What Makes You Happy?

Happiness, as defined by dictionary.com:

— adj  , -pier , -piest
1.	feeling, showing, or expressing joy; pleased
2.	willing: I'd be happy to show you around
3.	causing joy or gladness
4.	fortunate; lucky: the happy position of not having to work
5.	aptly expressed; appropriate: a happy turn of phrase
6.	informal  ( postpositive ) slightly intoxicated
— interj
7.	( in combination ): happy birthday ; happy Christmas

There are so many things that make us happy; I am often amazed at how unhappy some people appear.  Hey, I’m not thrilled with life all the time, but I do strive daily to attain as much of all those nice descriptions above this paragraph.

So, what makes YOU happy?

For some, happiness is a dog licking your face and snuggling beside you in your bed.  While that same dog on someone else’s bed, lapping away at your face, may evoke the exact opposite of happiness.

To each his own.

For me, happiness begins with self.  If I am not happy with myself as a person, I have difficulty enjoying my existence.

That’s why I work hard on improving all of my flaws.  Through this effort, even when I am not always successful, I attain my happiness…and maybe lose a few pounds, gain some introspection, and improve as a human being along the way.

But it’s not all work and no play for me, either.  I love spending time with my wife and family, strumming my guitar, creating videos, or dining on some of my favorite foods.  Like these:

There are many things that bring us happiness inside this sometimes challenging world in which we live.  The key, as with life, is to know where to look and embrace it is often as possible.

Think about it…

Until next time.

peace,

Mike

Livelife365

Settling In...Finally

To move or not to move?

That was the question I asked myself (and when I say "I" I mean my wife and I) several weeks ago. The answer--Yes, let's move!--seemed like a good idea at the time, but, man, in retrospect:

WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

Actually, what I (and when I say "I," I, naturally, mean my wife and I, or, better put, "Yes, dear, whatever you want") was thinking was: Hmm, wonder what it would be like to move to a nicer, larger, more secluded and scenic homestead, with more land and less hassles? Not really considering the horrific and humongous effort and cost this undertaking entailed, I (and, of course, I mean "we") jumped in with both feet, blindfolded, on a wing and a prayer, wishing and hoping for the best.

The good news: I love this place! (and when I say "I"...oh, you know what I mean!)

The move was well worth the days and weeks of preparations and questions, of costs and cautions, of doubts and dreads. Am I exhausted? You betcha! Is there lots and lots more to do before we are back to normal? Undoubtedly! Was it all worth it?

You be the judge:

The Move! Before, During, After...and Why



I've said before that moving is a paradox, often juggling the upheaval, chaos, cost and frustrations with the hopes, changes, dreams, and plans for a better life. This move was no exception. I am thrilled and beat up, excited and exhausted, looking forward to many wonderful years in my new home (and when I say "my" I most definitely mean "our," meaning my lovely wife and the not-so-lovely Mike Foster) while dreaming of the day when my garage is uncluttered, my books are back on their shelves, and I can feel normal again.

That said, I wouldn't change a thing.

Stay tuned for several new posts and videos about health, personal development, and entertainment, and no more about moving. Thank you for your patience and continued support.

Until next time...

peace,

Mike

All The Right Moves

Some of you may have noticed in my recent videos a few empty bookshelves in the background. No, I haven’t lost my mind and sold off my book collection (though my wife might find the idea intriguing) or have I been clearing space to add more books to my always-growing collection (an idea my wife finds far from intriguing). No, the reason for the emptiness on my bookshelves is that dreaded paradox, that desire to change scenery while battling the urge to lie down in traffic, that why-are-we-doing-this?/how-can-we-not-do-this? conundrum otherwise known as MOVING!

This is the blog post that informs you wonderful readers of this blog and viewers at livelife365.com that I have an official excuse to not post as much as I’d like to due to the arduous and hair-pulling (for some people, that is, who actually have hair; unlike me) process of selling one home then buying another and then, gulp, gasp, belch…MOVING!

I called moving a paradox—

No, actually, Mike, you called it “that dreaded paradox.”

Thanks for pointing that out. Let me start again: I called moving a dreaded paradox because while you may be thrilled to be changing habitats, excited to be able to buy (or rent, let, lease, beg, borrow, steal) a new and different living space, the actual procedure of packing, lugging, driving, hauling, dragging, sweating, screaming, crying, unpacking, rearranging, gasping, begging, praying, settling, crumbling into a heap of exhaustion is, well, exhausting. And headache-inducing. And frustrating. And demanding. And chaotic. And…

That’s a lot of “ands.”

Yes, it is.

And a bunch of negatives. How about some positives?

Told you it was a paradox.

I gotta go pack a few boxes. Here’s a video that explains it all a lot better:

The Paradox of Moving



Okay, I have a lot to do—anyone who has ever packed a box, hauled it to and loaded in into a truck, then unloaded it and unpacked it knows what this ordeal entails. So, how does one make the moving process less of an ordeal?

1. Get organized (this, by the way, is an essential asset for all aspects of your life)
2. Make lists (even if you’re not a list-maker, make an exception)
3. Pack like the pros (purchase good boxes, tape, paper and pack each box solid)
4. Manage your time (see “get organized”)
5. Stay calm (always)
6. Stay cool (of course, one has to already be cool to stay cool)
7. Have fun (it’s better than having the alternative)
8. Enjoy the process (hey, it’s your life, even if it’s moving; make the best of it!)

Amidst the chaos and avalanche of boxes, I somehow found time to produce this video that may help with your next move:

How to...Make a Smooth Move



Over the past several weeks, I’ve found myself battling mixed emotions about our pending move. I’ve been at time anxious, nervous, excited, happy, frightened, frustrated, impatient, tired and exhilarated. Why? Because moving is one of the most challenging ordeals any of us have to go through in our lives. And while the excitement of changing locations is something to look forward to, the disruption and chaos of packing and living surrounded by boxes and disorder can tax even the best of us.

The solution is to stay calm and cool, enjoy the process, and make the best of it.

Like I often say: Your Life is a Novel; Make It a Good One

Good or bad, moving is something we all must do at one time or another, a part of our lives. If your life is, indeed a novel, you wouldn’t want to read a bad one, right? No need to make moving a bad experience. Leading me to a new quote:

“Look for the good and it will find you.”


Until next time…


peace,

Mike