http://cybermed.cbn.net.id/cbprtl/cybermed/detail.aspx?x=Health+Man&y=cybermed%7C0%7C0%7C13%7C562

Sekalipun hari yang akan dilalui, ditengarai terik matahari atau mendung disusul hujan rintik maupun lebat, tapi hati dan pikiran harus tetap cerah dan segar. Melewati hari dimulai dengan baik: bersemangat, pikiran jernih, jauh dari buruk sangka dan menyenangkan, merupakan separuh dari pencapaian tujuan. Hanya bila memperhatikan tips berikut:

1.       Untuk mendapatkan kesegaran fisik di pagi hari, tidur cukup di malam hari. Lepaskan masalah begitu berangkat tidur, beristirahat sebaik-baiknya. Yakinkan diri, esok hari akan lebih baik lagi.

2.       Untuk memulai aktivitas, diawali berdoa untuk mendamaikan pikiran dan tentramkan jiwa.

3.       Waktu pagi hari yang cukup sempit, sempatkan berolahraga ringan, semisal jalan berkeliling tempat tinggal atau senam.

4.       Pagi hari cukupkan kebutuhan energi dan gizi tubuh. Sarapan yang baik adalah modal untuk kebugaran tubuh sepanjang hari.

5.       Mengeluh kondisi lalu lintas, akan merusak suasana hati yang cerah. Selama berkendara, hibur diri dengan bersenandung atau mendengar obrolan santai di radio kesayangan.

6.       Sambut hari tanpa lepas senyum dan sapaan pada orang-orang yang dijumpai. Anda pun akan mendapat balasan senyum.

7.       "Siap bertempur" di dunia kerja, dijalani dengan ikhlas dengan memetik hikmahnya ketika: beban kerja yang kebetulan hari itu berlebihan, melakukan kesalahan sehingga ditegur pimpinan, ulah teman kerja yang tidak menyenangkan, relasi bikin ulah.

Sumber: Male Emporium

From: Vatsala Saxena

1. Throw out nonessential numbers.

This includes age, weight, and height.

Let the doctors worry about them.. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends.

The grouches pull you down.

(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)

3. Keep learning:

Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.

Never let the brain get idle.

'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'

And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things

5. Laugh often, long and loud.

Laugh until you gasp for breath.

And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time

with him or her!

6. The tears happen:

Endure, grieve, and move on.

The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourself.

LIVE while you are alive.

7 Surround yourself with what you love:

Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.

Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health:

If it is good, preserve it.

If it is unstable, improve it.

If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.

Take a trip to the mall, even to a foreign country, but NOT to where the

guilt is

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

And if you don't send this to at least four people - who cares?

But do share this with someone.

By Mary Kurus

Copyright Mary Kurus 2002

All Rights Reserved

Why Meditate:

The benefits of mediation are enormous and can greatly enhance your physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health. Meditation is simply the process of stilling the mind so that all wants, needs, and desires disappear and then either allowing the Universe to enter and heal or following a guided process to reach for a certain type of energetic healing.

I developed this particular meditation for myself to bring in the first year of this new millennium. It was such a rich experience for me and I hope it brings you some of the energetic surprises that came to me on 01 January 2000, the first time I conducted this meditation.

The Best Location For This Meditation:

This meditation needs to be performed outside where you are physically present with Mother Earth and the Universe that surrounds her. Find a quiet place outside, where you are away from other people, traffic noises, and alone with the beautiful sounds of nature. There are many such places in the country, and even in large cities, that have a sense of peace and quiet. Go to one of these places for this meditation.

Grounding Yourself Before You Begin:

Grounding is simply a word that describes the strengthening of your connection with earth. It is an exercise that should be performed each morning as well as before meditation. The process of grounding helps you to remain anchored in this dimension as you move through other dimensions in this meditation. It also tends to strengthen your root chakra, thus strengthening you physically.

To ground yourself, close your eyes, breathe gently and deeply. Imagine that there is a strong energy that flows up and down your spine, and then down through both legs. Stay with this energy as it moves up and down your spine and legs – it's a powerful energy. Then imagine that this energy lengthens so that it continues to run up and down your spine and legs, but at the same time that it runs deeply into the ground, and by deeply I mean for miles and miles into the earth. Stay with this energy as it flows through your spine and legs and lengthens into the earth. After a few minutes you should be well grounded to begin this meditation.

