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    The Great Gordino Newsletter - Issue 336 - Mon 10th October 2005
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    Archive Issues online at - gordonbryan.com/archive

    Hi There,

    I hope today finds you well.

    Recently I have been talking about how simply following your
    passion can lead to huge rewards, and the subject of 'how to be
    happy' is one I have been thinking about some more over the
    weekend, with the news of the earthquake in Pakistan.
    So far the confirmed death toll is over 20,000 and it's sure to
    rise from there.

    When people say that we should be happy because we have so
    much more than others, it can sound glib and patronising.
    That's because it's not worded properly.
    What people should say is that we should be aware of what we
    have.

    The fact is, that if you are reading this, you are in the smallest
    majority of people on the planet.
    You likely have food, clothing, shelter.
    It's not hard to imagine how many people in the world do not
    have those things, and the devastation in Pakistan drives this
    home.

    So, should this make you happy?
    Not because others don't have what you have, but just to be
    happy with the relative abundance we have?

    Well, no, by itself this is not enough to make us 'happy', but it
    is an important ingredient, along with other things I mention,
    like following your passions.

    You cannot force yourself to be happy, but you can allow yourself
    to be happy.
    It may seem a small difference, but it's a big one.

    It's all too easy to find reasons why we *aren't* happy - not
    enough money, no girlfriend (er, one of my faves!), etc, but
    these tend to make us assume we will be happy when we get
    them.
    As with all personality affirmations, it is a mistake to say 'I will
    be happy when .....'

    Firstly, you don't suddenly cross a line sometime in the future
    and 'become happy'.
    Secondly, saying that you will be happy in the future, says by
    definition that you aren't happy at the present.

    The subconscious mind believes this, and views things as 'proof'
    of unhappiness.
    With personality affirmations, we need to state them in the
    present, e.g. 'I am happy'

    Obviously it needs to be backed up with taking action, but if you
    do this, your subconscious mind will start to accept that you are
    happy, and will again view the world looking for proof of
    happiness.

    This is what I mean by allowing yourself to be happy.
    It's not a crime.
    True, we may not have achieved all our goals, but if we are on a
    plan to achieve them, that's good enough, and reason to be
    happy, re-inforced by reminders of what wealth of abundance we
    already have.
    So much more than so many others, as the weekend's event in
    Pakistan illustrates.

    When I'm twanging away at my purple guitar tonight, and I hit a
    duff note, as the audience winces in unison, I'll be thinking 'Im
    happy! I'm happy!', and I will be happy, simply because I *can*
    play a purple guitar out of tune.

    Ok, that's it for today, and here's the thought - do you allow
    yourself to be happy?

    'Til Next Time,
    Health and Happiness,
    Gordon
    email me at gordon@gordonbryan.com - you'll have to copy and paste
    thanks to the idiot online spammers!



    
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