Happiness

March 14, 2012 Social No Comments

Healthy Relationships: 10 Tips To Encourage Thriving Relationships

Improve Your Chances of Healthy, Thriving Relationships!

Healthy relationships

permit us to connect and

share time with the people

that we care about

in a positive, fulfilling way.

Positive relationships give us

strength and purpose in our

day-to-day lives.

They also bring happiness, joy and love.

“Be tender loving one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.”
— Romans 12:10

It is no secret that close relationships are the cause of great pleasure in our lives, but they are also the cause of great pain. When relationships start falling apart it can be very traumatic and emotional.

Do you ever wonder how you can have such a deep connection with a person one day and the next day feel like you don’t even know who that person is? How do we bridge that gap and avoid the disconnect in the first place? How do we begin to heal broken relationships and keep them healthy?

10 Tips To Encourage Thriving Relationships:

1. Communication

Communication is one the most important things in a relationship. There is an art to communication and it can continually improve. Humans are not mind readers, so they need to have an ongoing exchange of feelings, problems, needs and desires; while always striving to improve listening and speaking skills. Mastering communication will help avoid misunderstandings and frustration by transforming arguments into effective communication.

2. Honesty

Honesty in relationships is about honorable intentions and actions. Honest people are frank but they act in love. Thriving relationships include people that are honest with each other; their intentions are good and are only meant to help the other person and the relationship. Honesty helps create an atmosphere of peace.

3. Trust

Trust creates strong connections in relationships because people have to rely on each other. When there is trust in a relationship, there is confidence that another person will do what they said they will do and what they are responsible to do. Trust eliminates fear and replaces it with a confident expectation and hope.

4. Empathy

Empathy helps identify the thoughts and feelings experienced by each other, and in turn supports a healthy relationship. To empathize with another person requires taking the time to see and feel things from their perspective and get a heartfelt understanding of where they are coming from, what they have been through, and why they think and act the way they do.

5. Optimism

An optimistic, positive mindset expects positive interactions and relationships. The optimistic person does not get so shaken up when they hit bumps in the road, but they look for positive solutions and anticipate positive results. Optimism leaves no room for negativity.

6. Genuine

Genuine people are confident in who they are and feel free to be themselves. They have moved past the notion that they must be “perfect” and give themselves and others the permission to make mistakes without beating themselves up. Genuine relationships are real, without false pretense, and mess ups are faced with love and forgiveness; allowing for a healthy, thriving relationship.

7. Loyalty

Loyalty builds faithful relationships. Loyal individuals commit to remaining faithful through the good times and bad. They can be trusted to keep their word and be there when you need them. Loyalty is a core key needed in long lasting, thriving relationships.

8. Respect

Respectful individuals admire and esteem others. People that practice respect are courteous and allow others the right to their own personal space. Relationships with individuals who keep respect active, and purpose to esteem others and value them worthy, are relationships that are healthy and thriving.

9. Reminisce

Reminisce about the past. Remember times shared together; including the good times and the bad. Reminiscing about the challenges and hard times that have been experienced and overcome, strengthens the bond in the relationship. And reminiscing about the good times with a smile and a laugh, keeps the heart and relationship merry. 🙂

10. Love

Love is the bond that holds relationships together. God is love and love should be present in all our relationships. Love chooses to be loving even when the passion and emotion of love is not present. Their are times in relationships when disagreements arise and individuals may not even like each other, but they choose to love each other.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
— John 13:34

What’s your relationship standard? If you are willing to start with yourself, and open your heart and mind to make some positive changes, you can greatly improve your chances of having long lasting, healthy, thriving relationships.

May your relationships thrive and your life be full of growing prosperity!

Soar higher,
Brenda

January 17, 2012 Affirmations No Comments

Affirmation Creates Power by Orison Swett Marden – Part 2 of 3

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden – Part 2 of 3

Part 2 of 3

Perpetual Positive Affirmation Creates a Life of Harmony, Achievement, and Success

You can do a difficult thing only with a

positive state of mind, never with a negative.

Plus force, not minus, does things.

The dominant qualities are all positive,

assertive, aggressive, and they require a corresponding

attitude of mind for their exercise and application.

A man who has not these dominant, qualities

can never be a leader or independent; he must be a trailer,

an imitator, until he changes his thought from negative to positive,

from doubtful to certain, from shrinking and retiring to asserting and advancing.