The Meditation With Nature:

Begin this meditation while walking or find a quiet place where you can rest or sit, whatever is most comfortable for you.  Take time to leave behind your thoughts, worries, joys, and schedules. Forget about the benefits of exercise, forget about how quickly or slowly you walk, forget your troubles, and stop thinking about what you need to do.  Take time to be.

Listen to the sound of the wind, listen to the birds and the sounds they make, hear the crunch of snow under your feet or the breaking of a twig beneath your boots or shoes, feel the air blowing against your face. Become present to the Nature around you. Focus on all parts of Nature around you.

Feel the rock you are sitting on. Touch a plant as you pass it. Stand by a tree and feel the energy it gives you, it has a very powerful energy field. Listen to the sound of the water. Take lots of time to slowly connect with the Nature around you and do this very slowly. Once you have focused on a specific piece of nature around you, open a discussion with that piece of nature, the plant, tree or rock. They would love to talk with you so please take the time to speak with them. Just ask the tree or whatever how it is, does it enjoy life where it is, does it have a message for you? Ask it whatever comes into your mind. Believe me it will answer if you really take the time to listen. Talk to nature and listen to what it has to tell you. Connect with Mother Earth!

Then slowly move your attention to the sky, perhaps a faint outline of the moon that you can still see up above, or the sun that is warming you. Look at the wonderful shapes of the clouds moving above you. Imagine the other planets circling around in such amazing precision. They all move in such delicately balanced patterns. Each planet has its own energy and the energy of each particle in the greater Universe affects each one of us. We are all connected. Imagine the big Universe with our planet the Earth just one small piece of this great Universal Being. See yourself standing on Mother Earth as an essential part of this Universe. Connect with the Universe!

Bring your attention back to Mother Earth. Listen to hear the rhythm of the Earth's heartbeat. The earth has a pulse, a rhythm unique in this Universe. If you listen in quiet and love, asking to hear the Earth's heartbeat, you will hear it. It's very real. Once you hear it, just stay with the beat, the pulse, and the rhythm of Mother Earth. Connect with the pulse, the heartbeat of Mother Earth!

Once you are in full rhythm with the heartbeat of Mother Earth, thank our planet for giving us what we need to live and love so fully and completely. Thank Mother Earth for the many blessings she showers upon us. Feel her strength and courage and become connected to these powerful emotions. Ask her forgiveness for our inability to look after her properly, for the many abuses we are heaping upon her these days. Ask her to show us the way to be more loving and caring of her. Give thanks to Mother Earth!

Ask to speak with the Mother Earth Goddess. She is the most loving and gentle Goddess you can imagine. Ask her to make herself known to you. She has the most beautiful voice, and she looks after Mother Earth, in spite of our neglect. Thank the Mother Earth Goddess for looking after the planet Earth so well, helping us to live with such an amazing variety of animals, trees, plants, rivers and oceans.  Give thanks to the Mother Earth Goddess.

The Benefits of This Meditation:

You will find that the connections you have developed with Mother Earth, the Universe, and the Mother Earth Goddess will give you many benefits. The following are just a few major examples:

·         you will feel connected rather than lonely or longing for something;

·         your sense of self-worth will be stronger;

·         you will strengthen your sense of feeling wanted, needed and loved;

·         your sense of belonging will be stronger;

·         you will feel physically stronger, more courageous and peaceful;

·         some of those nameless fears can dissipate;

·         your ability to love will be stronger;

·         you will feel more deeply connected with your body, emotions, thoughts, and your inner self;

·         you will be healthier;

·         you will feel more rested and renewed;

·         your ability to release pain will be enhanced;

·         if you felt fragmented when you began you will feel more integrated with yourself.

This mediation will connect you more deeply with the healing energies of Mother Earth and the entire Universal Energy. What a special way to start the New Year, more deeply connected and loving with yourself and others.

Contact Information: Mary Kurus is a Canadian Vibrational Consultant who has an active practice in vibrational healing. She conducts detailed Vibrational Assessments that identify the physical, energetic and emotional areas that are affecting your health today. Mary also makes vibrational medicines called Choming Vibrational Essences and Choming Herbal Tinctures that are used in a Choming Essence Program to increase your vibrations and energy so that you feel vital and healthy again. Mary has written many articles about vibrational healing which can be found on her Website at www.mkprojects.com. You can contact Mary for a Vibrational Assessment at (613) 733-2856 or e-mail her at mary@mkprojects.com.

