Guys,

Got this copy from Yahoo. Fine Stuff!!! But of course, this still needs to be edited by yours truly because some (1 or 2) of the things said aren't true to most of us (you know what I mean). But anyway, enjoy!!!
If you guys want the original link http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/10-ways-to-be-happier-295265/.

tryanpost


How happy are you -- really? If there’s room for improvement, then Gretchen Rubin has some suggestions.

A few years ago, on a morning like any other, I had a sudden realization: I was in danger of wasting my life. As I stared out the rain-spattered window of a New York City bus, I saw that the years were slipping by.

“What do I want from life?” I asked myself. “Well…I want to be happy.” I had many reasons to be happy: My husband was the tall, dark, handsome love of my life; we had two delightful girls, ages 1 and 7; I was a writer, living in my favorite city. I had friends; I had my health; I didn’t have to color my hair. But too often I sniped at my husband or the drugstore clerk. I felt dejected after even a minor professional setback. I lost my temper easily. Is that how a happy person would act?

I decided on the spot to begin a systematic study of happiness. (A little intense, I know. But that’s the kind of thing that appeals to me.) In the end, I spent a year test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and tips from popular culture. If I followed all the advice, I wanted to know, would it work?

Well, the year is over, and I can say: It did. I made myself happier. And along the way I learned a lot about how to be happier. Here are those lessons.

1. Don’t start with profundities.
When I began my Happiness Project, I realized pretty quickly that, rather than jumping in with lengthy daily meditation or answering deep questions of self-identity, I should start with the basics, like going to sleep at a decent hour and not letting myself get too hungry. Science backs this up; these two factors have a big impact on happiness. Learn how to Get a Good Night's Sleep.

2. Do let the sun go down on anger.
I had always scrupulously aired every irritation as soon as possible, to make sure I vented all bad feelings before bedtime. Studies show, however, that the notion of anger catharsis is poppycock. Expressing anger related to minor, fleeting annoyances just amplifies bad feelings, while not expressing anger often allows it to dissipate. (See 16 Ways to Manage Your Anger from Real Simple)

3. Fake it till you feel it.
Feelings follow actions. If I’m feeling low, I deliberately act cheery, and I find myself actually feeling happier. If I’m feeling angry at someone, I do something thoughtful for her and my feelings toward her soften. This strategy is uncannily effective.

4. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly.
Challenge and novelty are key elements of happiness. The brain is stimulated by surprise, and successfully dealing with an unexpected situation gives a powerful sense of satisfaction. People who do new things — learn a game, travel to unfamiliar places — are happier than people who stick to familiar activities that they already do well. I often remind myself to “Enjoy the fun of failure” and tackle some daunting goal.

5. Don’t treat the blues with a “treat.”
Often the things I choose as “treats” aren’t good for me. The pleasure lasts a minute, but then feelings of guilt and loss of control and other negative consequences deepen the lousiness of the day. While it’s easy to think, I’ll feel good after I have a few glasses of wine…a pint of ice cream…a cigarette…a new pair of jeans, it’s worth pausing to ask whether this will truly make things better.

6. Buy some happiness.
Our basic psychological needs include feeling loved, secure, and good at what we do and having a sense of control. Money doesn’t automatically fill these requirements, but it sure can help. I’ve learned to look for ways to spend money to stay in closer contact with my family and friends; to promote my health; to work more efficiently; to eliminate sources of irritation and marital conflict; to support important causes; and to have enlarging experiences. For example, when my sister got married, I splurged on a better digital camera. It was expensive, but it gave me a lot of happiness bang for the buck.

7. Don’t insist on the best.
There are two types of decision makers. Satisficers (yes, satisficers) make a decision once their criteria are met. When they find the hotel or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied. Maximizers want to make the best possible decision. Even if they see a bicycle or a backpack that meets their requirements, they can’t make a decision until they’ve examined every option. Satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers expend more time and energy reaching decisions, and they’re often anxious about their choices. Sometimes good enough is good enough.

8. Exercise to boost energy.
I knew, intellectually, that this worked, but how often have I told myself, “I’m just too tired to go to the gym”? Exercise is one of the most dependable mood-boosters. Even a 10-minute walk can brighten my outlook. Try one of these 15-Minute Workouts.

9. Stop nagging.
I knew my nagging wasn’t working particularly well, but I figured that if I stopped, my husband would never do a thing around the house. Wrong. If anything, more work got done. Plus, I got a surprisingly big happiness boost from quitting nagging. I hadn’t realized how shrewish and angry I had felt as a result of speaking like that. I replaced nagging with the following persuasive tools: wordless hints (for example, leaving a new lightbulb on the counter); using just one word (saying “Milk!” instead of talking on and on); not insisting that something be done on my schedule; and, most effective of all, doing a task myself. Why did I get to set the assignments?