It is the decisive, positive soul that wins.

If you wish to amount to anything in the world, never for one moment permit the idea to come into your mind that you are unlucky, that you are less fortunate than other human beings. Deny it with all the power you can muster. Discipline yourself never to acknowledge weakness or think of mental, physical, or moral defects. Deny that you are a weakling, that you cannot do what others can do; that you are handicapped and must be satisfied to take an inferior position in the world. Strangle every doubt as you would a viper threatening your life.

Never talk, think, or write of your poverty or unfortunate condition. Cut out of your life all thought that limits, hampers, dwarfs, and darkens it. These are ghosts of fear; the Creator never made them or intended them to haunt or torment you. He made you for happiness, for joy, for conquest over your environment.

Persistently affirm that the Creator handicapped no one; that our limitations are all our own. Resolve that, come what may, you will be an optimist; that there shall be nothing pessimistic in you; believe in the final triumph of the right, the victory of all that is true and noble.

Affirm that you are one of the most fortunate beings. Congratulate yourself that you were born just in the nick of time, and in just the right place; that there is a definite work for you to do that on one else can do; and that you are one of the most lucky persons in the world to have the opportunity, the health, the education, to do the thing you are bound to accomplish.

If you are out of work and poor, just throw out of your mind every idea of penury and poverty. Hold the thought of plenty, of abundance, of all good, which the Creator has promised you. Stoutly deny that you are poor, or miserable, or unlucky; claim that you are lucky, that you are well, vigorous, and strong; that you must succeed; and you will succeed.

Always affirm that the Creator who gave you the longing to be somebody and to do something in the world, has also given you the ability and the opportunity to realize the ambition.

When you set your mind toward achievement, let everything about you indicate success. Let your manner, your dress, your bearing, your conversation, and everything you do speak achievement and success. Carry always a success atmosphere with you.

You will find a wonderful advantage in starting out every morning with the mind set toward success and achievement by permeating it with thoughts of prosperity and harmony, whether by repetition of set formulas, as some advise, or not. It will then be so much the harder for discord to get into the day’s work.

If you are inclined to doubt your ability to do any particular thing, school yourself to hold the self-trust thought firmly and persistently. It is the assumption of power, of self-trust, of confidence in yourself, in your integrity or wholeness, that cannot be shaken, that will enable you to become strong, and to do, with vigor and ease, the thing you undertake.

You will find that the perpetual holding of these ideals will change your whole outlook upon life:

You will approach your problems from a new standpoint, and
life will take on a fresh meaning.
This perpetual affirmation will put you in harmony with your surrounding;
it will make you contented and happy; and
it will be a powerful tonic for your health.
It will help you to build up individuality and personal power.
It will make your brain clearer, your thought more effective.

Keeping the mental machinery clean makes for vigorous thinking, decisive action.

*** end of part 2 of 3 ***

AFFIRMATION CREATES POWER by Orison Swett Marden

go to part 1

go to part 3

October 12, 2010 Happiness No Comments

Happy In the Skin I’m In – 3 Things to Consider for a Happier You as the Clock Keeps on a Ticking!

You Can Be Happy In the Skin You Are In!

Happiness shouldn’t be based on physical appearance.

Sure, everybody wants to look good…

but some people let themselves get worked into a frenzy over it.

They soon find they cannot be happy unless they look a certain way.

Are you happy in the skin you’re in?

The condition of the physical body tends to mess with people’s minds way to often; especially in today’s society. But, don’t forget that your spirit, the condition of your heart, should take priority over your flesh.

Have you bought into the lie that you need your body or face to look a certain way in order to be happy? If so, well then no better day than today to flush that lie down the toilet!

Let’s take a look at three things you might want to consider for a happier you – while the clock keeps on a ticking.

The Body Changes – We Are All Aging

The body is constantly changing and aging, that is just a fact of life. And another fact is that we have all been born with a unique set of physical features, which may or may not be considered beautiful by today’s standards.

Sure, you can fight it. You can get fit and strong as possible and that’s great. You can have procedures and surgeries if you want. But I don’t care how good you make that body look, it is only temporary and doesn’t change your internal clock or the condition of your heart.

We are living in a corruptible vessel.

