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Sometimes life’s stresses hit so hard it can blast you out of the water – but only if you let it. Usually we see that truth in others easier than we do in our own lives.

“He was afraid to move. I could not tell if he was still alive. He held on for dear life.”

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you were afraid to let go of whatever dream or fantasy you held close to your heart?

Were you ever too afraid to let go lest it slip away forever?

“The wind blew furiously, as it usually does when you live on a ridge. On the rail of my deck a squirrel lay motionless. I hoped I would not have to deal with yet another dead animal on my property, especially on my deck. And I knew there would be no clear answer until the wind stopped or at least died down – which did not happen that night.

Much to my relief the squirrel no longer perched on the deck rail the next morning. No bodies in the yard. Just the usual scamper of little squirrel feet over my roof.
“

He had something to hold on to. That something got him through the stormy weather – the high winds, the thunder and lightning. He knew not to move. Frankly I am certain he would have been blown clear off the deck had to tried to scamper off.

As it was, he lay there absolutely still, hunkered down to allow the storm to blow literally over him.”

Sometimes you give up on your dreams. When the going gets tough and obstacles present themselves most people turn away from their dreams. The suppress them so deeply – eventually they completely give up on ever even attempting to fulfill on what may have been a lifelong desire or unfathomable urge to live or do something important.

Stress takes it toll – but only when you allow it to take over your life.

No one can take away your dreams. No one can force you to struggle through each day or keep you awake at night worrying and anxious about…

About what?

What prevents you from falling asleep at night? What theme occupies most of your daytime and definitely bedtime thoughts?

Do you feel adrift at sea in desperate need of a lifesaver? Only there is no one to throw it to you. In fact, as far as you can tell, there are no life savers out there – at least not for you.

If you decided to you could tread water until you make it safely ashore. Heck, when you decide you can make it through the blocks and forge onward to your dreams then you will hold tight. You will grab on to the log floating by. You will float down stream easily in the direction of your dreams.

Your tenacious grasp, your never giving in or giving up allows you to weather the storm.

You know, even in the darkest storm, the sun shines. All you have to do is rise above the clouds to see it!

Living in happiness may be an art. Certainly it reflects a habitual way of living that keeps you thinking happy thoughts rather than unhappy thoughts.

What you think about causes you to feel a certain way. Sometimes the thought comes first and sometimes the feeling comes first – sort of.

To feel a certain way you decide to feel that way.

That conscious or unconscious choice seems to happen automatically. If that is true then your thoughts come first. On the other hand, if that idea is not accurate then your feelings come first.

Does it matter which comes first?

What matters is how you feel about you. What matters is whether or not you love you.
Actually, however you create your mood, you do so by habit.

What? Where did that come from?

You cannot give what you do not have, right? How can you love another person or thing until you love yourself first? You can’t.

Okay, then, how do you love yourself first? You decide to love yourself first. You choose to live in happiness. You just do it.

Think happy thoughts from your past. Yes there is a time and place to recall, use and feel your past memories.

Focus on the happy times of your life and the moments when you absolutely loved yourself first.

Feed those happy memories energy to keep them alive. Make them big pictures you easily see and feel – and hear, taste and touch. The more senses you involve in re-creating the happy picture the more real those experiences become.

See from inside your body looking out through your eyes rather than watching yourself on a movie screen.

Oh yes, the most important part of living in happiness right now – smile.

You cannot feel more than one emotion in any given moment. When you smile you cannot feel sad.

As you smile, retrieve those memories of when you were so very happy and tell yourself, “I am choosing to be happy now.” Repeat those words (in your mind or out loud) for at least ten seconds.

Create the habit of sitting up straight and walking with your head held high. Move at a brisk pace and lift your feet with every step. Breathe deeply and fully from your diaphragm to take in life in all its glory!

To live in happiness you do it.

Do not stop to think about how to do it. Just create a habit of doing the things I listed above. Pay attention to your breathing, your posture, your walk and your facial expressions all day long. Also pay attention to how you feel – happy or something else.

Create the happiness habit.

Look for something every day that leaves you feeling happy, at peace, or calm. Then share that experience either in writing or out loud.

Guess what happens when you share your happy thought.

Your subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between what is real and what you imagine. You physically and emotionally re-live that moment. Yes, your body produces all the same great feeling chemicals it originally did when the event happened.

Keep up the new behaviors and happy shares routine for 28 days and watch your life change to one of happiness that you won’t even have to think about. You will automatically do the behaviors and actions, and think the thoughts that keep you in happiness.

Yes, even when tough times come into your life, you will use those tools to get through. them.