How to Be Happy Comments Welcome!

Comments on the "How to Be Happy: Four Easy Ways" video are welcome here!

To watch this short clip and lift your spirits click right here: How to Be Happy: 4 Easy Ways .

Have a Beautiful Friday

Wishing you a beautiful Friday, like the one here. Look what I saw when I looked out this morning. Anyone know if it's a heron or a crane?

Are You Afraid of Happiness?

You are all afraid to get caught being happy with  the wrong thing. --Bruce Di Marsico, founder of the Option Method.

Undetected like a stealth bomber, fear of happiness strikes when you least expect it. Since the fear of happiness is rarely recognized, it blocks an untold number of potentially wonderful experiences.

One reason I love teaching live workshops so much is the wisdom and insight the participants share during
and long after our time together.

This courageous message about fear of happiness comes from Andrea Schwarb, a coach who specializes in
simple, authentic living and professional resilience. She attended the Breakout Coach Training in Palm Springs last October.

"...false beliefs keep creeping in:

• If I am happy, I will be leaving the ones that I love.
• If I am happy, some people will feel abandoned, and they might want to kill themselves.
• If I am happy, others will try to knock me down at the knees.
• If I am happy, it won't last.
• I am not one of those types of people who can sustain happiness.
• Only others can be happy.
• If I am happy, some people will think "ewww....there's one of those happy people - can't be true - must be inauthentic"
• If I am happy, some may try to take me down, and I may have hurt feelings.
• If my feelings are hurt, I might cry, and then they will make fun of me and humiliate me for crying - for being a crybaby. 

I feel scared. Depression and despair are things I have always lived with. They are painful, but I know them well. They are like my security blanket. (strange, I know - picturing a stinky,dark "known" security blanket) - like THAT is keeping me safe and secure!

• I am afraid that if I am happy all of the time, I will lose touch with reality.
• I will be manic.
• I will scare people.

I want to continue on this journey of exploring what I enjoy, what pleases me, what I am happy doing. I
want to keep practicing self-authorization. And I want a good, cozy night's sleep."

A few weeks later Andrea reported that she was feeling happy, grateful, getting more hours in an interesting job, and beginning a new relationship. Woo Hoo!

Amazing, how discovering hidden fears and finding the beliefs that hold them in place can lead to a breakout
from a prison you may not even know confines you.

It takes some courage. It's good to have someone to cheer you on. It's wonderful to share the freedom and create new experiences.

Have you broken out from a prison of fear?
Your story can inspire others.

Are you stuck in fear? Especially fear of happiness?
Sharing your fear can open the door for a breakout.

Resource for overcoming fear of happiness: "Emotional Options: A Handbook for Happiness
http://mandyevans.com/archives/emotional-options/

Beliefs You Hold Like a Shield

"Women never get anywhere in the art world," she said. She always said that as if it explained why her beautiful paintings stood stacked in the corner of her barn. It was not true, but she held it in front of her like a shield. From what? From the hurt she feared would do her in if she ever dared to open her hungry heart and clenched fists and reach for the connections she yearned to make.

"Nice guys always finish last," he said when the woman withdrew her interest and affection. It was not true. It was not because he was nice. There were other reasons, as mysterious as the purpose of love.

These are examples of incredibly limiting "belief-lies" we humans hold like shields to protect us from the hurt that might just do us in, down for the count -- or forever.

If only it worked it might be worth the effort. There would be some benefit gained for the enormous expenditure of energy and vigilence. But belief-lie shields are only heavy, they do not protect. They only block the light.

My life's work has been finding, exploring, exposing those beliefs for the lies they are. I love helping people to find the courage to live without them. It does require some valor to put down a heavy shield and stand exposed before the glory of life with its infinite possibilities for creativity, love and joy.

I'm looking for new ways to connect with people who are ready to put down the shield and break out from the belief-lies that block happiness, success, and life. I welcome your thoughts. Will keep you posted!

Changes




Emery meets Wonder, her first horse. 

  At 70, I am changing almost as fast as my granddaughter, Emery is at 19 months. We are both learning as fast as we can only she can accomplish more with her body every day and I can accomplish less.

In early February, I got a flu/cold thing and today is the first time I've had enough energy to more than the bare minimum movement required to keep from sinking into sloth and torpor! I had begun to think, maybe I'm not sick. Maybe I'm just old and cough a lot now. Am so grateful for another reprieve into the cough-free world from barely functioning to fairly functioning.

I am looking at life from yet another side now. I'm not sure what I can count on my body to sustain. Travel and teaching 4 day retreats seems iffy, when for so many years I just signed up, showed up and delivered. No question about it.

I'm going to have to change my ways, maybe go "virtual". I'll need to learn to collaborate, cooperate and ask for help, breakout from some limiting beliefs. OMG!

I so welcome input, advice, suggestions and encouragement.

What changes are you going through? I'd love to cheer you on to happiness and success beyond your wildest dreams.

Mandy

Come On In In 2012!

Instead of setting goals or making resolutions as we welcome in the new year, I like to reflect on what I would like to welcome into my life in 1212. The first step to making it real is consciousness. Then sharing. Tthe magic, mysterious unfolding of life reveals the rest.

Here is some of what I welcome:

• Food, shelter and love for everyone
• Feeling really good
• Health
• Happiness
• Opportunities to share what I've learned
• Opportunities to share what others have learned
• Wonderful books to read
• Good times with friends and family
• Inspiration for The Connection Breakout Course
• Peace on earth and in my heart
• Laughter, lots of laughter
• A bunch of happy surprises, beyond my wildest dreams

Thank you for reading this. I would love to know your heart's desire for 2012 so I can join in to cheer you on! Just click "Comments" below.

Happy New Year!
Love,
Mandy

Joy to the World

Jot to the world! Why not? Maybe it's having an 18 month grandchild in the family, all full of wonder and curiosity, studying up on how to talk  -- and how to climb really high. Maybe it's the sad but welcome end to the war in Iraq. Maybe it's looking at how far we have come on the path to equal rights for women, African Americans and gay people. Whatever! This year as the holidays wrap themselves around us, my abiding desire is joy to the world!

It seems so real. If we will just do it. We can  fill our individual hearts with joy and good wishes for everyone! OK, if you can't go that far yet, how about your family, your neighbors, yourself?!

It seems so real that we who have a little or a lot extra can share some to help those in need. Everyone can have enough to eat, shelter and love. Surely there is enough to go around.

It seems so real that the idea of war can become absurd, the idea of peace real and possible.

It seems so real this year. Joy to the world! Why not?

Wishing you the happiest of holidays and many blessings.

Your comments are always welcome. I love to read about your thoughts and insights and think that people we do not even know will be able to read them too.

Mandy