From: Ida Arimurti

Anda sulit sekali merasa bahagia padahal ditilik dari semua aspek tak ada yang kekurangan? Faktor kebahagiaan yang selama ini dikenal oleh para ilmuwan adalah bahwa orang yang punya sikap positif lebih bahagia. Orang yang bisa menikmati hidup akan menjalani kehidupan dengan cara yang menyenangkan, yang tak jarang membuat orang lain iri.

Tahukah Anda, bahwa bersikap positif dan optimis akan meningkatkan harapan hidup setidaknya 7,5 tahun, hal ini dibuktikan oleh survey di Yale University setelah menghitung faktor usia, jenis kelamin, status sosial ekonomi dan kesehatan fisik. Orang yang berpikir positif lebih bisa mengurangi dampak negatif dari stres yang merusak, itulah kuncinya.

"Tentu saja mereka yang optimis juga mendapat stres," ujar David Snowdon, profesor neurologi di University of Kentucky yang mengkaji masalah pertambahan usia. "namun mereka meresponnya dengan lebih cepat sehingga status mental dan fisik yang positif terjaga."

Berikut dipaparkan lima perilaku yang diyakini para ahli dapat memperpanjang usia dan bisa Anda tiru juga, lho.

Gunakan ponsel Anda

Jalinlah komunikasi dengan teman atau sahabat, melalui ponsel juga bisa jika tak punya cukup waktu untuk bertemu langsung. Orang yang gemar bersosialisasi setidaknya sekali seminggu akan diberkahi otak yang tajam, umur panjang dan menghindari serangan jantung. "Bicaralah di telpon dengan teman, hal ini punya efek langsung menurunkan tekanan darah dan kadar kortisol," ujar Teresa Seeman, PhD, seorang profesor epidemiologi di UCLA.

"Penelitian kami menunjukkan bahwa memiliki hubungan jangka panjang memiliki sejumlah manfaat, antara lain menjalani kehidupan aktif dan terhindarkan dari keinginan merokok." Nah, mulai sekarang berusahalah untuk berhubungan dengan teman-teman yang anda punya. Telpon mereka, jadwalkan makan siang bersama atau sekadar ngopi di Starbucks.

Mereka menunjukkan rasa syukur

Tuliskan perasaan Anda mengenai kejadian menyenangkan di kertas, diary, komputer atau bahkan PDA. Orang yang suka menuliskan segala hal akan mensyukuri apa yang mereka dapat dan lebih optimis menatap masa depan. Umumnya orang seperti ini juga merasa lebih puas dengan apa yang sudah diraih sejauh ini, demikian menurut studi University of California, Davis. Orang-orang ini juga merasa fisiknya jauh lebih kuat.

"Jika Anda selalu bersyukur, sulit untuk merasa sedih," ujar Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, penulis buku "The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want." Namun janganlah berlebihan. Orang yang menuliskan perasaan mereka di jurnal seminggu sekali mendapatkan dorongan lebih besar untuk merasakan kebahagiaan ketimbang mereka yang menuliskannya tiga kali seminggu. Temukan frekuensi yang tepat untuk Anda, dan jalankanlah.

Baik hati

Apakah selama ini Anda melakukan kebaikan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari? Berbuat baik akan membuahkan rasa nyaman dan bahagia dalam diri, demikian menurut penelitian Lyubomirsky. Karma berbuat baik Anda aan berbalas manis, bahkan meski tu hanya 'kebaikan kecil' yang Anda lakukan untuk orang lain dan tak direncanakan. Misalnya memberikan kursi Anda untuk ibu hamil di angkot, atau membelikan rekan kerja secangkir kopi atau setangkup pizza saat makan siang. Anda akan menjumpai bahwa 'balasan' dari tindakan manis Anda ini akan jauh lebih besar dari yang dibayangkan. "Anda akan melihat bagaimana Anda dihargai dan disukai orang lain." ujarnya. Bukankah itu menyenangkan?

Menghargai hidup

Ya, tentu saja Anda dapat menulis ulang sejarah dan merasa jauh lebih baik mengenai diri Anda. Sisihkan sedikit waktu setiap minggu untuk mencatat setiap kejadian yang sudah berlangsung. Merefleksikan pengalaman dapat membentuk kembali persepsi atas kejadian itu, demikian juga mengenai pengharapan Anda di masa datang, ujar Robert N. Butler, MD, presiden dari International Longevity Center-USA di New York City. Saat menciptakan 'review kehidupan' ini Anda akan mencatat semua pencapaian dan secara instan aan mendongkrak rasa percaya diri. Catat dan kelompokkan dalam folder terpisah menegnai kisah saat kuliah, bekerja, menikah, memiliki anak dan lain-lain.

