“Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry.”

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“Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry.”

—Toni Nelson, Author of A Beggar’s Purse

Image from Unsplash by Caleb Martin

Close your eyes and picture the following:

  • A bird with a french fry
  • A squirrel with an acorn
  • A dog with a bone
  • A cat with some yarn
  • A baby with a toy
  • A football fan with a remote
  • A kid with a cookie

Note that these examples involve an external/extrinsic source of happiness.

Venture within yourself to where the intrinsic sources of happiness reside. Notice that many of the best things in life are not things.

EXERCISE:

Take a few minutes alone or with others to create a second list of intrinsic sources of happiness. Perhaps you can also expand the first list, just for fun.

Feel free to reply to this post with what you discover.

“Follow your heart but take your brain with you.”

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“Follow your heart but take your brain with you.”

—Alfred Adler, 20th Century Austrian MD & Psychotherapist

Image from bbc.com

As a child, The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorite movies. Given its length and the fact that you had to watch it live with no way to record it, my mom would let us eat dinner carefully on those tacky plastic trays in the living room, gathered around our only TV.

As Dorothy traveled the yellow brick road with her little dog Toto, she teamed up with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion — they were hoping the Wonderful Wizard would give them a brain, a heart, and courage, respectively.

EXERCISE:

Where is your life calling on you to follow your heart and use all of your brains to courageously pursue your dreams and find your way home?

 

“A good laugh recharges your battery.”

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“A good laugh recharges your battery.”

—Jennifer E. Garza, author of the book by the same title

Image from Unsplash by Omar Lopez

Take a close look at the state of the world. Begin by zooming out for a big-picture view, then zoom in to your own communities, family, and lastly, to yourself. Explore the numbers factors that have and are depleting your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energies.

Take another look at how and in what ways you renew and recharge yourself to take on each new day.

How have you included adequate rest, proper nutrition, daily exercise, hobbies, time with family and friends, and mindfulness efforts into your days?

Where and to what extent have you intentionally brought greater humor and laughter to recharge and reboot your world?

Recently, I have been asking my digital assistant to tell me a joke. Although the jokes are often corny, I do find a few more chuckles that boost my mood and raise the corners of my mouth.

EXERCISE:

Please reply to this post with a few laughter-inducing activities that recharge your batteries.

“Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive.”

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“Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Aliyah Janous

On Veteran’s Day in November, My wife and I were very moved by a news anchor describing an army nurse called to serve our country in World War II. Now 101 years old, this extraordinary woman came from a family in which most members also served in the military.

This normally stoic and forceful news anchor was moved to tears as he shared many heart-warming aspects of her life of generosity, contribution, and service.

EXERCISE:

Where and how are you currently moved to tears regarding various aspects of your world? How can you more fully see these moisture-filled expressions of emotion as a source of greater aliveness and strength?

 

Friday Review: Behavior

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FRIDAY REVIEW: BEHAVIOR

What do your behaviors say about you? Here are a few behavior-related posts you may have missed.

 

“We have a tendency to want the other person to be a finished product while we give ourselves the grace to evolve.”

 

 

 

“A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it.”

 

 

 

“Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack.”

 

 

 

 

 

“When you throw dirt at people, you’re not doing a thing but losing ground.”

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“When you throw dirt at people, you’re not doing a thing but losing ground.”

—Zig Ziglar, late American author, salesman, and motivational speaker

Image from Unsplash by Eddie Kopp

Ted Koppel once said that we all see the same events through different lenses. He seemed to be perplexed that although we live in the same country, we often seem to live in different worlds.

What are you observing in your various personal and professional communities?

Where are you seeing or even participating in dirt throwing?

I recently did a bit of pro-bono coaching to support the organization, Search for Common Ground. With such a great name and organizational purpose, I noticed even highly committed team members occasionally finding themselves on opposite sides of certain issues.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you dig deeper to find common ground with others in your communities? Where can you plant the seeds of a better more unified world in your own back yard?

“Worry is just imagination used in an unproductive way.”

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“Worry is just imagination used in an unproductive way.”

—Andy Andrews, The Noticer

Image from Unsplash by Ethan Sykes

These days, many people have been pulled to the dark side of imagination. Instead of using our wonderful imagination for creative and positive purposes, we easily slip into worry.

Imagine you are a special kind of meteorologist. You can easily report on inclement weather and potential storms, but you can also change the forecast to sunnier skies with your power of positive intentions and optimism.

EXERCISE:

Where is your imagination causing you to worry about future events in unproductive ways?

How can and will you bring greater creativity and a positive bias to your thinking when you notice the clouds of worry headed your way?

“Action Precedes Passion.”

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“Action Precedes Passion.”

—Bill Burnett & Dave Evans, Designing Your Life

Image from Unsplash by Ian Schneider

What are the things in life you love the most? What inspires you? What are you passionate about?

Asking these questions of anyone will likely lead to a highly engaging discussion with eyes wide open and perhaps some energetic and animated gestures.

How does one person find passion in fly fishing, while another finds it in preparing sushi?

Where and when did you first notice an initial interest in your passions?

How did this spark lead to the raging fires of engagement over time?

EXERCISE:

Take note of the early actions you and others took to get hooked on your current passions. Where might future actions and trying new activities generate a few more passionate pursuits in the years ahead?

“When you seek to advance your own position in life, character is the best lever — perhaps not in the short term, but certainly over the long term.”

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“When you seek to advance your own position in life, character is the best lever — perhaps not in the short term, but certainly over the long term.”

—Ryan Holiday, Author of The Daily Stoic

I am reading The Daily Stoic for the third time.

History’s greatest minds — including George Washington, Fredrick the Great, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and today’s top achievers — embrace the practical wisdom of the ancient stoics.

The timeless wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, and others offers all of us a practical philosophy for living a better life.

The stoics were individuals of great character who navigated their lives by core principles and guiding tenants, not simply by what was easy in the moment.

Their long-term perspective on what was morally right and served society at large guided their thoughts and deeds.

EXERCISE:

Where and how can you more fully leverage your own strongest character traits to advance your own life and that of others in your personal and professional communities?