inspiration

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: MAINTAIN A SENSE OF OPENNESS, OBJECTIVITY, AND FLEXIBITY

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a Happiness/Success Tip on maintaining a sense of openness, objectivity, and flexibility throughout the days, months, years, and decades of your life. The human quality of consistency is overrated. Ways to learn and grow and evolve as a person include being open to new information and ideas and making adjustments along the way. This is an intelligent way to live and you’ll be much happier and more successful in life if you do.

So, get in the practice of embracing openness, objectivity, and flexibility and releasing close-mindedness, subjectivity, and rigidity. And don’t worry so much about maintaining a sense of consistency. Things change and you must adapt to these changes all along the way.

What a wonderful world we could all live in and share if we each lived in this fashion.

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS TIP ON LIVING SIMPLY

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a Happiness Tip on living simply.

What should you do with your life?

Enjoy it, smile a lot, and be happy.

Simply explore and experience anything and everything in life which might create these happy kinds of things for you.

It’s that simple.

You’re welcome! 🙂

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS TIP: ALWAYS LEAD WITH A SMILE AND HAPPY THOUGHTS TOWARDS OTHERS

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a simple Happiness Tip guaranteed to bring immediate and sustained joy throughout the days, weeks, and years of your life… Every time you come in contact with someone, lead with a smile and the thought: “I wish you much happiness and hope you find many reasons to laugh and smile today.” And mean it. You can also bring people in your life to mind (past and present) and do the same.

Observe how wonderful it makes you feel every time you do this – and do it often. What a wonderful world we could all share if we all did this. A world filled with joy and loving-kindness instead of judgment and negativity.

So, do this for yourself (and others) each and every day and smile a little more. 🙂

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS TIP: FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WANT INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU DON’T

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a Happiness Tip which might be helpful for some of you out there: Get in the practice of focusing on what you want, or would like to happen, instead of what you don’t.

The primary reason so many people feel so negative for so much of the time is that they fill their minds with thoughts of what they do not want.

Thoughts of one thing we do not want, often spawns other thoughts of things we do not want, which spawns still other thoughts of things we do not want, and so on. And this process can continue until our thoughts pull us in multiple, conflicting, negative directions and we become overwhelmed, drained of energy, and even paralyzed by our fears and negativities.

A good way to moderate and overcome negative thinking cycles such as this is to mindfully practice turning attention away from negative thoughts and towards more positive ones. For example, if you find yourself playing the what if game, you might substitute positive what ifs in place of the negative what ifs. That is, you would choose happier thoughts. In this manner you would be able to transform your thoughts from fear, anxiety, and negativity to something more positive.

For example, instead of telling yourself, “What if everything goes wrong?” you might tell yourself, “What if everything goes right?” Or, instead of telling yourself “I can’t,” you might tell yourself, “I can and I will.” Or, instead of telling yourself, “I will never get through this,” you might tell yourself, “I will get through this because I’m much stronger and more resilient than I’m giving myself credit for.” Or, instead of telling yourself “I’m going to look stupid in front of everyone, because I am such a lousy presenter,” you might tell yourself, “this will be a new and interesting experience for me. I am going to get up there and do a wonderful job. People might even applaud and want to talk to me after my presentation.” And so on.

The point is to figure out what you do want, instead of what you do not want, and to focus your attention on that. Whenever we visualize positivity and success by focusing our attention on what we want, instead of that which we do not want, it will energize us, drive us to perform exceptionally well, and create a more positive outcome (of which no small part can come from the power and help we might receive in response from the universe and spiritual world). And that can really help us get through the more difficult challenges we experience in life.

Several years ago, in Orlando, Florida, I once saw a billboard outside of an organic and environmentally safe products store which I just loved. It read, “If anything can go well, it will.” What a wonderful way to look at life. Just saying these words to ourselves can make us feel happy, peaceful, and optimistic. Believing these words in our daily approach to living can make us feel wonderful and help us to moderate and overcome our stresses, fears, and negativities. What do you really want right now in your life? Focus on that and live freely knowing that if anything can go well it will.

