Creating 7 Steps to Happiness!
Was “happiness” a word you got used to hearing since you were a child? Of all the people around you, do you remember who said it most?
Many years have passed and you are no longer that seven year old child. As a grown-up, what does “happiness” mean to you? What do others tell you happiness is? More importantly, what do YOU tell others “happiness is?”
Now that you are thinking what happiness really is, what comes to mind? Do you have answers; do you have to ask someone else for answers? Are you confident in what you belief? What does it all mean?
You may hear some say: “Happiness is’ whatever you want to make it. And t:hat would be true. It would also be true that “happiness is” whatever makes you happy inside no matter the outside circumstances.
Have you been to a high-end retail store lately where everything that shines seems to be indeed gold? Did you buy anything? Perhaps a Prada bag, or a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, or a Tumi leather travel bag? Did it make you happy??? If so, no matter what the choice…did you capture happiness “in” time?
Creating your 7 steps to Happiness:
1. Are you happy by having it all? (yes or no)
2. Describe having it all ___________________________________
3. Do you feel a sense of self-worth?
4. Would you rather have health than money?
5. Does your family always come first?
6. Would you trade your eyesight or a limb for a million dollars, 2 millions, ten millions?
7. Do you LOVE and allow yourself to be loved?
By filling in the blanks you will be creating your customized 7 steps to your own happiness. No one else will have to do it for you. You are in charge, and you define what your own happiness is. You will see a very well defined image begin to develop. You don’t have to trade anything for anything, but if you’re willing to do so, re-think your strategy, as “happiness is” only as much or as good as you want to make it. Write it out on your whiteboard, in big BOLD letters: “My own 7 Steps to Happiness are…..”
Never trade short walks by the ocean, park, hills or lake for endless hours behind a desk looking at a computer.
Enjoy the simple things in life and get more involved in face to face encounters, rather than being totally digitized.
Stay in touch with friends you know care about you. Cultivate those relationships. Life is much easier when done with others that matter in your life. Every moment that brings you JOY, defines you. Every moment that brings you SORROW, defines you as well, but with a whole different set of circumstances and results.
Build on your strengths. I’m not asking you to ignore your weaknesses, but they certainly are NO foundation for building anything that will bring meaning to your life and the lives of others.
Looking back at history you will see that great leaders understood that they could be happy even when freedom and civil liberties where taken away from them. Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela come to mind, just to name a few.
Life comes with many twists and turns, so stay strong!
Stick to what you need to do…. to create happiness by design, and then tell the world about it.
The world needs to hear from you! That’s one of the beauties of happiness, it’s contagious and you can pass it right along to others that need it, and believe me, everybody needs it!
Ali R. Rodriguez helps professionals fuse passion with profits, monetize their expertise, and create a lifestyle to match. Ali's multi-lingual and multi-cultural background adds diversity to her coaching style and to her business and marketing programs. She shares her extensive knowledge through the written word alongside best-selling authors Les Brown and Jack Canfield, in the book Mastering the Art of Success, http://AliRodriguez.com/mastering discussing strategies for high achievement. Her focus is on growth, personal development and amazing bottom-line success. http://AliRodriguez.com/eourse, Passion to the Fifth Power (tm)