Happiness is a Choice, So Choose It

                 Happiness is a Choice, So Choose It!

There are some people who seem to think that happiness is the result of all the right wheels turning at just the right time. You’re walking down the street, find twenty dollars, get a compliment from a stranger, meet the perfect guy or girl (and don’t totally make a fool of yourself), go to your favorite store and get 50% off, etc., etc.

It’s easy to be happy when everything seems to be going your way, but I think that defining happiness that way reduces it to a by-product of luck, or an accident, which it is not. In fact, I might even argue that luck is a byproduct of happiness, if I was in a particularly feisty mood.

Happiness doesn’t just happen.

Some days are good, but there are probably more days that are just mediocre or plain bad, and it’s on those days that the true nature of happiness is revealed. Have you ever met someone who stayed positive, even when they’re having a bad day, and everything that can go wrong seems to be going wrong? If you’re having a bad day, too, just being near someone like that can be uplifting (although for others it is annoying, but that usually just stems from jealousyPeople who are able to smile even through the worst of times have learned a very important lesson, the same lesson I stated above: Happiness doesn’t just happen.

Happiness is choice.

That’s right, a choice. Not an accident, not a charitable gift from the universe. Of course, it’s nice to receive those gifts, and easy to be happy when you do, but happiness is about choosing to see the adventure in every moment, choosing to understand that there will always be a light after the dark, that there is always good in every situation and every person, no matter how grim things may seem.

That’s the key to happiness: choosing it. It’s not an easy choice all the time, and it very well may be the last thing you want to do sometimes. When grief strikes, or when you just can’t seem to catch a break, sometimes you just want to sulk and stay upset, perpetuate the sadness. It’s a natural response, but it isn’t a required behavior, it’s a choice. And choosing to be happy will make you a better, stronger, wiser, more longsuffering person.

We always have the choice to be happy. Learning to change our attitude is frustrating, but worth it in the end. When we choose to be happy, things tend to work in our favor, and luck seems to be on our side; and even if things don’t happen the way you want them to, if you choose to be happy, you can accept situations for what they are and make the most of life, no matter the hand it deals you.).

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Top travel destinations for this summer

Top travel destinations for this summer:

After a harsh winter that put most of the nation — including the Sun Belt — in a relentless deep freeze, it probably comes as no surprise that most vacationers this summer are headed to the beach and other sunny locales. More people plan to hit the road over the next three months compared with the same period in 2013, according to a recent survey by TripAdvisor and the research firm Ipsos. And most seem to be seeking that feeling of warm sand between their toes. From TripAdvisor, the online travel site:

Top 10 U.S. summer destinations:

1. Myrtle Beach, S.C.

2. Las Vegas

3. New York City

4. Destin, Fla.

5. Ocean City, Md.

6. Orlando, Fla.

7. Virginia Beach, Va.

8. San Francisco

9. San Diego

10. Key West, Fla.

Only New York City, Las Vegas and Orlando were on last year's top 10 list for summer travel.

Its list of favored international destinations introduce new cities to the mix, including its top pick of Istanbul.

Top 10 international destinations

1. Istanbul

2. Rome

3. London

4. Beijing

5. Prague

6. Marrakech, Morocco

7. Paris

8. Hanoi, Vietnam;

9. Siem Reap, Cambodia;

10. Shanghai, China.

Last summer's list also included Paris, New York, London, Rome and Prague.

What will all of these summer travelers be doing while they are away from home? The most popular activity, according to the same survey, is shopping. Fifty-four percent of respondents plan on spending time and money shopping while on vacation. Swimming and watersports are preferred by 49 percent as well as visiting a historical sight or event. Forty-six percent of vacationers plan to go to a park or national park and take sightseeing tours.

Most travelers plan to stay in hotels, with a smaller percentage staying in vacation rentals or bunking with friends or family.

