Barriers to Living a Happy Life - Part 2

In the last article, I referenced the 4 major barriers to living a happy life. The first major barrier is Habits (you can get a copy of that issue by visiting my website at www.steps2happiness.com ). In this issue, we will examine the second major barrier – attitudes!

Now, we all know that everyone else has an attitude. But what is your attitude like these days? We only discover our attitudes about certain things once we set a goal.

Attitudes are simply 'the direction in which we lean', once we have set a goal. Ask yourself the question:

Is my attitude moving me towards my goal, or away from my goal?

Our attitude can really get in the way of our happiness. I used to have an attitude about spending all my time on the weekends doing chores, running errands, handling family commitments when, really, oftentimes I just wanted to sit, relax and read a book. Can any of you relate? The weekends are so short!

Once I set the goal to read, relax and read a book… that's when my attitude begins to show about all the 'To Do' items on my weekend list – I was whining, grumbling and complaining about 'having to' do all these other things! When, in fact, it's all about choice.

I could choose to change my attitude or change the goal. I have the power! At this point in my life, I have decided to change my attitude! I hire the young fellow next door to cut my grass and do my yard work, for instance. It makes me feel good to be able to contribute to his savings so he can go on his school trip to Honduras. I 'get to' relax and read that book and we are all happy. I have a house-keeper come in, every other week, so I'm not stuck inside (especially on these gorgeous summer days!) doing the chores I resent… and yet I do want a neat and clean house. So, I change my attitude and hire some help… all the while, I continue to sit and enjoy a book, or a bike ride, or a visit with a girlfriend. And then I'm happy!

You, too, can make those choices. Change your attitude or change the goal. It's all about deciding what you want (the 'goal'), how bad you want it and what you're prepared to do about getting 'it'. Life is too short to go through it feeling mean, tired and ugly!

So, is your attitude showing? If you're not feeling happy, what are you going to do about it? Remember my motto: "If it's to be, it's up to me!" No one else is responsible for your happiness!

Steps2happiness assignment:

1. Take a look at your 'To Do" list for this coming weekend. A "To Do" list is really a list of goals (that's one way of looking at it). When you look at each item on that list, what are you thinking or feeling? Is it sheer happiness? Is it resentment? Is it total fatigue?

2. If you are feeling any anger, resentment or absolute fatigue, what changes can you make to the list? Can you 'hire out' some of the items? Delegate to your children or partner? Can you reschedule? You can change your attitude or you can change the goal/the 'to do' item. What will it be?

3. Approach each item on your List with a happy attitude and do the items you 'choose to, want to, like to" do and feel the pleasure in checking off each item as it is accomplished.

4. Then, reward yourself! (Ice cream always works for me!)

Don't worry; be happy! Have fun!

(for more details, go to www.steps2happiness.com for your free CD: "The 10 Steps2Happiness")