The Ministry of Happiness

Happiness and not wasting a day

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Michael Kane

Happiness and not wasting a day

Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions ~ Dalai Lama

Hello friends, today I want to address being purposeful in everything we do. Life is short; a fundamental fact that drives us in many ways and that makes our short time here poignant, painful, and precious. For that reason we all know we shouldn’t waste a day and I’ve been feeling that acutely in the last few months. I’ve taken to posting a note in my bathroom that says just that, “don’t waste a day.” Through my own introspective processes I’ve come to realize that it is this personal philosophy that drives people to believe that I’m a Type-A personality type. You know, the kind of person that must always be working, striving and cannot slow down or relax. I have argued against this characterization for a long time, but because I am busy and work hard and achieve some results people never believe me.

The secret I’ll let out here, just between us, and anyone else who happens to be on the web, is that I’m a complete and total lazy human. Were I to make the mistake of ever actually buying an Xbox or other type video game system my productivity would likely plummet to zero and I would cease to be a productive member of society. Hell, a quick visit to the Adult Swim page to play Sasquatch – Yeti Annihilation can quickly make two hours disappear.

So how does a lazy man get confused with Type-A personalities? I’m purposeful; I don’t want to waste this precious life I have, for however long it may last. I work hard, I do as much as I can but I am purposeful in my recreation as well. I like television and I watch a lot of it, but I multi-task a lot while watching, I’m doing it right now. I also vacation purposefully and frequently, I make a point of using my vacation time and recharging my batteries.

So my friends my advice to you today is to be purposeful, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, you’ll get the most out of life, this will make you happier. And maybe some of my greatest achievements in a purpose filled life has been to purposefully find two good trees, hang one of my Brazilian hammocks between them and purposefully do absolutely nothing, have a happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane

How to be happy

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Michael Kane

How to be happy

Until you are happy with who you are, you will never be happy with what you have.~Zig Ziglar

There is always a lot of media attention around the idea of happiness. Recently I’ve seen pieces on the habits of happy people and about how much money you to earn each year to be happy. Both of these pieces provide some good information and advice, the simple fact is there is a certain point in which you’re earning enough money to remove the financial stresses in life. That is the reason that households making over $75,000 seem happier than those households making less. It just makes sense, at that level of earning you can meet a reasonable mortgage, feed and clothe yourself well, take care of your family and even afford a nice vacation each year. These are all things that are bound to make you a bit happier.

The second piece I came across this week is an older piece making its way around the web again. However it is a piece that contains some very solid advice, a lot of which we have talked about before in this blog. The piece discusses 21 habits of happy people, a few samples include:

1. Appreciate Life

2. Learn Continuously

3. Laugh

4. Forgive

I pick these four because of the size of the impact each have on you; we must all remember to appreciate what we have, no matter how much, no matter how meager. It is important to forgive because carrying around resentment is the equivalent of holding a bag of poison inside of you, eventually it will lead to bad things for you and your health. Laugh every day, there is more than enough sadness to go around in this world so take the moments when it is good and revel in them. Finally, learn continuously, it is important that we stretch ourselves both mentally and physically. A characteristic of the old is that they are unyielding and brittle, the more we stretch our minds and our bodies, the more we stay pliable and young. Have a happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane

Holidays and lending a hand

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Michael Kane

So the holidays are here and as festive as it is for most people a lot of people get down in the dumps. So it is contingent upon all of us this time of year, as busy as we are, to keep our eyes open for those who aren’t doing as well. A quick note, call or hello to that person who seems extra quiet in the office would I’m sure be much appreciated.

Also with the holidays coming a lot of people take this time of year to volunteer at local homeless shelters, food lines or other charities, donations to the same type of organizations also go up impressively this time of year and that is great. There is plenty of evidence that giving to others makes us happier. My suggestion is that this year perhaps you could delay your help a few weeks. It seems to me that the most depressing time of year for the homeless and others who are struggling is the month of February.

February is cold, the sun goes down early and the giving spirit of the holidays has subsided. Food pantries and homeless shelters see significantly fewer volunteers that time of year. So maybe this year try gearing up for Valentine’s Day by giving of yourself to those who are in need. Think of it as extending the good feelings of the holidays all the way til Spring. Have a happy day my friends.

