Your Happiness starts with you, with your conviction, with your hope and with your power prayer. You can choose happiness in life. But it takes energy to do this!
How much are you going to put into making your vision a reality?
I'm getting a quite a few emails from people who want to change their lives, but are not able or willing to put in the effort that it takes to establish a strong practice.
The Positive Psychologists talk about something called Activation Energy - that is the "start up" energy that is required get something started. Establishing your solid practice requires "Activation Energy" and once this is established you are, as I say, "on a roll". It will affect all areas of my life. But please, don't take my word for it. This is something you must DO to experience.
I remember when I was concentrating on this activation energy. I knew that the more energy I put into my practice, the less energy I had to use in my daily life. Forcing myself to chant made the rest of the day flow. I had SGI members come and chant with me at night and in the morning for awhile to help me establish this rhythm. (Thank you Dolores and San Francisco members!)
Here's what it takes:
Strong Desire - write your goals
Connecting with the SGI, or having a desire to connect with the SGI and including this in your prayers.
Keeping to a schedule (even if a bit flexible) of chanting twice a day every day.
Studying the Gosho and President Ikeda's guidance and sharing this practice with others.
This is the formula for happiness - and you can do it!
No one can do this for you. You are the only one who can change your karma and the best thing is
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR KARMA.
You CAN do this.
You CAN be Happy
But you have to do it! No one can do it for you. Once you establish the daily rhythm you WILL notice a difference, unless you are eroding your life by constant complaining and "why me-ing". Find a way to replace the complaints in your mind with appreciation. Your practice will help you to do this. Your thoughts will turn to thoughts of appreciation naturally if you devote yourself to your practice, in other words, to your own life.
Your happiness is incredibly important in so many ways. It is your birthright, it is your mission, and your happiness makes the world a better place.
Of course your actions make a difference:
Smiling at another is a cause for your (and their) happiness. Do you know they've done tests and the people you smile at actually register a higher level of happiness just by being smiled at? And your brain registers happiness just by smiling. Isn't that wonderful?
Power Prayer for Happiness:
Life!
I am determined to build a life of happiness!
I am determined to chant every day - twice a day
from now on!
I am determined to use ALL my problems
as fuel for creating victory in all areas of my life.
I will be happy, healthy, successful
and have great and fulfilling relationships!
I am determined to strengthen my practice,
to chant every day twice a day.
I WILL do this.