For those who prefer home stays and unusual lodgings, booking an accommodation through Airbnb may be their preference. Their list of top 10 U.S. hot summer destinations differs from the previous list, possibly signaling that people who prefer this type of stay have a different idea of the perfect getaway.

Airbnb's top 10 U.S. hot spots:

1. Nashville

2. New Orleans

3. Palm Springs, Calif.

4. Portland, Maine

5. Santa Barbara, Calif6. Oregon Coast

7. Adirondacks, N.Y.

8. Denver

9. Orange County, Calif., beaches

10. Boulder, Colo.

Another choice for summer travel is to let someone else do the driving and take a trip by charter bus.

Sue Anderson-Nicklin, vice president of Anderson Coach and Travel in Greenville, Mercer County, said that "their typical demographic includes a lot of last-minute bookers, but they expect an increase in travelers this summer."

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Thoughts to Remove from Your Mind

10 Thoughts to Remove from Your Mind:

"The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking.” – Robert H Schuller

Have you ever wondered how some people are able to overcome incredible adversity, while others remain stuck, defeated, and struggling to handle failure?

There is a common thread between the “rags to riches” and underdog stories of victoryWhat’s the common thread?

-         A resilient spirit and ability to bounce back from failure.

-         A determination to learn and get better instead of getting bitter.
1. “I already know everything I need to know.”
2. “I don’t need help from anyone. I can do this on my own.”
3. “I should always be in control.”
4. “If I fail it means I’m a failure.”
5. “I’m not smart enough, old enough, rich enough… (You fill in the excuse).”
6. “I’ll never get over this problem.”
7. “My circumstances won’t allow me to do that.”
8. “I have never been the type of person to do that.”
9. “I not good at dealing with stress.”
10. “What will other people think of me?”

A resilient person is tough, they don’t give up and they find ways to get through the obstacles they face.

Whatever you are going through, you have the option of whether to give up and give in, or to push through the pain and difficulty.

If you don’t have the grit and resiliency you would like, it is because your “thoughts” are leaving you filled with resistance, fear, judgment, or doubt.

Notice what keeps you from persevering and staying committed to your dreams. It’s your thoughts, isn’t it?

Fortunately you can learn to think in ways that help you persevere and never give up!

It’s time to think more optimistically, focus on learning and growth, and look for opportunity instead of problems.

It’s time to stop the failure thinking, and start thinking and living like a winner.

Here are some thoughts to avoid so you can transcend the hell out of failure.

Often the most stubborn people struggle with failure and setbacks. When we assume we already know everything there is to know it makes it difficult to understand why we aren’t succeeding.

How to reframe: People are always learning. If something isn’t working for me, there is probably another way to look at things. I am constantly learning each and every day.

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. ” ― Shunryu Suzuki

When we are unwilling to seek out and accept the help of others we are basically deciding to learn the hard way. We all need help from others, whether it’s emotional support or actual resources. No one made it to the top without the help of others.

How to reframe: It is okay to ask for and accept help from others. It is actually more courageous to seek help than to deny I have a problem. Getting assistance from others is a necessary step in reaching my potential.

If there is one thing constant in life it’s change. There are many things out of our control and learning to accept what we cannot change is pivotal in overcoming life’s obstacles. Learning to let go allows us to live with greater peace of mind.

How to reframe: I am adaptable and able to change along with my circumstances. I will focus on what I can control and accept what I cannot change.

There is a big difference between making a mistake and failing to reach a desired outcome, and actually viewing ourselves as a “failure.” We will fail but that is a part of the process. Who we are doesn’t change because of our mistakes.

How to reframe: I may not like to fail but it is inevitable and I can find the silver lining. When I fail, I will learn what I can do different next time. I will use failure as my teacher.

“Don’t be afraid of missing opportunities. Behind every failure is an opportunity somebody wishes they had missed.” – Lily Tomlin

There could be countless reasons why you’re not ready or prepared to achieve your goals. Notice your excuses. Determine what limiting beliefs are holding you back and realize the lies you are telling yourself.