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: GET IN THE PRACTICE OF ENGAGING IN PRODUCTIVE INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS INSTEAD OF NONPRODUCTIVE ONES

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a Happiness/Success Tip which can be helpful not only in your work, but also in your life outside of work: Get in the practice of engaging in productive interactions with others instead of nonproductive ones. This involves not only verbal discussions but also communications via social media and other forms of communication.

A good first step in doing this involves evaluating the interactional/conversational environment before engaging to ensure the setting is constructive and that it’s a convenient time for everyone involved. The only productive interactions/conversations to have with people are those which are done in good faith in which each of the parties are feeling positive and are interested, curious, open, truly want to listen, and desire to explore, investigate, gather information, learn something new, improve relationships, or gain a different perspective or a new understanding.

Engaging in interactions/conversations with argumentative people or those who are emotionally charged, not feeling their best, or enjoy provoking emotional responses are usually not very productive. So, in those situations, it is probably better to wait until the circumstances are such that they can be productive. Otherwise, they can just create a lot of negative energy without accomplishing much.

Always take a soft approach, be respectful, and ask permission of those you wish to interact or converse with. So, instead of saying something like: “We need to talk now!” and cornering or invading a person’s space and using the time as an emotional dumping ground, ask something like:”Can we talk about ‘X’,” or “Is now a good time to talk?” If the interaction/conversation involves sharing worries or fears, do so without blaming those you are having the discussion with.

The above are some of the reasons that self-care is so very important so that you always show up presenting your “best self.” And here’s a post I wrote about this: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/how-to-defeat…/

The above ideas were formulated from an inspirational podcast I listened to today on the Good Life Project which featured Alex Jamieson and Bob Grower as guests: https://www.goodlifeproject.com/…/alex-jamieson-bob…/

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/ 

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #relationships

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: INSTEAD OF FINDING WAYS TO LIVE WITH STRESS AND NEGATIVITY, CHANGE THE THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS WHICH LEAD TO IT

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a happiness/success tip which can make you feel much better about yourself and your life for months, years, and decades to come. Instead of looking for ways to live with stress, anxiety, and other forms of negativity, ask yourself what thoughts and behaviors you engage in which lead to these kinds of negative experiences and make adjustments accordingly.

Most people seek help for living the way they currently do instead of seeking ideas, assistance, and support for how they might stop living in this fashion. And that is key. So, always seek healthy ways to change the thinking, behaviors, or emotions which create the negativities you experience in life instead of trying to manage or numb them.

As a life coach, I frequently tell people that anytime we experience negativity in life, we are the creator. But that is good news because if we are the creator, then we can always do something about it to make things better. So, it’s a good practice, anytime you experience stress and negativity in life, to ask yourself: “How am I creating this stress and negativity?” And then take steps to make things better.

In some cases, you might falsely conclude that someone else is creating your negativity. For example, there might be someone who doesn’t treat you very well, who only seems to come around when he or she wants something, who always takes but never gives, who never respects or appreciates you, or who talks down to you. And, even though it might seem justified and appropriate to associate your experience of negativity to this other person, a more empowering way to look at it is this: The true reason you are experiencing this negativity is because you are creating it.

“How could I possibly be creating this negativity?” you might ask. Well, in situations such as the above, you might be creating this negativity because you thought the person was different (or better) than he or she truly is, ignored the warning signs, and/or invested time, energy, and resources due to your false impressions. And when this happens, it can be natural to feel angry, disappointed, hurt, and sad. However, the true reason you are feeling this way is not because of the other person. It is because you expected this other person to be different from who he or she truly is. And it hurts when we come to the realization that we have been wrong about someone. Especially, someone we might have greatly loved, respected, and trusted.

