Inherently Happy

Happy Tools - Ep. 417

We can get stuck into habits, our movements get restricted,
Our quick fixes become crutches, making us addicted.
When really it’s connection we need, not escape, not solitude,
But people to relate to, mind to mind and mood to mood.

 

[full text below]

 

Ep. 417 - Happy Tools

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!

Don’t fight your moods, they aren’t monstrous ghouls,
They aren’t traps or weapons either, they’re just tools.
Moods are your instruments, your dials, and your gauges, 
Helping you navigate all your mortal human stages.

We can get stuck into habits, our movements get restricted,
Our quick fixes become crutches, making us addicted.
When really it’s connection we need, not escape, not solitude,
But people to relate to, mind to mind and mood to mood.

We’re social creatures, and so we long for meaningful relationships with others,
That’s why we form groups and clubs, treating our friends like sisters and brothers.
And when those connections fail, it can feel like a terrible and tragic loss,
Making us want to dull any and all pain we happen to come across.

And for a moment we feel better, because we released some of the pressure, 
But then it comes right back all the stronger with a pain that only gets fresher,
And then we use that same crutch again, that last resort fix that becomes a vice,
But we need more each time just to feel less than normal and not even halfway nice.

It makes you not want to be alone with your thoughts, because thinking turns to worry,
But that’s because you avoid your own moods, always trying to shut them off in a hurry,
If instead you would change your approach, and stop thinking of them as things to avoid,
You’d see that for living a fuller life, they are the best tools that could ever be employed.

Happy Tools are those that make our lives easier to handle, not harder or more demanding, 
Moods let us cope with hardships freeing up our horizons to be ever expanding,
They’re meant to be tested, honed, practiced and drilled, skills to be improved upon,
Not things to be shunned, resented, silenced, hidden, disregarded or wished to be gone.

Laugh, cry, scream, frown, smile, just a little bit every day,
If you fight or suppress your moods, then their power will decay,
But if you get familiar with them, little by little, and bit by bit, 
Then you’ll have greater control, and life will be a better fit.

Haha
Yowza

 

 

Happy Learning - Ep. 416

Happy Learning is about finding the simplicity of a subject so it’s not something you hate,
This starts with first breaking it down to its most basic forms, it’s okay to start slow,
Don’t get hung up on having to be complex, if you understand the basics, you're doing great,
And then it might click for you and you’ll want to keep at it and see where it, and you, can go.

[full text below]

Ep. 416 - Happy Learning

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!

I like to learn new things and then share the things I’ve learned, 
Sometimes I share those things with myself in case I forget,
So it has to make sense to me first, as far as I’m concerned,
But if I get it well enough to teach myself, then it’s no sweat.

When I was a kid, I didn’t really pick things up very quick,
I figured I must be slow and so I readjusted my life to match,
But then when I got to my late teens things started to click,
I finally could take subjects I liked and so I rebuilt myself from scratch.

But even after I actually got into college and made the lofty Honor Roll,
I still never lost the feeling of all those years when I thought I was dumb,
So I took my time to make sure I understood things completely, as a whole,
And once I did I could then convert them into simple rules of thumb.

No matter how complex the subject, if I could take my time, I could break it down,
And if I could do that, I could fully understand it backwards and forwards, inside and out,
Whether it was physics, poetry, computer science--you name it! I could go to town!
And then I could teach it to others, if it was something they cared to learn about.

Like, for some classes, we had to read stories from hundreds of years ago, 
I’m talking like four-hundred, six-hundred, even a thousand years ago or more!
And if you think your parents talk weird compared to you--you don’t even know!
It’s like learning a foreign language and it took me forever--talk about a chore!

But once I read all the footnotes and the study guides and it finally made sense, 
Then I realized why people still liked those stories--they’re good, and funny, and deep,
So, I went to class excited to delve into them, expecting the debates to get intense,
But instead, nobody said a word! All my work was for nothing! It made me want to weep!

But rather than waste my time in dull classrooms, I decided to share what I’d read,
So, I told my classmates that I’d tell them the plots of the reading, so class could be fun,
So, they sat on the carpet in the lobby outside the library, and listened to everything I said,
I told them tales of adventure, scary dreams, lasting love, and everything else under the sun.

