I suppose everybody has once heard the saying “nobody is a prophet in his own land” and I’ve always felt that way.

Contrary to what some people might think, even as a foreigner in Austria, I find the people of Tyrol (“Unterland”) very friendly people who smile at you in the streets and that are very correct and respectful.

Today while walking through some places I noticed that people smile at me here too. And although I can’t remember how it was when I lived here (11 years ago), I don’t think people were so friendly.

I just read an article about life being a mirror of your own being, and it just clicked in me that I’ve changed for good in the last 11 years.

I noticed that wherever I walk I look at people in the eyes and smile and it is very beautiful to see those eyes smiling back. Most of them are surprised; big town people aren’t used to smiling eyes, let alone looking at strangers in the eyes at all.

Have you had this experience with complete strangers lately? This recognizing the human being in you and the person you smile at in this moment when your eyes catch. This is the simple but nice gift of a smile.

“Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals.
Success is the ability to fulfill your desires with effortless ease.”
- Deepak Chopra

Not long ago I read an article that placed Nigerian people among the happiest in the world. This is true, even though many are living in deprivation when compared to our comfortable lives.

At this moment my house is full of kids whose ages range from 6 to 12. They are all together in my son’s play-room. And they are so happy to be together, simply playing, sometimes complaining at each other, but then again being friends again. I think many of us can recall simple happiness in our childhood times; isn’t this successful living?

Can we as adults have access to this care-free happiness in our western civilization? Growing up, having a family or a life on your own is logically related to responsibilities and with having to provide for yourself or your family, whether we’re in Africa, the States or Europe, it’s always the same.

But, if a country with abundant poverty problems can boast about having the happiest people on the planet, I think we can also achieve that! And with “we” I mean everybody.

Happiness in every dimension is achievable. Being life’s nature constant motion and continuous evolution, I believe that it is also our nature and mission to constantly evolve and develop, while in the meantime being happy. You don’t have to wait to be happy until you achieve something, the way to get there should make you happy also.

The capability to set yourself goals and work in their direction with deep engagement, consequently and in peace, trusting your inner powers and the powers of the universe leads to a light hearted and joyous life along the way of achievement. And this is beautiful. These goals should be in harmony with your nature, it is important that you feel love towards that which is your goal or the way to achieve your goal.

There’s a passage in Dr. Murphy’s book, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, which states that human inner urges to achieve anything are inspired by the universe and the subject’s own capability. And with the right mindset we are” doomed” to succeed. So if we will succeed anyway, why not be happy now?!

After living exceptional experiences it’s inevitable to return to normal life and routines, and being happy is a way of life and can be a habit if you choose it to be. Affirmative prayer and programming your mind can help you turn happiness into a habit.

Mind touched by faith works miracles in your life.

Confidence in your own power and sublime trust in the assistance of the powers of the universe will bring you happiness that stays. Choose to be happy by working on your mental patterns and following the call of your heart.

I’ve used many affirmative prayers to repeat everyday that I find beautifully simple. Try making this the first thought when you awake and repeat this several times during your day:

I choose happiness today,

I choose peace,

I choose succes.

Love and joy brighten up my entire day.

For these blessings I am thankful

Exercise makes the master. Exercise bringing the best and highest in you, put it into action everyday.

Trust the guidance of the divine cell of God contained in your mind,

allow yourself to be inspired by the Spirit of Truth in your heart,

be conscious that your Guardian Angels bring you into situations where decision-making is vital.

It is in hard times where you have the opportunity to show what you are made of, and your Angels see to it that you make the best out of this opportunity.

Even when you find no strength to go on, and I know it can get hard, goodness that comes out of you heals you and others and it fills your heart with sublime joy.

Some people feel anger towards life because of their so-called fate or take revenge at others because things went bad; this only empowers the lowest in human kind.

You see, events are a result of mental structures and not the cause.

Letting go, moving on, being constructive or fair, forgiving, discovering your inner strengths and augmenting your self-worth imply a great deal of personal character and mental power in hard times; but training these muscles can and will bring back the feeling of happiness. Working on yourself can give you a feeling of accomplishment that is a balsam for your soul.

Sincerely desire to be happy and happiness will follow; divine guidance of the universal powers lay before you.

If you want to read more about how your mind can make happiness a habit, read The Power of Your Subconscious Mind from Dr. Josef Murphy; you’ll be happy you did.

Perceiving happiness as an intense emotional state can only lead to disappointment. Intense emotional states caused by bio-chemical reactions originated by an event are only temporary and bound to disappear very soon. That’s the way chemical reactions are: they are caused, they affect us and then body and mind return to normality. That’s nature.

No wonder so many people believe that happiness is lived only at moments that repeat themselves sometimes.

