"Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory." ~Albert Schweitzer~

Wow! I'm actually doing a blog two days in a row . . . this can never last! : )

Since this is for me first, and hopefully it is helping someone else I won't worry about it if I don't keep it up.

Anyways. Today's quote "Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory." ~Albert Schweitzer~

I like this quote. I think it really shows how simple happiness is, and how complicated we make it be. As long as we and those we love are healthy - the only thing that really makes us unhappy is either stuff that has happened in the past . . . or stuff we are anticipating to happen in the future. If we could discipline ourselves enough to live in the moment, do what we can when we can, and not worry so much about what happened in the past since we can't change it and what we think is going to happen in the future since we will deal with it when the time comes I think would could have this happiness thing licked.

So much easier said then done. Living in the moment really takes work. You have to release all guilt of what you did or did not do in the past, and forgiveness for anyone else for what they did or did not do. And as for as not worry about the future, you have to do what can be done to prepare without worrying what will happen. This can actually be done, but man it's not easy.

There are somethings that help. Affirmations, meditation, concentration. But really, there are no easy answers. It, like most things, has to be something you are really willing to work for.

This weekend my washer broke and I was really unhappy about it. I called my husband will he was on his snowmobile trip and there was nothing he could do about it. I call my sister though she lives in Colorado and couldn't do anything about it. I called my mother though she also lives in Colorado and could do nothing about it. What is it about our need to share bad news? I don't know. I can't say whining to my family really made me feel better, but I guess it's that whole misery loves company thing. We'll I have to arrange for someone to come in to look at it, since it is a Laundry Center style stacked washer & dryer, it could even be a fairly expensive repair but it would probably still be way cheeper to fix then to replace the whole thing. I'm trying not to worry about it. I'm not looking forward to having a repair guy here, but we got to do what we gotta do, and there's no point in worrying about it.

Today I dropped my kids off at school, arrived at work and then found out their school was delayed for 2 hrs. My husband was home, but I couldn't get a hold of him because his cell phone was dead and we do not have a house phone. I knew my kids would be okay. I knew they weren't the only ones to be dropped off cause we saw other kids arriving when I dropped them off, but I still felt like a horrible mother. I just not what I wanted, I could drive all the way back (45min one way) but Christian and Gwen didn't really need me to. I just had to live with it. Needless to say this week I will be working on getting a phone in the house. Though this wasn't a true emergency, what if it was. Well instead of worrying about it, I'll do something about it.

I'm thinking I should check and see if I can easily find any essays on the net about living in the moment . . .

Okay, I think I found something decent . . .
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Feel Happy Every Day by Living in the Moment
By Harriet Meyerson
Many people are so concerned with adding days to their life that they forget to add life to their days.
If you have ever found yourself at home thinking about what you need to do at work, or at work thinking about things happening in your personal life, you know how distracting it is. Living in the moment means you are totally immersed in an experience.
The past is history. The future is a mystery. The only time we really have is now - just this moment.
MAGICAL MOMENTS Think back on the events in your life that you vividly remember. Those are the events where you were living in the moment. Even though years have passed, you can still remember the details.
OUR WEDDING DAY Over thirty-six years have passed since my wedding day, and I can still picture myself as a young bride dressed in a beautiful white gown. I can still hear our "special song" and feel the immense joy I felt then as I walked down the aisle toward my soon-to-be husband.
THE DAY I CONQUERED THE MOUNTAIN I vividly remember my first ski trip when, after taking my first chairlift ride up the mountain, I didn't know how I would ever get down. I was terrified! As I slowly skied down the slope with my instructor, I was so frightened I was shaking, but I was also experiencing the thrill of the moment. I will always remember the incredible feeling I experienced as I finally reached the bottom - conquering my first ski slope.
EVERY DAY MOMENTS Living in the moment is easy during special times in your life. However, most days don't contain special events, and unless you learn to live in the moment, worry, fear, resentments or other distractions will rob you of your life.
Wayne Dyer in his many books talks about the compulsion some people have of always wanting more before they can be happy - more money, a better house, a fancier car, a better spouse, etc. Those people never get to a place of arriving - or enjoying the moment.
AS GOOD AS IT GETS… Steve Strauss, a professional speaker and personal coach at http://www.straususa.com/ suggests that you ask yourself … "What if this is as good as it gets?"
Steve said, "While driving down a quiet country highway, in the clear winter sunlight, that question popped into my mind. My first reaction was to see that I had spent a huge part of my life fantasizing about the future, when things would get "better".
"When I let go of requiring that the future be any certain way - Poof! Suddenly I became content with what I had now."
"That was a shock because I had always assumed a better future, which implies that there is something wrong with now. To realize that right now is great has been tremendously freeing. It has led to gratitude and a surge of energy and strength."
ACTIVITIES TO PRACTICE LIVING IN THE MOMENT
Living in the moment takes practice because you are used to being distracted. Make a special effort to consciously practice being totally immersed in what you are doing for some time every day. Here are some ideas to get you started.
TAKE A BUBBLE BATH Play some soft music. Relax and feel the warmth of the water. Just think of how you are enjoying the moment.
DRIVE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO WORK Get off the highway, and take the city streets to work. As you drive, notice the trees and houses as you pass through different neighborhoods. Going a different way will also help you concentrate on your surroundings.
EAT A GOURMET MEAL AT A FANCY RESTAURANT Set aside money for your special dinner so that you won't feel guilty about spending the money. You will experience living in the moment as you enjoy the total experience of the atmosphere, the service, the people you are with, and the delicious food.
PLAY A SPORT SUCH AS TENNIS You have to concentrate and be aware of everything that is happening at the moment. There isn't time to lament over the last shot because another one is coming right back at you.
DANCE TO YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC You will become immersed in the music as your body moves to it, and you will begin to feel vibrant and alive.
PLAY CARD GAMES When you play games such as bridge or poker, you have to concentrate or you risk losing the game.
ENJOY A CREATIVE HOBBY Painting, woodwork, or crafts will absorb all your attention as you focus on your creation.
TAKE A VACATION Vacations are rejuvenating and energizing because you are physically away from the day-to-day cares of living and totally immersed in sight seeing or other vacation activities.
LOOK AT THE FUNNY SIDE OF LIFE Notice how people who are always preoccupied with worry, resentment or other things don't usually have a sense of humor. Having a sense of humor requires living in the moment because you have to look all around for the funny things that are happening.
KEEP A JOURNAL At the end of each day, write about the moments when you were totally present. Every week review your journal. Doing this, will encourage you to concentrate on what you are doing. Eventually, living in the moment will become a habit that will add happiness, enthusiasm, and vitality to your days.
About the author: Harriet Meyerson, president of The Confidence Center, works with companies that want confident, loyal, and happy employees, and with individuals who want the confidence they need for success. Harriet is a member of the National Speakers Association and the author of Fire Up Your Staff on a Shoestring Budget.
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I hope everyone had a wonderful day, has a wonderful evening, and a wonderful week to follow.

Love and Blessings,
MOTH3R