10. Take action.
Some people assume happiness is mostly a matter of inborn temperament: You’re born an Eeyore or a Tigger, and that’s that. Although it’s true that genetics play a big role, about 40 percent of your happiness level is within your control. Taking time to reflect, and conscious steps to make your life happier, really does work. So use these tips to start your own Happiness Project. I promise it won’t take you a whole year.

Here is a song my best friend loves. Hope you guys will like it too. Like King David who said, “I will not offer to the Lord that which cost me nothing.” Words that speak not only to giving sacrificially of our resources, but also to giving ourselves sacrificially.

I cannot come before my righteous Holy Lord
And offer to Him worldly things I do not need
And hope He's pleased
For He wants me to give, a heart that's truly His
An offering of the highest price
A servant whom, the Lord can use

I will not offer anything that costs me nothing
I'll place before Him nothing less than my very best
And if I'm called to sacrifice
It will be worthy of my Christ
I will not offer anything that costs me nothing

To serve Him is my goal, how could I withhold
Whatever's mine He's given me, it's not my own
It's His alone
Whatever He requires, it is my desire
Whatever He may need from me,
I'll pay the cost, gain or loss

I will not offer anything that costs me nothing
I'll place before Him nothing less than my very best
And if I'm called to sacrifice
It will be worthy of my Christ
I will not offer anything that costs me nothing

Reason #1
Spoken by over 130 million people, Japanese is the among the top 10 languages on Earth.

Reason #2
In the world of console video games/Anime, it rises to 1st place!

Reason #3
Japanese is the language used by all those wonderful import games you wish you could buy (but don't buy because you don't understand the language)

Reason #4
Even today, Japanese voice actors tend to put more soul and realism into their Anime roles than their American counterparts (not to anger any dub fans out there). Wouldn't it be nice to have the best of both worlds? Good (Japanese) voice acting without having to read your Anime!

Reason #5
There are a LOT of Anime series (and video games) out there in Japanese only. Some good titles too! It would be nice to be able to understand them.

Reason #6
Many of your family, friends, and co-workers believe Japanese is hard. Show them what you can do! ^_^ They'll think you have special talent or something. Actually, anyone can learn it if they want to.

Reason #7
"Speaks Japanese" looks great on a resume, whatever your line of work. Knowing any second language helps, but Japanese will have a greater effect on an employer, since not many Americans know Japanese! (which can't be said for Spanish, for example)

Reason #8
Japanese has the reputation for being hard, but is actually just "different".

Reason #9
Japan has the second largest economy in the world, so their language is very relevant.

Reason #10
Japan has an interesting culture, much of which is reflected in the language.

Reason #11
Japan controls both the video game and Anime industries.
This allows you to learn a language while enjoying an Anime or playing a video game! What other language gives you such opportunities?

Guys, I want to thank u for viewing my blog.

Growth is a normal expression of Life. Whether we think of plants, animals, or people, we expect them to grow. When something or someone doesn’t grow, we know something is wrong. As a Christian, we should grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Unlike physical growth, spiritual growth doesn’t stop at any age. It doesn’t have a peak or through. You just keep on growing. Paul commended the Thessalonians believers for their seeking to please God and love to other believers. And yet, in the instances he urged them to do “more and more.” Paul even said we need milk, not solid food, for we are not ready for it. No one is an adult Christian, we only be called adult if we are already with our Father in Heaven; thus the growing never stops …

As I had promised...pics and vids from the camp...Hope u all like it coz I do...

Camp

1. Update Regularly. Readers are a very fickle lot. If you keep them waiting for days at a time, you will lose your audience.
2. Post your URL in email signatures, or invite people you know to visit, hoping they will spread the word. But don’t spam people with your blog link. Spammers are hated.
3. Exchange link with other bloggers, or use link exchange programs such as Technorati.com and Referer.org.
4. Be interesting. Once you have established a regular readership, keep entries interesting enough that they will keep reading. Blogging about laundry day doesn’t have to be boring.
5. Write well. It doesn’t have to be in English; you can blog in your native language, if you‘re that good, people will read you.
6. Don’t write about your company. If it’s a personal blog, avoid discussing details about your work. More than a few bloggers have gotten into trouble for doing this. Most companies will not be happy if you broadcast confidential matters, even if you thought it was too funny not to be shared. This is not the fame you’d want.
7. Run Google Adesense ads. A lot of people have actually earned from it. But keep in mind that this works only if your site is so popular that the probability of people clicking on the ads is high.

My Personal Add: Blogs are not made in order to please people but to praise God but in order to reach out to other people we sometimes need to use some promotional technique or gimmiks..

Hi! I want to thank all the people who viewed my 1^st ever blog. This blog is long been delayed. (someone pushes me to make one and finally that person got his/her wish) I will be writing stuffs about my life experiences, reflections, Japanese(culture and language), Bible passages, important stuffs, pictures, videos and anything under the sun. Anyway, if you have any suggestion you want me to discuss feel free to put it in my suggestion box. Thanks. Exalt be God!!!