In Alan Cohen’s long list of great books is one of my all-time favorites, Are You As Happy As Your Dog?
For most of my life, I’ve owned a dog. Or maybe the truth is the dogs owned me.
Dogs, and all animals, can be great teachers for us humans. Even though humans are supposed to be the “superior” species, it’s often the other way around.
Spirit
There’s a dog story—a deeply touching true story—Johnny loves. It’s about Shep, a shepherd dog who lost his master.… Read more
We’ve talked about happiness many times over the years. Probably because it seems an impossible dream for many, especially in today’s crazy world.
The question we often hear is “How can I be happy when the world is going to hell?”
Good question.
We love talking about happiness. Why? Because it’s such an important part of your lives as humans. And yet happiness often eludes most humans.
You even have organizations who specialize in happiness research. While we applaud those dedicated folks who do that, the focus is sometimes too much on the material aspects of human happiness.… Read more
Did you know August is Happiness Happens Month? Me neither, until just a few days ago.… Read more
Jumping for JoyAs you can see from the list of “Related posts” below, we’ve talked about happiness a lot in this blog. It’s a subject many folks never get tired of talking about — especially the lack of happiness in their lives.
Here’s Spirit.
Most humans believe they need a reason to be happy. And that reason — whatever it is — money, relationships, health, etc. — will never provide lasting happiness.… Read more
The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase; if you pursue happiness you’ll never find it. ~ C. P. Snow
Happy Cat, by Loliloli
Happiness is an elusive pipe dream for so many. But that is completely the opposite of our natural state—which is happiness, peace, love, joy in every aspect of our earthly lives.
We were born happy. Did you ever see a depressed or unhappy baby or young child? These young ones still remember where they came from and who they are.… Read more
Happy Child, by Steve Hillebrand, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
In our last post, After You Read This You’ll Never Need To Make Another New Year Resolution Again, I mentioned I no longer regularly make new year resolutions—though I did make one for 2014. You can read the post for more details.
And in 2013 I made another resolution, though not at the new year. Let me explain.
Many of the folks I work with, and also some of those among my family and friends suffer from depression.… Read more
Be Happy
Happiness, ironically, can be a controversial subject. Many folks believe it is not our destiny to be happy in this lifetime—in this “world of woe,” as some say.
I never accepted that as an adult, although I did when I was a youngster. Happiness is not the impossible dream many believe it to be.
Certainly, continuous happiness is not most people’s experience. That does not mean we cannot be happy most of the time.… Read more
There are so many modern-world influences working against happiness. And yet, as divine beings in human form, happiness is our natural state.
I’m not saying we must be deliriously happy in every moment of our lives. But surely we can be a lot happier than most of us are. So why aren’t we?
Here are some of my spirit guides’ suggestions for finding and keeping more happiness in our lives:
We humans waste so much of our lives squandering our precious present moments with fear, doubt, and worry.
Here are two of my favorite quotations:
“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” ~ Legendary American writer, Mark Twain
“The living moment is everything.” ~ English writer and poet D.H. Lawrence
It took me many years before I realized the benefits of living in the moment, and a few more years learning how to do it.… Read more
US President Abraham Lincoln once said “A man is about as happy as he makes up his mind to be.”
Do you believe that?
We’ve talked about this subject publicly and privately many times over the years. I agree with President Lincoln. But not everyone does.
This past week has been one of our busier ones around here. So we’re revisiting an article on happiness we published several years ago.… Read more
I was reading an article the other day by a well-known and successful businesswoman. She’s not only wildly successful but also a great writer. I thoroughly enjoyed the article.
But at the end of it, the author said something that really caught my attention. She said we must choose either success or happiness. But we cannot have both. She was clearly successful but, obviously, unhappy.… Read more
Last week I was talking with our dear friend, Mikala St. Germain, whom many of you know. She was telling me about a channeling website she’d come across. Some of the ideas there came as unpleasant surprises to her.
