You can’t really pursue happiness # 3

When you’re happy, you’re dreaming, laughing and living joyful moments one by one.

"I belong a hundred miles from anyone, dreaming of my past along the shore. It took a while to realise the burning side of life alone and life to come from now.
All my instincts tell me that I need to know, what it's like tumbling down. Pretty minds and pretty thoughts control my life, and getting old is something we all know..."

 “To be happy you must forget yourself. Learn benevolence; it is the only cure of a morbid temper.” Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

“Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make someone else happy.” Greta Palmer

“What people require for a good life – and many smart people have written books on this subject – are meaning and purpose. I personally have never met a self-centred person who was happy or content. The happy people I know are serving something greater than themselves – a cause, a religion or a family.” Charley Reese

"We are never really happy until we try to brighten the lives of others." Helen Keller

Bottom line – make someone else happy.

“Don't aim at success - the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long run - in the long run, I say! - success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think of it.” Viktor Frankl

Don’t worry about getting rich. You will by focusing only on what your instincts tell you to do. 

“To enjoy life, you don't need fancy nonsense, but you do need to control your time and realize that most things just aren't as serious as you make them out to be.” Timothy Ferriss

Laugh often - at yourself and with others.

“I have an ideal life. I get to do what I want to do every day. And money can't buy any more than that.” Warren Buffett

Isn’t absolute freedom of choice the ultimate?

“Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of travelling.” Margaret Lee Runbeck

“Happiness has more to do with where you're heading than where you are.” Scott Adams

One step at a time does it every time.

“Happy people learn that happiness, like sweat, is a by-product of activity. You can only achieve happiness if you are too busy living your life to notice whether you are happy or not.” Frank Pittman

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” Thomas Merton

Being active and working towards a goal gets you there every time.

“The secret of happiness is in knowing this: that we live by the law of expenditure. We find greatest joy, not in getting, but in expressing what we are. There are tides in the ocean of life, and what comes in depends on what goes out. The currents flow inward only where there is an outlet. Nature does not give to those who will not spend; her gifts are loaned to those who will use them. Empty your lungs and breathe. Run, climb, work, and laugh; the more you give out, the more you shall receive. Be exhausted, and you shall be fed. Men do not really live for honours or for pay; their gladness is not in the taking and holding, but in the doing, the striving, the building, the living. It is a higher joy to teach than to be taught. It is good to get justice, but better to do it; fun to have things, but more to make them. The happy man is he who lives the life of love, not for the honours it may bring, but for the life itself.” Raymond Baughan

Action always counts louder than words. Use it or loose it.

Now go off and forget about yourself, about being happy, and just live within the moment.

Acknowledgements:-

“Close my Eyes” by Watershed

You can’t really pursue happiness # 2

With the New Year comes new hope and inspiration. Make the best of it. While it may sound trite, take these words to heart:

“Here's a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry, be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy”

“Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” Dr. Dale Carnegie

This does not suggest that you merely go with the flow. It tells you to accept that which is given to you - with graciousness.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso

“Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” Helen Keller

Inflating your self-worth will only isolate you from everyone. Discover your purpose, your calling in life, and pursue that. Getting lost in a cause bigger than yourself will fulfil you no end.

“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you'll be a success.” Dr. Albert Schweitzer

“We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” Charles Kingsley

Many people preach prosperity. So do I, and there is nothing wrong with that. It definitely makes the wheels turn smoother, but that famous saying “You can’t buy happiness.” Or is it love? It's true in both instances. Do something you enjoy. Period.

“Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one's values. No one's happiness but my own is in my power to achieve or to destroy.” Ayn Rand

You are not responsible, ever, for someone else’s happiness, love or salvation. Restore yourself first and be content to lead by example.

“He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.” James Oppenheim

Happiness, like love, like charity – all these start at home.