Posted in personal happiness | Tagged blog, charity, giving, happiness, holidays, homeless, life, valentine's day | Leave a comment

The Wisdom of the Dalai Lama

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Michael Kane

Wisdom of the Dalai Lama

I greatly admire his holiness the Dalai Lama, and below I give you a few of his recent statements on a variety of topics, have a happy day my friends.

War

In today’s deeply interdependent world, war is outdated and illogical. All regions, and all peoples, are interconnected environmentally, economically, and politically. War, oppression or civil strife in one area inevitably affects people in other parts of the world.

Happiness

The basic foundation of humanity is compassion and love. This is why, if even a few individuals simply try to create mental peace and happiness within themselves and act responsibly and kind-heartedly towards others, they will have a positive influence in their community.

Genuine happiness requires peace of mind or a degree of mental composure. When this is present, hardship counts for nothing. With inner strength or mental stability, we can endure all kinds of adversity.

Spirituality

More fundamental than religion is our basic human spirituality. We have a basic human disposition towards love, kindness and affection, irrespective of whether we have a religious framework or not. When we nurture this most basic human resource – when we set about cultivating those basic inner values which we all appreciate in others, then we start to live spiritually.

Compassion

Great compassion is the root of altruistic action. It really is a source of wonder. There is no greater source of help and happiness. The capacity to devote yourself to the welfare of others yields otherwise unobtainable power and potential for good. Generate great compassion and you become a friend of the world and a companion of the warm-hearted.

Posted in Dalai Lama | Tagged blog, compassion, dalai lama, life, philosophy, war | 2 Comments

The Effort of Happiness, Visualization, Altruism & Gratitude

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Michael Kane

The Effort of Happiness, Visualization, Altruism & Gratitude

I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy ~ Kahlil Gibran

So is there any actual benefit to all of these things we have been talking about? I mean really aren’t people’s personality types predetermined? You know, some people are just naturally happier than others, the so-called sunny disposition aren’t some of us are just set to be glum? The field of positive psychology studies just this type of question and surprisingly the answer is wholly unsatisfying, the answer is sort of. It seems that we do all have a predisposition in one direction or another; I personally call it the yippy-skippy scale. Some of us are very yippy-skippy, in the midst of the worst disaster imaginable they would be singing and whistling a tune. Others have a harder time being happy even at the most auspicious moment.

However, this is only a predisposition and in the article below the indication is that the research suggests that the predisposition is only about 50% of the picture. In fact, according to researchers in the field of positive psychology about 40% of what determines how happy we are is in fact completely under our control. So there is reason for us to keep working at it, a reason to continue to try to be happier.

In addition to the previous piece, here is a piece concerning steps to how to be happier including the fact that three activities can truly help, visualizing a more positive self, helping others and expressing gratitude. This is why lately you have suddenly seen a lot of people expressing gratitude through various wellness programs.

So we keep working at it, because it’s not only possible but worth it, extend that effort and have a happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane

Happiness and Simplifying Your Life

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Michael Kane

Happiness and Simplifying Your Life

But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads? ~Albert Camus

The holidays are here, Halloween is already gone, Thanksgiving is upon us, Christmas and New Years within the blink of an eye. The next two months will be a whirlwind for most of us of engagements, parties, obligatory visits to family and friends, shopping for presents and the preparing of meals and dishes. We’ll drive and fly and ride in sleighs to grandmother’s house. We’ll get rained out, snowed out, stuck in ditches and airports. We’ll get tired and cranky and hugged and loved and we’ll be stressed and worn out before it’s all over. There is no better time of year to talk about two things, one staying above the depression that some people suffer and simplifying our lives.

First, the holidays are really hard on some of us, for me Thanksgiving is wonderful but Christmas takes a toll on me, there is no other time of year that I feel as depressed, bleak and alone as Christmas regardless of whether I’m home alone or surrounded by people I love. We all have these times and I’ve done a post on this before entitled Happiness, Exercise and Holiday Depression.