Tuliskan kisah kesuksesan dan kegagalan yang Anda alami. Mungkin Anda akan mendapati kegagalan di satu sisi, ternyata membuahkan kesuksesan di bidang lain. Pindah dari kantor lama ternyata Anda mendapatkan suami di kantor baru. "Meski kejadian itu menyakitkan, Anda akan lebih mudah menangani masa-masa sulit itu." Jadi jujurlah, tapi jangan terlalu keras 'menghakimi' diri sendiri. Ingatlah Anda adalah 'heroin' pada dongeng yang Anda tulis.

Ayo lakukan sekarang dan gapailah kebahagiaan dengan cara sederhana.

From: Jehoshua Lawalata

As experts gather for the International Conference on Happiness, TIME looks at proven ways to find more joy in life.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1631176_1630611,00.html

1.       Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings but not everyday. Sonja Lyubomirsky, an experimental psychologist at UC Riverside, found that people who once a week wrote down five things they were grateful for were happier than those who did it three times a week.

"It's an issue of timing or frequency," says Lyubomirsky, "When people do anything too often it loses the freshness and meaning. You need to have optimal timing."

Lyubomirsky added that it has to feel right. She tried to count her blessings and hated it. "I found it hokey. It didn't work for me. Just like a diet program, what you do has to fit your lifestyle, personality and goals."

In essence, gratitude might not be for everyone. But if it is, another exercise is to think of a person who has been kind to you that you've wanted to thank  a teacher, mentor or parent  and write a letter, once a week to different individuals over two months. You don't even have to send it to feel happier.

2.       Hear the Music

Whether regarded as an evolutionary accident that piggybacked on language or as the gateway to our emotions, music activates parts of the brain that can trigger happiness, releasing endorphins similar to the ways that sex and food do. Music can also relax the body, sometimes into sleep as it stimulates the brain's release of melatonin. A study of older adults who listened to their choice of music during outpatient eye surgery showed that they had significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure, and their hearts did not work as hard as those who underwent surgery without music. A second study, of patients undergoing colonoscopy, showed that listening to their selection of music reduced their anxiety levels and lessened the dosage required for sedation.

3.       Snog.

Canoodle. Get It On. It's no secret that a roll in the hay, and all that leads up to it, feels good. Endorphins are the neurotransmitters in your brain that reduce pain and, in the absence of pain, can induce euphoria. A rush of such chemicals might seem like a temporary solution to a dreary day, but there are added benefits, not the least of which is expressing affection and strengthening the bonds of a relationship. Oxytocin is released by the pituitary gland upon orgasm; often referred to as the "hormone of love" or the "cuddle chemical," it is associated with feelings of bonding and trust, and can even reduce stress.

4.       Nurture Your Spirituality

Survey after survey shows that people with strong religious faith  of any religion or denomination  are happier than those who are irreligious. David Myers, a social psychologist at Michigan's Hope College, says that faith provides social support, a sense of purpose and a reason to focus beyond the self, all of which help root people in their communities. That seems reason enough to get more involved at the local church, temple or mosque. For the more inwardly focused, deep breathing during meditation and prayer can slow down the body and reduce stress, anxiety and physical tension to allow better emotions and energy to come forward.

5.       Move Your Body

We've all heard about a "runner's high," but there are plenty of other ways to achieve that feeling. Dance. Play a sport. Work out as hard as you can. Take a walk so your stress will take a hike.. Moving your body releases endorphins, the quintessential feel-good chemicals found in your brain. How endorphin release is triggered by exercise is somewhat of a controversial science because researchers don't know if it is caused by the positive emotion felt upon meeting a physical challenge or from the exertion itself. Either way, physical motion can provide a rush of good energy that can lift a mood, be it anxiety or mild depression, and it's a good way to keep healthy.

6.       Laugh Big

Be it a slew of good jokes, a slapstick comedy or laughing yoga, find something to give you a good hearty laugh that brings tears to the eyes or a giggle fit that makes the sides of your body ache. People are 30 times more likely to laugh in groups than alone and, not surprisingly, laughter is associated with helping to develop person-to-person connections through a feedback loop characterized by laughter, social bonding and more laughter. Laughter, like so many other endorphin-triggers, helps to reduce certain stress hormones and, while it might be contagious, it strengthens your immune system rather than weakening it.