They sat cross-legged, their chins resting on their fists, all shining eyes and smiling faces,
And then, the next time we had class, they all chimed in, and the teacher was delighted,
It made for an engaging discussion, everyone was animated and we were off to the races,
Because they were informed, and in a simple way, so they could get it, and be excited.

Did I dumb it down for them? I think I just made it clear, really, and it made it fun for me too,
Like, if you have to learn a dead language just to read the homework--who’s going to do that?
And for most of them this wasn’t even their major, so really not something they were going to do,
Which meant I would’ve been doomed to painfully silent classes that fell completely flat.

So, what’s the lesson here? What am I reminding myself about, and for what?
Is it that you’re smarter than you think you are? That education can be fun?
Am I revealing my outlook on life, that you can go with your head, and go with your gut?
You know, probably a little of all of those things because who’s just one thing? No one.

Like me, I like to read now, but sometimes I get lazy and would rather watch TV,
I like to write, to research, to discuss, but I also like games and a really good nap,
You can bring creativity and play into your study subjects, you can let them be free,
Education doesn’t have to be painful, because then you’ll dread it and that’s the trap.

I’ve studied all sorts of subjects across every discipline of science, philosophy and art,
And I’ve always tried to bring some playfulness to it, and teachers have responded well,
This is their life’s work, after all, their calling, their passion, they love it with all their heart,
And the way you catch a glimpse of that is by simplifying, and turning it into a show-and-tell.

Happy Learning is about finding the simplicity of a subject so it’s not something you hate,
This starts with first breaking it down to its most basic forms, it’s okay to start slow,
Don’t get hung up on having to be complex, if you understand the basics, you're doing great,
And then it might click for you and you’ll want to keep at it and see where it, and you, can go.

Haha
Yowza

 

Happy Flow - Ep. 415

Happy Flow is choosing to go in the direction of Balanced Growth,
Not to paddle upstream or let your mind wander and your thoughts scatter,
But to fully immerse yourself in the activity, in the form and the content both,
So that you can focus, attend, and fully apply yourself to the current matter.

[full text below]

Ep. 415 - Happy Flow

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!

Some things hurt more the more you fight them, while other things may simply break,
If you’ve ever had a sudden dread about what might happen, like a health scare,
Then you know the fear it can instill within you and all the stress it can make
As you try not to think about it, you try to carry on, even while the panic is still there.

But fighting your possible future can destroy your actual present and leave you wanting,
Unable to cope with the business of living because of something that may not come to pass,
Robbing you of vitality, hope and good cheer, turning your dreams into something haunting,
Where every effort is painful, every decision dire, and every doubt is just there to harass.

Happy Flow is choosing to go in the direction of Balanced Growth,
Not to paddle upstream or let your mind wander and your thoughts scatter,
But to fully immerse yourself in the activity, in the form and the content both,
So that you can focus, attend, and fully apply yourself to the current matter.

This allows your efforts to work in unison, and not be fragmented, wasted, or lost,
You become absorbed and carried along, your attention becomes effortless and controlled,
You’re able to keep going without self-consciousness and with very little mental cost,
Because your actions and intentions are aligned making the process a thing to behold.

Haha 
Yowza

 

 

Happy Emotia - Ep. 414

Emotional Inertia is the tendency for moods to stay as they are, 
Whether they're an iceberg or a shooting star, 
Learning control can improve our skill, 
So we don't go wild our lose our will.

 

[full text below]

 

Ep. 414 - Happy Emotia

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!

Emotia is a word I made by combining the words Emotion and Inertia into one,
Emotion is Feelings, and Inertia is the tendency for things to stay as they are,
So, like, a car may be hard to move, or hard to stop because it weighs a ton,
Just like a heavy mood may be the same way because of how much we care.

If you’re having a meltdown and someone tells you to chill--your mood might not change,
Though granted, it’s not quite the same as trying to stop a speeding car, of course,
Emotia is just a way of saying that moods have momentum both short- and long-range,
Like, a heavy mood is harder to lighten up because it just seems to have more force.

Then, once you see moods as having weight, practicing them becomes exercise,
And just like you wouldn’t enter an athletic competition without training first,
You need to practice agility, strength and control over your emotions to maximize
Your ability to be able to handle whatever life throws your way from best to worst.

This is why you may find it tough to “snap out of it,” when things begin to confound,
Or why it may take a minute to get “in the mood,” whatever mood that may happen to be,
And this can apply to phobias as well--if you’re afraid of dogs, then don’t visit the pound,
And if every attempt to kick a bad habit fails, it may take a gradual approach to break free.

