Inherently Happy

Happy Assumptions - Ep. 390

Assumptions save time, but at what cost?
Check them with reality or you might get lost.

[entire episode script below]

 

Ep. 390 - Happy Assumptions

We begin as always 
with the Happy Creed.

We believe in Happy, 
in Balance and Growth, 
of being Mindful and Grateful,
Compassionate and Understanding.

Yowza
Haha
My Happy Friends!

You ever assume things? ‘Course you do, we all do.
We assume big things like that tomorrow will arrive as expected,
And small things like a rubber ball will bounce back to you,
And even medium things like mistakes will repeat if left uncorrected.

I once assumed a driver who cut me off on the road had it in for me,
So I raced up beside him and threw him a glare,
Only to realize that he was in his own world on the phone and did not see,
Didn’t care, wasn’t being mean because he was completely unaware.

My assumption met reality and my assumption failed,
I had built something up that existed entirely within my own mind,
Oh, how spectacularly wrong I was, I wailed,
How quickly I felt justified in becoming monumentally unkind!

I thought it was my right, nay, my obligation to fix that guy’s wagon, 
When he was already having a hard time of it and so I immediately felt bad, 
Was I the bully? Oh, no! That mustn’t be! I didn’t want to be a fire breathing dragon!
Laying waste to the countryside because someone made me slightly mad.

So, I slowed my roll, 
calmed myself down, 
regained control, 
and unclenched my frown.

I thought of all the things we assume that may not be helpful at all,
Assuming all plants are safe to eat, for instance, is not the best way to go,
But also assuming that some activities are no fun when they could be a ball,
You have to try new things to know for sure, but you can be careful even so.

I’ve assumed that bullies were all out to get me, but they were making assumptions too,
They thought I was a threat to what they considered cool and so wanted to mock me,
But if they got to know me, some of them actually quite liked me--a friendly breakthrough!
Where they saw that reality wasn’t quite as bad as they had assumed--and that’s the key!

Having assumptions is a handy shortcut for a lot of things--water is wet, fire is hot,
But we still have to test those assumptions against reality to make sure we’re staying on track,
Otherwise we may discover truths that are exactly the opposite of what we thought,
And instead of moving forward we find ourselves lost and having to go all the way back.

Haha
Yowza

 

Happy Worth - Ep. 389

Facts or Values, which do you consider the more important of the two?
Do you hold in higher regard objective truths, or subjective moral codes?
Do you consider logic to be the only worthy standard for all you think, say and do?
Or are ethical considerations more effective in the prevention of behavior that erodes?

 

[full episode script below]

Ep. 389 - Happy Worth

We begin as always 
with the Happy Creed.

We believe in Happy, 
in Balance and Growth, 
of being Mindful and Grateful,
Compassionate and Understanding.

Yowza
Haha
My Happy Friends!

Facts or Values, which do you consider the more important of the two?
Do you hold in higher regard objective truths, or subjective moral codes?
Do you consider logic to be the only worthy standard for all you think, say and do?
Or are ethical considerations more effective in the prevention of behavior that erodes?

My dad was a very logical man. He did his crossword puzzles in ink and never got them wrong,
But he was also a church-going man and felt that faith was needed to establish rules of conduct,
He was also a very angry man whose own behavior was often as disruptive as the day is long, 
Someone who used his faith to wash away his guilt so that he wouldn’t self-destruct.

But he never changed his attitude, he stayed Mean, and just prayed a little on the weekend,
I never thought morality should be something you keep resetting week after week,
It should be a guiding principle that stays with you and supports you like a very good friend, 
Not something that rinses the crud off you just so you can wallow in it once more, so to speak.

I think it’s possible to consider both the head and the heart when you make a decision,
It doesn’t have to be either/or, you can take both evidence, and your beliefs into account,
In fact, that might be the ideal scenario, as opposed to an angry or violent collision,
Resulting in a host of problems not even the world’s greatest negotiator could surmount.