7.       Do Something Nice for Someone Else

Hold a door open for someone at the bank, give someone directions if they look lost or make a point to compliment three people on your way to work. Small or big, directed at friends or strangers, random acts of kindness make the person performing the kind act happier when they're grouped together, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, an experimental psychologist at UC Riverside. Doing a considerate thing for another person five times in one day made the doer happier than if they had spread out those five acts over one week. Lyubomirsky explains that because we all perform acts of kindness naturally, it seems to please us more when we're more conscious of it. There are social rewards, too, when people respond positively.

8.       Make More Money Than Your Peers

Midas might have been an unhappy guy, but that's probably because he didn't know any other kings who could also turn things into gold. Money as an absolute may not make you a happier person but making more money than others in your age group does, according to a sociological study done in 2005 by researchers at Pennsylvania State University. But keeping up with the Joneses isn't the only way that money brings happiness. Saving it for retirement or a rainy day brings together a variety of positive emotions that can lead to happiness, such as anticipation and expectation, a sense of delayed gratification and reward.

9.       Seek Positive Emotion as a Path to Success

Happiness can lead to success, rather than just the other way around. Happy individuals are predisposed to seek out new opportunities and set new goals. After reviewing data of 225 studies gathered from more than 275,000 individuals, a team of psychologists concluded that while previous research assumed that happiness stemmed from success and accomplishment, happiness is often a result of positive emotions. Success is the result of many factors, including physical health, intelligence, family and expertise.

10.   Identify With Your Heritage

Whether it's getting comfy with a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel, dancing at a Japanese Obon festival or scarfing down a hot dog at Coney Island, embrace your culture. Appreciating one's culture creates and strengthens bonds with others who share that culture and also allows one to identify and appreciate cultural difference. A recent study showed that adolescents of Mexican and Chinese ethnicity maintained feelings of happiness despite daily stress when they had a strong sense of cultural identity. In other research, psychologists found an association between stable cultural identity and overall positive emotion in African American and Native American communities.

11.   Use a Happy Memory as a Guide

Learn to scan your memory bank for your strengths, talents, passions, interests, practical coping skills, and earlier potential  whether it's actualized or not. Scanning this memory bank and gleaning material that can be used to reinvent yourself to be happier is key, says Barbara Becker-Holstein, psychologist and author of Enchanted Self: A Positive Therapy. For example, someone who would like to be more altruistic can scan their past and know that they didn't like Girl Scouts in elementary school. That crosses off being a PTA mother. But they might remember that as a child they enjoyed collecting soda bottles and giving the money to the local fire station where they knew the firefighters. That person might consider giving money and time to a local group where they can socialize with people rather than mailing in a check to a distant organization. "Looking at one's personal style, tastes and interests as we look for ways to be happy today is very important," says Becker-Holstein.

12.   Play the Part of an Optimist

Optimism is a learned skill and there are a variety of ways to acquire it, says psychologist Mary Ann Troiani, co-author of Spontaneous Optimism. Through her research, Troiani has come up with three things that you can do to enhance your sense of optimism. First, straighten out your body before your emotions by keeping a straight body posture, taking big steps and walking quickly with your shoulders back and your head up. "People who are pessimistic walk slowly with small steps and their head down," she says. Second, change your tone of voice so that it is cheerful and full of energy. Third, use upbeat or happier words, such as "challenge" rather than "problem," or think of "opportunities" rather than "losses." "Positive thoughts and behavior have a positive impact on the brain's biochemistry," she says. "[They] boost your serotonin levels and signal that you're happy. Your brain will catch up to you." Troiani reminds us: it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to really change a habit.

13.   Try New Things

Stop putting off seeing the aurora lights, warming up in the hot springs of Greenland or learning a new instrument  just do it. If you often do one thing that makes you happy, then try another. Psychologist Rich Walker of Winston-Salem State University looked at 30,000 event memories and over 500 diaries, ranging from durations of 3 months to 4 years, and says that people who engage in a variety of experiences are more likely to retain positive emotions and minimize negative ones than people who have fewer experiences. Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, studies her broaden-and-build hypothesis of positive emotion. Her research suggests that the optimal ratio of positive to negative emotion in humans is above 3 to 1 and below 11 to 1. Walker has observed that once the ratio of positive to negative events hit 1 to 1, it opens the door to potential disorders, such as anxiety and depression.

