Happiness is Not an Accident.

Be Happy

Happiness is a process of enjoying what and who you are. It’s getting up every morning knowing how your day will go. You follow your routine of doing the things that enhance who you are with a positive attitude. Here are some tips for obtaining happiness.

Identify your values: Your decisions and actions should be based on what you value most. Identify what's most important to you: those things and situations you will sacrifice most other things for, like family, career, health, or creativity. Living life on your terms requires self-awareness, the willingness to risk making a mistake, and the ability to eliminate regret. For most of us, obtaining wealth is the key to happiness. There is nothing wrong with having a system to follow to obtain wealth. But it would be best if you did not regret failed efforts at obtaining what you see as being wealthy.

Regret is a common and natural emotion that everyone experiences at some point. While it's impossible to eliminate regret completely, there are ways to manage and minimize its impact. While some degree of regret is natural and can serve as a learning opportunity, excessive and prolonged regret can harm our overall well-being and hinder our personal growth, causing us to fear acting. It is important to acknowledge past mistakes, learn from them, and strive to move forward.

Accept the past: Acceptance is the first step towards letting go of regret and living a happy life. Understand that mistakes and failures are part of being human and offer opportunities for growth and learning. While you cannot always control what happens to you, you can control how you respond. Your response is the one thing you control and can greatly influence the outcome.

Accepting responsibility for your choices empowers you to take ownership of your life. Recognize that even if external circumstances influence your options, the final decisions are up to you. Take proactive steps and make choices that align with your goals and values. Act before you have to.

Learn from your mistakes: Instead of dwelling on past regrets, focus on the lessons they have taught you. Reflect on what went wrong and how you can avoid making similar mistakes in the future. Use your regret as a catalyst for personal development and positive change. Sometimes, regret stems from unrealized expectations or goals.

Setting realistic and achievable goals: You should consider your abilities, resources, and limitations. Break down big goals into smaller, manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Establish clear and realistic goals within your control and create action plans to achieve them. Focusing on actionable goals helps you direct your efforts towards things you can influence, leading to a greater sense of control and accomplishment. While you may not control external events or other people's behavior, you control your thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Direct your attention inward and focus on developing a positive mindset, cultivating healthy habits, and making choices that align with your values and goals.

Develop problem-solving skills: Focus on finding solutions within your control rather than dwelling on the things you cannot change. Adapt, be flexible, and look for creative ways to overcome obstacles.

Be true to yourself: Don't let societal expectations, peer pressure, or external pressures dictate how you live your life.

Living a happy life is like the life of the Greek Fisherman.

A businessman once took a short vacation to a small Greek coastal village. Unable to sleep, he walked the pier. A small boat with just one fisherman had docked, and inside the boat were several large tunas.

"How long did it take you to catch them?" he asked.

"Only a little while," the Greek fisherman replied.

"Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" he asked.

"I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends," the Greek fisherman said as he unloaded them into a basket.

"But …. What do you do with the rest of your time?"

The fisherman looked up and smiled" I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a nap with my wife, and stroll into the village, where I sip wine and play guitar with my friends."

The businessman laughed. "Sir, I am an MBA and can help you. It would be best if you fished more and, with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. In no time, you could have several boats with the increased haul. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Then, instead of selling your catch to the middleman, you could sell directly to the consumers. You could control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal village and move to the city to run your expanding empire."

The fisherman asked, "But, sir, how long will all this take?"

"15- 20 years, 25 tops," said the businessman.

"But what then?" asked the fisherman.

The businessman laughed and said, "that's the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO, sell your company stock to the public, and become very rich. You would make millions."

"Millions? Then what?" asked the fisherman.

The businessman replied, "Then you could retire and move to a small coastal fishing village, where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a nap with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play guitar with your friends."

Living life on your terms and being happy does not require courage but self-awareness. It means identifying your values, setting goals, acting, embracing failure, surrounding yourself with supportive people, practicing self-care, and being true to yourself. With these tips, you can start living a life that makes you happy and fulfilled.

To aid you in becoming truly happy, read my Book, "12 Steps to Sophisticated Manipulation."