“Your success and your happiness start with you.” Zig Ziglar

“How you feed your mind is every bit as critical to your happiness as how you feed your body.” Jeff Olson

If you don’t take charge of your inner thoughts, someone else will. All you need to do is to set and visualize the end goal; the rest will fall into place.

“There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do.” Freya Stark

No-one likes a two-face. Neither would you be able to live comfortably with being one yourself.

“Happiness is the natural experience of winning your own self-respect as well as the respect of others.” Denis Waitley

You can only give what you have. Most treasured things are earned.

“All who would win joy must share it; happiness was born a twin.” Lord Byron

Once you have achieved anything significant, you will find that you automatically want to share this joy you feel within.

Think about this: happiness is mostly outer-directed during a specific occasion, while joy is inner directed lasting a lifetime. What are your thoughts?

Acknowledgements:-

“Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin

“Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain”, Audrey TAUTOU & Mathieu KASSOVITZ

You can’t really pursue happiness # 1

Same as you can’t really pursue love - for the simple reason that it normally finds you when you’re doing other stuff. Importantly, you must be open to find it, know its voice, and be prepared to stop whatever you’re so busy with and digress to follow it.  Then in a heartbeat your eyes will brighten up and you’ll sing along to:

“You can reach me by caravan

Across the desert like a Arab man

I don’t care how you get here

Just get here if you can.”

What has all this got to do with wine you ask? Well, in my mind good wine starts before you actually pour it. First you get into a relaxed vibe and chill. You, whites and reds too. Assemble great company and scrumptious food. Then let the conversation flow. In doing so comes wonderfully romantic moments, and momentous philosophical thoughts. But at least fill up your glass before we tackle these serious issues.

“I’d much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size zero.” Sofia Loren

This is the basis of my wine philosophy. Follow your intuition. Enjoy life!

“Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Encourage someone else in following their dream, supporting them all the way. Congratulate them when they’ve achieved their goal, spreading their good news story for their benefit.

“I don’t know what your future has in store, but what I do know is that you will only be really happy if you have sought and found how to serve.” Dr. Albert Schweitzer

When you lose yourself in helping others, you will be amazed at the joy and warmth you feel inside you.

“Happiness consists of living each day as if it were the first day of your honeymoon and the last day of your vacation.” Leo Tolstoy

Carpe Diem! Home is always there, yet you are here, now. Make the time to give her an extra long hug, whispering into her ear, “I love you”.

“Rules for happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.” Immanuel Kant

No man is an island. We are created for a purpose and formed as social beings, living constantly in the hope to be found worthy.

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” Helen Keller

It used to take me forever to close a door, but lately I’ve become very attentive and now even see a door open on the side at ever such a slight crack, just before the main door in front of me shuts with a clang.

“My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.” Michael J. Fox

Accept yourself as you are, accept those around you, including the so-called bad news just delivered, and move on. Rest assured that new opportunities and some wonderful lessons will come from this.

“It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” Dr. Dale Carnegie

Be happy inside your own skin. Truly love and admire yourself. You are special and you are loved by the Creator.

“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Giving of yourself is really what counts – your time, your memories, your expertise, and your take on living in peace and harmony.  Share these authentically and in humbleness.

“Faith makes you happy.” Dr. Henry Cloud

Isaiah 52: 7 says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"”

“Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.” Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Whatever harsh circumstances prevailed, it is always the love, the laughter, and the fun that is remembered.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole road, just take the first step.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Take heart even in doing what you fear. It will soon pass once you act. Not only that, but having shown the courage to make that phone call, write that note, confront someone, you will be absolutely thrilled with pride, flowing over into a deep inner peace.

So there you have it, some thoughts over a glass or two of excellent wine. But don’t let me stop you in your pursuit, or not…

Acknowledgements:-

“You can reach me” by Anita Baker

Giulio Bertrand, Morgenster Estate – Sofia Loren quote

“Wat gelukkige mense weet…” Dr. Jannie le Roux ©2014 Carpe Diem Media – other quotes