3 High Spirits Ingredients
Someone once asked me what I regarded as the three most important requirements for happiness. My answer was: A feeling that you have been honest with yourself and those around you; a feeling that you have done the best you could both in your personal life and in your work; and the ability to love others. – Eleanor Roosevelt Blessings and best wishes during this season of holy-days that celebrate the return of the sun’s light. While enjoying heart-warming fellowship and spirit-lifting festivities, allow a few moments to consider: What will bring deep down-sky high happiness in 2022? According to Eleanor Roosevelt: Be Honest with Yourself During Kwanzaa [December 26 through January 1], participants can prepare for a more satisfying year by answering these questions, truthfully: Who am I? Am I really who I am? Am I all I ought to be? Because accuracy in answering is essential, Tony Robbin’s team offers these “Signs That You Need to be Honest with Yourself.” If something feels “off” in your life, if passion is fading in important relationships, if you’re not excited about your career or feel busy but not productive, you may need to be straighter and more straightforward with yourself. See five ways. If you find you work a job you dislike, hate, or tolerate, you lack control over your time and/or your mental, physical, and spiritual health and could use a tune-up here are guides for facing facts:: Mind Café’s “Liberate yourself by telling yourself the truth.” GoodTherapy‘s “Live Your Truth” And PsychCentral suggests: Step into other people’s shoes, Accent the positive, Forgive yourself. Do Your Best Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements For A Better Life explains: Under any circumstance, always do your best, no more and no less. But keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next. Everything is alive and changing all the time, so your best will sometimes be high quality, and other times it will not be as good … If you have done your best and your inner Judge tries to judge you, you’ve got the answer: “I did my best.” Read More Here, remember, If you try to do your best, there is no failure. – Mike Farrell Loving Life is the flower for which love is the honey. – Victor Hugo Last year, Succeed and Soar published a Love Is series which listed five types: The ability to love oneself and be concerned with ones happiness An empathetic love that exists in families The fondness found in friendships Romantic passion, and Open-hearted, unconditional and world-embracing spiritual love To be more loving, WikiHow says, Share Your Love by serving others, reflecting on personal mistakes, surrounding yourself with people who are loving, practicing forgiveness and writing down positive experiences [buy a few of Sandra’s Gifts journals]. Understand Love by letting go of fantasy love, evaluating your behavior and not expecting anything in return. Work on You by being more hopeful and growing. Read More. If I could choose one super power, I would want to be able to make everyone love everyone! Betsey Johnson With Eleanor Roosevelt’s three ingredients for happiness, our individual and collective worlds could become quite bright and delicious. These special days could also help: January 26: Day of Goodwill and National Thank You Note Day. Here are sample Thank You notes, including for the worst gifts ever. December 27 Fruitcake Day [Okay, so why are the ones I like missing at Costco again this year? Must I do a version of the song-dance “Fancy Like” that got Oreo shakes back at Applebee’s? ] December 30 National Resolution Planning Day. Here are guides from Psychology Today December 31 National Champagne Day Succeed and Soar! Join Succeed & Soar’s Monthly ZOOM Chat Thursday, January 6, 2022 7pm Along with thoughts on Eleanor Roosevelt’s statements and a range of topics as vast as the universe, here are books I’ve been reading this month. Nothing to See Here. See Review: Captivated Reading Review. Toms River. See Review: New York Times Review. Born A Crime. See Review: Caprichos Books Review Subscribe to receive Zoom link, and see you January 6th! Succeed & Soar Wisdoms Beautifully illustrated inspirations and encouragements available as prints, framed and on canvas as well as on journals, greeting cards, weekender bags, shower curtains, puzzles and much more. Shop Here
Enjoy Every Minute