However, once you gain the understanding that you are the one who is creating this negativity, you can move towards making things better. Because, armed with your new awareness, you can now create distance from the associated person, learn from the experience so that you become a better judge of character and become more selective of who you associate with in the future, and/or get into the practice of making only small investments in time, energy, and/or resources until you are able to better confirm whether there truly is mutual love, respect, trust, and appreciation before being willing to give more.

So, anytime you experience stress and negativity in life, get into the practice of asking yourself: “How am I creating this stress and negativity?” And then take steps to make things better.

Some of the ways to make healthier changes in life include actively engaging in self-care, making yourself a priority, setting and enforcing boundaries, and living in accordance with your values. And here’s one post I wrote for doing that: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/happiness-tip-make-yourself-a-priority-by-giving-everything-the-attention-it-deserves-and-nothing-more/

And here’s a another post I wrote about the many ways to actively employ self-care: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/how-to-defeat-any-distress-without-dope-drinks-drugs-debt-or-doctors/

And lastly, here’s a post I wrote about taking action: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/happiness-tip-live-with-a-sense-of-hope-but-dont-rely-on-it/

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS TIP: LIVE WITH A SENSE OF JOY, WONDER, AND GRATITUDE

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

You are special. And you matter. So, always live with a sense of joy, wonder, and gratitude. To be born at all is a miracle… because everything had to align and happen perfectly from the beginning of time up until the day you came into existence for you to even be here today.

So, live, and love, and marvel, and dance, and rejoice, and contribute each and every day. And think about this and fill yourself with loving warmth, joy, and appreciation.

You are here right now. And you are special. And you matter. And nothing else is more important today.

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS TIP: EMPLOY CRITICAL THINKING BEFORE REACTING AND COMMUNICATING

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.


Let’s talk about a key element missing in today’s social media based communications: Critical Thinking. I think it’s a foregone conclusion that the news media is biased and shapes stories based on selective information and indicators which offer the most compelling presentations possible. Because that’s what captures audience attention and is the primary metric of success for the news media. So, it’s always a worthwhile exercise to ponder what information is being conveniently left out and what information might cause you to draw the opposite conclusion or no conclusion at all. And performing an objective analysis and evaluation of issues in order to form judgments BEFORE COMMUNICATING is the actual definition of critical thinking.

So, it boggles my mind when I see people getting excited about and having heated emotional discourses on information (or misinformation for that matter) based on news media sources or even worse – based on frivolous non-sources like social media posts and such. It’s such a waste of time and energy for everyone involved.

So, do everyone a favor (including yourself) by being open to ideas and employing the basic concepts of critical thinking BEFORE REACTING OR COMMUNICATING and supporting your ideas with good sources and your credentials where appropriate. If you do, your communications will offer something of value and you will be valued as a source instead of as a crazed hysteric throwing random hissy fits (even though the latter might be a bit more entertaining). So, please keep this in mind.

And, lastly, always remember: just because you believe something doesn’t make it true.

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/


#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS TIP: EMBODY AN ATTITUDE THAT EMPOWERS SUCCESS

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.


Most people consider knowledge, skills, and expertise to be the key determinants of one’s success in life. And while these aspects certainly do contribute to one’s success, I would argue there are two underappreciated factors which probably contribute much more to success than most people realize or give credit for:

Luck. The under appreciation of the role luck plays in the successes experienced in life often leads to overconfidence in one’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Most people who experience outsized success, attribute this success to their own superior knowledge and expertise. The resulting overconfidence often leads to excessive risk taking and catastrophic failures and outcomes. Daniel Kahneman in his outstanding book, “Thinking Fast and Slow,” indicates that poor performance is typically followed by improvement. Likewise, good performance tends to be followed by underperformance. Each of these are due to random effects alone. This is why many of the best fund managers, athletes, and CEOs celebrated one year, tend to underperform in future years and why the worst performers often outperform their peers in the years that follow. Kahneman identified multiple studies in his book which supported this. It’s simply a reversion to the mean effect.