Happy Emotia is having a good handle on your moods, good craft, good skill,
You don’t try to rush them or run them too hot from a cold start if you can help it,
You do your warm ups and cool downs so you don’t pull something or make yourself ill,
And you make sure you get in some good mood drills every day to stay ready and fit.

And that could just involve thinking about a mood like Sadness or Hope,
And then maybe moving on to Anger, Joy, Guilt and Fear, 
Watch a movie, listen to a song, write out your feelings in order to cope,
Learning to get comfortable with emotions prepares you for the next time they appear.

Haha
Yowza

 

Happy Loss - Ep. 413

Happy Loss is understanding that the things we care about are precious to us
Precisely because they have a shelf life, and a temporary lifespan,
People, pets, and potential don’t last forever, which is why we make such a fuss,
And should appreciate and connect with them now, and for as long as we can.

[full text below]

Ep. 413 - Happy Loss

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!

Sometimes you lose things--your keys, your socks, the remote, or maybe even your way, 
And it can be quite heart-breaking because suddenly life stops making sense,
Now, I’m not suggesting you should be glad to lose the things you had hoped would stay,
But neither should you let it derail you or make you think it’s a deliberate occurrence.

I was eight before I first started to doubt that things would always work out for me,
Which really hurt because when I was seven I was so sure I was the chosen one,
I’d been so cute and popular that people used to fight over whose best friend I’d be,
But as my cuteness faded so too did my popularity and with it all my hope, joy and fun.

I turned bitter, angry and fearful, I broke things, I burned things, and I learned how to hate,
I got bullied by what seemed to be everyone, some actively, some passively,
But as they all contributed to my maddening isolation, I couldn’t really differentiate,
And so I cursed them all, some just slightly, others quite massively.

Why had I lost everything? I howled. Just when things had been going so well, too?
If I hadn’t been so popular to begin with, then the fall wouldn’t have been quite so tragic,
But I became a widespread subject of scorn and ridicule and there was nothing I could do
Except vow revenge on all those who I blamed for taking away my good luck and magic.

But when things end, finding perspective may be the only thing to save you from despair,
I had to tell myself that at least I wasn’t dead or imprisoned, I was merely mistreated,
The world had abandoned me and so I turned my back on it--which is only fair, 
And I started rebuilding my life in spite of my losses--for I’m not one to be defeated.

It got worse before it got better, but the time I took learning about myself was time well spent,
Often we go through life not really testing or pushing ourselves and I was basically asleep,
It took losing my illusions to make me realize that I should never be idle or overly content,
Because time is too valuable to waste being lazy or shallow, and never digging too deep.

Part of being human is dealing with loss, it’s just how it sometimes goes,
Relationships end, loved ones pass away, good fortune turns bad, and dreams disappear,
But to go insane, to cut yourself off from living, or to stop caring is not what I’d propose, 
For it’s the very fact that things only last for a limited time that makes them feel so dear.

Happy Loss is understanding that the things we care about are precious to us
Precisely because they have a shelf life, and a temporary lifespan,
People, pets, and potential don’t last forever, which is why we make such a fuss,
And should appreciate and connect with them now, and for as long as we can.

Haha
Yowza

Happy Self-Confidence - Ep. 412

Happy Self-Confidence is about accepting yourself as you are,
About owning the moment, and trusting that you can succeed,
Even if that moment is you apologizing, you do it like a star,
You don’t second-guess or shy away, you just confidently proceed.

[full text below]

Ep. 412 - Happy Self-Confidence

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 Self-Confidence is about accepting yourself as you are,
About owning the moment, and trusting that you can succeed,
Even if that moment is you apologizing, you do it like a star,
You don’t second-guess or shy away, you just confidently proceed.

You face the music, take responsibility, and do what needs to be done,
You don’t wish for a different past, you just work towards a better day,
You don’t cower, complain, act cocky or deflect blame onto anyone,
You just try to improve yourself to be a little bit better in every way.

A tall order, to be sure, but I’ve seen people who simply refuse to even try,
They prefer to deny reality, to avoid growth, to have a temper tantrum, to hide,
Wishing things were different while doing the same things and wondering why--
Why they doubt themselves and have no trust or individual faith deep inside.