Second, a lot of what brings us trouble this time of year is the complicated nature of our lives during the holiday season. No one has ever said, I’m not feeling particularly good about things so I’m going to add a bunch of complications to my life. Simplifying our lives is always a way to bring about more happiness. So how do you simplify your life, typically in little ways, no one has ever created a simple life in one full-press effort, so you start small. In case you’re not sure where to start here’s a list of 72 ideas to simplify your life, take a look, give it a shot and have a happy day, a happy Thanksgiving and happy holidays my friends.

Happiness and Positive Vibes

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Michael Kane

Happiness and Positive Vibes

In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision. ~ Dalai Lama

So let’s get a little funky today, a friend recently shared with me an article from the Huffington Post on how you can increase your positive vibes.

From the article itself a short excerpt:

Apparently, positive vibes aren’t just for hippies. If you want in on the fun, here are some simple things you can do to build positive momentum toward a more happy and fulfilling life:

1) Keep a daily journal of three things you are thankful for. This works well first thing in the morning, or just before you go to bed.

2) Make it a practice to tell a spouse, partner or friend something you appreciate about them every day.

3) Look in the mirror when you are brushing your teeth, and think about something you have done well recently or something you like about yourself.

All good advice and the good way to start the day in a happy way, so give it a try to have a happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane

The Oxford Happiness Inventory

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Michael Kane

The Oxford Happiness Inventory

Happiness is not ready-made, it comes from your effort ~ Dalai Lama

Below is the Oxford Happiness questionnaire developed by Michael Argyle and Peter Hills at Oxford University. No test is ever going to be completely accurate, but I like this one more than others, first because it is based on research, secondly because I think it takes a better look at true happiness instead of just using correlations from happiness research. A lot of these tests just give you higher points if you are married, either younger than 20 or over 50, or own pets etc….and by doing that they really miss what truly makes people happy which is how they feel about the world and what actions they take because of it. Not just because they belong to some group. So, enjoy the test and have a happy day my friends.

The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was developed by psychologists Michael Argyle and Peter Hills at Oxford University. Take a few moments to take the survey. This is a good way to get a snapshot of your current level of happiness. You can even use your score to compare to your happiness level at some point in the future by taking the survey again. If you are using some of the interventions presented on this site to raise your happiness level, you can see whether your score on the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire goes up as a result.

Instructions

Below are a number of statements about happiness. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each by entering a number in the blank after each statement, according to the following scale:

1 = strongly disagree
2 = moderately disagree
3 = slightly disagree
4 = slightly agree
5 = moderately agree
6 = strongly agree

Please read the statements carefully, because some are phrased positively and others negatively. Don’t take too long over individual questions; there are no “right” or “wrong” answers (and no trick questions). The first answer that comes into your head is probably the right one for you. If you find some of the questions difficult, please give the answer that is true for you in general or for most of the time. Those statements marked with an ‘R’ will be scored in reverse.

The Questionnaire

1. I don’t feel particularly pleased with the way I am. (R) _____

2. I am intensely interested in other people. _____

3. I feel that life is very rewarding. _____

4. I have very warm feelings towards almost everyone. _____

5. I rarely wake up feeling rested. (R) _____

6. I am not particularly optimistic about the future. (R) _____

7. I find most things amusing. _____

8. I am always committed and involved. _____

9. Life is good. _____

10. I do not think that the world is a good place. (R) _____

11. I laugh a lot. _____

12. I am well satisfied about everything in my life. _____

13. I don’t think I look attractive. (R) _____

14. There is a gap between what I would like to do and what I have done. (R) _____

15. I am very happy. _____

16. I find beauty in some things. _____

17. I always have a cheerful effect on others. _____

18. I can fit in (find time for) everything I want to. _____

19. I feel that I am not especially in control of my life. (R) _____

20. I feel able to take anything on. _____

21. I feel fully mentally alert. _____

22. I often experience joy and elation. _____

23. I don’t find it easy to make decisions. (R) _____

24. I don’t have a particular sense of meaning and purpose in my life. (R) _____

25. I feel I have a great deal of energy. _____

26. I usually have a good influence on events. _____

27. I don’t have fun with other people. (R) _____

28. I don’t feel particularly healthy. (R) _____

29. I don’t have particularly happy memories of the past. (R) _____

Calculate your score

Step 1: Items marked (R) should be scored in reverse:

If you gave yourself a “1,” cross it out and change it to a “6.”