Your Happy Worth depends on the Balance and Growth you’re able to achieve,
Not the fights, not the destruction, not the strife, not the havoc you can wreak,
But the gratitude you can maintain and the compassionate outlook in which you believe,
For it is those Facts And Values that will help you find the peaceful passion that you seek.

Haha
Yowza

Happy Fairness - Ep. 388

Happy Fairness means being impartial, respectful, true and just, 
It means treating people with the humanity that they’ve earned,
Throwing in some decency, tolerance and integrity is, for many, a must,
As well as any civil and rational behaviors previously learned.

Recomended Episode:

Ep. 226 - Fair Happy

 

[full episode script below]

 

Ep. 388 - Happy Fairness

We begin as always 
with the Happy Creed.

We believe in Happy, 
in Balance and Growth, 
of being Mindful and Grateful,
Compassionate and Understanding.

Yowza
Haha
My Happy Friends!

Happy Fairness means being impartial, respectful, true and just, 
It means treating people with the humanity that they’ve earned,
Throwing in some decency, tolerance and integrity is, for many, a must,
As well as any civil and rational behaviors previously learned.

I have a very strong sense of fairness, due to the all unfairness that I’ve seen,
And not just to me, but when other people are treated unfairly too,
I know how awful it feels to suffer injustice, and I hate it when anyone’s Mean, 
But I especially hate it when friends betray friends, that’s something you just don’t do.

I’ve had a few pals, a few cronies, a few chums, who absolutely stabbed me in the back,
Without a second thought either, just took something they wanted and to heck with me,
A potential romance, a job opportunity, a privilege I was due--just an absolute bushwhack,
Almost with a maniacal glee to see me suffer thus proving they were never Family.

It’s heartbreaking--after I was so sure I could trust their loyalty,
The one thing I could count on--I  thought I at least had that,
Then realizing I never really knew them at all--seeing what villains they could be,
And then I started worrying that every friendship would end in psychological combat.

But there is still fairness to be found in the world, and that fairness can begin with you, 
Don’t let them corrupt you with their bitter selfishness, like someone corrupted them,
This doesn’t mean to just let people walk all over you, no, you deserve respect too,
As long as you earn it, it’s not an automatic thing, that’s unfair, and that would be mayhem.

But disrespect shouldn’t be automatic either, so don’t pick fights just because you expect fights, 
Odd as it sounds, but bullies are people too--they want Balance and Growth and all that stuff,
They attack others to avoid winding up in someone else’s sights,
But if you uphold Happy Fairness then you’ll show others that enough’s enough.

In my younger school days I was bullied by groups of kids, but not if I could get them alone,
Then they actually talked to me and were even Nice, though I knew it wouldn’t last,
They didn’t want to get targeted for not going along, they couldn’t handle being on their own,
In college I even did Nice things for my bullies--you wouldn’t believe the goodwill that amassed.

Sure, I wished they would all get boils up their rears and worms in their ears, 
But I never actually did anything to them, I just maintained my own sense of fair play, 
So when others tried to target them, I stood up for them even against my peers,
And converted many bullies into friends, staying true to myself and the Inherently Happy Way.

Haha
Yowza

 

Happy Courage - Ep. 387

Trying new things can be scary at first, 
You may feel uneasy and start thinking the worst, 
But if you can keep on going for just a little bit longer,
You may just find that your confidence gets a whole lot stronger.

[entire episode script below]

Ep. 387 - Happy Courage

We begin as always 
with the Happy Creed.

We believe in Happy, 
in Balance and Growth, 
of being Mindful and Grateful,
Compassionate and Understanding.

Yowza
Haha
My Happy Friends!

Trying new things can be scary at first, 
You may feel uneasy and start thinking the worst, 
But if you can keep on going for just a little bit longer,
You may just find that your confidence gets a whole lot stronger.

Because part of the fear comes from the unknown,
And from the uncertainty that can become overblown,
But as you get familiar with the situation at hand, 
Your outlook improves as you begin to understand.

