November 18, 2007
Are You Being Happy?
written by Steven Barrymore

THE BUZZ

Motivational speakers are now talking of being happy. Being happy will solve your life issues and create a blissful state of mind. Remember when you were a baby how happy you were (you may have to look at your family baby pictures to rekindle the feeling). Or easier yet, view how a newborn baby interacts with the world. In a pure state of happiness. Free of worry over imagined events, guilt and credit card bills.

Imagine yourself in the grocery store. Wandering anywhere you wish in a pure state of happiness. Touching all the products on the shelves as if it were the first time you saw these items. Screaming with joy as you picked up an apple, pressing it up to your nose and inhaling the sweet smell, then rubbing the apple against your face. Looking up at the other shoppers with your eyes wide open, laughing out loud in pure excitement. One of the other shoppers may have their cell phone in hand to call 911. Another shopper may be wondering why you are off your medication. You would be viewed as being crazy. Being in a pure state of happiness in society, unless it is associated with an external acceptable trigger event or you are a recognized spiritual holy person, is a sign of madness. To be that happy; are you crazy? How can you be happy when you have family issues, job problems and financial troubles lurking around the next corner?

DEPRESSED SOCIETY

Don’t Worry, Be Happy*, those four memorable words sung by Bobby McFerrin. If it were that easy. Flip the switch from worry to happy. Can I buy this switch at my local hardware store? And how would it be installed? Some believe this switch is medication, brain-altering drugs frequently prescribed to those with unhappiness. Some believe the switch to be a re-association of thought to that of more pleasant experiences.

I once asked a psychiatrist I was seeing, “why am I feeling depressed?” His response was “may be you have too many choices in life”. Too many choices? How could I have too many choices? I have all these things that are suppose to make me happy.

Recently my friend got a dog, an Australian Cattle Dog — Blue Heeler. My first thought when hearing Blue Heeler was that we pitch a tent, gather masses of sick people, pass the donation plate around and have this dog do the ‘laying on of the paw’ to cure these people’s illnesses. But further research on Blue Heeler ruled that out. These dogs are great at herding cattle, but when it comes to miracle cures, it may take more than the laying on of the paw. I look at this dog and wonder, what keeps her in a state of happiness? She appears, for the most part, to be happy and full of joy. Tail wagging, doggy smile, rushing over to do the jump up to say her doggy “Hi”. Perhaps her state of happiness comes from a lack of having a cell phone, no television, and the inability to type legible words on a computer keyboard. Her life is simplified.

SIMPLY SIMPLE

I believe the point my psychiatrist was making is to simplify my life. Reducing the input, lessening the choices. Over input and excessive stimulation can cause confusion. Do I do this? Do I do that? What do I do! I find my unhappiest moments are due to excessive input. When I limit my input, my mind quiets and my environment becomes a focused harmony of events and chosen interactions.

• I don’t watch television news broadcasts.
• I rarely read the newspaper (if there is something really important happening, someone will tell me).
• I don’t wear a wristwatch (except occasionally for dress purposes) –- there are plenty of clocks around.
• I limit my interaction with people, especially those with negative energy.
• Phone numbers I don’t recognize on the caller ID go directly to voice mail.
• Email is filtered; Spam email goes into the trash immediately without my intervention.
• When stuck in heavy automobile traffic. I jam to a favorite music CD and enjoy the ride.

I simplify my life, and you can too! Limit and eliminate those events that cause you unhappiness. Make better choices on how you interact with the world and what you choose to let in. And may be in time the words of Bobby McFerrin, Don’t Worry, Be Happy will become a lifestyle of your choice.

Copyright 2007 Steven Barrymore. Being of Life — the Blog. All rights reserved worldwide. This article and /or pictures may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission from the author Steven Barrymore. View the magical photographic print collection from Steven Barrymore at Images Magical http://www.imagesmagical.com/

*The song Three Little Birds sung by Bob Marley is similar in style to the song Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.