Trust

Remember that wee, small voice inside you, telling you what's right? It's there to tell you what you really want, too.

Trust that you are capable of creating the life you want.
Trust that you can be happy.
Trust that you can make happiness happen.
Trust that you are lovable.

When you firmly believe in yourself, in the goodness in others, in the beauty and happiness of life, all else will follow.

Simplify

Having more stuff is not the road to happiness, folks.

Clear out the clutter that's weighing your life down. Nobody needs more shit to dust.

Turn off the TV. We had our satellite disconnected nearly three years ago. It's fabulous. We talk more. We enjoy leisurely dinners, paying attention to the food and each other. We listen more. I write more. He reads more.

Whenever there is a choice to go simpler, take that way. You'll give your spirit some breathing room when you simplify.

Resolve

Resolve to choose happiness.
Willfully turn away from negative thoughts, from self-pity, from blame and the blahs. Before anything else, make a resolution to choose happiness.

Quiet

Learn to love the quiet.
Turn off the TV.
Turn off the iPod.
Listen to the sound of your own breathing for a little while.
Make peace with silence.

It will transform you.

Learning to embrace silence is the first step in learning how to listen to your heart.

Privacy

(This is one of my top five favorite tips.)

Maintain some privacy.

Don't share every gruesome detail of every single thing that bugs you. You don't have to tell anyone that you're having a bad hair day, that your dinner last night was a little overdone or that your significant other farted so much in their sleep that you need to repaint the bedroom. You don't need to tell anyone about the most recent spat with your spouse, or how someone cut you off in traffic.

Sometimes, talking about those things gives them an importance they don't really merit. Your friends will probably comfort or commiserate, and then tell you their latest tale of woe. The next thing you know, the whole world seems gray.

So keep the minor mishaps of daily life a private matter. Tell yourself they aren't important enough to think about anymore, let alone share with someone else. You'll see it makes a difference in how important those mishaps seems to be.

Opt

Opt for happiness. Every moment is a choice. Look for the good. Look for the joy. Look for the beauty.

By choosing to think happy, you are choosing to BE happy.

Noel

It's Christmas!

You don't have to be a Christian to appreciate some of Christmas' messages:

Hope.
Joy.
The promise of a new baby.
Forgiveness.
Wonder.
Generosity.
Love.
Singing.
Family.