You then start to notice things you didn’t notice before, 
Opportunities to advance and raise your overall score, 
Expectations you can manage and allies you can make,
Challenges you can handle and chances you can take.

Happy Courage isn’t a total lack of anxiety or worry or fear,
It’s, instead, your refusal to cower or shrink when those things may appear,
You don’t need to avoid nervousness in order to act, 
Happy Courage means you keep going even if you feel like you’re being attacked.

Many’s the time when I was an absolute bundle of nerves,
But that often juiced up my flagging energy reserves,
I’ve asked girls to dance, and spoken on stage,
I’ve defended myself in a fight against someone in an absolute rage.

You don’t need to hide from the world just because it’s a tad frightening,
That’s as silly as hiding underwater to avoid bolts of lightning,
But instead you should learn to face up to challenges both old and new,
Because Happy Courage is you being your most courageous you!

Haha
Yowza

Happy Still - Ep. 386

If you get so mad that you want to explode, 
Then you’ll always find reasons to overload, 
You’ll keep chasing the high of that pressure release,
Declaring war every time you really want peace.

 

[entire episode script below]

Ep. 386 - Happy Still

We begin as always 
with the Happy Creed.

We believe in Happy, 
in Balance and Growth, 
of being Mindful and Grateful,
Compassionate and Understanding.

Yowza
Haha
My Happy Friends!

If you get so mad that you want to explode, 
Then you’ll always find reasons to overload, 
You’ll keep chasing the high of that pressure release,
Declaring war every time you really want peace.

You’ll create new problems, instead of achieving your goals,
Increasing your emptiness with all those self-made holes,
But if you stop trying to destroy, and try to connect,
Then there’ll be no need to fix, heal, save or resurrect.

Now I know the attraction of a bout of righteous wrath, 
But it can lead you headlong down a sick and woeful path,
Where everything is loud and mean and you have to fight your way through,
Because you’re trapped in a battle, when, really, the enemy is you.

And the time to stop the skirmish is not when your smack in the middle, 
But before you even get started if you’d just prepare yourself a little,
Because you shouldn’t be so surprised if you tend to blow your top, 
When it happens yet again after you hoped that it would stop.

You can’t just wing it, you actually have to prepare to keep your cool, 
Plan ahead for any possible triggers, and practice not acting like a fool, 
Allow yourself to take your time, don’t let the process itself make you mad, 
Or you’ve defeated the whole purpose, and let your goodwill go bad.

But you have to realize for yourself that a short-lived burst of rage isn’t worth your dreams,
That the power you feel for only a moment isn’t quite as triumphant as it seems, 
Because it erodes your sense of balance, your sense of growth, your peace of mind,
And that can make you bitter, cranky, argumentative, and extremely unkind.

And, like I say, I know all about it, I’ve yelled and I’ve raged,
I acted like a wild animal who deserved to be caged,
I’ve thought to myself, “well, maybe this is just me,”
But I’m here to tell you, it doesn’t have to be!”

You can choose your own behavior, your own thoughts, your own traits, 
You don’t need all that anger to be one of the greats,
You can find power in the calmness, the control and the Will, 
And see that through it all you can be Happy Still.

Haha
Yowza

 

Happy Fortitude - Ep. 385

Happy Fortitude is the faith you have in your own inner strength, 
It’s the grit you got--to tell yourself to get up, and try once more,
It’s your resilience, knowing that you will go to any length
To keep from quitting, dropping the ball, or running out the back door.

[entire episode script below]

Ep. 385 - Happy Fortitude

We begin as always 
with the Happy Creed.

We believe in Happy, 
in Balance and Growth, 
of being Mindful and Grateful,
Compassionate and Understanding.

Yowza
Haha
My Happy Friends!

Happy Fortitude is the faith you have in your own inner strength, 
It’s the grit you got--to tell yourself to get up, and try once more,
It’s your resilience, knowing that you will go to any length
To keep from quitting, dropping the ball, or running out the back door.

