Two Points to live by

We see lots of list published this time of the year, with everyone wanting to start the New Year off with some positive action of some sort. Most of the time it’s a top 10 list of some sort. Well I decided ten things to do is just way to many, and really, most of the items on the list are just restating things in different ways. For example, one of the items on your top ten list maybe to exercise more for better health. Yep, it’s a good thing to do, something that I really need to start doing. We all know its good for us, and we all know that it will make us healthier and happier. We may also find an item on the list that tells us to eat better in the New Year, once again, a great thing to do. Yep, we all know that this too will make us healthier and happier. And yes, this is also something I need to do…

The truth is, this is really the same thing, both items are about our health.

So I decided to give you the Top 2 list, and it’s not exercise more and eat healthier, but they are both good points. Nope, I decided that we need to look at two areas of our life that we often times get it wrong.

The first point is about education and the second is determination. Now in the name of full disclosure, I collected the two points from another list I saved to my Evernote account. But that list was 12 items long, so once again I cut it down to 2, the article is well worth reading, here is the link.

• Do not educate yourself to be rich, educate yourself to be happy.  That way when you get older you’ll know the value of things, not the price.  In the end, you will come to realize that the best days are the days when you don’t need anything extreme or special to happen to make you smile.  You simply appreciate the moments and feel gratitude, seeking nothing else, nothing more.  That is what true happiness is all about.  Read Happiness Is a Serious Problem.

Wealth is nice, don’t get me wrong, but it is not happiness, happiness comes from within, it is the power that allows us to see the value of each-other, the value in the simple things in life. If we are driven only by money we will fail to see the things that have little or no monetary value. When we educate ourselves to be rich, we see only in dollars and cents, and often times we don’t even bother with the cents. Work becomes our vehicle to make more money and family becomes a hindrance to us. We have no time to go to the school play or to even come home for a nice family dinner. The value of family is secondary to the value of the dollar.

But happiness, well, it has not monetary value, we can find it in the sun setting or in the rain drops. We find it in the smile of our children or the laughter of a baby. We can life happy and content lives without being money rich. Yes we need money, we have to pay our bills and buy food, clothe our children and such. But do we need the finest clothing? Do we need the latest gaming system and the biggest house? Are supplementing our happiness with things?

• Be determined to be positive.  Understand that the greater part of your misery or unhappiness is determined not by your circumstances, but by your attitude.  So smile at those who often try to begrudge or hurt you, show them what’s missing in their life and what they can’t take away from you.

Like the old saying goes, smile and the whole world smiles with you, or something like that. Its true, if you smile people around you smile, its contagious. We just can’t help ourselves.

How many times have you been asked “How are you” as you walk down the hallway at work or school? It happens all the time, its a form of greeting, it’s like saying Hi to someone. Most of the time we respond with the basic “Good, and you” or something along those lines. Next time someone greets you with the ol’ “How are ya'” line, try coming back with, “I am great, and how are you doing this fine day”…. First off, watch there faces, they wont know what just hit them, and once they respond with, “I’m good”, hit them back with, “Well I’m glad to hear that”. I do this all the time, and I still get funny looks, but its well worth it.

The other day I did just that thing, I was in line at the local Dollar Tree and the cashier greeted me with the basic “How are you today”, so I responded, in a rather cheerful voice, “I am fantastic, and how are you today”. Her eyes widened and she smiled the response, “I am good, thanks for asking”, so I hit her back with, “I am so glad to hear that”. The look on her face was priceless, she stammered for a second or two, and then responded, “Thanks, you just made my day!”. Hows that for a positive motivator.

Now, I’m not always fantastic, but I make a point of telling everyone one I am, I figure if I say it often enough that the power of suggestion will over come me, and I will be fantastic. And most of the time it works. My bad days melt away and my attitude shifts. Its like anything else, it takes work and determination, but it can be done, I am positive of that!

Well, I hope my two point list was worth the read.

God Bless

Paul Sposite