The Art of Achieving Happiness

By Matthew Aubert

Is your glass half-full or half-empty? On those days when nothing in your life seems to be going right, it can be really tough to see the silver lining among all those clouds. However, it’s during these times when the ability to see the good in even the worst situations is so important. This book is packed with practical ways that will help you to rethink your happiness and where it comes from. Happiness is first a study and then a practice. How to develop a successful mindset into developing a life full of happiness is essential. Plus much more…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Aubert
• Release date: Jan 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386418955

Matthew Aubert

Matt Aubert was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He is a non-fiction author, writing in the self-improvement and health/fitness genre. His approach to writing is to hit hard, hit fast, and leave as few spelling errors as possible. He writes self-help, fitness, and financial, as well as the occasional witty postcard, all of which are designed to get your life on track. Don’t let his pink shirt fool you – he’s actually full colour, on most days.  The author’s books are a mixture of self-self-improvement, exercise, and making money. If you’re looking for a good place to start, take a look at his Unlocking the Truth, available now for FREE!! To get an email whenever the author releases a new title, sign up for the VIP newsletter by clicking the link provided in this book or simply emailing me at [e-mail] and place VIP in heading. 

Book preview

INTRO

What is happiness? What does it mean to be happy? Are we so lost nowadays that we are not happy and forgot the meaning of happiness? I often wonder if the people I meet in my everyday travels are truly happy or maybe their faking it till they make it.

As a kid growing up I never once thought about the fact whether I was happy or not. I knew if I was mad or sad but I didn't sit and contemplate my happiness. Kids just go through the day and most not even considering the thought concerning happiness. Children live in the NOW and instead of wondering what happiness is or whether they're happy, they are literally happy.

Adults will study happiness as if it's a creature from another Universe. Happiness must either come from a Genie in a Bottle or some secret that our forefathers buried with treasure thousands of years ago,

Why are adults looking for the secret to happiness while our children run past us daily whom are content and happy with life? Are we as adults just lost? Maybe we've been beaten up too much in life?

I also remember when growing up that I wanted to be a veterinarian...then a professional basketball player (Boston Celtics) and lastly a professional bicycle flatland freestyler.

(I went on to compete throughout Texas ranking in top 5 in the 16-18 Expert Class)

Yup that's me freestyling and loving every minute! I was 13 or 14 and happy. Didn't live in an expensive home. Nor did I have the newest fancy clothes. My parents were divorced and my brother and I lived with Mom. None of that mattered.

If you want to be happy, be.

Happiness we always had and never once did our happiness waiver. I'm sure one reason was that life hadn't had the chance to beat us down yet. Yes, there were times when I had growing pains or getting into fights with kids. I didn't walk around with a smile plastered on my face but for the most part I had fun and was happy.

Life's not fair but it's good.

In college, I remember studying countries where families averaged $1-2 dollars a day for wages. Imagine making $1 a day. I also remember reading and studying that over 11,000 people die every year worldwide because they have no clean drinking water. Meaning their countries do not own water treatment plants to provide drinkable water.

If my memory serves me correct about 1/3 of the world's population lives on $1 a day. As I read I thought how good I had it. As a child growing up we didn't have much but there was lots of love in the house which in my eyes counts more. Plus, Mom made more than a $1 per day, and back in the 70's and 80's women didn't make quite as much as nowadays. This fact made it tough on single Mom's.

What do we call a newborn baby? The miracle of life if I'm correct. So why is it when we grow up we start settling for mediocrity and not excellence? Where along the way did we forget our dreams, and stop believing in ourselves?

I touched on the World's issues for a reason. Many of us will never have to wonder where clean water will come from or making $1 a day for our working efforts. I understand it's not your fault that people live in these conditions and I'm surely not trying to make you go out and donate.

But you must admit we live in a place where anything can be achieved. Remember as a child when you had dreams and aspirations of becoming a lawyer, doctor, professional football player or a veterinarian? What kind of feelings did you have then?

If you were anything like most kids growing up these were feelings of happiness and hope. You might have even argued with your friends when they challenged you.

How about nowadays when you have an idea? Maybe it's a business idea or going back to school for a degree. Do these types of thoughts wander through your mind? If these types of thoughts do lurk in your mind do you act upon them or believe their achievable?

You can be happy where you are.

What about you? Are you maximizing your potential and creating the levels of success you truly want – in every area of your life? Or are there areas of your life where your settling for less than you really want? Are you settling for less than your capable of and justifying that it's ok? Or are you ready to stop settling, so you can START LIVING your best life – you know, the life of your dreams?

Creating Your Own Life

One of my favorite sentiments I've ever read goes like this:

Life will pay any price you ask of it.

What a wonderful phrase. The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams. Live your life, not your brothers, not your Dads or Moms and not your mentor's life. This last sentence is like trying to please others and not yourself. It just never works.

Sadly, few people come close to living the life of their dreams while most people resign themselves to a life of mediocrity, passively accepting what life offers them.

Does Life feel like this:

Age 2-18 = No worries, no bills, not many responsibilities but school can be a drag but I'm happy. One day I'll have a nice ride!

19-30 = Trying to figure life out, where and what are we doing, school wasn't that bad after all but I'm young let's do this. Yup married and happy and kids are a handful! Got that car but gas is expensive!

31-40 = I think I have life figured out, glad I own a house now, getting tired of partying, college wasn't so bad, why do I keep getting bills!! Guess I'm getting payback from my kids. Don't feel happy as when I was younger.

41-50 = Finally made it high enough in the company but not what I thought, kids are graduating. Where did time go, company 401k needs to pick up, feels like time goes by faster as we age. I'm happy I guess.

51-60 = Don't really care what people think, finally looking good with no bills and savings, our kids are a rerun (if they only knew), I notice I'm more reserved and laidback. I was happy earlier in life but didn't know it.

61-70 = Just enjoying myself with my loved one, glad we have a lawn service provider, where did the time go, oh well I am happy and with people that love me.

For you to stop settling for less than you deserve – in any area of your life – and to create the levels of personal, professional and financial success you desire, you must first dedicate time each day to becoming the person you were meant to be, one who is qualified and capable of consistently attracting any type of success and ultimately happiness.

Either way there are a lot of people that ARE NOT HAPPY. Studies and research have shown on a consistent basis that Americans are unhappy.

Only 1 In 3 Americans Are Very Happy

The U.S. economy may be moving along, but Americans aren't getting any happier: Less than one in three Americans say they're very happy, per a recent survey. Is this surprising?

At the same time, however, about 8 in 10 U.S. adults (81%) say they are generally happy with their life right now, suggesting that people may overstate how happy they are.

Women continue to be happier than men. They also live longer.

Most Americans Still Optimistic About the Future

When looking closer at the individual statements that comprise the Happiness Index, it would appear most Americans are quite happy