Want to live a Happy and Healthy Life? A Second Thought on the Subject...

By Chad

So in my previous article we discussed the idea that the secret to a happy, healthy life could be found in the simple act of gratitude. And while that article was full of ideas to jump start your new life of gratitude; I want to let you in on another way to boost the happiness in your life.

Are you ready?

Giving to others.

Sounds simple, boring and somewhat cliché, right? Giving to others can actually bring you more happiness. In fact, there is science to back up this truth. Science Magazine carried an article in their March 21, 2008 issue entitled Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness by lead researcher Elizabeth Dunn.

What is exciting about this research is that the myth that more money can bring you happiness is in fact partly true. You can have more happiness with more money. The catch? You have to be willing to give more of that money away in order to "buy" that happiness.

During the research, participants were given money to either spend on themselves or on others. Those that spent the money on others were consistently more satisfied with their choices than those that spent the money on themselves.

So who can you invest in so that you can reap a reward of greater happiness?

Okay, now that you know the science, are you saying, but I don't have the money to give. In today's economy, I completely understand where you are coming from. To that point I have two thoughts. First, the research suggested that even a small investment into someone else of just $5 was enough to show a measurable "happiness" jolt.

So hopefully that helps reset your thoughts on having or not having enough to give. I would even say that less than $5 can make a difference. Try this. Next time you are in line buying coffee, buy the coffee for the person behind too. It will only be a couple of dollars and yet, they will be taken back with gratitude and you will get a shot of happiness to go along with your caffeine.

The second idea is that money is just a resource, right? Any if you don't have an abundance of money as a resource, do you have other resources you can "give away"? Time, energy, leadership or caring are all legitimate resources that your friends, community and fellow human beings need.

So what are you going to do about it? Where are you going to give so that you can live a happier, healthier life?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chad is a Christian writer who spends his time working on short but thought provoking articles that help others improve their lives.

His latest project deals directly with the single biggest danger in the Christian Debt Consolidation industry.

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Please visit my Spiritual Transformation Store for books, music, and DVD's: MY STORE
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Thank for your time and have a wonderful day!! --Larry

“The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.” --Baha’u’llah

How to Listen to Your Inner Voice

By Paula Owen

Each of us has access to guidance if we would take the time to listen to it. It's important to pay attention to what we are feeling - as often our gut instincts are right.

Partly because we do not trust this inner voice, we ignore it. We instead pay attention to "logic" and what makes sense to us. Unfortunately we often give away our power by placing what other people think as being more important than our own thoughts.

Do others really know us better than we know ourselves? Shouldn't we be our own best judge? After all who knows us better than we know ourselves?

Your inner voice is always there to offer you guidance and help. It will become louder the more you listen to it.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you were in danger? A kind of churning feeling in your gut that warned you to stay away? Many people have reported being unable to explain this feeling. They listened to it and later found out it prevented them from some kind of trouble.

This is your inner voice. Your intuition. We all have it. All you have to do is practice trusting and allowing your voice to be heard. This may be hard at first because we are so used to squashing this voice with our own logic and telling it to be quiet.

The more you listen to it and honour it, the more it will help you out. It will become your new best friend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paula Owen has been passionate about personal growth for the last 5 years. Check out her latest website Security Systems for Home which reviews and lists the latest residential alarm systems so you can have that peace of mind wherever you live.

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Please visit my Spiritual Transformation Store for books, music, and DVD's: MY STORE
(for music click on DVD's.)

Thank for your time and have a wonderful day!! --Larry

“The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.” --Baha’u’llah

An Experience of Oneness As We Go Through Midlife

By Amy Twain

Last year, a friend of mine had a rare privilege of visiting India to a place called the Oneness University. They were invited to stay in silence and he was there for 21 days. The easiest thing he could say about that whole experience is that it took him out of his mind. Every day, they were being showered with an energy transfer called as Deeksha (but it is now known as the Oneness Blessing.) He began to let himself experience things instead of analyzing them; he find that practice simpler and easier than ever before. That's a big deal for him-up to this day, he discovered that living in a state of Oneness is definitely a gift of grace.

The very first step is oneness with yourself, then with each other, and then with the animals and plants and the life that surrounds us and ultimately with all that is, or God Himself. My friend actually invites us to know and research the Oneness Movement and to see and experience for ourselves this phenomenon. Or, at the very least, begin to take note where you live in separation-the not me and the me, the yours and mine syndrome. We go through the several stages of spiritual growth as we move through our midlife. Oftentimes, we learn to move on from being a victim, to being totally and fully responsible and accountable for manifesting our lives.

Then, we begin to learn how to surrender into something higher than ourselves, although completely part of ourselves. You may notice that even when you start to pray, there are times that there is still this sense that there is the life of God and there is your life somewhere else... for years and years, it still happens. Yet with each realization, insight or spiritual revelation, you have instances of being conscious or aware the life of God that surrounds you, that the life of God itself that is in you, the personal sense of a life aside from God starts to lessen, the life of God which is anywhere and everywhere is your life.

The last stage or phase of spiritual growth is one that not so several people discuss about, because it is one of which we attain only a brief look. This is the phase of spiritual growth which the aged mystics called the Unitive Way and which enlightened masters call a state of Oneness. To move from the 3rd level to the 4th, we just have to give up and surrender our sense of separation...a personal sense of a life aside from God. We have to come into a much greater condition of beingness. So in the sense of separation, to move into that condition of being that sense of separated starts to dispel.

Now this phase is very significant because it is very possible to have a genuine surrender, to free and let go to the presence of God while you maintain a dual sense. My friend had that privilege of sharing the Oneness Blessing every week and he noticed that the more he let himself receive, the more incredible his experience on midlife becomes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author of this article Amy Twain is a Self Improvement Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Amy recently published a new home study course on how to boost your Self Esteem overnight. More info about this "Quick-Action Plan for A More Confident You" is available at http://www.FabulousSelfEsteem.com.

END

Please visit my Spiritual Transformation Store for books, music, and DVD's: MY STORE
(for music click on DVD's.)

Thank for your time and have a wonderful day!! --Larry

“The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.” --Baha’u’llah