I’ve known people who would give up when things got the least bit hard, 
People with no resolve, who couldn’t see anything through to the end, 
Who could never be counted on to stand up or stay true in any regard,
Such people with zero backbone aren’t those anyone would want to call a friend.

Friends are those who’ll stay with you even when times ain’t easy,
Those you can depend on even when you’re not at your best,
People who can stomach hardship without getting too queasy,
Keeping it together through such trials is indeed the true test.

But, hey, I get it, if you take the coward’s way out, the shortcut, the cheat,
Well, then you ensure you’ll live to fight another day--well, to cower anyway.
‘Cause that’s the thing, ain’t it? You’re just proving to yourself that you can be beat,
Every time you recoil, flinch, shiver or shake, you turn yourself into Fortune’s prey.

But what if instead you took every opportunity to prove to yourself you can stick it out,
That you can last a little longer, try a little harder, keep pushing, keep going, stay strong?
It doesn’t even have to be anything big, every example builds you up and helps defeat doubt,
Until before you know it, you aren’t the craven, trembling, quail you’ve been for far too long.

Because Happy Fortitude means you don’t crumble when life get tough,
You're secure regardless of the difficulty or trouble,
Because you know that you can dig deep and trust that you have power enough
To endure any storm, and watch your confidence double.

Haha
Yowza

More Happy Grace - Ep. 384

Happy Grace means that you reserve judgment when you encounter mistakes,
And act with tolerance and patience allowing everyone to learn, and find their flow,
It’s not the same as encouraging yourself or others to act like a bunch of flakes,
But about acceptance, and allowing everyone the space to give it another go.

Ep. 156 - Happy Grace

 

[entire script below]

 

Ep. 384 - More Happy Grace

We begin as always 
with the Happy Creed.

We believe in Happy, 
in Balance and Growth, 
of being Mindful and Grateful,
Compassionate and Understanding.

Yowza
Haha
My Happy Friends!

Happy Grace means that you reserve judgment when you encounter mistakes,
And act with tolerance and patience allowing everyone to learn, and find their flow,
It’s not the same as encouraging yourself or others to act like a bunch of flakes,
But about acceptance, and allowing everyone the space to give it another go.

And that’s not accomplished by gritting your teeth and trying not to explode, 
Happy Grace is a choice you make to see the world as a dynamic journey, 
Not some administrative chore you’re saddled with by durable power of attorney,
But a life full of experiences and feelings best grabbed by the armload.

I’ve been a maintenance man, an executive assistant, and a live-in babysitter,
I’ve been a food server, an emcee, a tutor, a retail clerk, and a stagehand,
So, I’ve had to serve, announce, teach, sit and wait for others, ‘cause I ain’t no quitter,
And seeing how slow, dull and futile some things can be helped me to understand.

Understand what? Understand how frustrating and painful some things can be,
Well, how is that helpful? You may well ask! And I’ll tell you--it helps keep you aware.
Aware of what, you’ll, no doubt, want to know! Aware of how to accept things calmly,
How to manage expectations, which leads to greater composure and less open warfare.

Happy Grace is what allows you to try again and again after failing multiple times, 
It’s what grants you hope and renewed vigor well after you feel you’ve lost it, 
It’s what keeps you rooting for those who seem to have long since passed their primes,
And it’s the very thing that keeps you from ever, ever, ever trying to quit.

Haha
Yowza

 

Happy Mood Mastery - Ep. 383

In order to achieve Balanced Growth--and also to keep it going,
You’ll need three things to keep the old Mood Wisdom flowing,
The Three Cs of Mood Expertise: Communication, Comprehension, and Control. 
Being able to recognize, realize, and regulate emotions will help you feel whole.

Happy Leaders - Ep. 382

Happy Leaders are C.H.A.R.M.E.D. 
Where being informed is the same as forearmed. 
Initials that describe the ideals, 
And are easily recalled--which always appeals!

Happy Mountains - Ep. 381

We all have mountains we must climb,
And that comes in many forms,
From the rough to the sublime,
To find sunlight through the storms.