Out of experience I tell you: you can be happy everyday. And yes, I’ve already written about being happy before here. But what I want to tell this time is that:

Life can be set with flowers and stones along our way, but it is you and only you who decides “how you will be” and “who you will be” during these alternating ups and downs of life.

A light-hearted attitude and a fresh mind set-up towards that which we cannot change is “the” ideal attitude; but I know out of experience: it’s easier said than done. Events are sometimes too strong and our lives change so radically that it is nothing but normal to not be able to see light in those moments.

But once you’re half way into normality, it is your choice to return to your usual happy self or at least try to cheer up and find light; the important thing is not to force yourself to do anything.

In those “exceptional” moments there are not many other ways to react than feeling miserable and crying your soul out. Feeling lost, not being able to talk or move, let alone think is a part of being in shock or living loss and hard times. And like I wrote before, thank God that these extreme emotions, also fuelled by chemical activity in our bodies, also have an end. “This too shall pass”.

When you’re finally able to calm your emotions down a bit, and the state of shock lowers to almost normal levels, you find yourself with the practical things in life and you have to go on; sadly or luckily: there’s no other way. In extreme times I remember not even having a drop of energy to do anything. Having kids is a blessing, you literally “have to” move!

So concentrate on doing only that which is absolutely necessary, one step at a time:

• Errands related with practical stuff or survival: buying food, paying bills, going to work, etc.

• Go out and walk for a while, even if you don’t want to. Fresh air works wonders in a few minutes: it heals. And just being among people in the street, observing how life moves and never stops, is a good way of charging energy.

• Pamper yourself. I cannot stress the importance of this point enough. Hard times also affect one’s self-esteem; it’s very important that you bathe (rub yourself, use aromatic oils – this helps you love yourself) and take care of your looks. Dressing yourself like you would when you feel happy is effective, whether you believe it or not. Happiness is contagious. There’s even a technique that says: “act like if you had or were this want you want to have or be and your mind will accept this as real and will make it manifest in your life“. That’s the power of your mind.

• And in relation with this last statement (happiness is contagious) I’ve found that the “Peter Pan” technique of thinking happy thoughts is very effective. Surround yourself with objects that make you think of funny moments, talk with cheerful people, and watch funny movies.

Concentrating on these small but practical things are the first small steps of recovery. These small private moments where you make small decisions is the start point for bigger decisions.

Once you have got the basics in your life running smoothly it’s time for evaluating the state of your affairs. Knowing where you are is the first step into knowing where you’re headed.

• Face and accept reality with all its implications. Observe the cold facts, if possible, without emotions

• See how these facts affect your new life

• Which are the possibilities you have to go on? What are the resources to go on?

• Find out where/what/how you want to be or what you want to do

• Sort out the necessary steps to move your life in the direction you choose it to be

• After these steps are sorted out then it’s time to start acting. One step at a time, start walking before you start running

• Seeking for professional help can also help you into sorting out your life. The supporting input of a professional counsellor will be certainly positive

You can make a list or run a diary with the ideas and how you advance in your list. In the future you may look back and see all you have achieved and how the process was.

These steps are a very practical way to start being again in control of your life and your emotions. Reality wipes fear and anxiety out. Fear and anxiety come from thinking obsessively about the future with no real information in your hands.

Looking at life in the eyes is a healing process; being active and with a goal in your hands, open your eyes again to the simple joys in life. It might take a long time or it might take only days; but getting back to action is certainly the road to start being again the happy person you’ve always been.

Skills, hobbies, routines, sense of humour, ways of thinking and seeing things, etc. can in fact reveal a road of self expression worthwhile exploring, and this discovery is a start that can and may bring back the feeling of joy for life, like you had as a kid.

To consciously do what you do best with joy and maybe even “passion” is a nice goal in life, and it doesn’t matter in which area of your life it is; it may be in the professional area, in the relationship arena, a fulfilling hobby, or a volunteering activity. Important is that you feel you have a place in life, where you give your best and even help or inspire others if possible.

There’s no place for boredom in our lives once we find the things, activities and thoughts that energize us and set our lives into motion. But, please, don’t think that finding the things you’re passionate about means you’re getting a ticket to immediately drop what you’re doing in order to run after your dreams.
The goal here is to motivate your everyday life, and give meaning to otherwise boring or frustrating situations. The goal of this post is to help you find out a direction to go through wisely and intelligently.

Remember, a project has self made and carefully thought steps to follow in order to achieve a goal. One can’t run without first learning how to walk.

