Tag: Wisdom

Unhappiness

“Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations”.—  Edward de Bono

“If your goal isn’t impossible, you’re not reaching high enough”.   —  jeff noel  🙂

Most people aren’t prepared or determined to do the hard work.

The easy way does not exist.

The only path to great results, in anything, is the long way. The hard way.

Once I accepted this fact of life, I started to, and continue to, see much better quality of life than I thought was possible.

It’s been over 100 days now. Every morning the same.

Try this simple exercise. Start your day on your knees. Spend as much time as you feel comfortable with, even if it’s just one minute.

If you can’t do this, go look in the mirror and sell yourself on why it’s not possible.

Go ahead.  What have you got to lose?

This is the same exercise I did. I’ll never suggest you do anything I haven’t done myself.

“It matters little to walk to do the preaching, if not the walking is the preaching”.

Carpe diem, jeff noel  🙂

PS. By the way, I’ve made serious, life-altering changes 17 years ago, ten years ago, almost eight years ago, and again 18 months ago.  So please don’t think I’ve only been on this bandwagon for 100 days.

PSS.  I also realize that some of you may not have any knees.  A good friend of mine doesn’t.  So, when I said it I meant it figuratively, as well as literally.

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Simplicity, Simplicity, Simplicity

“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!  I say let your affairs be as one, two, three and not a hundred or a thousand…..  We are happy in proportion to the things we can do without”.   — Henry David Thoreau

Sure looks good on paper.

I don’t know about you, but I have a lot on my plate:

  1. Faith
  2. Family
  3. Career

These are the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Each one has a subset of additional topics.

1. Servant, Disciple, Church, Prayer, Emmaus Brothers, Catechism, First Holy Communion, Lector, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Cub Scouts, Networker, Volunteer, Innovator.

2. Servant, Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Uncle, Nephew, Cousin, Neighbor, Friend, Home Owner, Yard Man, Mechanic, Pet Owner, Chief Financial Officer, Investor, Small Business Owner, Writer, Professional Speaker, Student, Leader, Teacher, Historian, Networker, Innovator, Runner, Athlete, Comedian.

3. Servant, Leader, Follower, Team Member, Teacher, Professional Speaker, Idea Generator, Envelope Pusher, Ambassador, Spokes Person, Student, Trainer, Lead Generator, Historian, Writer, Helper, Friend, Colleague, Profit Driver, Innovator, Traveler, Listener, Planner, Comedian.

No wonder it’s so challenging for me to relax.

I’ll tell you what though, I would rather be aware of this and consciously and consistently work on simplification, than to be oblivious.

Plus, the harder I work, the luckier I get.

Carpe diem!

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Happiness Is Our Nature

“Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside”. — Ramana Maharishi

It may take a lifetime to learn this.

But learn it we must, or we will never be happy.

Profoundly simple. Simply profound.

Carpe diem!

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The “Word” Happiness

“The “word” happiness would lose it’s meaning if it were not balanced by sadness”. — Carl Jung

I once read that we should be kind to everyone, because everyone is going through some sort of hell.

I’ve found this to be true. Seriously.

With that in mind, I hope to have a really happy day, but if I don’t, I’m going to try to remember that sadness is a very real part of life.

Just like right now, as I type this from the porch, it’s completely dark outside. Because of this, I guarantee you I will appreciate the sunlight all the more.

Ya with me?

Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

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Happiness In Mid Life

Happiness in Mid Life.

“The happiness of life is made up of the minute fractions – the little, soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or a smile, a kind look or heartfelt compliment”.   — Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English poet

Everyday, I challenge myself to do as many “seemingly insignificant” things I can to bring happiness to others.

My mid-life challenge?  It’s easy for me, with people I can see. It’s much more difficult, so far, to do this with people I can’t physically see – like family and friends in others states or towns.

I pray I get better at this. The excuse I often lean on is, “It’s a two-way street, and it’s also their responsibility to reach out to me too.  So, if they’re not doing it, than maybe I don’t need to either”.

What a pathetic load of garbage. This is not the attitude I want my son (nine) to remember me having.

Looks like I have a lot of work to do this week. And I better get started. My mid-life happiness depends on it.

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