Enjoy every minute – Eleanor Roosevelt Sometimes, we must be sad or solemn, worried or wary, angry or aggravated. Inc reminds that fears can also keep us inside the comfort zones that lock out opportunities. Those limits could be dread of change, of loneliness, of failure. Or, worry about being judged, hurt feelings and rejection.Here are ways to fly free: Inspiring Tips offers eight tips, including socializing with trustworthy people, helping others and loving more. Life Hack lists twenty-five ways to enjoy life, like avoiding the news, keeping a wish list, speaking your mind and recording happy moments. All Worthington suggests “52 Ways to be Happier, Healthier and Enjoy Life More,” such as: 6. Give Your Dream A Chance and Go For it. 33. Allow Yourself Not To Be Cool 43. Focus on How You’re Making the World A Better Place 46. Set Yourself Up for Happy Surprises. [here’s how] Succeed and Soars “Paths to Joy” series suggests twelve avenues, including hobbies, living simply and kindness. By the way, Roosevelt’s full quote reads, Enjoy every minute you have with those you love, my dear, for no one can take joy that is past away from you. It will be there in your heart to live on when the dark days come. Remember: Love is a verb. Without action, it is merely a word. Succeed and Soar! In addition to New Year resolutions, here are books I’ve been reading that offer fascinating topics for Succeed and Soar’s next Zoom. Born A Crime. Trevor Noah recalls his life as “a lovable delinquent making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time.” Caprichos Books Review Nothing to See Here. Kevin Wilson’s novel shows a young woman learning what family means while caring for children who sometimes burst into flames. Captivated Reading Review. Toms River. Dan Fagin shows how beautiful dyes caused high cancer rates in a Jersey Shore community. New York Times Review. Subscribe to Succeed and Soar to receive Zoom link See you January 6th! Eleanor’s Insights Collection Succeed and Soar’s “Eleanor’s Insights” series is illustrated with photographs of ‘wild places.’ This post’s featured image was taken during a camping trip with my daughters. The nest sat on a weathered picnic table. My art is available as prints, framed and on canvas as well as on journals, greeting cards, weekender bags, shower curtains, puzzles and much more. Shop Here
Happiness
Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. — Eleanor Roosevelt Of what might happiness be a by-product? The Dalai Lama says, “compassion.” Another suggests, “… letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like.” Sam Sunquist advises, “Some days, you have to create your own sunshine.” Over 2,000 years ago, Aristotle said, “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” If so and happiness is like success, a journey rather than a destination, here are items for the suitcase: Deep breathing, it reduces stress. Giving sincere compliments, regular exercise and plenty of sleep boost happiness along with these habits. Rev. Billy Graham described happiness as circumstances that are pleasant and free from troubles. He added, “The kind of happiness that’s lasting is an inner joy and peace, which endures in any circumstance no matter what comes our way. It may even grow stronger in adversity.” From April 4 to June 20, 2020, Succeed and Soar published “Twelve Paths to Joy.” The posts reminded to celebrate your magnificence, follow your bliss, remember that a grateful heart is a magnet for miracles and no one knows what palaces we may build with beautiful thoughts. Enjoy more. Because some friends, family, co-workers, etc. must have missed Aristotle’s memo, keep Abraham Lincoln’s insight in mind, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” So, nurture and protect your own path toward inner joy. Along it, plant birds of paradise, roses and lilies of happiness. Grow sunflowers, poppies and chrysanthemums of peace. Succeed and Soar! Here are books I’ve been reading this month. All offer fascinating topics for Succeed and Soar’s next Zoom chat.Nothing to See Here. Kevin Wilson’s novel shows how a lonely young woman learns what family means while caring for children who burst into flame when upset. Captivated Reading Review. Toms River. Dan Fagin’s research is an astonishing exploration-explanation of how beautiful dyes connected with unusually high cancer rates in Jersey Shore children. New York Times Review. Born A Crime. Trevor Noah is one of comedy’s brightest voices. Recalling the apartheid world where he was never supposed to exist, Noah presents his life story, of “a lovable delinquent making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time.” C.aprichos Books Review Eleanor’s Insights Succeed and Soar’s “Eleanor’s Insights” series is illustrated with photographs of ‘wild places.’ Art is available as prints, framed and on canvas as well as on journals, greeting cards, weekender bags, shower curtains, puzzles and much more. Shop Here