Archive for The ABC’s Of Great Life
The ABC’s of a Great Life – ‘G’ is for Gratitude
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s a snippet from the growing field of “gratitude research” to chew on:
“Grateful people are happier, more optimistic, more satisfied with their lives,” says Michael McCullough, a University of Miami psychology professor. “They are more empathetic toward others. We even have a bit of evidence that grateful people are viewed as kinder, more helpful and more supportive than less-grateful people.”
–Jeff Diamant, Your mind tends to thank you for feeling so thankful, The Star-Ledger, November 26, 2003
The ABC’s Of A Great Life – ‘E’ Is For Enough
Posted by: | CommentsOne way to live a great life is to understand and embrace the concept of enough. Like the story of the dog in the manger who growled at the livestock attempting to eat, by taking more than you need or can responsibly use, you hoard the blessings of life in such a way that neither you nor anyone else can enjoy them. We all have the right to a sound and pleasant shelter, to adequate and comfortable clothing, to meaningful and sustainable work and to healthy quantities of tasty and lovingly-prepared food. But none of us, however privileged, have the right to keep these things from another by virtue of our own gluttony – our inability to push away from the table of life after a moderate and enjoyable repast.
The ABC’s Of A Great Life – ‘D’ Is For Discovery
Posted by: | CommentsThe pure and unadulterated joy of discovery is one that is rarely recreated through any other means, natural or otherwise. The thrill of learning something new, of seeing something great and wonderful for the first time or of finding out something amazing about yourself or another that you never knew before is one of the hallmarks of a joyous human existence and its presence or absence in our lives often forms the very tenor and depth of those lives.
The ABC’s Of A Great Life – ‘C’ Is For Create
Posted by: | CommentsThe act of creation – bringing forth that which is within us outward into the world, in a material or ethereal form – is a vital part of a rich and fulfilling life. Unfortunately, it is a part of our lives that is often stifled well before we are old enough to realize its true meaning in our lives, and far before we are capable of understanding its true value.
The ABC’s Of Great Life – ‘B’ Is For Belief
Posted by: | CommentsMedical and other scientific studies agree – people who have strong spiritual or religious beliefs are healthier, happier, heal faster, enjoy life more and suffer less pain and degeneration in their later years than do their unbelieving counterparts. And the interesting thing is, it doesn’t matter what religion or spiritual system you believe in, so long as you believe in it fully and deeply, and that it is meaningful and personal to you.
The ABC’s Of Great Life – ‘A’ Is For Abundance
Posted by: | CommentsThere are two types of people in this world – the “half full” folks and the “half empty” folks. The “half empty” population tends to think in terms of what they don’t have – in terms of scarcity, rather than abundance – while the “half fulls” live life the other way around, vividly aware of all of their blessings and determined to wring the last drop of joy out of life that is possible, regardless of the situation. I’ll give you two guesses as to which group is happier, but I bet you won’t need both!
