Road Map to Happiness

This book is a LIFE EDUCATION guide focused on each of the following: •Learning to understand WHAT we are and how to maintain good overall Health. •Learning to understand WHO we are NOW and our incredible Potential Future by fully utilising our INTUITION and the wisdom we have learned through our life. •Understanding and Optimising our Personal ATTRIBUTES, especially ATTITUDE; TRUTH and DISCERNMENT; RESPECT; UNITY. •Recognising and Utilising Life's OPPORTUNITIES. •Embracing quality RELATIONSHIPS throughout our life. •Being SUCCESSFUL - making a positive CONTRIBUTION and gaining increased WISDOM every day of our lives. •Being TRUSTED and LOVED by our family and friends. •Being a wonderful FAMILY, COMMUNITY and WORLD Citizen. HAPPINESS IS? Our level of true happiness depends upon five primary factors. •The first is our view of life and acceptance of the infinite possibilities available to us. •The second is about how unlimited our view of the world and universe in which we live is. •The third is our emotional intelligence in not allowing fear and negative emotions to limit our lives. •Fourthly, we need to understand and accept that we can only be the best we can be at any point in time given the experiences, wisdom, environment and circumstances of our life to that point in time. •Finally, we need to truly know and have real faith in ourselves - that we are leading a worthwhile life that continues to evolve positively. Within these, there are a further seven factors that largely shape who we are and the meaning our life has for us. •Our attitude, enthusiasm and proactivity - embracing all life has to offer •How well we listen to and are guided by our intuition and mentors. •Our personal focus -working together/sharing/'WE' (or competing/'ME'). •The wisdom we gain (or ignore) from each life experience. •How informed are our choices we make as well as the level of responsibility we take for each one. •The love we give and receive each day of our lives. •Truth, discernment, intent and the quality of our relationships with everyone, especially ourselves. The problem for most of us is that we get little education and guidance in these and other key aspects of life. EXPERIENCES, THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND PERCEPTIONS •Our lives are entirely made up of our experiences. Every experience in our lives begins with thought, and every thought creates a feeling within us. Our open-mindedness, intent and perception of our experiences (especially the tough ones) greatly impacts the degree of happiness we feel throughout our lives. RELATIONSHIPS •The quality of our lives is largely determined by the quality of the relationships we have throughout our lives, especially the relationship we have with ourselves. The quality of our upbringing and life-skill education is also vital. This and our ongoing learned experiences affect the quality of the decisions and actions we take throughout our lives. However, our primary focus (in ensuring positive relationships) needs to be on equality and harmony - treating others as we would like to be treated. •Mutual trust is mandatory for any positive relationship and comes from honestly listening, understanding and respecting each other's points of view. Without truth and discernment, we can never know ourselves, and so can never know anyone else either. Without harmony, there is no love of life. Honest, positive long term relationships are founded on: •Equality; truth; harmony; respect; trust; kindness; positive intent; •Always seeing the good in each other as well as each other's point of view; constant appreciation of the relationship; and •Constant discernment and open two way communication where both parties in their own way discuss, agree and modify the ground rules that ensure an ongoing positive relationship. In fact, is any relationship worthwhile without these attributes? This is equally important in a workplace as it is in a home or between friends. And yet the core issue in our own lives is the quality of the harmonious relationship we have with ourselves. If we do not truly understand what and who we are then we will always be uncertain in living our lives. And without knowing ourselves, we cannot be happy with who we are because we are then largely reliant on the media and association with friends and acquaintances for clues on how to act. If we know ourselves, we ensure harmony and determine our destiny. No sensible person is going to build a house without good foundations - so it is with relationships. The test of a great relationship is not when the weather is fine, but how well it endures in difficult conditions. OUR PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES •Our attitude to life has the greatest influence upon the relationships we attract throughout our lives. •`Do unto others as our wise, intuitive, discerning self would have done unto us' because that's what we receive in return. •Other key personal attributes that largely determine who we are and the quality of our relationships and experiences are: o Emotional intelligence - welcoming every life experience o Open, enquiring mind - ongoing acquisition of self-evident knowledge from mentors, formal education, books, internet etc. o Wisdom, integrity, courage, confidence and intent o Being proactive and taking personal responsibility o Living for now and appreciating every moment o Self-acceptance, self-reliance and self-discipline o Self-importance based on equality with all o Ability to always adopt positive life patterns o True personal freedom - embracing our opportunities and lessons o Awareness and recognition o Sharing not competing o Harmony and Balance o Trust worthiness o Respect and kindness for all o Self-motivation, commitment and enthusiasm All these are dealt with in this guide. •The single most important attribute is truth and discernment (without judgement) - without truth all the other attributes will be greatly diminished. If we can't trust ourselves, we can't truly trust anyone. •Then by fully embracing equality and focusing on seeing the best in everyone (especially ourselves) and how we can help others, we empower success in our lives.