The first step is getting to know your limits, learning what frightens you,
Maybe being wrong makes you so mad that it keeps you from striving,
Which means those are the things you have to practice and work through,
If you ever hope to go from struggling and hating to learning and thriving.

Haha 
Yowza

Happy Preparation - Ep. 411

If you know the old saying about Luck being Opportunity meeting Preparation, 
And then go looking for opportunities first, you may be focusing on the wrong side, 
For it’s the preparation that reveals the opportunities, and causes their activation
Of all the luck you couldn’t see before because you hadn’t yet hit your stride.

 

[full text below]

 

Ep. 411 - Happy Preparation

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 know the old saying about Luck being Opportunity meeting Preparation, 
And then go looking for opportunities first, you may be focusing on the wrong side, 
For it’s the preparation that reveals the opportunities, and causes their activation
Of all the luck you couldn’t see before because you hadn’t yet hit your stride.

One thing you can do to prepare is build your emotional intelligence--your mood intellect,
Like, when things get stressful--How do you react? Do you rage, cry, and complain?
Or are you able to take a breath, stay calm, reevaluate, and then redirect
Your efforts and intentions, so you can find a way through instead of focusing on the pain.

I get frustrated. I get mad. I sometimes want to slap a fool for being so unkind, 
but that just adds more Meanness to the world, and I prefer to keep things Nice--
I acknowledge it to myself, and then dismiss it from my mind,
--Resist worrying about anything not worth the mental sacrifice.

And if you find it hard to tap into your inner feelings, then look at it another way--
Don’t think of it as being weird or soft, but instead as a way to build your agility.
If you can keep your emotions from scaring or controlling you, then you won’t fall prey,
And will, instead, be able to regulate your own moods with artful ability.

When you get upset at someone and they don't take it seriously--doesn’t that make you mad?
You wonder why you can’t affect their mood, and that they must be very tranquil and wise, 
To be self-regulated like that, deciding when they want to be mad, sad or even glad,
--The more familiar you are with your own moods, the easier it is to spot their compelling lies.

They tell you that the madder you get, the more triumphant the release of righteous indignation, 
The sadder you get, the deeper the connection you’ll have with yourself and humanity,
The gladder you get, the more power you can tap into for higher levels of operation,
But sometimes you just feel bothered, down, or manic trying to maintain your sanity.

If you keep letting the world determine your extremes, then you might not return, 
That’s why you need to practice control of your emotions for every situation,
Opportunities for Balance and Growth will reveal themselves as you learn,
Boosting confidence, and that all begins with Happy Preparation.

Haha 
Yowza

 

The Meanness Test - Ep. 410

The Meanness Test
Helps you gauge your threshold for emotional unrest.
What would it take for you to turn Mean?
How far must you be pushed to fully vent your spleen?

 

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Ep. 410 - The Meanness Test

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!

Would you like to take the Meanness Test?
It can help you gauge your threshold for emotional unrest.
You just ask yourself what it would take for you to turn Mean?
How far must you be pushed to fully vent your spleen?

With some people, all it takes is a Monday morning,
With others, someone would have to burn their house down,
What’s it for you? What can cause you to rage out with little to no warning?
And make your inner vengeance monster escape, and go to town?

Let’s test it, shall we?
Not for real, but just to see.

Let’s say you drive up to a four-way stop and it’s just you and one other car,
You got there first, so you have the right of way, but they take it away from you.
Do you lean on the horn? Do you race after them and tailgate or follow from afar?
Do you internalize their actions and let them decide what you do?

Or, let’s try this--you get to work early in order to get a jump on the day,
And someone chooses that moment to grind their coffee beans nearby,
The sound is so loud it sends all your thoughts into wild disarray,
So, do you start plotting their downfall, or just shrug your shoulders, smile and sigh?

Or how ‘bout this one? You’re pulling into a parking space, but you’re off center, 
So, you back up a tad to re-do it and get blasted by someone leaning on their car horn!
You get out and come face to face with some abusive, screaming tormentor,
Do you listen quietly or do you wish someone would’ve kept him from ever being born? 

Still feeling good? Or are you starting to crack?
Do you regret agreeing to this test? And wish you could take it back?
Hey, you can stop at any time, but you’ll miss the lesson if you do,
Because I am only citing examples that happened to me, in order to help you.