14.   Tell Your Story to Someone

Talking about the good and bad things that happen can lead to happiness  even if it is from opposite ends of the phone line. In a controlled lab experiment, psychologist Rich Walker of Winston-Salem State University found that the reasons are two-fold: people tend to emphasize positive emotions and mitigate negative ones when telling a story, since memory's natural bias is to keep tabs on the good stuff and gradually lose the emotional intensity of a bad event; and the process of storytelling can affect how one feels about what happened even up to a week later. In other words, talking about a negative experience made the emotional intensity of that memory fade faster than if the event had not been recounted. Walker says that storytelling works best when there is a lot of audience diversity  it helps to tell the story many times to a variety of people.

15.   Balance Work and Home

The grin of our society is blue-toothed. With BlackBerrys and corporate email at home, we are tethered to technology unlike any previous generation. This newfound flexibility between our work and private lives works for some people but is problematic for others. In 2003, Michigan State University researchers found that those who establish boundaries between work and home are more connected to their families and have less conflict than those who integrate the two. The researchers divided people into what they call integrators and separators and suggested that knowing the appropriate boundaries between work and home can have an impact and improve happiness.

16.   Be Like the Danes: Keep Expectations Realistic

Last year, the first world map of happiness was produced, and Denmark came out on top. For more than 30 years, the nation has ranked first in European satisfaction surveys.. Researchers in the British Medical Journal tried to understand why the Danes felt more satisfied than the Swedes or Finns, who share similar aspects of culture, and came up with two plausible explanations: the lasting impact of the Danes' victory in the 1992 European Football Championship has kept them in a state of euphoria since; and the nation, while satisfied, has shown low expectations for the coming year, unlike the Greeks and the Italians who rank low on satisfaction. While there were other reasons that contributed to the satisfaction of the Danes, one thing is clear: the higher one's expectations, the further they fall.

17.   Make Time

Society is plagued by time bankruptcy. But what if people asserted more control over their time to optimize their use of it? "Maybe you need to burn bridges, discard habits or situations that waste time and avoid emotional vampires," says Mary Ann Troiani, co-author of Spontaneous Optimism. "It's like house-cleaning at that point." Psychologists will say prioritize, set realistic daily goals that fit into the bigger picture and some time might be recovered. Troiani usually asks one pointed question to shock her clients out of their rut: How would you feel in two or three years if you still feel this way? "People sit there like a deer in headlights," she says. Her response: picture and imagine what you want to feel like. Maybe set aside two nights in your calendar to focus on those things that you'd like to spend more time on. Or as she puts it: cut the chase.

18.   Visualize Happiness

We are unique creatures in that we can mentally simulate situations by remembering the past and visualizing the future. We can also play a hand at perhaps creating the future  at least in terms of preparing our emotional state for what may come. It's a valuable tool and one that can lead to happiness when applied to specific goals. There is much research behind visualization and emotional changes, as it has been shown that positive thoughts have an impact on the brain's biochemistry. Many psychologists ask people to imagine or picture what they would like in their life, creating a mental state that makes the person think that it is achievable. "If you experience that visualization with your eyes closed, your mind doesn't know if it's real or unreal," says Mary Ann Troiani, co-author of Spontaneous Optimism. "Neuropsychological ways makes them feel as though they have it and tricks the mind into thinking they have [what they are visualizing] now. It makes them more confident about it."

19.   Smile Go ahead.

It won't hurt you. It might actually make you happier, too. Based on the psychology that a person feels whatever emotion they are acting at the moment, you will probably feel better if you smile. To avoid what is called cognitive dissonance, in which our thoughts and actions don't match up, our minds react to the change in our facial expression to bring our beliefs in line with our behavior. And, like laughter, it's contagious. If you smile, chances are that those around you will too.

20.   Marry Happy

Since there may be no point in marrying rich (see previous), then marry happy. Research shows that depressed singles receive greater psychological benefit  from things such as intimacy and emotional closeness  from getting married than those who are not depressed.. And for the married population, first of all, congratulations: people in committed relationships have been shown to be happier than those who aren't, despite how satisfying their marriages actually are. Research done by an economist at the University of Warwick suggests that if you're married to someone who is happy, then you are happy as well. The research concludes that happiness, like material things in a marriage, is shared. Awww...

"Yesterday we obeyed kings and bowed our necks before emperors. But today we kneel only to truth..."

-- Kahlil Gibran

Kiriman: Rachel

7 Gifts that Multiply Happiness

by Steve Brunkhorst

Did you know that there are gifts that will multiply your happiness when you give them away? Here are seven of those gifts. Giving these gifts will allow you to share with others your most unique treasure: your authentic self. Each gift will return to you many times. As you read about each of these gifts, think about ways that you could share that gift with someone today.

