"The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance.
Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you
find something you love to do, be the best at doing it."

You know what it is. It's in the back of your mind where it's been tucked away from reality behind dozens of excuses. It's the dream, the chance you want to take. The career or business that is permanently labeled "Someday." Make your "someday" today, and discover the immense joy, satisfaction, and wealth that come with doing what you were always meant to do.

"If you want to live a happy life,
tie it to a goal, not to people or things."

That's a simple formula. Yet even today, most of us are still getting it wrong. We believe that happiness comes in a giant cardboard box or has four wheels and a supercharger. It's not an easy lesson to learn, and most don't learn it until they are significantly older. Happiness isn't a shiny new piece of electronics; it's not a swimming pool, nor a house, nor a city. Happiness is found inside of you. And in order to push the happiness outward so that it radiates into everything you do, you must feel great about yourself. There's nothing that does that more than accomplishing a goal.

"Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude toward us."

You already know this to some degree. Smile at someone and they'll smile back. Ignore someone and they'll return the favor. But what if you set out to absolutely change the person you are. Become someone who gives, shares, helps, and lives for the pleasure of others. Every day. Not only will people give to you, share with you, and help you, it will also seem that luck, fortune, and fulfillment have found you. They haven't. You've found them.

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

How many risks do you take a day? Not physical risks such as skydiving — but rather, living new experiences, learning new things, creating new ideas, meeting new people and living each day as if it might be your last. When you ask some people how they are doing, they'll answer, "Same old, same old." They aren't living for each day. They aren't taking risks. They will probably never find success. Start now by deciding how you can finish your day so it's unlike any day you've ever lived.

"If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self."

Your greatest enemy is much closer than you think. It's you. You are more critical of yourself than anyone else is. And you, more than anyone else, are capable of destroying yourself. But while you are your own worst enemy, you are also your own hero. Learn to control your thoughts, goals, and actions, and there's literally nothing you cannot accomplish in life.

"Many of us spend our lives searching for success when it is usually so close that we can reach out and touch it."

We expect success to be in some faraway land where tumbleweeds go to die. Or locked away in a keyless vault. We expect success to shadow others, but not ourselves. Here's the thing: Almost all those who have found success once thought that it was nowhere to be found as well. Then they changed their mindset, changed their focus, and suddenly found success — right in front of their eyes.

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do
what you have to do."

Many people lose sight of their goals. And many people never had sight of the right goals to begin with. If you're dieting, your goal isn't to eat 1,500 calories a day. Your goal is to fit into a pair of jeans that haven't fit in five years. Calorie counting is simply a means to reach your goal. Take stock of where you are in your life right now. Then envision where you wish to be. Only then are you prepared to follow the words of wisdom of Epictetus.

"With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose."

When you were a kid and had an accident, a scar would appear. The scar would act as a reminder to be careful to avoid future accidents, future scars. Today, your scars don't appear on your knees or elbows, but rather as emotional trauma in your life. Because adult wounds and problems are not visible to the naked eye, many people ignore them, and so these people re-injure themselves repeatedly. Next time you stumble in your life, do yourself a favor and treat the wound and then learn from it.

RECOVER YOUR HAPPINESS
 
I LOVE THIS...

A--Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their
beliefs, motives, or actions.

B--Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C--Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

D--Decide
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

E--Explore
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

F--Forgive
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

G--Grow
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

H--Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

I--Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

J--Journey
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

K--Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

L--Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

M--Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

N--Notice
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.

O--Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

P--Play
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.

Q--Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.

R--Relax
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

S--Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

T--Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

U--Use
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

V--Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

W--Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.

X--X-Ray
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

Y--Yield
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

Z--Zoom
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head. Let nothing interfere with your goals. Instead, focus on your abilities, your dreams, and a brighter tomorrow.