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Don't worry, be happy..................;-)

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Shoreline New Hampshire & Maine

Most all my life I've been a positive, upbeat person; you could say I always see my proverbial glass of water as half full (an optimist) versus someone whose same glass of water appears half empty to them (a pessimist).

Now it appears that you can train yourself to be happy. A former French biochemist turned Buddhist Monk says he has taught himself to be happy

"Now Matthieu Ricard, 60, a French academic-turned-Buddhist monk, is to share his secrets to make the world a happier place. The trick, he reckons, is to put some effort into it. In essence, happiness is a "skill" to be learned."

Cool, where do I sign up?

Mr. Ricard apparently makes himself happy by meditating, managing his thoughts, and how he perceives the world. He was a canditate for a PhD in biochemistry in the 60s but chucked it all to head for the hills of Tibet and study Buddhism.

I can see where sitting around all day in a temple contemplating the meaning of life would tend to make one happier than doing logarithims in some classroom. ;-)

Mr. Ricard also says: ""The mind is malleable," Mr Ricard told The Independent on Sunday yesterday. "Our life can be greatly transformed by even a minimal change in how we manage our thoughts and perceive and interpret the world. Happiness is a skill. It requires effort and time.""

And of course he's written a book appropriately titled "Happiness"; available in bookstores next month.

How's your glass of water? Is it half full or half empty?

"Don't worry, be happy", it is a better way to live.

Posted by

Jim Lee , REALTOR®, Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)

http://JimLee.com  RE/MAX Shoreline

100 Market St., Suite #200, , Portsmouth, NH 03801 Phone: (603) 431-1111 x3801

Visit New Hampshire Maine Real Estate.com to search homes, get Seacoast area information, and find out how great living on the New Hampshire and southern Maine Seacoast really is.

 

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Comments (6)

Laurie Manny
Long Beach CA Real Estate - Long Beach, CA

HAHAHAHAHA Biochemistry huh?!? Wonder what happy drug he whipped up to write that book, lol!

Jan 22, 2007 06:32 PM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Jim - I'm a half-full kind of person, and I find it a struggle at times to be around half-empty people.......  Biochemistry???

Ann

Jan 22, 2007 09:38 PM
Leigh Brown
Leigh Brown & Associates, RE/MAX Executive - Charlotte, NC
CEO, Dream Maker - Charlotte, NC
I'm three-quarters full, just about always. =)  I've been accused of finding too many silver linings.  But hey-Grandma always said you 'bloom where you're planted'!
Jan 23, 2007 05:11 AM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Leigh - I LIKE that - 3/4 full!!!  Grandma's are always right!

Ann

Jan 23, 2007 07:01 AM
Carole Cohen
Howard Hanna Cleveland City Office - Cleveland, OH
Realtor, ePRO

First I love Laurie's comment. Jim it sounds like the secret to happiness is not worrying, to get to the rest of that Bobby McFerrin song :-)  I have a zen calendar and when I can understand what they are telling me, it's usually about staying in the moment. Oh yes, my glass is 3/4 full most days on any month with maybe one 'lunacy' day thrown in. I couldn't be happy in the pastoral setting like that, but, I can see where some might!  Are we all whistling the song now? Going to you tube to find the link for you :=)

Jan 23, 2007 08:47 AM
Linda Davis
RE/MAX Home Team - Gales Ferry, CT
Reading this blog makes me.....well, HAPPY!   But then I am easily amused which keeps me happy most of the time.  I'm also easily pleased.  Just buy me a bag of m&m's and I'm happy until I eat the last m. 
Jan 23, 2007 08:57 AM