Advice for a Happy and Fullfilled Life

What is the secret to happiness? It is a question that has been around for ages. Is it money, fame, power or love or health?

Over my sixty plus years of living, here is my experience. I hope you find this helpful.

- Nov. 2018

Have faith and the belief in a greater power. Whether that be a God or a religion or some form of spiritual enlightment...does not matter. The key is knowing that we are not alone and on our own. We don’t have to shoulder all the burden and there is a greater power that oversee the universe. Just knowing this is a comfort.

Stay close to family. There is no other support and unconditional love than your own family. It does not extend only to your immediate family members. It may included your spouse’s family, your extended family and your relatives. Being connected with them is important. Put in the effort to maintain that relationship. Gather during holidays and weddings and other reunions. Don’t just show up at funerals.

Have passion for something. Whether it be a hobby or a music instrument or a sports activity or some artistic venture, believe in something and actively pursue it. Devote the time to these activities that are unique to you, preferably by yourself. You can participate in a group and share your passion with them but you must have the passion to go it alone. Something you can occupy your time away from all the daily grind. It can be a distraction and a refuge from all your worries.

Practice prayer or meditation regularly. An excellent simple prayer is the Serenity Prayer. It is short and concise and it is so profound.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Life is conplicated and messy. Don’t let the little things bother you. Focus on the big items and let the small things take care of themselves.

Be generous and helpful to others. This is basic karma. When you send out good positive energy, it will flow back to you many folds.

Be curious about the world. Learning is a life long process. It is never too late to learn something new.

Ask questions. Only by framing the right questions, will you get the right answers.

Live a conservative life. This is not political. It is just common sense. Conservative in the broad sense of the word. Be frugal with your resources. It is not how much you make but how much you save. Be gentle with our environment. Use only what is necessary. Put back and recycle what can be done. Live a simple life style. Be practical in your daily work and activities. Practice what we preach.

The same applies to government. A conservative government does not waste or abuse their resources. We should live within our means and government should do the same.

Do not assume too much. Always give others the benefit of doubt. We don’t know what is going on in other people’s lives. Don’t get offended easily because something didn’t go as you expected. There may be a good reason behind people’s actions.

Be thankful for what you have. Both in resources and talents. We are given a variety of skills so that all of us can work together and complement each other. Life would be so boring if everyone is equal in every way. We need the diversity and variety to have a happy existence.

“Life is like a box of chocolate. You never know what you are going to get.” - Forest Gump

The most what we can hope for is to leave this world a better place than we found it. Our lives will touch others around us and bring them joy.

These ideas were gained over my 60 plus years. I had my share of disappointments and conflicts and trials and tribulations. I was also very lucky to have people in my life that were intelligent and helpful. These included family members growing up, teachers in my schools, coaches in sports I participated, and colleagues at work around the world. These people taught me stuff that cannot be learned from books.

I am also interested in history. History teaches us many things. It help us understand our past and guide us going forward.

Our lives through this material world is short. A mere 80 plus years if we are lucky. However, if you believe in the spiritual realm, our lives can last much longer. We can communicate with past people in our lives or in history. We can exist in a virtual world where time and space are no longer discreet. All things are possible if you believe.

The miracle of life is our very existence. How can a creature of 160 pounds, with a brain of mere 3.5 pounds, achieve so much? How can we be self-aware?

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