Happiness, Part 2
by Zube (zube@stat.colostate.edu)
Created:  Jan 24, 2016
Updated:  Feb 13, 2016
http://www.stat.colostate.edu/~zube/happiness.part2.txt

I can't tell you how to be happy, but these have helped with my
happiness:

1) Choose being happy over being right.  Being right may provide a
measure of justified indignation, but it won't make you happy.

2) The fewer number of things your happiness depends on, the fewer
number of things that can disrupt it.

"If your happiness depends on what someone else does, then I guess
you really do have a problem."

2a) Keep your identity as small as possible.

3) Act in good faith, work hard, do your best, then let it go. 
Results are often dependent upon variables you do not control.

3a) Forgive yourself for your past, your present and your future.
Life runs in hard real time, so you will fail.  So what?

"Ever tried.  Ever failed.  No matter.  Try Again.  Fail again.
Fail better."

3b) Try not to complain too much.  Complaining, like ice cream,
is far more satisfying as an occasional treat than as a meal.

4) Don't just count your blessings.  Do more than that.

Every so often, take two minutes and close your eyes.  Imagine that
someone you love dearly is gone forever.  For two minutes, give in to
the feeling, imagine the sadness, the feeling of loss, the idea of
your world being turned upside down.  Then wake up and realize just
how happy your life is and how lucky you are because that person is
still here.

Then go tell them that you love them.

5) You are not your thoughts.  That chattering monkey in your brain 
is not you.  You can't turn it off, but you can most certainly tune
it out.  

6) The magic of compound interest works in all areas of life.  Small 
steps over a long period of time add up.

"We cannot do big things, only small things with great love."  

7) Choose your reality a la carte.  You don't have to be a Christian
to believe that "Love one another" is a good idea.

8) Be kind.  Others desperately need your kindness and you desperately
need to give it to them.

9) Always avoid alliteration.