Here’s a small list of questions that might open your eyes to a new and intelligent transformation process in your life:

What’s the best attitude towards this questionnaire?
A loose, creative and happy attitude, even funny is the best. Don’t limit the answers and don’t take everything too serious; spontaneity is a good way to find the hidden treasures. Remember you want to find a happy spot in life to develop yourself. After all, we all want to be happy!

Answer the following questions to yourself:

• What moves you emotionally in your everyday life? It can be a hobby, a song, your kids, a painting, dancing, anything!

• Why does it move you? Which values or mental images come up that make you feel good?

• Which activities bring you pleasure and make you forget that time exists?

• What would bring happiness into your life if you could dedicate your life to it? Which activity would make you wake up with a smile on your face everyday?

• Which topic could make you read or talk for hours?

• Ask a good friend, your partner or a family member to tell you what they think you’re passionate about; what have they noticed moves you; what you’re good at; or just plainly what they think you mostly like.

• In which area do you think you’re good at, best at, and better than most? It can be at problem solving, reading between lines, organizing, making people laugh, grilling, etc. Be open and even silly here.

• What can you do that is so easy for you but causes other people to ask for help? What comes naturally to you?

• What makes you unique? What distinguishes you from everybody else?

• Where are you difficult? What can’t you stand?

• Which activity or profession do you think would suit you best?

Now use your imagination here:

• If you died, what would you like to be remembered for?

• What things would you be honoured or celebrated for if you were famous?

• In which area, different from the one you’re now, could you be good at? Be creative.

• If you started a successful business, which would it be?

Once you’re ready with the questions, compare the answers. See which answers are repeated; this is a strong indicator for what you love to do. Which answers feel right in your heart?

Once you discover what the possibilities are for you, make a plan of how you can include these items in your life. Which hobby or occupation is made out of those things that make you happy? If you don’t know of any then invent one up, be creative! The important thing here is to add quality to your life, not stress. To do something you’re passionate about regularly should bring joy to your life.

And if you find that your plan not only makes you happy but that it can actually help others, then your joy will reach sublime heights.

I wish you the very best of times while digging into your soul and finding your place in life: your mission.

How many of you have heard “that’s life”, “some things will never change”, “you never know what can happen”, or “why even bother?” These common phrases keep you expecting the worse. Hearing them enough is also a way of self-programming. Your mind accepts these messages as true and executes them without discerning whether it’s good or bad. This is how the mind works.

If you live and think in fear, then that what you fear will come true.
Choose to live and think with trust and love in life’s wisdom, then a lovely life full of self- trust will manifest.

Self-programming works faster than you can ever imagine. In one week, since “choosing to be happy” and reinforcing this goal through self-programming (also called affirmative prayer), I got the job of my dreams in a great place, working with great people.

On the very day I quit my old job (a very progressing company but a depressing place to work at), my soon-to-be boss called me to ask if I would be interested in working with him. After his call I just sat down speechless: in shock and awe at the power of my self-programming sessions.
It was a very hard decision to quit my job without having anything else in my hands except my trust on the Universal Wisdom. I was just simply happy and grateful towards life.

Starting to consciously pray in an affirmative way will improve your relationships incredibly, and the way you approach life and how you feel is like a sort of small re-birth. And this state of happiness you can renew everyday; you’ll feel blessed.

Being this such a wonderful state to be in, I want to share these practical exercises with you. It is my intention to contage you with happiness.

What, when and where:
Prayers and auto-suggestions work at best right before you doze to sleep and when they’re the very first thought when waking up. Also in those moments of peace and silence, where there’s no chance to be disturbed.
Everyday, twice a day or more, when the conditions allow it, repeat the following text or make your own prayer according to your personal needs, and in a tone you personally use to communicate with the universe.

Be patient and consequent. Repeat this everyday, at least twice a day. Trust the power of the divinity in you and the universe. Choose happiness.

I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY. I AM FREE.
The powers of my mind-spirit, in connection with the eternal Wisdom of the Universal Mind, open my inner doors to happiness.
Beauty, Truth and Goodness burst inside of me and fill every cell of my body with genuine joy.
Beauty, Truth and Goodness grow and expand outside of my body filling every single part of my life with blessings.
Everything I touch is beauty, the universe is wonderful
and I AM HAPPY and thankful for this gift

With this exercise you will discover that what one often hears: “happiness is real at moments, and it’s not a constant state to be at” is not at all true. People sometimes describe being happy as being “high”, laughter and joy unlimited.
Experience has taught me that “being happy” is actually a constant state in life, if you choose it to be. This state of happiness is sometimes affected by bad news or events, but you’re core element remains untouched. And as time heals, you always return to be your normal happy self.

It’s wonderful when you ask someone, if they could choose “what to do” or “where to be”, and their answer is:

I choose to be here doing exactly what I’m doing now.

This, my friends, is real freedom!