Smile.

   Makeup, hair extensions, false eyelashes, push up bras, spanx, high heels, expensive clothes and haute couture fashion all present, with the intent to be beautiful: but are you happy?  Scrolling through our newsfeed, "beauty might bring happiness, but happiness always brings beauty."  The beauty of your happiness comes from your smile.

    Anyone can recognize a smile; teeth will show and eyes will smile too.  Most importantly, you will also notice an inviting positive energy emitting from the smiler. This called kindness "... a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see," from the man himself, Mark Twain.  "Language" is the understood communication between two entities, or individuals. With that being said, smiling is a Universal Language, understood by all, with no words needed.

   Everyone has the ability to offer kindness, to others and themselves, regardless of their circumstance or experience. Smiling speaks loudest to you. Scientists have studied the personal effects of smiling; when you smile, you feel better, and isn't feeling better a reason to smile? So, even if you don't feel good to start with, just smile. Life in that moment may not be the party you hoped for, but while you're there you might as well dance!

   Smiling between two positive energies is contagious.  When you smile, others magically smile back. The sight of someone smiling because of you, is the best feeling on Earth in that moment. Some may not reciprocate the gesture, but let no one separate you from your smile. After all, isn't better to be the one who smiled, than the one who didn't smile back?

The American Robot, Part 1: The Introduction

Who is the American Robot?  Although it pains me to admit it, I am.  In fact, we all have a little American Robot in us.  According to Happy, Ever After, the American Robot is an individual who lives day to day, week to week, and year to year on society's autopilot.  Instead of questioning, seeking, and discovering what's true to ones own experience by freedom of choice, we opt to allow society to act as the control panel behind ALL of our choices.

Is the American Robot an exaggeration?  Is it unfair to generalize American society in this fashion?  Most honestly, I laugh and say NO.   No matter which area of life we discuss,  we are, some way-some how, victim of this mind poison.  Chances are, we are born into it, after all, we are offspring of a generation that portrayed smoking cigarettes as the ultimate cool and sexy social accessory.

Who are you and why are you who you are?  What do you eat?   Why do you eat what you eat? How do you love?  What do you love?  What do you have?  What do you want to have?  Are you healthy?  Are you stressed?  What stresses you?  Who do you aim to please?  Are you pleased?  What pleases you?  What are your plans?  What are your goals?  How you answer these, if answered honestly,  will reflect the inner American Robot that lives in you.

Knowledge and self education of all areas of life are key, but you must make the choice and put forth the effort to be the greatest version of yourself. It all starts with  understanding  yourself as an individual created  unlike any other in the universe- remember no two individuals have the same fingerprints (not even "identical" twins). We are made with uniqueness. Understanding how we, as human beings operate within this magical universe will seemingly feel much like a fairy tale.

What is your life like?  Are you acting worldly or universally, in nature? Are you the product of the universe, or victim of the world? The world operates within the universe, so it makes perfect sense to become aware of your universal abilities. As you become more aware, you will come to understand how much control you actually have in creating the life you actually want. You will begin making choices that make you feel happy and healthy from head to toe, unlike the stressed out and miserable American Robot, trying to keep up with the Jones' (the American family of robots).

Question EVERYTHING!  Build a relationship with yourself; a relationship that cannot be destroyed.  Become  the bag of tools you need to have a happy and healthy life.  Once you begin to focus on YOU, you will progressively become YOU, destroying which once was...the American Robot.

Have a true Happy New Year with HAPPY EVER AFTER! What does HAPPINESS mean to you?

It's timeless and simple: I think happy, therefore I AM HAPPY.  We believe happiness is a state of being - a state of mind ... and who is in control of your mind?   You.  Only you.  It's the responsibility of choice. Regardless of your circumstances, you have the ability to choose or change your attitude. The Art of Happiness is a daily practice of choosing your thoughts, words, actions, and habits, therefore creating your "Happy Ever After".

As humans, we experience many external factors: other people's behavior, life-changing events, weather, social situations, and any other uncontrollable circumstance you can think of.  As obvious as it is, one cannot control these external factors yet, people are still feeling sad, angry, miserable and all around negative.  All you hear from their mouths is crying, whining, complaining, judging, and constantly speaking of their own or even other people and worldly misery. You get the idea, you're of an intelligent species.  There is no better feeling than happiness.  So why waste any more time and energy on anything but HAPPINESS for yourself??

Most people confuse happiness with a pleasurable experience (i.e. a childhood memory), or with something tangible (i.e. money, job, etc.).   Although these external experiences and material possessions can be described as "happy" or "would make [you] feel happy", they do not equate or represent what happiness really is.

Happiness is being conscious of the fact all circumstances are neutral, and realizing your thoughts about the circumstances (your attitude) are the variable that affect your happiness (as in your goal state of mind and being, by our definition).  These thoughts are what fuel your actions and emotions.  Negative emotions create negative actions just the same as positive actions create positive emotions.  No matter the circumstance, your goal should always be to balance out the mind to maintain overall happiness.  Real quick, for example - Jane crashes her car, and without any of the smaller details: Jane is alive; Jane's car is totaled. The circumstance of Jane crashing the car - at this point - neutral.  Happy Jane is thankful she's alive, reminds herself a car is an external factor - it can be replaced, focuses on herself, and moves on to the next. You won't find Happy Jane dragging on the negative temporary aspects of the crash.  You won't find her constantly complaining about how she has no car, or how she's never going to be able to pay for the damages.  No.  She speaks of solutions, not problems.

After reading this, when you go back to work, chat with someone, or visit a public place - you will be more in tune with the ugly truth that this is the generalized state of mind for many people in this universe.  People are more comfortable with living in the regrets of the past and the anxiety of the future, than facing themselves in the mirror and admitting they are the ones behind the control panel of their own reality today and everyday.

We strive to live for the positive and beautiful the universe has to offer by starting with the view of ourselves from the inside out. Create your reality, discover yourself, and literally become the author of your "happy ever after".  If you're not sure where to start, START HERE, WITH US :)



Happily Yours,

Jen & Steph; Happy Consultants

Happy Ever After, GP.