“Let it (our adorning) be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
— 1 Peter 3:4

If You Need to Shape Up and Clean Out – Then Do it

Now, by all means, take care of yourself and keep your body healthy. Be a good steward with the body you have been given. If you think you need to shape up, tone up, or detox, then go right ahead.

Do the best with what you have, but don’t beat yourself up over it. Remember, your joy is in the Lord – not in numbers on a scale or lack of wrinkles on your face. God looks at the heart, so go ahead and be happy even when your body is going through changes.

Set Your Affection on Things Above

The world is going to constantly be pointing out your flaws and dragging down your perspective. Don’t let that happen to you. Aim higher for more of God’s presence and let Him clean up your perspective. You’ll find you are a much happier you if you do.

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Why aren’t we to set our affections on earth? Because everything on earth is only temporary and going to pass away.

If we hunger and thirst after righteousness and the things of God, we’ll stop judging ourselves by weight, wrinkles, and facial features. We’ll stop beating ourselves up and in fact, start discovering a contentment that brings true happiness and joy.

Aim higher: Set your sights on God’s truths begin to see yourself the way He sees you. Set your affection on things above and you’ll be blessed with many blessings including contentment, peace, joy, and happiness. 🙂

May your heart be beautiful, may you live happy, and enjoy a life of growing prosperity!

God bless you always –

Cheers,
Brenda

June 29, 2010 Happiness No Comments

Top 5 Proven Techniques for Living a Truly Happy and Joyful Life Inside and Out!

Learn to Be Happy by Adjusting Your Thinking and Living Habits!

True happiness can be experienced by all who apply ‘happiness habits’ to their day. There are some who are simply born with a happy disposition. But the truth is; most people have to learn to be happy by thinking and living in a particular way.

Often people are happy in life when everything is going just right. Yet those who have learned how to be truly happy aren’t always the ones who ‘have it all.’ External circumstances do not control their level of happiness. They have discovered the secret of being able to experience an underlying peace and well-being; which is the essence of true happiness.

Happy people live their lives differently. And when acquiring any new skill, it pays to learn from the pro.

“We can think of happiness as a skill no different from learning to play a musical instrument…it is possible to train our minds to be happy.” – Richard Davidson, Ph.D. UW-Madison

So if you are ready to let some joy shine through you from the inside out, then take a look at these five key skills.

Top 5 Proven Techniques for True Happiness

1) Notice and Give Thanks for the Happy Things in Your Life

Learn to take note of everything good and positive in your life, regardless of how small. What are the things that you see, feel, taste, hear, or smell that bring pleasure?

Intention activates a part of the brain, the reticular activating system (RAS), which is responsible for turning on our memory and allowing it to bring anything important to our attention. When you decide to look for the positive, your RAS makes sure that is what you see.

We tend to feed the unhappy, negative side of life. Make it a game to see how many good things you notice during the day. Take a few moments to savor the positive things and make it a habit to feed your happiness.

2) Do Not Believe Everything You Think

Do not believe everything you think. Our thoughts are not always true.

For example, you may give a presentation and focus in on the one person with a frown on their face, and think you’re doing a terrible job. Yet the fact is you are really doing a great job, but you do not notice the rest of the group that is smiling and nodding.

It is said that we average one thought per second during our waking hours and the vast majority are habitual, negative thoughts. This whirlwind of automatic negative thoughts can stimulate parts of the brain that involve depression and anxiety.

Learn not to believe every negative thought that wants to hijack your happiness, and instead focus in on the positive compliments. It is important to break the natural tendency to register the negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences more deeply than the positive happy ones.

3) Exchange the Bad Thought for the Happy Thought

When challenged with negative, unhappy thoughts and feelings in a situation, learn to exchange them for equally true, positive, happy thoughts.

For example, have you ever faced a deadline and thought it was going to be impossible to finish on time? Why not exchange that self-defeating thought by searching your mind for an equally true positive thought such as: I regularly manage to get things done on time and I can ask for help.

Learn to be more optimistic and see the glass half full. Pay more attention to the positive part of the truth in a given situation and lean into those thoughts. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength.

4) Appreciate the People in Your Life

People with good social relationships tend to be happy. Under times of stress we need the support of friends and family. And the best way to keep relationships happy and healthy is through appreciation.

