Your Happiness Is Within

By Janet & Walter Jackson

Nominated for The Global E-Book Awards, this collection of weekly messages offers rich insights and valuable wisdom along with a step-by-step guide on how to use calming, Mindfulness to deal with everyday challenges. Anyone can learn this simple ancient practice, and how to instantly apply it to life experiences to release fears and other thoughts that block happiness, your natural state.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Self Awareness Trainings, LLC
• Release date: Apr 22, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452441177

Janet & Walter Jackson

The Jacksons began their marriage on a spiritual journey together, attending the school of ministry, studying metaphysics and religions of the East and West. They were fortunate to be taught by some of the world's foremost teachers, Dr. Michael Beckwith, featured in the "Secret," Shinzen Young, A bestselling Buddhist Monk, and Jack Canfield, author of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series. They study the teachings of world renown Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, who wrote the intro to Janet's book. In 1996 they started their company Self Awareness Trainings, Inc, aka Sporting the Right Attitude, teaching self-development and non-sector spiritual principles to those in companies, organizations, and schools. They have taught thousands Mindfulness Based Stress Management, team-building, and how to better their relationships by understanding behavioral styles. The couple have been guests on radio shows around the country and on television shows.

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These messages have helped me through the more challenging times.

~Linda Miller

You have no idea how much strength and inspiration I receive from these messages. They have taken the fire out of despair, brought about calm to a seemingly desperate situation and put hope in my future.

~Alvin Owens

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy these messages.

~LaGeris Underwood Bell

Thank you so much for this spiritual uplifting message. They have really helped me.. I t's what I needed to hear.

~Dr. Carolyn Monroe

I share these messages with friends and in our spiritual gathering, most of all to myself for growth and prosperity.

~David Ortiz

Your Happiness is Within

Inspirational Messages for Success

by:

Janet Alston Jackson, author of A Cry for Light,

the USA Book News Award winner for Christian Inspiration

and

Walter H. Jackson author of Sporting the Right Attitude,

the USA Book News finalist for Sports Memoir and Youth Motivation

Published by Self Awareness Trainings, LLC

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Janet Alston Jackson and Walter H. Jackson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Self Awareness Trainings, LLC

645 West 9th Street,  Unit 110

Los Angeles, California 90015-1640

http://www.SportingtheRightAttitude.com

Book cover design by: Jasmine Tara Jackson

Discover other books by Walter H. Jackson and Janet Alston Jackson at Smashwords.com

Self Awareness Trainings, LLC:

Sporting the Right Attitude: Lessons Learned in a Troubled Family

by Walter H. Jackson

A Mother's Journey into Meditation: Finding Inner Peace Raising the Difficult Child

by Janet Alston Jackson

Smashwords Edition, License Note

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

Life can sometimes feel like you are living on the high seas, crashing against monstrous waves. You may even feel like you are drowning. However, by connecting to your Higher Power and living Mindfully, you will always be steered into safe, peaceful waters.

Inside of us is a treasure chest filled with golden seeds called, happiness, love, health, compassion, just waiting to be discovered.

Happiness is Within, focuses on how to live in the moment in everyday situations, even in turbulent times, to help you tap into these gifts. You'll learn how to become aware of those pirates, known as those toxic feelings, thoughts and beliefs, that keep you from happiness, your birthright.

You don't have to fight those pirates. When you practice Mindfulness, you become an impartial observer of these thoughts. Your simple awareness creates a mental distance, so you will no longer feel like you are drowning. Instead, you can decide which way to steer your ship called life. Mindfulness, your life raft, helps to still the crashing waves of the mind and gives you clarity. You can then tap into your strengths and act on them to serve your highest good.

In a Harvard study by Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert, the psychologists found that we spend at least half our time thinking about something other than our immediate surroundings, and most of this daydreaming doesn't make us happy. They wrote in the Harvard Science Review, A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind.

The practice of Mindfulness helps to still the wandering, busy mind and release tension.

In another study at the University of California, Berkeley researchers found that 50% of happiness is genetic, and 40% of can be learned. We believe that happiness, like love are the seeds in all of us. Why would a loving, Divine Intelligence give seeds of happiness only to some, and not to others?