Here’s the capper. You come back early from your lunch break and are met by your boss,
He proceeds to berate you at the top of his lungs about something he blames you for,
And the kicker is, you didn’t even do it, so it leaves you at an utter and absolute loss,
So, do you fire back? Do you read him the riot act and bang his fat head against the door?

You want to know what I did?
I did not act Mean--heaven forbid!
Sure, I felt the unease,
But this is about Happy, so, please!

With the stop sign runner, I laughed and said “go get it, son!”
With the coffee bean grinder, I filmed myself reacting to all that fun!
With the parking lot yeller, I wrote down his license plate while I smiled,
And with that toxic boss, I talked to him calmly for an hour until he was no longer riled.

Having a sense of humor and the heart of a storyteller keeps me focused on the tale,
‘Cause it’s only when I take things too seriously that I start to crumble and fail.
I’ve laughed off punches, and insults, and bullies galore,
I’ve even helped others find the funny where they couldn’t before.

That’s my secret, that’s my trick, when someone makes me mad, I make a joke,
It helps me release all the fury before I suffer a Meanness stroke.
I want to stay Nice and I want to stay calm, it’s how I want to be, and what I want to do,
And why I drew a cartoon of someone being pushed off a cliff with the words “Okay, fine. Now I forgive you.”

Haha
Yowza

Happy Understanding - Ep. 409

Being able to understand opposing viewpoints isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength, 
Challenging our assumptions can help us enhance our critical thinking,
Boosting innovation and sparking creativity on a whole new wavelength,
Allowing us to face the future bravely, well-equipped and unblinking.

[full text below]

Ep. 409 - Happy Understanding

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!

We’re all part of the same species, all human beings here on Earth
The things that are true of any one of us, are also true of the rest,
We all live in the brief mortal span between death and birth, 
We all laugh, cry, eat, sleep, drink, relax and occasionally get stressed.

We can understand each other just by virtue of being part of the same Human Race,
We know the extremes of our own lives and can imagine the same in another’s,
Perhaps differing in intensity, frequency, quality, type, context or pace,
But we feel, think, live and love along the same lines as our sisters and our brothers.

And understanding this fact is the first step towards appreciation and respect,
We may not always agree, or even always get along, but we can still connect,
Our approaches may differ, but our goals are things we all hate to neglect,
And our failures are what we learn from despite being the things we’d like to reject.

We can cultivate our imaginations, and practice empathy, and compassion,
As long as we don’t discount others for not being part of the home team,
For they may still have things to teach us, as wisdom is never out of fashion,
And sharing different perspectives on humanity is easier than it may seem.

Being able to understand opposing viewpoints isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength, 
Challenging our assumptions can help us enhance our critical thinking,
Boosting innovation and sparking creativity on a whole new wavelength,
Allowing us to face the future bravely, well-equipped and unblinking.

Haha
Yowza

Mood Happy - Ep. 408

Handling your moods is your right, you can make them obey, 
For that is The Inherently Happy Way.

[full text below]

Ep. 408 - Mood Happy

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!

Why are we all saddled with these various human moods?
What reason is there for such a mess of sensitive interludes?

The primary moods, as I call them, of Mad, Sad and Glad,
And the secondary moods of Guilt, Fear and Hope--
Why are we subjected to each and every emotional doodad?
What is their purpose, their measure, their scope?

Why must we be victims of such strong feelings that so intrude, 
Are they not a sign of great weakness and all that that may include?

To that I say, nay, 
It’s only weakness to be at their mercy, letting them win night and day,
Being able to handle them is our right, get them to obey,
For that is 
The Inherently Happy Way.

It’s a human thing, it’s very plain, 
Please allow me to explain!

Glad is for bonding and for making close friends,
Sad is for empathy and for sharing troubles and pains, 
Mad is a warning of danger, and unpleasant ends.

Fear is the jolt that helps us escape ropes and chains,
Guilt is the shame that compels us to change and make amends,
And Hope is the outlook that encourages both hearts and brains.

They are tools, they are instruments, they are partners, pals, and chums,
And when wielded expertly they can help you face whatever comes.

So, make friends with your moods, get to know how you feel,
Practice them till you own them, or they’ll control your steering wheel.
Only use them as needed, don’t go wild, or get unhinged,
And the passions that might’ve overwhelmed you, will barely leave you singed.

Haha
Yowza