The Happiness Journey: 7 Paths to a Joyful Life

Copyright © 2014 by Catalina de Greiff

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without written permission from the publisher.

Cover and illustrations design by Carolina Poch © 2014

Designed by Santiago Reyes

Artwork by Catalina de Greiff copyright © 2014

The Happiness Journey: 7 Paths to a Joyful Life

by Catalina de Greiff

Print Book

ISBN: 978-958-46-4759-7

E-Book

ISBN: 978-958-46-4761-0

First Edition

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Happiness Background

PART ONE

Unhappiness Disposition

i. Self-Pity and Fear

ii. Managing Stress

PART TWO

The 7 Paths to a Joyful Life

1. Gratefulness

2. Positive Attitude

3. Being More Social

4. Compassion and Kindness

5. Living in the Present

6. Having a Dream

7. Mind, Body and Spirit

PART THREE

Applied Happiness

i. Happiness Guidelines

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Notes

We all crave happiness, living a full and satisfying life, enjoying the voyage through this world and leave a legacy for our children and future generations, and this is achievable by following the paths in The Happiness Journey.

You and I are preparing to take a journey together across the pages of this book you have in your hands. I want to thank you for the investment you have made, the time you will spend in reading, and the trip we will make together.

We often tend to confuse moods with emotions, but the truth is that contentment is not the same as happiness. In the first case, we are talking about an emotion; though intense, it is transitory. The second is a condition, a vivid image of our lifestyles. That’s why, when I refer to happiness, I don’t mean we should act as if we’ve swallowed a clown. It is not just about putting on a happy face throughout the day, nor trying to escape from reality like Don Quixote. It’s about taking the path that leads to our own satisfaction; it’s about enjoying the little things that make our lives wonderful.

This book is the result of more than twenty years of research on the elements that influence happiness, such as compassion, gratitude, and a positive attitude, and on how to live each day in a quieter and less anxious way. If this manuscript helps bring one person closer to his or her personal happiness, I believe that the effort has been worthwhile.

Happiness is not a panacea; it’s a powerful antidote. It is something that helps us manage our problems while maintaining our self-esteem. If you have lost your path to happiness or even if you’re already happy but you still want to strengthen your own concept of happiness, this book is for you. Being happy is achievable; it is something you can do for yourself and for those around you.

I believe that when you read the last page of The Happiness Journey, you will be a different person from who you are now. Our voyage will be over, but your journey toward complete happiness will be just beginning. Like any road trip or expedition you have ever taken, it becomes more meaningful if shared with special people in your life. I’m certain you are able to remember many vacations or trips you have taken in the past. When remembering those happy moments, they not only fascinate because of the places themselves but also because you enjoyed them with the loved ones who shared the trip. My hope is that you can share this Happiness Journey with your family, friends, and all the people who belong in your life.

Finally, this book has some inspiring stories and legends from all over the world to enjoy. As Paramahansa Yogananda, a widely known Indian guru, once said, Stories capture imagination, and are bound to be remembered for a long time. They also make the point more clearly than abstractions. Besides, usually they are funny.

House of 1,000 Mirrors

A Japanese Folktale¹

Long ago in a small, faraway village, there was a place known as the House of 1,000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit.

When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could.

To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1,000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile and was answered with 1,000 great smiles just as warm and friendly.

As he left the house, he thought to himself, This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often.

In the same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1,000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1,000 little dogs growling back at him.

As he left, he thought to himself, That is a horrible place. I will never go back there again.

What kinds of reflections do we see in our daily lives, and what image do we project to the people we meet? If we believe that life is choking us, this is how it will be. If we think that it’s possible to have a better life, it will happen. We all have choices; the discovery that all the faces we see are our mirrors depends on us.