Reframe:i may not have the ideal circumstances but I will use what I have and be the best I can be. I will stop making excuses and following beliefs that don’t serve me.

This is a classic pessimistic interpretation. If we believe things will never get better we won’t be very motivated to work through problems. No problem lasts forever unless we make it a problem for forever.

Reframe: No problem is permanent. I can deal with whatever I am facing. It may not be easy but I know that all problems pass with time.

Many times we blame our environment on our failure. We use our job or boss as the reason we can’t get ahead. We even go as far as to blame society for our own issues. Talk about giving away accountability and power.

Reframe: I am the co-creator of my life. My circumstances do not define me. I will take action and create the circumstances I desire. No more letting my external world determine my state of mind.

It is easy to base what we are capable of doing in the future on what we have done in the past. If I have failed at something over and over again, it is easy to assume I’m not meant to do it. It is a fact that learning anything requires practice and with enough practice we can do just about anything.

Reframe: I will let go of my past identity. Just because I haven’t accomplished my goals doesn’t mean I never can. The past is in the past, and I will take the necessary steps to mold my skills, talents, and traits.

We can all learn to manage stress more effectively. Frankly the more stress we deal with effectively the more natural it becomes. We can all learn new ways of thinking and behaving to help us handle stress, and ultimately build up a stress tolerance.

Reframe: Stress is normal and healthy as long I learn to cope with it. Stress exists to communicate what my needs are. I will listen to my stress and find a healthy way to cope with it.

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” – Bill Cosby

Worrying about what other people think of us is part of the human experience. We tend to want people to like us and approve of what we do. However, this is also a trap because we may sabotage our own wellbeing and success if it means someone else will give us approval.

Reframe: Other people are more worried about themselves they are about me. I need to focus on what I think of what I do. I will follow my truth despite disproval from others. I will live with integrity.

Start paying attention to your thinking. Notice your failure thoughts and begin to reframe these thoughts to help you manage setbacks and obstacles.

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Top 10 Insightful Quotes About Change:

Top 10 Insightful Quotes About Change:

Today I thought I would share with you 10 of my favorite quotes about change. For me, each of these quotes manages to succinctly capture a powerful insight into change. Enjoy!

“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” 

~George Bernard Shaw

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude” ~ Maya Angelou

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” 

~ Randy Pausch

“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” 

~ Jim Rohn

“The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value.” ~ Stephen R. Covey

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” 

~ Maya Angelou

“Change is inevitable. Progress is optional.” 

~ Tony Robbins

“Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.”

 ~ Keri Russell

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” ~ Maria Robinson

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Book review closed doors

Closed Doors

Closed Doors, by Lisa O'Donnell
Publisher: Harper
Publication date: May 20, 2014
Category: Fiction
Source: I received this e-galley via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

I ended up sticking to one author, Lisa O'Donnell,for most of Bout of Books last week. I read The Death of Bees first (review here), so I expected something quite similar going into her new book,Closed Doors. However, I didn't find them very much alike.

Michael Murray, the eleven-year-old narrator, gives the reader all of his thoughts, all of the time. It was akin to listening to a mini version of Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye, minus most of the swearing. Take heart, unlike Holden, Michael is not in the least bit annoying. His age explains much of what he thinks, says, and does. (Sorry Caulfield fans...I just rereadCatcher with my students, so Holden's gonna take a fall here.)

Instead of running away from all of his problems (*cough* Holden *cough*), Michael attempts to figure out and deal with the problems that begin plaguing his house one late night. Being eleven, none of the adults in his family make it easy for him, thinking him too young to handle anything remotely adult. So Michael does what any kid might do, he begins listening behind closed doors. Without the understanding of an adult, Michael begins to piece together what he hears, eventually telling the story of his mother's new sadness and his father's anger.

What I like about Michael (and makes me even more annoyed with Holden Caulfield) is that he isn't just dealing with this one problematic aspect within his family. He is also juggling school, friends, and girls. All parts of his life soon become tied to his family's problem and still the little bugger chugs along.

