song Forever Young by Rod Stewart

"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.