If you’re happy and you know it…C’mon, I know you can finish this song. Most of the time, we figure we know when we’re happy and when we’re not, right?
Well, what if I told you many times when we think we’re happy, we don’t have authentic joy? The happiness is fleeting, dependent on the situation, circumstance or our varying moods. But joy, true joy, comes from within, and doesn’t just come and go like the changing weather.
What others say about joy: “Many people are chasing the American dream without realizing what really matters in order to live a joyful life,” said Shawn George, President of Elite Lighting Designs, Inc.
There’s truth to this statement, and the sad thing is, the majority of us wouldn’t even say we’re happy most of the time, let alone joyful. When we meet someone that has found the true meaning of life and is joyful, we think they’ve had a little too much of the kool-aid and we avoid them, believing they’re selling something.
This book has more: In Rethink Happy: An Entrepreneur’s Journey Toward Authentic Joy, Cleveland meets Camino at a point when Cleve thinks he’s got it all, and he’s not interested in whatever Camino’s selling. But Camino offers Cleve a free mentorship, leading him on a path of self-discovery and putting into practice virtues like faith, charity, hope, temperance, fortitude, prudence and wisdom.
Virtue, or moral excellence, can help us make better decisions, as Cleve learns throughout the story, but it’s not just a fable.
Did you know this about our willpower? We can actually choose to not pursue something that our instinct tells us is good (such as that second bowl of ice cream).
Come along with me as we discover some surprisingly simple ways to make real changes in our lives. You too can have true joy, and I’d love to show you how.
Take the journey with Cleveland as he makes progress in his marriage, his relationships with his children and even in business. Some of it just might rub off on you, and you could be clapping your hands to tell all the world about your happiness–or rather, authentic joy! Each week we’ll be taking on a simple, yet powerful, challenge that can have a big impact on your life!
Challenge #1: How do you get along with your alarm clock? Do you despise it? Do you look forward to getting up each day? Here’s why I ask: Robert S. Rosenberg, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Centers of Prescott Valley and Flagstaff, Arizona says hitting the snooze button repeatedly harms your body in two ways.
“First, you’re fragmenting what little extra sleep you’re getting so it is of poor quality. Second, you’re starting to put yourself through a new sleep cycle that you aren’t giving yourself enough time to finish. This can result in persistent grogginess throughout the day.”
So maybe you like hitting the snooze button, and you set your alarm early on purpose, so you can build in a couple of snoozes. If you’re a hit-the-snooze type of person, I challenge you not to hit the snooze at least once this week and see what happens. Leave me a comment letting me know how you and your alarm clock get along afterwards.
Who is Doug? Doug Kisgen is an author, entrepreneur and personality expert. His primary work? Raising his five kids with his wife of 20+ years in the hill country of Texas.