Any sense of suspense (and perhaps his ability to move along) comes from the fact that the narrator is too young to completely understand what is happening around him. Michael is not yet world-wise and so the reader is continually doing his/her own piecing together based on a broader knowledge of the world in which we live, as well as watching Michael come into his own.

In the end, the metaphorical closed doors of his family's sadness give Michael what he has wanted the whole time. Closed Doors is different than The Death of Bees, and just as enjoyable.

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Dots, a Highly Addictive Game!

Dots, a Highly Addictive Game, Now Has a Successor:

I was a little groggy and tired this morning, and that’s entirely my own fault. I was up most of the night playing TwoDots, a new version of Dots, the highly addictive iOS game.
Unlike its predecessor, which was a game of numbers in which you had to remove as many dots as possible, TwoDots adds an element of adventure. It consists of 85 levels which, unsurprisingly, grow more and more difficult as you move through the game. (I’m stuck at Level 20, but I will beat it. Oh, yes, I will!)
Two Dots and Dots are created by Betaworks, a technology incubator in New York.
In an email interview, Paul Murphy, co-founder and chief executive of Dots, said the Dots games had now been played more than six billion times since the app was introduced a year ago. The creators had no idea it would ever be this successful.
He said the company had been testing the new Two Dots game under a secret code name in Australia for the last two months, and it was performing well.
So far, it seems to have captured the iPhone masses in America. By midday Thursday, only a few hours after it was made available to the public, the new game received more than a hundred reviews on iTunes, mostly praising the game makers for the simplicity and the design. The game also quickly broke into the top 10 free apps on the iTunes App Store in just over eight hours.
Like the first game, Dots makes money from in-app purchases. People can buy new lives if they die or extend the time they have left to play a game.
If the new game follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, Two Dots should be on its way to international fame in no time at all. The first Dots game became the top game in 23 countries and has been downloaded more than 20 million times.
In a news release on the company’s site, Patrick Moberg, co-founder and creator of Dots, said the company wanted to create something that felt similar to the first game, but also created a whole different level of engagement.
“The TwoDots game play looks much more derivative of Dots than it actually is,” Mr. Moberg said. “As you dig deeper, you realize TwoDots simply tips their hat to our first game Dots, but quickly takes the player down a very different and fun path.”

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Five must have sneakers!

Five must have sneakers

Each year you gain more knowledge and with that knowledge comes responsibility. We know that as you stay locked to our blog you realize your kick game and wardrobe gets more and more complex like the magazine. To help aid you in the struggle of having everything you need we decided to put together a guide of must-have shoes for your sneaker closet so you are laced proper for all types of scenarios

The Game Changer

No one's had an impact on the sneaker game quite like Michael Jordan (and Tinker Hatfield). The black/cement Air Jordan III could be considered the greatest Js of all time, you can rock them with virtually anything from khakis, camo shorts, even a suit if you are willing to risk it. No sneaker has ever looked better with jeans and a hoodie. Tinker's elephant-print trimmed mid-cut design helped keep Mike with Nike and did for sneaker design what the '57 Chevy did for cars. That said, it wasn't the only J that flipped the script.

Future Classics

While it's nice to stock up on kicks that are already considered classics, it's also healthy to pick up some current models that have staying power. Look back to what worked in the past, and lay that equation onto what's on shelves now. What are designers turning out that will have kids lining up to cop retros of 30 years down the road? Hard to say, but the Nike Free Run+ 2 should damn well be one. And it's not alone.

Respect The Originators

You don't have to hail from the left coast and rock Dickies to need a reason to rock vulcanized canvas. The Converse All Star belongs in every closet and even multi-millionares keep them on their feet. The low low price tag make them virtually impossible to pass on and the black and white colorways have been a staple in this country for almost 100 years

Skate Essentials

It's not just Weezy, everyone's got skate shoes in their arsenal these days. And whether they're a basic OG like the Vans Era or some modern joints like the Supra Skytop II, there's something for everyone

whetheryou own a board or not. 

