Again, this is just me writing down my thoughts…and my
disclaimer.
Warning!! This is my
opinion. It may have validity…it may
not. If it does anything, I hope it
inspires thought and maybe even prompts some debate.
Part Three: Growth
Part One of my theoretical approach to happiness was
priorities. WHAT do you need in your
life and what is its order of precedence?
Which comes first, and which comes last?
Once you have given that a lot of thought, you then have an idea about
your personal priorities…and their order.
Part Two was about control.
I believe that one of the foundations of happiness is the amount of
control you have over your needs. If a
person has a group of needs being met, but thinks that their list of needs can
disappear with a moment’s notice, it is hard to achieve happiness. The more control you have over your own
priorities and needs, the happier you will be.
The better your relationship and standing with those people or
organizations that control your other needs, the happier you will be as well. Control is one of the driving forces of
happiness.
The last part of my theory is growth. Once you know your priorities, you have your
map of destinations. Once you establish
that you need to take responsibility and control, you have the wheel and are ‘driving
the bus.’ Now, you need to hit the gas
pedal. That’s the last step.
As you make sure your priorities are buttoned up, bottom to
top, are you planning the next step to tackle the next available need? As you look at food, shelter, clothing,
safety…what’s next and how are you approaching that? Are you managing your affinity needs
well? Things like family, friends and
business colleagues…are they healthy and where they need to be? How about career? Is that where you wanted it to be? Can it be better? Are there things you always wanted to learn
but never did?
Where is your passion?
Are you shooting for it?
Maybe though, you are at a point where you say, “Enough.” I am happy right where I am. I don’t need to move my bus one inch. I get that one, I really do. Life is long and the work is hard. Finally you get to a point where you feel
that just sitting down would be nice.
Here is where I have to come clean. I have to admit that my theory may not work
for everyone. As I said, it’s a
theory. The problem with MY theory is
that it comes from me and is based on my own drives and desires. So, this may not work for everyone.
My theory, nonetheless, is that we all have to be growing in some way,
shape or form. As humans, we grow. We evolve.
That is what our existence is about.
I believe that true happiness is accomplished when we are growing in a
pattern that fits our priorities and we can credit ourselves with the achievement. It can be spiritual, emotional, intellectual,
or physical…but achieving personal growth is essential to reaching happiness.
When you realize that you want to fill a career need, and
you work extra hours or put in time to acquire a new skill, you are
growing. When you work through a
personal crisis and you learn that you can survive it and maybe even be better
for having endured it, then that is growth.
When you really work to improve your communication skills with your kids,
because you know it’s not your strong suit…growth again.
Everyone I have ever met in my life, when telling me of an
accomplishment they had, tells me with a smile.
It doesn’t matter if it’s as big as climbing the Matterhorn or whether
they just shot a personal best in golf that day at the club. When people achieve, they beam with pride. Ever ask someone, “So what’s new?” and then
hear, “Oh, Nothing.” Did that person
ever say that with a smile? Even if you
just became a Grandparent for the first time, it may not be something you did
personally, but it is something new in your life that will bring new moments
and new opportunities…and you are growing a family.
I think that the minute we stop putting challenges in front
of ourselves and stop trying to achieve them, we become static. We lose the ability to really be the drivers
of our own happiness. We then are forced
to just sit back and endure all the little things that we have given up control
over as they rush towards us. I can’t be
happy doing that.
Maybe everyone else can.
I guess that’s the question to ask yourself.
What does HAPPINESS and P90X have in common? For me, P90X is my next challenge. I have found over the past four years that I love reaching for
something I didn’t think was possible and then trying to make it happen. Just the attempts make me happy…because I
always know I will give it my all. I
also don’t mind the risks. Really, what
have any of us to lose? I have always
loved learning and new ideas. I
particularly like to try things I know I can be passionate about. Writing is actually one of those things in
the past four or five years. But right now,
P90X is going to occupy the next ten weeks.
I want to see, if applied, if it can work for me. I know this much, it has so far.
So ends my little dissertation on Happiness. It’s how I believe it happens. I would love to know how everyone else
approaches happiness.
Thanks for reading along.
Sincerely.
[later that day]
Today I shifted from the P90X Lean workout to the Classic
workout. Did the P90X Chest, Shoulders
and Triceps today. I had the right
equipment this time. I got the pushup
bars and had my Frisbee for the sliding pushups on the rug. I improved over last week definitely…always
love to see that improvement. I did
every routine until burnout and once again, the one-handed pushups were not
even able to be done. I did them on my
knees and adjusted by holding the wrist of my one pushup arm. I did, like, three. I don’t mind having things in here that I
cannot do…it’s the work that burns the calories and drives the
improvement. That was my reason for
bumping up to this routine. See you
tomorrow!
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