Change “2” to a “5”
Change “3” to a “4”
Change “4” to a “3”
Change “5” to a “2”
Change “6” to a “1”

Step 2: Add the numbers for all 29 questions. (Use the converted numbers for the 12 items that are reverse scored.)

Step 3: Divide by 29. So your happiness score = the total (from step 2) divided by 29.

We recommend you record your score and the date. Then you’ll have the option to compare your score now with your score at a later date. This can be especially helpful if you are trying some of the exercises, and actively working on increasing your happiness.

Scoring

The lowest possible score is 1 and the highest possible score is 6. (The average is around 4.30).

Reference
Hills, P., & Argyle, M. (2002). The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire: a compact scale for the measurement of psychological well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 33, 1073-1082.

Happiness and a fresh start in the morning

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Michael Kane

Happiness and a fresh start in the morning

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. ~Mahatma Gandhi

This morning I’m going to turn to my favorite modern Taoist writer Deng Ming-Dao. We’ve discussed before that happiness is a choice https://ministryofhappiness.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/happiness-is-a-choice/ and that choice is no more evident than it is each morning as we wake up and start out days. So here’s one of Deng Ming-Dao’s daily meditations that addresses just that:

Interval

Seven geese pierce straight line over frigid
bay,
     Intervals between them constantly
          Equal,
     Pointed wings slash as if joined to an axle:
Today is the ideal moment between yesterday
and tomorrow.

Every morning means a fresh start on things. If yesterday was trying and exhausting, today is a given opportunity to do something different. If yesterday was full of triumph and satisfaction, today is a free chance to go further. All too often, we wake up, think of our schedules, and assume that we must act according to the same dull script. We need not. If we find what is unique to each day, we will have freshness and the greatest fulfillment possible.

Although we have talked about our relationship to Tao in terms of positioning and timing, the clear discerning of intervals is just as important. Geese keep a perfect distance between them to establish a dynamic equilibrium; so too must we fit in with the intervals of a day’s events. If we, like the geese, act in unison with these moments, with each other, and with the season, then we will be in total concert with Tao.

Today is poised between yesterday and tomorrow. What you may have started yesterday can be continued or interrupted today. What you want for tomorrow may be planted or destroyed today. Every morning is a new day. That observation is so simple as to seem trite. If we could observe the simple, there would be no need to study Tao.

Posted in Deng Ming-Dao, personal happiness | Tagged blog, deng ming-dao, happiness, life, morning, philosophy, poetry, taoism | 2 Comments

Girl Scouts: Science of Happiness Badge

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Michael Kane

The Girl Scouts have recently revamped all of their badges to try to bring them into the 21st Century. This included one that for obvious reasons that caught my attention, their new Science of Happiness Badge. I think this is a really wonderful acknowledgement by the Girl Scouts organization of the importance of this particular topic. Here is a link to an article talking about it and showing the new badge:

http://www.lilsugar.com/New-Girl-Scouts-Badges-19849277

Posted in personal happiness | Tagged blog, girl scouts, happiness, life, news, science of happiness | Leave a comment

The Ministry of Happiness

Happiness and not wasting a day

Happiness and not wasting a day

Other Posts You Might Enjoy!

How to be happy

How to be happy

Other Posts You Might Enjoy!

Holidays and lending a hand

The Wisdom of the Dalai Lama

The Effort of Happiness, Visualization, Altruism & Gratitude

The Effort of Happiness, Visualization, Altruism & Gratitude

Other Posts You Might Enjoy!

Happiness and Simplifying Your Life

Other Posts You Will Enjoy!

Happiness and Positive Vibes

Happiness and Positive Vibes

Other Posts You Might Enjoy!

The Oxford Happiness Inventory

The Oxford Happiness Inventory

Other Posts You Might Enjoy!

Happiness and a fresh start in the morning

Girl Scouts: Science of Happiness Badge

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