Born In the USA

No way you could just name one New Balance that is a must-have for the sneaker rotation, although the classic "steel grey" 1300 is a good a place as any to start. The brand takes style and comfort to another level and, their "Made in USA" line should be a necessity to the American wardrobe — and any collector's racks. If the 1300 isn't your style (who ARE you?), there are always the custom options of the 574 or 993, or other USA-made classics like the 990 or 998

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short story Change Your Friends, Change Your Life

story about Change Your Friends, Change Your Life:

“I expected more from you Trudy Murphy” – Mrs Matthews

Mrs Matthews was my favourite school teacher. She was a short, buxom woman with a really kind disposition and smiley brown eyes. I loved being in her class and tried so hard to do well on my assignments for her. But during the year Mrs Matthews was my teacher, my best friend moved away and I started hanging out with a whole new crowd of friends.

Close by to our school was a large vacant plot of land with a creek running through it. Local neighbourhood kids had built dirt bike tracks through it and a makeshift flying fox swing across the river. During lunchtime, my new friends and I would take off to “The Creek”, as we called it, to hang out of course, leaving school grounds during school hours was forbidden so it was exciting to sneak away. But one day, we returned late, after the class bell had rang, and as we stood deciding if we should go in or skip class altogether, the Principal drove by and caught us.

You can imagine the hell storm that followed with our parents being contacted and detention assignments for what, at the time, felt like an eternity. But the worst part, and the moment that still lives inside me today, was the look of disappointment on Mrs Matthew’s face when she saw me and her words “I expected more from you Trudy Murphy”. During her meeting with my parents, Mrs Matthews warned them that I had fallen in with “a bad crowd”and she was worried that they would hold me back.As a teenager, I really didn’t know what to do with this information. When you’re in school it’s difficult to change your friends and I had felt lucky that they had accepted and included me in their group. But as an adult I realize that if you want to change your life, sometimes you have to change your friends. If you take a mental poll of your friends today, it’s likely that you are the exact average of them in terms of income, interests and ambition, because we attract and are attracted to people who are like us. Therefore, you already meet the standards and expectations of the people in your circle.

So how do you change your friends? You could move cities and start fresh. There’s definitely a sense of freedom and reinvention to that strategy, but it can also be a very lonely path. The alternative is to start engaging in new activities and interests that will bring you into close proximity with the people you would like to emulate. No matter how you go about making new friends, it will take time, guts, and an openness to meeting new people. But trust me, it’s worth it if you want to make your dreams a reality. You just need to decide, do you want to continue to be a teenager that follows others or an adult that walks tall to the beat of their own drum?

Tell me in the comments below how your friends have impacted your life. I’d love to hear from you

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Wake up power-nappers, the Ostrich Pillow just landed:

Every power-napper’s best friend, the Ostrich Pillow. Created by Europe-based design duo Kawamura-Ganjavian, the all immersive head pillow is ideal for those seeking the comfort of a bed on the go but, frustratingly, it was just a prototype. A vision without wings, if you will. That was then and now the Ostrich (Pillow) is taking its first steps to becoming fully fledged after Kawamura-Ganjavian launched a Kickstarter page for it. The company is seeking a minimum of $70,000 and it has a full 29 days on the clock.The pillow can be yours for $60 (plus $20 shipping to Canada, $15 rest of the world) although this level is limited to 300 people. For those wanting more, a $140 pledge will buy two, $325 gets five and backers can buy 10 for $620. 

It’s really quite simple but if you’re still not sure of the benefits, the Kickstarter page has a few, including Did you know that a power naps of around 20 minutes increases productivity by more than 30%? Seeing as we all spend more and more time at work / in front of a computer screen or in transit, we thought why not create a device that helps you disconnect and dream for short periods of time. That’s how the OSTRICH PILLOW came to life

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Toshiba Launches Windows 8 Tablet For Only $199

When it comes to Windows tablets, there are hardly any white-box manufacturers unlike their Android counterparts, meaning that super-cheap tech is hard to find unless its second-hand.

