Happy Memorial Day!

World War II Veteran Navajo Code Talkers

A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty to that principle. - George William Curtis

Happy Every Day

Tips for Happiness in Daily Life by Remez Sasson

Daily life can be made happier. It is a matter of choice. It is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy. It is true, we meet all kinds of situations during the day, and some of them may not be conductive to happiness. We can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, relish the happy moments. All of us constantly go through various situations and circumstances, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings. 

If we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. We lose our freedom. We let our happiness be determined by outer forces. On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives. 

What is happiness? It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts, and this usually happens, when we do something we love to do or when we get, win, gain or achieve something that we value. It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by outer events. 

For most people, happiness seems fleeting and temporary, because they allow external circumstances to affect it. One of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation. As the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit. 

Here are a few tips for increasing happiness in daily life:

• Endeavor to change the way you look at things. Always look at the bright side. The mind may drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good and positive side of every situation. 
• Think of solutions, not problems.
• Listen to relaxing, uplifting music.
• Watch funny comedies that make you laugh.
• Each day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.  
• Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.
• Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't. Sometimes you may begin the day with the desire to accomplish several objectives. At the end of the day you might feel frustrated and unhappy, because you haven't been able to do all of those things. Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able to do. Often, even if you have accomplished a lot during the day, you let yourself feel frustrated, because of small minor tasks you didn't accomplish. Sometimes, you spend all day successfully carrying out many plans, but instead of feeling happy and satisfied, you look at what was not accomplished and feel unhappy. It is unfair toward yourself.
• Each day do something good for yourself. It can be something small, such buying a book, eating something you love, watching your favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a stroll on the beach.
• Each day do at least one act to make others happy.This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite. When you make someone happy, you become happy, and then people try to make you happy.
• Always expect happiness.
• Do not envy people who are happy. On the contrary, be happy for their happiness.  
• Associate with happy people, and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.
• Do your best to stay detached, when things do not proceed as intended and desired. Detachment will help you stay calm and control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not indifference. It is the acceptance of the good and the bad and staying balanced. Detachment has much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conductive to happiness.
• Smile more often.

About the author: 

Remez Sasson is an author and blogger. He is the founder of SuccessConsciousness.com, a website and blog about self improvement and spiritual growth. Remez Sasson is the author of several life transforming books, with a wealth of information, advice and guidance.

Natural Relief For Anxiety

Many people experience emotional discomfort or a feeling of being powerless in face of certain circumstances. Some people can cope better than others as they consider difficulties to be a component part of life. For others the daily struggle may have a debilitating effect. They develop irrational fears and anxiety.

Each of us can get affected, but sometimes we manage to find a solution or receive help from others and everything returns to a more or less perfect order. We are either mobilized to action or completely "paralyzed" by the situation and our emotional response to it. 

Some of us are naturally better at solving problems than others. Some people are simply unable to cope alone and need help. They seem to have a perfect memory of the difficulties experienced before and begin to worry that the same situation will occur again. They begin to worry that they will not be prepared or able to deal with it. They expect the signs of the coming demise to show up in every new situation and develop anxiety. With time they become anxious that they will not be able to cope with almost anything and spent a lot of their mental and emotional resources trying to "prevent" situations that may never occur. And although some fears may be justified, others are "irrational". The feeling of inadequacy is debilitating and makes a simple day to day existence very challenging. The fear of failure and anxiety not only make our existence painful, but they also prevent us from personal growth.

There are many ways to deal with chronic anxiety. Meditation, prayer, yoga, psychotherapy, autogenic training, and medication are the strategies that work to different degrees in different people. Anti-anxiety medication is a very popular quick fix to the problem, but many people are reluctant to take drugs. They are looking for natural solution instead. Once again Nature provides us with time-tested remedies. 

Herbs such as

• kava kava
• valerian root
• tulsi (holy basil)
  
• passion flower
• St. John's Worth
• red ginseng
• catnip
• ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
• lemon balm
• lemongrass
• German chamomile
• lavender

are very effective and work for most people. 

They provide calm, but do not cause lethargy. Some of them can be used in aromatherapy while others can be taken in form of capsules, tinctures, or drank as tea. Unlike capsules, a warm herbal infusions can add a feeling of comfort on a bad day. 

Since most herbs are rather bitter, you may have to add some honey, stevia, or maple syrup to your infusion. Do not, however, get tempted to save calories and sweeten your infusion with artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are well known for their adverse activity in the brain. They disrupt the flow and synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain thus further contributing to emotional imbalance. 

Anxiety has a debilitating effect on relationships as well and should be addressed as early as possible. No one likes to be around gloomy or anxious people and the anxious person may end up alone and lonely with his or her vision of doom.

Herbs are wonderful and very effective, but it may time to improve one's delicate chemistry. Very often behavioral therapy is needed. A certified therapist with a holistic approach may be exactly what a person suffering from chronic anxiety requires.

By Dominique Allmon

Dominique Allmon©2013

*Information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease. Please consult a certified physician before ingesting any herbs as they may interfere with your medication.

Quote of the Day

When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself. - Ernest Hemingway in A Moveable Feast
  
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