How Can I Be Happy Today (Part 3)

There's one unique thing that you can do today that will give you a different feeling of happiness.  Give, help, assist. Here are some suggestions: 

Think of a family member who would love to have your precious time spent for them or with them. 

Maybe it is your sibling who had long been desiring to play with you, go out for a stroll, etc.  Maybe it is your parent who want to have a casual, or even serious, conversation with you. There are parents who crave a listening ear for their stories and concerns. And giving them a willing ear to listen, spending quality time this way, is like a special gift for them. Maybe you can assist in cooking, washing the dishes, cleaning the house, tending the garden.  This is especially noticeable and significant if you are not accustomed to doing such errand. 

Maybe it is your friend who wants to simply unload some of his/her problems, ventilate his/her feelings, or seek your friendly advice. 

Think of a neighbor whom you can cheer up today. Maybe you can cook or buy some food which you can share to him/her.  Knock on your neighbor's door or call out, and hand this sweet kind token.  I'm sure your neighbor will beam with a simple happiness that will rub on you.

Think of a relative's child or any child in the community whom you know is poor and sometimes goes to school with very little or even no allowance at all. 

Maybe the child has no good shoes or school uniform.  Why not decide to give some cash for allowance. It doesn't have to be a big amount to be appreciated, baka nga pag masyadong malaki ay hindi pa maganda ang bunga.  

Or give away some clothes, like hand-me-down stuff. Pero tiyaking matino pa ang mga damit, hindi yung may mantsa-mantsa o may sira. Kahit ikaw, hindi mo magugustuhang isuot iyon.  Better still, buy a new one. That would bring tremendous joy to the child...and to the parents. That joy would boomerang on you and you will have a unique happiness in your heart.

Try them and make your day! Be happy today.

Kuya Tony

How Can I Be Happy Today? (Part 1)

Paano ba tayo magiging masaya ngayon? As in, ngayon...kasama na ang araw na ito. Or simula sa araw na ito. O kahit lang sa araw na ito. Pero siempre, mas maganda, yung masaya tayo araw-araw, o kung hindi man puede ang araw-araw, kahit man lang majority of the days of each week, masaya tayo.

Ang ating damdamin ay kusang naaapektuhan ng mga naririnig natin, mga nararanasan natin, at mga nangyayari sa ating paligid.  This is what we call our 'circumstances'. Ang isang taong nahihirapang sumaya ay yung mga taong madaling makontrol ng kanilang circumstances (unless of course the circumstance in point is jovial). 

Someone once said that our circumstances is just 10% of our quest for happiness...90% is attitude. Attitude...yes...attitude ang pinakamalaki.  Kahit gaano pa kadami ang nangyayari sa ating paligid at sa ating buhay, kahit minsan sobrang nakaka-overwhelm na...yung attitude pa rin natin towards an issue or situation ang pinakamagdidikta kung tayo ay magiging masaya.

Kabuhol ng attitude ay perspective.  Kapag nadapa ka, puede kang magmukmok at malungkot sa galos at sugat mo. At puedeng manatili kang negative about the accident. Pero puede ring ang perspective mo ay ganito: "Ganito pala ang magkasugat, masakit pala... now may added learning ako. Makakasimpatiya na ako sa iba."  Or dahil sa nangyari, natuto ka ng mag-ingat, at sasabihin mo sa sarili mo "Next time, I know what to do...I'm wiser now."  

Pag may ganito tayong positive attitude in any of and in all our situations, then we found the way to happiness...not only for today, but for everyday.

Be happy!

Kuya Tony

How Can I Be Happy Today (Part 2)

Have you ever experienced waking up in the morning and immediately, as your brain cells start to actively and consciously function, you receive an onrush of problems, worries, and fears? Worse still, there's a long line. Ha ha. Mga unang customers, kung baga. I'm pretty sure you had. And I'm sure you hate this kind of experiences just as I do.

Our day is affected by our thoughts. What fills our minds affects our emotions. Kung ang naiisip natin lagi ay negative, parang may tagas ang gasolina ng ating tangke. Madali tayong madi-drain at manghihina at di na magpa-function. The electricities and powers in our bodies do not seem to operate. And of course, malulungkot tayo.

You want to be happy? Fill your mind with beautiful thoughts. Thoughts about God and God's wonderful promises...thoughts about your happy moments with your loved ones, thoughts about the great potential of the future even though we have just experienced failure...thoughts about great beautiful things.

Sabihin mo sa sarili mo, "I refuse to dwell long in any kind of sadness, frustration, or discouragement". "I see life as exciting." "Makakabawi ako!." "May blessings na naghihintay."  What we confess rubs on our every cell in our system. So confess words that can usher happiness.

Be happy today. Yes you can! And you must! The best way to start is in the morning...first thing in the morning.
Kuya Tony