1. Share appreciation

Tell someone how much you appreciate the faith they've shown in you.

Thank them sincerely for being part of your life. Tell them how much they are needed. Feeling appreciated is one of the most important needs that people have. When you share with someone your appreciation and gratitude, they will not forget you. Appreciation will return to you many times.

2. Share time

Balance your time expenditures so you can spend time with the people that you love. Support local organizations by sharing your special talents. Volunteer time for projects that benefit others in your community, country, and world. When we slow down and observe our thoughts closely, we will sometimes uncover gifts and talents we didn't know we had. Sharing time and talents can result in discoveries that bring happiness beyond measure.

3. Share knowledge and ideas

Tell someone about a great book that you read so they can benefit from it too. Teach a new concept or idea that you've learned. One of the best ways to strengthen new concepts in your mind is to share them with others. The more often you share what you've learned, the stronger that information will become in your memory. Sharing knowledge also provides solutions to problems. The more knowledge we share, the more knowledge we receive in return.

4. Share friendship

Acknowledge someone's strengths. Let them know that you are willing to be there when they need you. Visit someone you haven't seen for a long time. Telephone friends or relatives who live far away.

Introduce two friends who don't know each other. Bringing one individual into another's life can result in tremendous changes for both people, and for you. We succeed with the help of others. People grow by growing together. If you'd like to have many friends, then share friendship with others generously.

5. Share kindness

Perform a random act of kindness for someone: a smile, compliment, or a favor just for fun. These will multiply and spread very rapidly. There is a powerful quote by Stephen Jay Gould who said, "The center of human nature is rooted in ten thousand ordinary acts of kindness that define our days." Kindness is priceless. The love, kindnesses, and value we have given authentically to others will be our remaining treasures at the end of life.

6. Share experience

Keep written or photo journals of your life: things you've done, places you've traveled, things you've learned. Record successes and failures. Share a happy memory. Also share the difficult times that have helped you become stronger and wiser. When shared, the value of these experiences multiplies. Our unique experiences and perceptions of life are priceless. Sharing experiences will build one of the strongest bonds with others. Our descendants can learn and benefit from our lifetime experiences for generations to come.

7. Share enthusiasm

If you are excited about a new success, tell someone. If you're ecstatic about a new project, show your glow. Your enthusiasm will inspire others to move forward with actions that bring rewarding achievements. Enthusiasm keeps us looking forward to the future. It brings many of those exciting days that we can savor with gratitude. That kind of glowing excitement for life is impossible to hide. It is contagious and will quickly spread to others. Think about this statement by Norman MacEwan: "Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

Sharing these gifts sends our thoughts on a far-reaching journey where they will touch many lives, and reconnect with our own. Would you like to receive these same life-enhancing gifts again and again? Begin multiplying your happiness by sharing one of these special gifts with someone today!

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!

Kiriman: dewi

Lima Peraturan Sederhana Untuk Hidup Bahagia

Ingatlah lima peraturan sederhana ini untuk hidup bahagia

1. Bebaskan dirimu dari kebencian

2. Bebaskan pikiranmu dari kesusahan

3. Hiduplah secara sederhana

4. Berilah lebih

5. Kurangilah harapan

Tiada seorangpun yang bisa kembali dan mulai dari awal. Setiap orang dapat mulai saat ini dan melakukan akhir yang baru. Tuhan tidak menjanjikan hari-hari tanpa sakit, tertawa tanpa kesedihan, matahari tanpa hujan, tetapi Dia menjanjikan kekuatan untuk hari itu, kebahagiaan untuk air mata, dan terang dalam perjalanan.

Kekecewaan bagai "polisi tidur", ini akan memperlambatmu sedikit tetapi kau selanjutnya akan menikmati jalan rata.

Jangan tinggal terlalu lama saat ada "polisi tidur". Berjalanlah terus!

Ketika kau kecewa karena tidak memperoleh apa yang kaukehendaki, terimalah dan bergembiralah, karena Tuhan sedang memikirkan sesuatu yang lebih baik untuk dirimu.

Saat terjadi sesuatu padamu, baik atau buruk, pertimbangkanlah artinya.....

Ada suatu maksud untuk setiap kejadian dalam kehidupan, mengajarmu bagaimana lebih seringkali tertawa atau tidak terlalu keras menangis.

Kau tidak dapat memaksa seseorang mencintaimu, apa yang dapat kau perbuat hanyalah membiarkan dirimu untuk dicintai, selebihnya ada pada orang itu untuk menilai dirimu.

