Secrets For A Happier Life January 12, 2012

Company Logo Block     Secrets For A Happier Life: Ideas, Inspiration & Practices

Title Block             Quick Links Block         Buzz Thought   Fun for happiness         Quick Links Block     Michael D Selzer DDS   I would love to hear from you.   561 487-4555   Share your happiness tips and see them in a future newsletter. Email Link         Quick Links Block       New feature – submit a question, concern or repetitive problem that comes up. I will without any reference to you address an exercise (in the next newsletter) to help resolve that concern and return to greater happiness. email link       Quick Links Block     Quick Links   Joy Coaching     Boca Smile Center   Happiness on YouTube       Signup Block     Spread The Word Want to live around happier family and friends?          Quick Links Block       A book I have enjoyed The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz           Quick Links Block     Smile Of The Week    NancyJo         Signup Block           Featured Article Block         ” We don’t stop playing because we turn old, but turn old because we stop playing” by unknown         Quick Links Block      Archive  4-22-2010 Happiness comes in drops   5-13-2010 Thought matches body sensations   6-3-2010 Trigger zone for happiness   6-24-2010  You can have happiness now 7-15-2010 Happiness & Sunshine 24×7 8-05-2010 Start where you are 8-26-2010 Generosity builds happiness9-16-2010 Happiness a balance of opposites   10-07-2010 Happiness a wave of energy   10-28-2010 Happiness a wave of energy 11-18-2010 Happiness step by step 12-06-2010 Wide eyes for happiness   1-6-2011 Smiling eyes for happiness 1-27-2011 Happiness inside out 2-17-2011 Edges of happiness   3-10-2011 Polishing for happiness    3-31-2011 Gaps of happiness   4-28-2011 Decisions for happiness   5-26-2011 Pivoting for happiness   6-16-2011   Stretch for happiness   7-7-2011 Breathing for happiness   8-4-2011 Pausing for happiness    8-25-2011 Oasis for happiness   9/22/2011 Happiness says me   10-20-2-2011s Silent Smiles   11-17-2011 A story for happiness   12/15/2011 Adventure for happiness           Date Block     Are we having fun yet? January 12, 2012       Introduction Block      Dear (Contact First Name),      Welcome back to Secrets For A Happier Life. “Are we having fun yet?” is the most famous quote by bizarre, non-sequitur-spouting comic strip character Zippy the Pinhead. It was coined in 1979 by cartoonist Bill Griffith as one of the typically strange comments by Zippy, and caught on with the general public.Guy to co-worker at boring job: “Hey Gus, how’s it going?” The reply, accompanied by eye-rolling and sarcastic tone: “Are we having fun yet?”   The question behind this is really what is fun? And realizing that when we are having fun (doing some fun activity) we are happy.   I invite you to read more. Maybe it will be fun.   Michael Selzer DDS       Article Block     Quick Changes For example what are you doing right now? Reading? Thinking? Sitting? Moving a mouse around? Looking at the computer or smart phone screen? Breathing?Which one of these is your attention focused on? Is there some foreground of attention and some background of what you are thinking about doing later? Is reading this interesting enough to obtain your full attention? When you are applying your full attention to something are you aware of being happier at that time? Think about it. We “have” fun. We “are” happy.   Fun is the doing or the edge of something before it becomes funny. Too much fun becomes funny or even silly which might even be more fun.It is fun to watch or hear something that is funny. But what is the fun part? What is the fun part of tennis or golf or anything? It is an attitude. Can you find the fun in any activity? Where is it?  It is in the “now” the moment as in. “having ” fun. It is at the edge of anticipation of what may happen. At a comic club it is watching the set up of the joke and then waiting in anticipation or with bated breath for the punch line.  It’s fun.  In golf the fun might be the continual anticipation of, “It might be a great shot.” That’s the fun part the anticipation with the right attitude. Where the ball goes is another story. As long as you think or anticipate that it might be a great shot it’s fun. If you lose the right attitude (due to your ball going in the lake) then you will have less fun.   It’s fun to look for seashells along the beach; who knows what else you may find. The anticipation of something if you allow it to be there with the proper attitude turns into having fun. Finding the fun of other activities or moments in life is an adjustment of attitude.     Imagine watching in anticipation for the bobber while fishing to move; waiting for the punch line of the joke; for the smile of the infant; for your dog to wag its tail; becoming interested in this moment knowing that it might tickle my fancy or the anticipation of watching for the sunrise in each moment before dawn.   Remembering to practice this is easily forgotten.  You might draw a symbol that represents this idea to you on a small dot and place that on the mirror of your car or over your sink.    Or as suggested by Rabbi Sigal to wear a special piece of jewelery, “When the commitments to your life are always physically with you, they are not easily forgotten.” Rabbi Sigal listen to your heart          Article Block      Small Moments Of Happiness The fun occurs whenever we are fully connected to the now. Connection occurs when we are fully concentrated and aware and noticing intimately what we are doing. Why is a very small waterfall less fun to watch than a very tall long waterfall? A magazine article compared to a novel? An appetizer compared to a full course meal? How long can you hold the attitude of anticipation?   The four parts of having fun:  1.      Willful – noticing what is in front of you. Taking a moment to become mindful. Where are you? What are you feeling? What is your mood? How do you feel about your mood? Do you have an attitude of anticipation?  2.      Surrender to whatever is happening. Let go of thinking about the past or what you would prefer to be doing later or tomorrow. Surrender to this moment. Become present. Wiggle your toes and feel your feet inside your shoes. Breath in, feel your breath moving against your body. Notice the wetness in your mouth. Listen for a sound around you. Look again at what you are doing. What is right in front of you right now?  3.      Now that you have surrendered to this moment go with the flow. Become swept up in it like a wave at the beach. Relax and tumble along with this wave of now. Like catching a wave at the beach you have to relax into it. What is your natural inclination to be or do in this moment? Allow it to happen.  4.    So we have to get out of the way. We can do this by focusing attention on getting out of the way by not doing. Actually by non-thinking and just allowing the body to be.        Article Block     Golf Secrets:  A golfer’s perspective for living in the moment One of the fun parts of golf is striking the ball. That takes a fraction of a second. What else is there?   I invite your response as to what is the fun part of golf for you? Is golf more or less fun now than when you started to play? What has changed? What might you do to allow more of golf to be more fun?   I will compile your responses in an anonymous summary.       Article Block     Happiness:  A puppy’s perspective for living in the moment   Same question as golf.      Email your responses.  What is fun for you and your dog, cat, bird, fish , turtle, snake, hamster, orangutan etc.   Or what does your pet enjoy even if you do not?