Happiness: Hidden in Plain Sight: (A Response from Within)

By Jeanne Adams

Our society bombards us with negativity, a lack of respect, and fear. We are losing our ability to find the good in others or in situations. We are unintentionally blind to natural beauty, and we lack the motivation to make positive changes.

Happiness: Hidden in Plain Sight (A Response from Within) is the average persons guide to everyday psychological insights with an emphasis, not on analyzing why we are living by rote, but on how to make things much better! Realizing that happiness comes from within, not from others or possessions, is critical to a successful search for happiness. It is not something to be won or earned, but Gods gift to be discovered.

For a change, there now is a book that is actually practical; a book that not only discusses twenty of the most important therapeutic guidelines for a happier life, but also suggests hundreds of positive ideas. These ideas are designed to remind and motivate the reader to seek out the good things in life that are hidden in plain sight.

As a professional therapist, and after meeting thousands of unhappy people, Jeanne has found that by taking specific positive actions and developing mindfulness, a person can immediately begin to experience a more peaceful and happy today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490857770

Jeanne Adams

Jeanne has over 25 years of experience as a licensed counselor, mental health professional, recreation therapist, and faculty member at two universities. She is author of the motivational book, Getting People Involved in Life and Activities: 35 Effective Motivating Techniques, and has been published in a wide variety of areas. Growing up in a family of ten children, she gratefully received many loving messages. She currently lives in northeast Ohio. You can reach Jeanne through her website at http://writingthatnurtures.com

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Copyright © 2014 Jeanne Adams .

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is for educational, motivational, and informational purposes, and not intended to replace medical or psychological advice offered by your healthcare professional.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5778-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5779-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5777-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014919134

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/06/2014

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1 What Does Luck Have To Do With It?

Chapter 2 So, Where Do You Start?

Chapter 3 Happiness Stimulators

Chapter 4 Simply Fun

Chapter 5 25 Ways To Feel A Whole Lot Better

Chapter 6 Practical Happiness Guidelines

Chapter 7 Continuing The Journey…

Summary

For

Dr. Phyllis Cooper

(in appreciation of sharing her insights

along life’s spiritual journey)

A special thank you to

Mary Ann Baal-Villa…

for her editorial creativity, support,

and encouragement.

"You are a power source

of your own happiness.

Look for positive possibilities."

–Jeanne Adams

PREFACE

"It never depends on whether

we say the right words,

but whether we live the right reality."

–Richard Rohr

As a lifelong Christian, I have spent years trying to know and understand what it really means to be a disciple of and to follow Jesus Christ. As these years have finally begun to leak wisdom, I am becoming increasingly aware of the simplicity of Christ. His message is a straightforward one, and, to me, the only reality that makes sense of life.

It seems that God simply says, I love you. Please discover, be, and share the best that you are, the real self that is hidden deep within you. Follow my example and I will show you authentic strength, compassion, forgiveness, and peace. Follow me and I will teach you to know love rather than fear. I just ask that you share your life in service to others, and to bring my love to all those you meet. Remember that I am with you, all the days of your life.

I believe that as children of God, we are all given a multitude of gifts throughout our lives. Many of these gifts are hidden in plain sight. We just need to trust and be mindful—living in the now in order to see them.

INTRODUCTION

"Learn to pause

or nothing worthwhile

will catch up to you."

–Doug King

It is obvious that the faster we go the less we see. Things just seem to fly by without allowing a chance to focus on what is there. And we are left filling in the gaps and making our own usually incorrect conclusions about what we have experienced. That is, if we think about it at all. Add to this the countless chaotic distractions of contemporary life today, and life can become a stress induced world filled with unintentional blindness and meaningless clutter.

Recently, a simple comment in the form of a request caught my attention. It was the kind of situation where your mouth is in the middle of a great response but the words remain silent and the jaw suddenly drops and freezes.

Sitting across from my friend at lunch, I had asked about her work. It was just the kind of basic question asked when silence has reached the point of slight discomfort and you’re trying to avoid acting like two people who have gone out to lunch hundreds of times and no longer have anything to say to each other. But my simple question about work was met with an unexpected response. My friend said something to the effect of, I don’t want to talk about that now. I want to stay in the present where I am enjoying myself. Just for a while, I don’t want to plan anything, worry about anyone, or try and remember what still needs to be done. I just want to be here.

Thinking about her reply later, I realized that many of us approach each day by starting a car engine that keeps going at a considerable speed throughout the day. We usually have no real reason for the speed. The important thing seems to be to keep the car going and not necessarily in any particular direction, as long as we keep moving. To slow down or stop might be dangerous, possibly exposing us to the meaninglessness of all this multitasking activity that we use to justify our existence.

But what if we gave ourselves permission to slow down that engine? Maybe calming our movements and shutting down distractions won’t produce dire consequences at all. There may not be any