One of those unpleasant surprises was this one: We can only find real happiness in giving, not in receiving or pleasing ourselves.
Here, in her own words, is Mikala’s reaction:
“My immediate reaction was, ‘Now, that’s just wrong.’ I thought maybe you might use that for a newsletter.… Read more
Last year we wrote an article called “Happiness.” Since so many folks are struggling today, and anything but happy, Spirit and I thought this would be a good time to revisit the subject.
Happiness is an “inside job.” We must create it for ourselves. Yet so many of us wait for someone or something outside ourselves to do it for us.
John Cali
When I was much younger I was always postponing my happiness. I kept telling myself
I’d be happy when….
Are you happy most of the time?
If not, why not?
What can you do to bring more happiness into your own life and the lives those you love?… Read more
A few weeks ago I received a rather harshly worded email criticizing what Spirit and I have said about human happiness over the years.
Here’s part of the email, just as I received it:
“This is all bullshit John. What you are spreading is under-baked understanding. Thought and continuous happiness cannot go together.”
I’ve received similar comments in the past. It still surprises me so many folks think happiness in this lifetime is a near-impossible dream. Certainly, “continuous happiness” is not most people’s experience.… Read more
A few weeks ago on the internet I came across an article about how hard it is to be happy in today’s world. Intrigued by the topic, I printed it out and read it later that day.
The author, clearly an articulate, accomplished, and spiritually aware writer, proceeded to lay out the reasons he thought happiness was an elusive goal for humans.
He argued that just because we think we deserve to be happy, it doesn’t mean we will be happy.… Read more
One of Spirit’s favorite phrases is All is well. In today’s world, we need more reminders that all truly is well, despite appearances.
Spirit
A Course in Miracles tells you in Lesson 292, A happy outcome to all things is sure. We realize that’s a tough one for many of you to wrap your minds around.
Perhaps one quick glance at your daily news convinces you your world is really going to hell. How then, you might ask, can there be a happy outcome to all things?… Read more
Celine Halioua is the young founder of a company called Loyal. Her life’s mission is to help dogs live longer lives. If you’re a dog lover (as I am) you know your loyal loving dog’s life is likely far shorter than yours.
Today, there is evidence indicating it’s possible to slow down the aging process in animals, including humans.
You may have heard of Methusela, the legendary biblical figure who reportedly lived 969 years. His age cannot be proved, but his story is intriguing.… Read more
Humans have been searching for happiness forever. Yet, for many, it seems an impossible dream.
Spirit says happiness is our birthright. And, they say, it’s as simple as choosing to be happy. But is it really that simple?
John Kitchin M.D. thinks it is. He might just have the real secret to a long life of happiness and peace: Do what you want to.
Dr. John has created a short movie on the subject. It’s a bit longer than the videos we typically use in our weekly posts.… Read more
A few weeks ago, Berna and Spirit had a discussion about the question of what is real, and what is illusion.
Berna and Spirit
Berna
On the subject of reality and illusion, I thought I really had it clear with all the reading I have done. But recently I’m confused about it again. So what is really real in the material world we see? I know our perception forms the illusion—the idea we are separate is an illusion.
But the material world itself, like the trees and the mountains and the chairs we make, and the bicycles, the material stuff—is that all real or is it also an illusion?… Read more
I recently read an interview with a millennial worker. (The millennial generation were born in the last two decades of the 20th century.)
The worker talked about how she put all she had, all she was, into her work. In her words, “I am so obsessed with reaching…success…that I’ve forgotten how to actually enjoy life.” (Emphasis added)
Her work had become her God.
In your modern world, particularly in Western society, you have replaced the real God with a false god.… Read more
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. ~ Denis Waitley
Two days ago, on November 25, 2021, the United States celebrated its annual holiday of Thanksgiving.
The message of gratitude often gets confused, misused, and even lost. So it’s helpful to remind ourselves, now and then, of how much we have to be truly grateful for.
Here are some of Spirit’s thoughts about gratitude.… Read more