However, it doesn't matter if you view life through Scientific or Spiritual lenses. The good news is that both viewpoints believe you can be happy. It is within your reach. You can have happiness, whether you feel that you were born with it, or not. Happiness is Within, shows you how.

How to Use This Book

This book was compiled from our weekly inspirational messages addressing everyday situations and news events that many of us allow to steal our happiness. Each topic holds an inspirational message to help you reconnect to your Spiritual Self, and to live your purpose.

We suggest you use the table of contents and pick a subject heading that interests you. You can use the topic as a daily meditation. Be sure and read the section on How to Practice Mindfulness, the foundation of this book.

Visit our website www.SportingtheRightAttitude.com and sign up for our weekly email messages to be delivered directly to your mailbox.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

--Invictus poem by Ernest Henley

Love, Light and Blessings to you and yours,

Walter H. Jackson and Janet Alston Jackson

Special Note*: If you are suffering from deep depression, check with your doctor. There may be a physical reason, or you may need a therapist to help you along your journey to tap into your happiness.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

How to Use This Book

Chapter 1 -Happiness

Set Your Emotional Thermostat to Happy

Unleash Your Happiness

Chapter 2 - Those Persistent Thoughts

Overcoming Disastrous Thoughts and Feelings

The Game of Life

The Right Attitude Overcomes Challenges

Standing Strong

Why Change a Bad Mood?

Winning in the Game of Life

Discriminate to Maintain Inner Peace

Your Creative Mind

Choosing Life's Highways

Commanding Your Mind

Overwhelmed By It All?

Chapter 3 - Feelings

How Do I Use Mindfulness to Deal With My Feelings?

Finding the Balance Again After a Loss

Holiday Pressure

Chapter 4 - The Ego Traps

Freeing Your Mind

You Are Powerful

It's Not Too Late

The Voice In Your Head

Believe In Miracles

I Am

Changing Attitudes to Change Outcomes

Chapter 5 - Fears and Worries

Drowning in Fears?

This Miner Reminds Us To Have Faith

Overcoming Life's Fires

You Can't, or You Won't?

Chapter 6 -Practice Mindfulness for Happiness

What is Mindfulness?

How to Practice Mindfulness

Being Mindful

Go Inside for Peace

Being Mindful of It All

How to Mindfully Tap into Your Happiness

The Answer is Inside

Our Bodies Don't Forget

Caught Up In It All? Let Go

You Don't Have to Suffer

Here and Now

The Meaning of Disappointments

Tap Into Your Power House

Who Did You Meet?

Eat, Pray, Love, But Don't Forget

Chapter 7 - Letting Go

Letting Go Brings Quiet Power

Trying to Make Things Happen?

Surrender

Where Is Your Faith?

Chapter 8 - Relationships

Can Relationships Make Me Happy?

Allowing Others to Hurt You

Feeling Ignored Undervalued?

Allow Them to Have Their Journey

Are You in Competition With Someone?

The Art of a Good Relationship

Refusing Other People's Fears

Does It Really Matter What They Think?

Healing the Divided Self

Holding Onto an Old Hurtful Relationship?

Independent of Needing Other's Support

Refuse Those Same, Old Tired Conversations

Refuse to Be Defined

Chapter 9 - Family

Live in the Moment to Alleviate Parent Guilt

Parent Yourself!

Finding Faith

The Family Inside of You

Get Out of Your Prison

Chapter 10 - Abundancy

How To Bail Out of Economic Fears

Living Here and Now/ Freedom From Worry

Money Is Energy

Personal Prosperity

Refusing to Participate

Don't Know Where to Turn? Start Where You Are

Stay Awake!

Chapter 11 - Visualize/ The Law of Attraction

Discover the Abundance Within You

Happy or Unhappy About the Elections?

Chapter 12 -Work

There Is No One Like You

Finding Inner Peace at Work

Who Is Bugging You?

Just Do Your Work

Exercise Can Bring Out Your Happiness

Chapter 13 - Self Love

Appreciating Self Despite Getting off Track

The Child Within You

Electing Yourself

Embrace Both Sides of Yourself

Shining Your Light

It Is What It Is

Action or Inaction?

Feeling Guilty?

