"Did You Ever Stop to Think...

...and forget to start again?"
"Well," said Pooh. "what I like best--" and then he had to stop and think.  Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than you were, but he didn't know what it was called."


Winnie the Pooh always seemed to be a good bear.  Pretty upbeat.  So I'll share some of his happiness tips that each of us can use.


Don't Get Bogged Down in Details.
"You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't it everything.  There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count."
Getting bogged down in details, focusing on small problems can have advantages.  But it can also make you miss the big picture.  What really important in life?  Don't make the mistake of spending too much time nitpicking or making mountains out of molehills.  Relax instead.  Focus on positive things you have and want in your life.  The days may seem long but the years are often pretty short!


Be Proactive.  Take the Lead.
"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you.  You have to go to them sometimes."
It's easy to get locked into a reactive mindset.  You just follow along with whatever is happening.  You do what people around you do.  You react to whatever is going on.
A more useful and pleasurable way of living is to be proactive.  This feels better and provides better results.  But on the other hand it's also more difficult.  You have to get out of your comfort zone and that can be scary....yet worth it.


Keep conversations positive and simple.
"It's more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "what about lunch?"
What do people want in a conversation and relationship of all kinds?
Long winded negative babbling?  Or positive talk that is focused and interesting?
Three tips that help me keep the conversation positive and focused are:
*Live a positive life.  If you focus on the positive in your daily life then it's usually no problem to keep focusing on it and talking about it in conversations.
*Be aware and be alert.
If you know you have a problem with negative conversations be aware of that fact before you go off on a rant.
*Focus on other people.
If you focus too much on yourself then it's easy to get lost in your own thoughts and words and forget that you are having a conversation.  As if you enjoy listening more to yourself than having a two-way conversation.


Appreciate the little things.
"Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon."
Daily happiness is to a large part about appreciating the small things.  If you just allow yourself to be happy when accomplishing a big goal or when having some great luck then you are making life harder than it needs to be.  Instead, focus on appreciating things you may take for granted.


Thanks Pooh Bear