No 12 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury
Friday, March 24, 2017
“What is Happiness?”
“Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation.”– William H. Sheldon (1898 – 1977)American psychologist and numismatist
“Will and I could hardly wait for the morning to come to get at something that interested us. That’s happiness.”– Orville Wright (1871 – 1948) co-inventor of the airplane
Happiness, we are all looking for it. William H. Sheldon mentioned having wholeheartedness without regret or reservation. The Wright Brothers could not wait to greet happiness every morning. What was this all so easy for them? What are people so unhappy today. We are all carrying around little plastic disks that have more computing power than the first manned mission to the moon. These cell phones do not make us any happier. In fact, we tend to curse them as the beep and vibrate in our hands.
I’ll be honest with you, happiness for me is based on my thoughts and my mental state. I struggle with keeping a positive mental attitude every day. Yesterday I was walking to Career Day at SAMOHI and I was saying, “Count all your blessings and focus on them” and a dear friend walked up beside me and as we continued together, she told me about how she completely beat cancer. The good thoughts flooded over us and through us. Good thoughts attract good energy.
“To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself, it will spiral down into ever increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline – training – is about.”– James Clavell, in his novel Shogun (1924 – 1994)British novelist, screenwriter, director, and World War II veteran and prisoner of war
When my negative talk overtakes my mind, I say my daily mantra:
I am perfect as I am. Everything in my life is working towards my ultimate good. I am loved and I am love. I have perfect health, wealth, faith, and weight. I am free from fear, anger, depression, resentment and unforgiveness. I walk in light; I live in peace.
Sometimes I have to repeat this many times. Then, I surround myself with the healing waters of light and let the positive healing take over my mind and body. It always works for me.
“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.”– R.G. Ingersoll (1833 – 1899) American lawyer
“Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can be aroused by two things: first, an idea which takes the imagination by storm; and second, a definite, intelligible plan for carrying that idea into action.”– Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975)
The lack of passion and commitment keeps me from being happy always. I see so apathy around me, especially in the times we live in. There is little initiative and the spark of life is hard to find in others. It seems as if our salt has lost its savor. I love to meet anyone who is passionate and on fire in their lives. They lift me up and inspire me. They have the imagination and the plan and they are taking action to make it happen.
To finish up this message on happiness, I want to share something from J. Clair, my mom. She always said “Keep a little song in your heart”. Momma would always laugh with me and we just enjoyed being silly having a chuckle together. If growing up means giving up that youthful attitude, I don’t want to group at all.
“The great man is he who does not lose his child’s heart.” – Mencius Chinese philosopher (372-289 B.C.)
“A childlike man is not a man whose development has been arrested; on the contrary, he is a man who has given himself a chance of continuing to develop long after most adults have muffled themselves in the cocoon of middle aged habit and convention.” – Aldous Huxley (1894 – 1963) English writer
I hope you loved the quotes in this blog!
Thank you for reading!
David Earl Woodbury
davidearlwoodbury@gmail.com
Keep on Dancing!
Bonus Quotes Just For You!
“There is work that is work and there is play that is play; there is play that is work and work that is play. And in only one of these lie happiness.”
– Gelett Burgess (1866 – 1951) American Author
“Happiness is mostly a by-product of doing what makes us feel fulfilled.”
– Dr. Benjamin Spock (1903 – 1998) American pediatrician
“Happiness is something you get as a by-product in the process of making something else.”
– Aldous Huxley (1894 – 1963) English Novelist
“Continuity of purpose is one of the most essential ingredients of happiness in the long run, and for most men this comes chiefly through their work.”
– Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970) – English Mathematician and Philosopher
“I’m not happy, I’m cheerful. There’s a difference. A happy woman has no cares at all. A cheerful woman has cares but has learned how to deal with them.”
– Beverly Sills (1929 – 2007) American Opera Singer
“I believe the recipe for happiness to be just enough money to pay the monthly bills you acquire, a little surplus to give you confidence, a little too much work each day, enthusiasm for your work, a substantial share of good health, a couple of real friends and a wife and children to share life’s beauty with you.” – J. Kenfield Morley (1838 – 1923) a British Liberal statesman, writer and newspaper editor
“Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation.” – William H. Sheldon (1898 – 1977) American psychologist and numismatist
“I believe the recipe for happiness to be just enough money to pay the monthly bills you acquire, a little surplus to give you confidence, a little too much work each day, enthusiasm for your work, a substantial share of good health, a couple of real friends and a wife and children to share life’s beauty with you.” – J. Kenfield Morley (1838 – 1923) a British Liberal statesman, writer and newspaper editor