Ray’s Daily
July 5, 2021
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
Charles Spurgeon
I nope you enjoyed your weekend and if in the United States the Independence Day festivities. If you are like I am the restrictions of last year required us to find ways to be as happy as possible, something not easy to do. As the restrictions have been lifted we now can work on making the days ahead as enjoyable as possible, after all our personal happiness is up to us.
Here are excerpts from an article suggesting ways in which we can find our own happiness.
How to Be Happy With What You Have
Co-authored by Klare Heston, LCSW
Changing Your Mindset – Take a moment to think about your many gifts. In other words, think about all of the great things that you do have, not the things you don’t. When you’re feeling down, this can be tough to do, so start with things you may have taken for granted.
Let go of the past. – There’s no way to change the past, so worrying about it does nothing for you. Don’t spend a single second focusing on the many things that could have been — these things don’t exist in the present, so they’re not real. Focus instead on the things that do exist and that you can change.
Stop comparing yourself to others. – Envy is like poison for happiness. It’s very hard to keep your happiness alive when you’re focused on how other people are better than you.
Release yourself from desires for material things.- Possessions can’t make you happy in the long term. The “glow” from purchasing fancy new things quickly wears off.
Keep in mind that material things are nice if the rest of your life is okay, but on their own, material things will disappoint you every time.
Focus on your happiest memories. – While you shouldn’t worry about the past because there’s nothing you can do to change it, you can and should savor the good aspects of your past. The fact that you have been happy in the past is something to be thankful for. No one else in the world has your happy memories, so you are uniquely privileged in this way.
Thank others for the effect they have on your life. – Always go out of your way to thank the people who bring happiness to your life. When you make a habit of thanking people, it makes you realize how much happiness you have in your life. Get into the habit of practicing gratitude.
Live an active, open lifestyle. – Don’t hesitate to get outdoors. You’ll always be better off discovering something new than staying at home. Staying inside watching TV or surfing the web is a great way to relax, but it shouldn’t be all you do in your free time.
Have fun! – With all the stresses of daily life, it’s easy to forget to simply have a good time every once in a while. There are many ways to do this — only you know what your idea of a good time is.
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Happiness consists more in conveniences of pleasure that occur everyday than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom.
Benjamin Franklin
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A Texan was taking a taxi tour of London and was in a hurry. As they went by the Tower of London the cabbie explained what it was and that construction of it started in 1346 and was completed in 1412.
The Texan replied, “Shoot, a little ol’ tower like that? In Houston we’d have that thing up in two weeks!”
Next they passed the House of Parliament – started in 1544 and completed in 1618.
“Well, boy, we put up a bigger one than that in Dallas and it only took a year!”
As they passed Westminster Abbey the cabbie was silent.
“Whoa! What’s that over there?” asked the Texan.
Replies the cabbie, scratching his head. . . .
“Now that, I don’t know; it sure wasn’t there yesterday!”
~~~
“It’s not me who can’t keep a secret; it’s the people I tell that can’t.”
Abraham Lincoln.
~~~
A kind-hearted Air Force Sgt. saw a man struggling to change a tire and pulled over to see whether he could help. The man had a very red face, and a dark smear across it where he’d wiped off sweat with dirty hands. His tie was undone and his shirt collar askew, and it was clear he had also wiped his hands on his once-white shirt. Close to him stood an immaculately neat woman who was speaking in highly agitated tones.
“Hello, there,” said the motorist. “Say, I’ve changed a lot of tires maybe I can help you.”
“You sure can,” the man with the flat tire replied wearily.
“My wife, Marilyn, is an expert, too. If you will just take care of arguing with her about how this tire ought to be changed, I will concentrate on the dirty work and get the job done.”
~~~
Ours is a world where people don’t know what they want and are willing to go through hell to get it.
Don Marquis
~~~
Teacher: According to science, what happens when a body is immersed in water?
Student: Usually the phone rings.
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It’s never crowded along the extra mile.
Wayne Dyer
~~~
Mr. Smith was a traveling salesman and frequent flyer, so he was always very, VERY careful to mark his luggage so that no one would mistakenly take his bags. He always did this with bright ribbons and tape, so he was quite surprised to see his bags grabbed by a well dressed man when he got to the luggage carousel. Mr. Smith walked over to the fellow and pointed out the colored ribbons tied to the handle, and the fluorescent tape on the sides.
“I believe that luggage is mine. Were your bags marked like this?” he asked.
“Actually,” the man replied, “I was wondering who did this to my luggage.”
~~~
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.
Jim Rohn
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When Brandon’s mother found out she was pregnant, she told the good news to anyone who would listen. But Little Brandon overheard some of his parents’ private conversations. One day, when Brandon and his mother were shopping, a woman asked the little boy if he was excited about the new baby.
“Yes!” Brandon answered, “and I know what we’re gonna name it, too. If it’s a girl, we’re going to call her Christina, and if it’s another boy we’re going to call it quits!”
~~~
Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular. But it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you had better stop worrying about it and see what treasures you can pluck from your own brand of unhappiness.
Robertson Davies
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Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
Ray’s Daily has been sent for more than twenty years to people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@comcast.net. Back issues are posted at http://rays-daily,com/ currently there are hundreds of readers from around the world.
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