Toshiba, one of the most-renowned PC makers, however, has tried its hand at the tough game with its new Encore tablets.

The 8 and 10.1″ tablets are cheaper than a large number of Android tablets and cost just $199 and $269 respectively.

But how can they be that cheap? One of the reasons is the OS they run, i.e., the new Windows 8.1 with Bing, a free version of Windows which comes with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine. The OS version is available only to OEMs, and on the Encore comes with a year worth subscription with Office 365.

As for the specs, the tablets come with a quad-core Intel Atom Z3735F processor with 1 GB RAM and 32 GB storage, expandable via microSD by up to 128 GB. Both have fairly average displays with 1280 x 800 resolution, a 16:9 aspect ratio rather than the 3:2 in the new Surface Pro 3.

A duo of 5 and 1.2 mp HD cameras can be found. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 are also onboard.

The 10 inch version, which is marketed as a competitor to the Surface 2, also comes with a microHDMI port. However, unlike the Surface 2, the Encore comes with fill Windows 8.1 installed rather than RT and costs almost half.

Of course, the specs of the two are fairly commonplace now, but for $199, you certainly shouldn’t be expecting a lot. The tablets will be put on sale this July.

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Zameen.com Closes Key Venture Investment Deal With Two Singaporean Groups

Zameen.com has closed a venture round with Singapore-based Catcha Group and Frontier Digital Ventures against an undisclosed amount that will give both Catcha Group and Frontier Digital Ventures substantial but non-controlling interest in Zameen.com, said a press statement.

Zameen.com was founded in 2006 by two Pakistani entrepreneur brothers, Zeeshan Ali Khan and Imran Ali Khan.

In 2012, Gilles Blanchard, co-founder of SeLoger.com – France’s largest property portal – came on board as an angel investor and took up the role of Chairman at Zameen.com. Since then, Zameen.com has grown exponentially and has further consolidated its position as the leading property portal in the country.

Catcha Group is a vastly experienced entrepreneurial corporation that invests heavily in new media ideas. The largest online investor in the ASEAN region, the group controls an extensive portfolio of listed and unlisted assets in excess of $1 billion. It owns and operates a host of business concerns such as iProperty Group, iCarAsia, iBuy, and Catcha Media, all of which are public listed companies for which the group has held initial public offerings (IPOs).

Frontier Digital Ventures has also participated in the investment round. Frontier DV was founded in May 2014 by Shaun Di Gregorio – former CEO of the iProperty Group – and is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Frontier Digital Ventures is an expert organisation in the online classifieds space with a particular focus on automotive and property verticals and general classifieds websites, and boasts an amazing track record in building and supporting great companies. The iProperty Group runs Malaysia’s largest property portal, iProperty.com.my, and is the region’s market leader.

Zameen.com has welcomed Patrick Grove, Co-founder & CEO of Catcha Group, and Di Gregorio on to its Board of Directors at the conclusion of this deal. Both gentlemen command immense respect and renown in the entrepreneurial world, especially when it comes to property portals.

“Zameen.com epitomizes the kind of business that Frontier Digital Ventures is seeking to invest in. We love frontier and emerging markets and have a wealth of expertise and a proven track record of extracting value in the opportunities these markets present, so we are really looking forward to working with the team to take the portal to its full potential,” said Di Gregorio.

Zameen.com Co-Founder & CEO Zeeshan Ali Khan said the deal was extremely significant in that it was the first major investment by a foreign conglomerate in Pakistan through a local organisation instead of a direct entry into the market.

“The fact that such renowned names from across the world have chosen to invest in Zameen.com is further testament to the quality of the product we are providing, and a harbinger of great things to come for the Pakistani real estate market,” he added.

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