Instant Happiness

Much of humankind spends a lot of time historically; that is they think about the past and what went wrong, regretting their actions, etc.....you know, the yucky stuff. Not that they are never happy, but wouldn't you like to be happy more often?

How about in an instant? How about instant happiness?

Often we have yucky thoughts that cause us to feel yucky. Remember that our language is the mirror of our mind and thoughts have power. Words fire off biochemicals in the brain. Therefore, simply put, yucky words create yucky feelings; happy words create happy feelings. We all get to choose.

My husband, Dr. Dave Dobson often said, "The most important thing in life is awareness." So become friendlier with your hard drive (your brain) and notice when yucky words or pictures show up. It's your brain after all and you are in charge of it.

"If you always focus on negative things, you'll feel bad. If you start to look for solutions that are different and better, that's the way your world will become. This is not "positive thinking", its brain science". Dr. Richard Bandler

Here are a few suggestions for instant happiness:

1. Interrupt the yucky pattern by saying "cancel that" or "stop", take a deep breath, exhale slowly and ask a great question like, "How can I feel better right now?" Or "What's the best thing for me to do right now?" Or, "How can I be happier?" Choose some great questions of your own. What's amazing is that you begin to get answers on how you can be happier.

Some of us think more in pictures. So we create a yucky picture and feel yucky.

Here are a few suggestions for instant happiness:

Some of us think more in pictures. So we create a yucky picture and feel yucky.

2. Experiment with this. Be as aware of your pictures as you are of your language. So what can you do? Push the picture off into the distance; make it smaller, dim, and defocused. Now don't you feel better? Some of my clients blow it up or shatter it.

3. How about making a happy list? It's a valuable exercise. Start listing the things that you enjoy or make you happy....everything from very small things to really big ones. For example, the colors red and purple make me happy. Piloting a plane makes me happy. Some examples are sunrises, flowers, trees, dinner with friends, doing a good job at work, travel, etc. Make your list. Imagine there are no limits and make the longest list you can. My friend, Tony Robbins once told me I had the longest happy list he'd seen. Once you have the list, keep adding to it and look at it often.

4. So, you might ask, "What about yucky feelings?" Instead of looking for the source (which is your thoughts or pictures of something yucky) interrupt the pattern by using one of the suggestions given in this article and simply move. Motion changes our state of mind and our feelings.

5. When you have a happy experience or feel absolutely awesome, memorize it and simply touch your forefinger and thumb together. That's an anchor that you can replicate and feel better in an instant.

6. Before you go to sleep at night, do and experiment and tell your Other Than ConsciousTM mind you want more instant happiness. Don't be surprised if you discover more ways to feel happy or you start feeling happier for no particular reason.

What's wonderful is just as you have the ability to remember yucky; you have the ability to remember happy. It's your choice.....yuck or instant happiness.

(c)Barbara J. Stepp, CEO Excellence Quest, Licensed NLP(R), DHE(R), Master Trainer,

Clinical Hypnotherapist, OTCCTM, NFPTM

April 22-28 NLP Practitioner Certification Course in Chicago

May 8-12 Dave Dobson's Hypnosis OTCCTM Fun Shop in Chicago

Join us! 773-857-0777 mind@excelquest.com