“One of the most important things a person can do to raise his or her happiness level is to acknowledge those around them.” – Judith W. Umlas (author of The Power of Acknowledgement)

By showing appreciation to others for the support they give us, we reinforce that behavior; which in turn deepens our relationship with them. Engaging and communicating with others during times of stress has a calming effect and keeps us on the road to happiness.

5) Live with a Passion and a Purpose

Bringing a sense of purpose and passion to your routine activities will boost your happiness. Think about the activities in your life that you are passionate about. What is it about those things that make you happy?

One person may feel like an underpaid janitor, but another may passionately do their job the best they can with a purpose to make the building a beautiful place for others.

Learn to incorporate purpose and passion in your daily life at work and at home. Do all things gladly from the heart as unto the Lord.

The truth is: You do not have to let life just toss you around in unhappy waters. You can choose to learn new skills, live your life differently, and raise your level of happiness. 🙂

May your happiness increase daily and your life be filled with growing prosperity!

God bless you –

Cheers,
Brenda

May 2, 2010 Biblical Prosperity No Comments

Growing Prosperity – To Be Blessed or Not To Be Blessed? That is the Question!

Why Not Grab Hold of a More Sure Force to Help You Prosper in Life?

Growing prosperity manifests much quicker when the blessing of God is present in your life.

However, the sad fact of the matter is that most people have bought into the “luck” system…

They believe that some people are just plain lucky and others are not. And if you don’t happen to be one of the lucky ones, well then, you are just “out of luck” and should never expect to prosper.

Well I’m here to tell you, the force you want present, in order to experience a life of growing prosperity, is the blessing of the God!

Yes, those who are blessed are obviously happy, and that happiness is on top of divine favor, and supernatural opportunities the blessing of God provides.

Do you want to be blessed or take your chance with luck?

Blessed and Highly Favored

How do you get the blessing? It simply requires switching from believing in the “luck” system, to believing in the blessing of God, and putting your faith in God.

First things first. Gaining knowledge and understanding of the blessing of God is required before believing and receiving it. The blessing of the Lord is important to God and He wants to see His children blessed.

In Numbers 6:23-27, He even gave specific instructions on how to bless them. They were told to say the following:

“The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

After that God tells them He will put His blessing on them.

People used to take their children to Jesus and He would bless them. The last order of business Jesus did on this earth was to give a blessing. (Luke 24:50) God sent Jesus to bless us. (Acts 4:26)

A Blessing of Supernatural Abundance

In order to connect with the blessing of God and get results that manifest in life, it is important to mix your faith with it. God told Abraham he would bless him so great he would be a blessing to the whole world. (Genesis 12:3) Believers inherit the blessing of Abraham by faith. (Galatians 3:8-9) Faith requires believing and obeying the Word of God. Once you believe in the blessing and mix faith with it, it can increase!

“There is no telling where the blessing will end when you believe God.”
— Smith Wigglesworth

“Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45) God wants us to grab hold of His word in the same way. He wants us to boldly say in faith that we trust Him to do what He has promised. God is pleased when we manifest a faith that holds Him to His word.

The blessing of the Lord is supernatural and gives access to all the resources of heaven. You are called to carry a blessing and bless others. (Genesis 12:2) And remember, others can’t curse what God has blessed. (Numbers 22:12)

What is stopping you from being blessed? The blessing of God is yours if you want it. You can know it is for you and boldly claim it by faith. Get knowledge of it, believe it, speak it, and enjoy the benefits of abundant prosperity from it in all areas of your life; spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially.

May you tap into the blessing of God and experience a life of growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

P.S. This article was inspired from a recent visit to our church by Mark & Trina Hankins. I highly recommend all of their resources and you can find quite a few of them on amazon.

January 25, 2010 Happiness No Comments

Happiness – How to Use 3 Keys for a Thankful Heart to Unlock the Happy You?

Unlock the Door to a Happy You!

Happiness is being satisfied and living in a state of well-being.

If you are currently an unhappy person, or a person that is unsatisfied and not in a state of well-being…

then you may just need to cultivate a thankful heart.

A key to being happy is learning to be a grateful, content, thankful person.

The good news is; happiness and thankfulness are both possible and they are both a choice. So regardless of previous negative life experiences you may have had, you can choose to change things moving forward.

These Keys for a Thankful Heart are Meant to Encourage and Get You Started:

1.) Choose to Be a Thankful Person.

