Self Improvement

Twelve Things Happy People Do Differently ….

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12 Things Happy People Do Differently by Stephen Covey

I found this list of 12 Things Happy People Do Differently.  It was written by Stephen Covey who is the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  He has a lot of very inspiring ideas packed into this list.  It touches on a lot of the spiritual principles of the 12 steps which I try to live out each day including: gratitude, kindness, commitment, forgiveness, and brotherly love.  It’s another reminder for me to do my best each day and leave the rest for my Higher Power.  Enjoy! 

1. Express Gratitude: When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. If we aren’t thankful for what we already have, we will have a hard time ever being happy.
2. Cultivate Optimism: People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
3. Avoid over-thinking and social comparison: Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. The only person you should compare to yourself is yourself before now.
4. Practice acts of kindness: Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside.
5. Nurture social relationships: The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships.
6. Develop strategies for coping: It helps to have healthy strategies for coping per-rehearsed, on-call, and in your arsenal at your disposal (like an affirmation).
7. Learn to forgive: Harbouring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well being.
8. Increase flow experiences: Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. It’s when you’re so focused on what you’re doing that you become one with the task. Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus.
9. Savour life’s joys: Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy.
10. Commit to your goals: Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere.
11. Practice spirituality: When we practice spirituality or religion, we recognize that life is bigger than us. We surrender the silly idea that we are the mightiest thing ever.
12. Take care of your body: Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be.
source::: Bonnie J  in Living the Steps  site
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Message For the Day…” When True Humanness Blossoms …”

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Although there may be differences among nations in their food and habits, the spirit of harmony and unity displayed in sports is a gratifying example to all. It is a distinctive quality of sports that differences are forgotten and persons engage themselves in games in a divine spirit of camaraderie. Sports help the players not only to improve their health but also to experience joy. However, you should not be content with realising these benefits alone. You have another body besides the physical; it is the subtle body, otherwise known as the mind. It is equally essential to promote purity of the mind and develop large heartedness. True humanness blossoms only when the body, the mind and the spirit are developed harmoniously. The enthusiasm and effort you display in sports should also manifest in the spheres of morality and spirituality.

Sathya Sai Baba

Message for the Day….” Do Not Be Weak… Be Brave & Welcome Troubles…”

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Difficulties and pain help one to nurse and build the capacity for patience and forbearance. However, due to mental weakness and ignorance, people invariably shun painful experiences and distress. Do not be weak; be brave and welcome troubles. Let them come; more the merrier. Only with such a courageous attitude can you bring out the kshama (forbearance) hidden within you. Can you get promoted to a higher class without passing an examination? It is only when you secure the prescribed marks and pass the examination, you are declared eligible to advance to the higher class. While preparing for the examination you have to face stress and many difficulties but how sweet the promotion is! So welcome troubles as tests that prepare you for higher things and be happy when troubles descend on you, because that is when kshama truly blossoms.

Sathya Sai Baba 

 

Message for the Day..”Virtue Of Kshama is not Achieved by Reading Books”…

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Divinity is the manifestation of Prema and Kshama. The virtue of Kshama (forbearance, unlimited patience and ability to forgive and forget) is not achieved by reading books or learnt from an instructor. Nor can it be received as a gift from someone. This prime virtue, can be acquired solely by self effort, by facing squarely diverse problems, difficulties of various sorts, anxieties, suffering as well as sorrow. In the absence of Kshama, you will become susceptible to all kinds of evil tendencies. Hatred and jealousy easily take root in a person lacking this virtue. Kshama gives complete protection to the one who possesses it. Hence Kshama, a priceless possession, is the greatest, grandest and the noblest amongst all virtues. Kshama is all encompassing.  

 

Sathya Sai Baba

Message For the Day…” Knowledge of Spirit (atma) is True Knowledge “…

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Since ancient times, emphasis has been laid on three aspects: work, worship, and wisdom. What is wisdom? All that is related to our senses – the fleeting objects of the material world and our actions, speak of our ignorance. Wisdom dawns the moment the mind is withdrawn. The thoughtless state between two consecutive thoughts is Spiritual Wisdom (Brahma Jnana). People are not able to experience this thoughtless state and are carried away by fleeting, ephemeral, and momentary things. All the knowledge that one acquires is not true knowledge. Knowledge of the Spirit (Atma) is true knowledge. True wisdom dawns when all thoughts are decimated. However all three of these – work, worship, and wisdom, begin with service. No matter what service it is, if it is done with love and divine feelings, it becomes upasana (worship

 

Sathya Sai Baba

” Thank Baba For all HIS Blessings and Grace “…

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Truly, Sai has been there for us in every path of our life . He has protected us and taken care of us no matter where we are.. He has shown us the light and guided us thru our own heart and our conscious. His Leelas surprise me every single day and still I long to witness them with every breadth I take because I know, its his leelas alone which have assured me that He is not up there but He is always walking right besides His devotees. He knows their pain and sorrows and does everything possible to turn their tears in to smiles. I am sure that even if I Thank him in all my lives to come- still I will not be able to offer my complete gratitude towards him for all his blessings and grace. And regardless of that,  I  Thank Baba for making me feel His presence in my life..

May the Merciful Sri Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our families and remove our problems and anxieties by giving us all – strength , goodluck, success and happiness with peace of mind.

source::::H.Deepa in debu7370blogspot.com

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Message For the Day…” If Your Tongue slips , You fracture someone’s Faith or Joy”…

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The tongue is the armour of the heart, it even guards your life. Loud talks, long talk, wild talk, talk full of anger and hate – all these affect your health. They breed anger and hatred in others; they wound, they excite, they enrage, and they estrange. Why is silence said to be golden? The silent person has no enemies, though he or she may not have friends. They have the leisure and the chance to dive within them and examine their own faults and failings. They no more have inclination to seek them in oth­ers. If your foot slips, you suffer a fracture; if your tongue slips, you fracture someone’s faith or joy. That fracture can never be set right; that wound will fester forever. Therefore use the tongue with great care. The softer you talk, the less you talk, the more sweetly you talk, the better for you and the world.  

Sathya Sai Baba

Message For the Day ….”Peace is Not External…It is Present Within “…

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The flower of forbearance (kshama) is very dear to the Lord. The Pandavas suffered a lot at the hands of the Kauravas. But it was the virtue of forbearance that protected the Pandavas and made them an ideal to the rest of the world. The other flower that we must offer to God is Shanti (peace). One should remain peaceful through all the vicissitudes of life. Only then can one attain divine grace. Peace is needed at the physical, mental and spiritual levels. Peace is not external, it is present within. You are the embodiment of peace. In the worldly life, there are bound to be many hardships, but one should not be perturbed. One should bear all sufferings with fortitude and patience. Human life is given not merely to enjoy the worldly pleasures. Life becomes meaningful only when one experiences the peace that originates from the heart.

 

Sathya Sai Baba