Todd Tidmore, Random Things

Author: Winsome Coutts
Everyone has heard old saying: Laughter is the best medicine. So much has been written and discussed about the value of laughter in our lives, and how laughing can make us happy, even if we aren’t happy to start with. Laughter brings people together, and is an important part of our overall life happiness.

How does laughter relate to life happiness?

Think of this, babies and children have more than one way of showing that they are happy, but the most common way is through smiling and laughing. Research tells us that children up to pre-school age laugh about 300 times a day. 300 times! It’s because to them, life is one big happy occurrence. They have what they need and are not concerned in the least about what they don’t have - children are experts at the art of happiness. They are happy to see mom and dad, so they smile and laugh. They are happy to see their lunch, so they smile and laugh, they are happy to play with a ball, so they smile and laugh - they’re happy! As adults, we laugh about 15 times a day. That doesn’t mean that we’re miserable, but it does indicate that as we grow up, we start to worry and concern ourselves with things, and unfortunately, we end up laughing less, and yes, we’re probably not as innately happy as a two year old. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be happier! One way to bring a sense of joy and happiness into our lives and practice the art of happiness is by adding laughter. Seems sort of backwards, sure, but if it works, does it matter? If you can add laughter to your life and discover that you find happiness in the process, isn’t that great?

Why does laughing make me happy?

A good laugh does many wonderful things for us. It gives our body a gentle work out by causing us to use muscles in the face, chest and abdomen. It causes us to breathe deeply, cleansing our system. It raises the heart rate, and causes endorphins (feel good hormones) to be released. Laughing makes us feel the same way eating really good chocolate or having sex makes us feel. After a good belly laugh, we feel relaxed and alive and energized. Wait, those are things a happy person might feel! And whatever it is that made us laugh, later when we think about it, we will probably laugh, or at least smile again, continuing the “feel goods”.

How can I add laughter to my life?

You can add to your overall life happiness by adding a good dose of sincere, happy laughter to each day. Here are some ideas:

1. Make a point to watch very funny movies or TV programs that really make you laugh a couple times a week.

2. Hire a DVD and watch your favorite comedian with your fiends.

3. Playing and being silly with children is a great source of laughter. They know how to make everything fun.

4. Play fun games that induce laughing - games like charades and Pictionary™ are good examples.

5. Subscribe to some fun websites which send out funny emails every day. There are plenty out there.

6. Look into laughing therapy - there are schools and therapists out there that will help you “learn” to laugh.

7. Just laugh - even if you sincerely fake a laugh, you will begin to authentically laugh because it’s so darned silly sounding when you fake it!

Laughter is a valuable part of your authentic happiness! Laughing each and every day is as good for you physically, emotionally and spiritually as taking your vitamins and getting exercise. Enjoy a good laugh today!

Author: Chris Pambos
Effective time management is what will help ones online business and bank account grow rapidly.

Many individuals that start their own online business fail and lack success rather quickly due to not spending their time doing effective tasks that help their business growth and productivity. They fail because they have many distractions around them making it harder to succeed with their online business.

Examples include checking your e-mail every few minutes, chatting to your friends online, browsing the internet. These are all bad habits that will slow your business growth and also have an effect on your bank account.

Below I have listed some strategies that you can implement that will help you use the time you have more wisely to implement the effective tasks that need to be completed in order for your online business and bank account to grow.

1. Work in 2 - 4 hour block periods or the time frame where you can concentrate at full force before you begin to tire and slack off. Many people may be able to sit in front of a computer for 10 - 13 hours but they will get nothing done. If you can really focus for 2 - 4 hours you will get more things done.

2. Take a break every so often. Let your mind reset and relax for a bit then you can continue to work afterwards. Working your mind for extended periods of time can slow down your brain and your thoughts thus making it harder for you to accomplish your tasks.

3. Before you begin work every day, eating a healthy meal or breakfast in general is what really boosts your productivity throughout the day.

These are just a few of the many effective time management strategies that I implement with my daily routine to give me the drive that I need to succeed with my online business in this industry.

Author: Daniel Nase
True happiness is living in the moment and loving the journey that is life. It’s choosing your own purpose by doing what you love. It’s bringing passion into everything you do, while living in the moment to gain a greater understanding of the present, the past and the future. It’s challenging ourselves to change by asking the questions that we would rather avoid then face. It’s finding beauty in the small things that only exist in the moment and providing service to awaken others inside. Happiness is not achieving a goal; it’s doing what you love and knowing the consequences of what you love are also a source of happiness. There is no greater good.

One common barrier to happiness is believing that achievements will make you happy. Achievements are shallow unless you are truly living in the moment and fully understanding that change is beautiful and expectations are an illusion that leads us to suffering. Many people skip from goal to goal hoping for their big break that will bring them happiness and they throw away all the precious moments in between. There will always be bigger goals and greater suffering if you believe that any achievement will make you happy.

Ask yourself the question; were you happier when you achieved something great or when you saw something so beautiful that it brought tears to your eyes? Were you happier when you got what you wanted or when you really took the time to connect with the person you love and the world stood still for a moment?

Relationship happiness comes from loving others by understanding and accepting them for who they are. This means thinking about the needs of others before thinking about yourself; it does not mean allowing others to cause you harm because they are unhappy.

People will not like you more for your successes; they will like you more for what you can do for them. Your spouse may be pleased that you succeed, but it will pass and the question “what are you going to do next” to get their approval might come up internally. You may even overlook what really makes you happy by living the same robotic path you take every day, and your spouse may miss the days when you first met. People who believe that achievement will bring them happiness often chase others who they believe could light the way for them. Nothing is ever good enough when you are addicted to success or believe that success will make you happy. This does not mean you have to be a hobo to be happy. It means that you do what you love and you are passionate about it enough to really focus and move people who are willing to share your vision. Living in the moment gives you a focus that is a competitive advantage in everything you do.

Only you can give yourself happiness; and only you can wake up inside and give yourself a new life.

Author: Michael Lee

Each person has the power to find true happiness. It’s a way of how you see situations that happen in life.

For example, you’re caught in traffic for hours. As soon as you get the chance to break free, another driver cuts in. A group of life coaches and psychologists explain that if you’re happy, you won’t get out of the car and scold the other driver, kick his car, and fret that your day is all messed up.

Instead, positive behaviors pump in so you breathe in and out for ten times; you try to understand that the other driver is in a real emergency; you sit back and let the other car cut through; and you just be grateful that you still have a room for stress relief and look forward to more inspiring things to happen in that day.
Ask most people how to find true happiness and what would make them happy, and they would tell you that a promotion, a new car, wining the lottery, or just getting married would give them true happiness.

They are blinded by their belief that real happiness is something that the world provides. In reality, true happiness depends on your outlook in life. It comes from within.

Every person asks how to find true happiness; but you must understand that happiness, like most things, does not happen overnight. The key is to be content with what you have and work out a plan to achieve the things you want. For this to happen, you must have a set of goals. The same goals will help you create out a vision and a meaning to live each day.

Instead of worrying too much, look at the better possibilities of each situation. Have confidence in your ability to handle life’s issues.

Never focus on how to be happy just by dreaming about it; for affirmations work better if your actions lead you to your goals. By then you will enjoy what you’re doing and understand how to find true happiness.