A Key to Physical, Mental and Emotional Health

Let Go of Self-Disapproval!

Releasing the Past

Self Forgiveness

Your Body Doesn't Lie

In Your Darkest Hour, There is Light Within You

Chapter 14 - Love

Have You Shut Down? Stay Open

When All Else Fails

A Smiling Gift

This New Day Rising Within You

About the Authors

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Chapter 1- Happiness

at we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."

~Buddha

Set Your Emotional Thermostat to Happy

Many of us begin the New Year with new hopes and goals. However, it's not long before we sink back into the same old rut. A rut is a grave with two sides open.

We allow ourselves to go up and down with the events happening around us like a thermometer.  The mercury within us rises and falls.  Sometimes we're hot and on fire.  We want to burn up the world with our new ideas and dreams. Suddenly, life happens. We hear something depressing in the news. We get a phone call, or a bill. Our car breaks down. Someone offends us. What happens then? We fall.  Our mercury drops.  Everything we hoped for seems frozen cold.

We allow our fears to take over resulting in mercurial, up and down moods.  We tell ourselves, Stores are closing. Newspapers are folding. Big businesses are dissolving, and prices are high, so of course I'm scared.  How can I be content at a time like this?

The answer is that you were born a powerful, spiritual being with everything you ever wished for, and dreamed about, all within reach inside of you. We come in the world happy. You only need to look at a small child for that evidence.  However, our happiness, abundance, and health are covered over with thoughts that don't serve us.  We get frustrated reading articles about How to Get Happiness. We wonder, Why can't I be happy?

You don't have to Get happiness. You simply need to uncover and release the thoughts that have kept you from being happy.  Ask yourself, What am I allowing to stand in the way of my peace and happiness? and Why am I allowing this in my life?

Your internal thermometer goes up and down because you have simply forgotten who you are.  Your success, health, abundance, and happiness is inside of you.  It's not in the things you buy. It is within you. 

Weathering Any Storm

You are a magnificent, powerful being, who has been given dominion over your life. When you take a stand, and tell yourself, I am going to allow myself to be in a good mood in spite of what is going on in the world, or despite what has happened to me, something begins to change inside of you.  It is not because of a simple affirmation, but because of a realization that you are in control of your life.  Suddenly, a shift takes place inside of you.  This shift happens when you know that your life and the world may seem to be coming apart, but you are going to be OK.  The reason you can stand strong is because you have taken back your power.  You are commanding your life, instead of letting the ups and downs of life command you.

Your Power

The Universe has given you that power, but you must first recognize it, and then use it with confidence.  When you do, because of the law of attraction, things begin to fall in place.  Suddenly, you are happier without trying. You see hope instead of disaster.  A foreclosure notice becomes a new start in life to find a better home.  A job firing becomes freedom to find the work you have only dreamed of having before. And even if your life is totally turned upside down, you realize this is just temporary. It is merely the earthquake before the settling of the grounds around you.

When you recognize your greatness, you are setting your internal thermostat to stay the same despite the challenges you may face.  Your emotions are no longer the thermometer going up and down.  Your internal temperature is set.  You are telling yourself that despite whatever financial crisis, relationship or health challenges you are facing, you are going to come through this.  You are going to be a better person because of it, and you will be restored and reach an even better place in your life.  You will look back on these challenges and say, I went through it, and I am still standing.

Now what you will begin noticing when you take back your power, is the world will stay the same, and challenges will still come.  However, you have set the law of attraction in motion. You will overcome  problems with ease, and good things will happen.  You will find solutions to your challenges that you didn't see before because you were so low.  You have finally gotten out of your own way, and you are letting your higher self guide you.  You will also have empathy for those who are faced with war, poverty, and other problems, but you won't find yourself fearing that these things are going to happen to you, or completely depressing you.

Soon you will find yourself like many people, who are not in the news.  These people are quietly getting richer, healthier and happier because they are living from the inside out, and not the outside in. 

Remember, you are a light placed on earth to be happy, healthy, and prosperous.  When your spirits are up, your energy lifts others.  This is why it is your duty to set your thermostat, and be the light for your family, social circle, and even among co-workers.   You are a magnificent, powerful being.  Take back your