How to Read This Book

What was the first thing you did this morning when you woke up? Did you jump into the shower, drink a cup of coffee, or read the news? After bathing, what did you tell your children before leaving the house? What route did you take to work? Did you really enjoy the trip? Did you assume a positive attitude and plan the minutes of your day one by one? Or did you choose to get angry about the traffic? Once you got to your desk or workplace, did you start working? Or did you begin thinking about the unpaid bills, the car you want to get, the holiday vacations for your family, or even the sandwich or burger for lunch? Was I close to your daily routine? One of the purposes of this book is to make us more aware of our routines and habits so that we can manage our daily problems and situations and prevent them from managing us.

I understand that each person’s path to happiness is different; all of us have various interests and lifestyles. However, studies, combined with my own experience, show that certain strategies practiced consistently can help achieve daily joy and happiness.

This book is divided into three parts. The first section focuses on habits that can bring unhappiness to our daily lives. Feelings of self-pity can be useful in some cases to understand ourselves, but, if they become permanent, they can be destructive. Fear of the unknown, not achieving our goals, and losing a loved one, for instance, should not be reasons to lose heart. Several scientific studies have shown that over 80 percent of our worries or fears never happen. Fear can keep us from living happily and with contentment.

The next chapter offers an overview on stress and anxiety, factors that significantly affect daily happiness. I will provide some solutions to alleviating them by handling difficult situations and coping with complex and sensitive circumstances.

In the second section, 7 Paths to a Joyful Life, which is the fundamental part of this book, I will explain the topics I consider essential to making life simple and happy—performing daily acts of gratitude and positivity, having close bonds with friends and family, being compassionate and kind to ourselves and others, living in the present, having a dream or a goal, and caring about the mind, body and spirit. It is not necessary to practice them all the same day, but it is important to perform some, if not all, eventually. Choose one or two of the chapters, regardless of the order, to read and follow the recommendations. Taking a few minutes each day to practice them is not difficult; the purpose is to incorporate them into healthy habits in our minds. Shortly, these skills will enable you to be happier, less angry, more aware of your feelings and actions, and more able to handle stress better.

The third part of the book contains some graphics to help you achieve happiness, which you may review daily. It is a way to practice the steps to happiness in order to draw closer to that inner peace that we seek.

Human beings cannot choose where to be born or who their parents are. What is clear is that we can define how we live and adopt an attitude toward being happy. Such happiness depends largely on our actions and not the circumstances we face.

Learning to maintain enthusiasm in times of both joy and difficulty, with the curiosity of a researcher who is always wondering what else is to be learned or a child’s with a sense of wonder about what new things there are to discover, are essential elements to a happier life. Happiness lies in the ability to do what we want and love what we do no matter how many times we have to start over because every new beginning is like a blank canvas on which we place new images and innovative colors.

I want to express my gratitude for your joining me on this journey to happiness and for allowing The Happiness Journey to travel with you always as a part of your life. I hope you find valuable life lessons that will take you to greater happiness.

The Fern and the Bamboo²

One day I decided to quit … I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality … I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

God, I said, can you give me one good reason not to quit? His answer surprised me.

Look around, He said. Do you see the fern and the bamboo?

Yes, I replied.

When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the third year there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. The same in year four.

Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.

Don’t compare yourself to others, He said. The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.

Your time will come, God said to me. You will rise high.

How high should I rise? I asked. How high will the bamboo rise? He asked in return. As high as it can? I questioned. Yes. He said, Give me glory by rising as high as you can.

I left the forest, realizing that God will never give up on me. And He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness; bad days give you experiences; both are essential to life.

When people across the world are asked about what they want in life, the answer is easy: they want to be happy. We can search for money, recognition, or even fame, but in reality we are searching for happiness. Achieving satisfaction and joy is possible. It is a dream that can become real if we are willing to open our minds and hearts to change. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, happiness is the state of being happy; an experience that makes you happy. ³

There’s only one-way to achieve happiness: being happy. It’s as simple as that. Because of this, we can think, Life is not so simple; being happy is not that easy, or She has lost her mind; it’s not so simple. These thoughts may be true—achieving happiness is not easy—but trying to get your mind working