The Secret to a Happy Life

Below is a text version of how I conclude all of my presentations. I hope some of you enjoy giving the concept some thought. Coming to this place in my life has been quite powerful, and I certainly enjoy sharing it. Thank you for your part in that.

By a show of hands, how many of you think I am a happy person? Do you want to know the secret? Yes? Well, here it is.

A couple of years ago I have found a practice that continues to give me great happiness. It is this simple - I am ever mindful, of the purposefulness of the purposeful moments, in the purposeful days of my purposeful life. Let me repeat, I am ever mindful, of the purposefulness of the purposeful moments, in the purposeful days of my purposeful life. On a regular basis, I consider the importance of things that I may not have really given much thought to before. And here's the thing - they don't have to be big things. And remember, little things are big things.

Have you told someone you love them today? Did you wake next to the person you love this morning and tell them so BEFORE you looked at your phone? Did you call your Mom, your Dad? A sibling, a friend? And when you made those phone calls, did you take a moment to consider the amazing importance each of those people holds in your life, how they have added value to your life, how you may have added value to theirs? Did you prepare breakfast for your son or your daughter? Did you call anyone for their birthday? Did you hold the door for anyone?

Here is my favorite. Everyone holds the door for another when they are following right behind them. Try holding the door when the person is 20 feet away. Watch them as they accelerate their pace, saying, "Thank you, thank you." Do you know what I do then? I say to them, "Don't walk so fast, you are minimizing a pleasurable experience for me. I enjoy holding the door for you." They usually then walk even faster.  😂🤷‍♂️🦊.

And wrong numbers? I love wrong numbers! Caller: "I'm so sorry. I have the wrong number." Me: "Don't be sorry. You're probably a really nice person and I just got to say hello to you."

Seriously, we do important and meaningful things all the time. It's just a matter of being mindful of it. Am I asking us to give ourselves credit for being who we are? Maybe a better word is, be mindful, be mindful of the gift that we get to deliver. We were born to give, born to do good, born to love. So often we commit acts of kindness without even thinking. But I have found that being mindful of the potential impact of those deeds is a great motivator. It feels good to know that we are doing something important, it feels good to know that we are doing something that matters. And what do we do when something feels good? We do more of it.

Congratulations on your countless purposeful moments, in your very purposeful life.