If you want to be happy, then the first thing you need to do is choose to be. Once you make that choice, then comes the work. Yes, work. Like everything in life, there needs to be some action that follows our decisions.

Applying daily ‘thankfulness exercises’ to your routine, will soon make it a part of your lifestyle.

Tell yourself ‘I am a thankful person’. Start and end your day giving thanks. Always be mindful of the good in your life, including your relationships, and let that fill your thoughts.

Take inventory of all that you have to be thankful for and write it down. Writing it down will help impress it on your mind. You’ll also benefit by the law of attraction and start attracting to you what you are primarily thinking about.

2.) What is Your Perspective on Life?

You need to clearly define what happiness is to you. What makes one person happy isn’t necessarily the same for everyone. One person may be happy when they have clean water to drink and enough food to eat. Another person may be happy when they have three vehicles parked in the driveway.

Dealing with your perception will help you deal with your happiness. In order to gain a proper perspective, you need to change your thinking. As you become more grateful for all the blessings in your life, and obsess less over what you don’t have, you will begin to unlock the door to happiness.

3.) Giving Thanks is the Will of God.

A primary reason to be a thankful person is because God says so! We are told that it is the will of God that we give thanks in everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Note, we are NOT told to give thanks for everything, but in everything. Remain a thankful person in good times and bad times. Regardless of how trying life may be at times, you always have something to be thankful for.

I think you get the point. You can choose to be happy, and it is so much easier if you are a thankful person. Adjust your perspective. Learn to be content with where you are, and what you have now, as you move forward. God has given us so much to be thankful for. So let’s stay in His will and be a thankful people that cultivate true happiness.

May your life be full of true happiness and growing prosperity!

God bless you –

Cheers,
Brenda

P.S. So what are you happy & thankful for today?

December 18, 2009 Happiness No Comments

Happiness – How Can Your Passion Jumpstart a Happier You?

Give Your Spirit an Extreme Power Boost!

Happiness as a lifestyle is expressing our contentment and satisfaction through cheerful speech, laughter, and other joyful responses.

Yet sometimes the happy times start to fade and our words are no longer so cheerful.

Our face doesn’t look so bright….

And laughter is not even on the scale.

How can you cultivate more of the positive happy emotion in your life?

Get the ball rolling by discovering your passion.

This is a great way to jumpstart a happier you. Passion is a powerful driving force. Being able to actively pursue the things you are passionate about brings great satisfaction and in turn great happiness.

God created you to express joy and success, not gloom and failure. His plan is that you win out in life and not be defeated. You were born for happiness and peace, not misery and perpetual anxiety and discouragement.

Inside of you is a great plan and purpose uniquely created just for you. Tapping into this God given gift is the power to move you to be the successful, happy being your Creator intended.

Discover what you are passionate about and pursue it. Passion gives an extreme power boost to your spirit and emotional well being. If you are unsure of your passion, take some time to reflect on it.

So what are you passionate about?

Simply start asking yourself what you are passionate about. What sort of things do you like to do or wish you could do more of? What have you been putting off for someday? Find a way to make it part of your life now.

Doing what you are passionate about in life brings great happiness to you and others. The painter must paint. The healer must heal. The teacher must teach. The helper must help. The writer must write. I think you get my point. Pursue your passion and watch the happiness naturally manifest in your life.

“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yes, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
— Psalm 35:27

Do yourself a favor, and society, and put your unique gifts and talents to work. God never intended His children to be miserable and unhappy. Choose to step into His great plan for your life and discover your passion. Then watch as it unfolds and brings abundant happiness. 🙂

May you live a cheerful, passionate life of growing prosperity!

Cheers,
Brenda

November 25, 2009 News No Comments

Acknowledge the Almighty God with Thanksgiving

Who Was the First U.S. President to Declare a National Day of Thanksgiving?

In light of celebrating Thanksgiving here in the U.S. tomorrow, I thought I’d share a bit of history I ran across recently at Paul’s Primer. (Be sure to check out his site for more details.)

So do you know who the first U.S. President was to declare a National Day of Thanksgiving?

Thursday, November 26th was proclaimed the first Thanksgiving Day by President George Washington on October 3, 1789, and designated by the national government of the United States of America.

“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.’” — President George Washington

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November of 1863, and since then it has been observed annually in the United States.

The above proclamation by President George Washington is so powerful!

Just think if the majority of us were still practicing this today?