Ukuran cinta adalah saat kau mencintai tanpa batas. Dalam kehidupan jarang akan kau temui seseorang yang kau cintai dan orang itu mencintaimu juga.

Lebih baik kehilangan harga dirimu kepada orang yang mencintaimu, daripada kehilangan orang yang kau cintai karena harga dirimu.

Kita selalu membuang-buang waktu untuk mencari-cari orang yang sesuai untuk dicintai atau melihat kesalahan2 pada orang yang telah kita cintai, daripada malah seharusnya kita menyempurnakan cinta yang kita berikan.

Jika kau sungguh2 peduli pada seseorang, janganlah kau mencari2 kekurangan2nya, kau jangan mencari2 alasan, kau jangan mencari2 kesalahan2nya. Malahan, kau atasi kesalahan2 itu, kau terima kekurangan2 itu, dan jangan kau hiraukan alasan2 itu.

Jangan pernah meninggalkan rekan lama. Kau tidak akan pernah mendapat penggantinya.

Persahabatan adalah bagai anggur, tambah lama akan tambah baik.

Kiriman: benhandoko

Once, a king visited the Buddha and was astonished to see how calm and happy His monks were. So he asked, "Venerable Sir, the monks of other gurus constantly look as if they're in pain. But your monks, Sir, radiate such peace and happiness. Tell me, how do they did it?"

The Buddha's answer is one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. He said, "They have no regrets about the past. They have no worries about the future. They are at peace with the present".

That's it. The whole secret of daily happiness is in these three simple sentences. It's so profoundly beautiful.

Terjemahan bebas:

Suatu ketika, seorang Raja mengunjungi Buddha dan terpesona melihat betapa tenang dan bahagianya para biksu yang menjadi murid-Nya. Maka ia pun bertanya, "Yang Mulia, murid-murid dari guru-guru yang lain selalu terlihat seakan sedang menderita. Tetapi murid-muridmu, memancarkan kebahagiaan dan kedamaian. Katakan padaku, bagaimana mereka melakukannya?"

Jawaban Buddha adalah salah satu dari yang terindah yang pernah saya dengar.. Ia berkata, "Mereka tidak menyesali masa lalu. Mereka tidak khawatir tentang masa depan. Mereka berada dalam damai di masa kini." Itu saja. Seluruh rahasia dari kebahagiaan sehari-hari ada dalam tiga kalimat sederhana ini. Sungguh sangat indah.

Kiriman: Adriany

Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around.

You tell them things that you've never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more.

You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you.

When something wonderful happens, you can't wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement.

They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself.

Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful.

There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around.

You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are.

The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever.

Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it's like being young again. Colors seem brighter and more brilliant.

Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn't exist at all.

A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day's work and always brings a smile to your face.

In their presence, there's no need for continuous conversation, but you find you're quite content in just having them nearby.

Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you.

You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon.

You open your heart knowing that there's a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible.

You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that's so real it scares you.

You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end.

Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.

Oleh: Lianny Hendranata.

Jika membicarakan kebahagiaan, tentu kita ingat juga kata cinta. Sebab kebahagiaan identik dengan keberadaan cinta. Kita harus mengetahui diri sendiri, apa yang membuat kita merasa bahagia.

Sebab, kebahagiaan harus kita sendiri yang membuat, bukan kita yang mencarinya.

Pabrik kebahagiaan berada di dalam sanubari kita sendiri. Percuma Anda pergi ke ujung dunia untuk mencari kebahagiaan. Kebahagiaan tak akan Anda dapatkan di mana pun, kecuali Anda yang membuat diri berbahagia di mana pun dan kapan pun.

Faktor yang paling penting untuk membuat kita tetap sehat, sejahtera, dan bahagia, adalah mencintai dan merasa dicintai. Bersikaplah realitis dan rencanakan sejumlah mukjizat untuk diri sendiri dan merasakan kebahagiaan itu datang dan terjadi pada kita, sebab cinta itu perlu keutuhan tubuh, pikiran, dan jiwa.

Cinta seperti segala sesuatu lainnya adalah sebuah pilihan.

Pada setiap saat dalam perjumpaan dengan orang lain, atau dalam setiap pikiran tentang diri kita sendiri, kita memiliki suatu pilihan: entah untuk menghakimi atau coba untuk mengerti terhadap apa yang sedang dihadapi, yang harus dijalani, dan yang akan

direncanakan.