Attitude. Having a positive attitude towards yourself, towards others, and towards life overall is instrumental for success and is something I never take for granted. If you are the type of person who genuinely cares about others, cares about the planet, cares about yourself, generously shares what you have with others, and lives with a sense of genuine appreciation then success is virtually guaranteed. The more you fill your life with caring, sharing, and appreciation, the happier you will feel and the more rewarding your life will become. Three ways to achieve this include thinking good, doing good, and being good:

  • Thinking good involves having positive thoughts towards yourself, towards others, and towards the planet whether focusing on the past, present, or future.

  • Doing good involves making positive contributions towards others and towards your surroundings.

  • Being good involves having a positive disposition and a good-hearted nature as well as a high level of integrity.


Filling your life with caring, sharing, and appreciation in these regards not only creates a happier you, but also creates happier surroundings, success, and abundance throughout the months, years, and decades of your life. 

Of the above factors, I would argue that attitude is the key determinant of success and that this is probably more important than the other two factors combined. For example, if you have been following my investment related activities (https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/stock-market-activities/) you know that this year I have experienced outsized gains in the stock market. And while most people would tout their superior knowledge and skills as being the primary factor for their success, I attribute this success much more to attitude than knowledge or skill.

For example, anytime something great happens for me, financially speaking (or otherwise), I’m a big believer in using at least part of the proceeds to offer unique opportunities to others. I create a Beneficiaries Reserve Fund for this purpose which I add to over time.

Essentially, the way my Beneficiaries Reserve Fund works is this: I have a financial target to meet and if I exceed that target, then half of the excess amount goes to me for personal use and the other half goes to the Beneficiaries Reserve Fund. It’s just a promise I’ve made to myself and kept over my years of investing.

Well, I’ve been building up this fund over several years and on the 4th of March I decided to put it to good use by helping someone who has struggled for years with a large amount of debt and high-interest-rate credit cards. I simply wanted to offer this person the stress-free experience of living debt free and the wonderful peace and joy and freedom that it brings. Earlier that day, I had earned a 13% gain on my investments. What’s interesting is what happened after I made that decision. As of Thursday (9 April), my gains had sky rocketed to 64% in only a month’s time. I earned much more in those four weeks than everything I had offered to help the friend in need. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I don’t live my life believing in coincidences. And although luck and skills might have played a role, I believe the largest factor was due to attitude and the way I live my life.

And the above is just one example of the many times I’ve been blessed with happiness and success in my life. For another recent example, a year ago I sold my house for $335,000 and used the proceeds to buy CDs paying 3.2% interest. Well, when I checked recently, the value of the house I sold was only $280,000. So, had I waited to sell, not only would I have sold it for much less but the CDs I bought would have paid about half of what I got a year ago.

I make it a daily habit to extend kindness, to be appreciative, and to value and care for the planet (humans and non-humans alike). I won’t get into the details in this post, but for those who might have interest, you can read a summarized version of the “JOE BRENNAN GRAND PHILOSOPHY ON LIFE” here: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/happiness-tip-how-to-create-a-happy-priceless-beautiful-life-which-costs-nothing/ 

Try living your life this way and see if you don’t become blessed and showered and empowered with success and happiness in ways you never thought, imagined, or dreamed was possible. This is something which never ceases to amaze me and it’s happened many, many times throughout the years and decades of my life. So, I encourage you to live your life in this fashion. You won’t regret it. Because there is not one day that goes by where I am not filled with an overabundance of joy and loving appreciation for all my life has become. So, be kind to others, be appreciative, and care for the planet and you might be amazed at just how wonderful your life becomes. Because you will create happier surroundings, a happier you, and be continually blessed in the months, years, and decades to come. So do this for yourself (and others). And do it often.

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/


#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness #investing #stocks

HAPPINESS TIP: OFFER GUILT-FREE GIVING AT ITS FINEST!

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

“Make a Friend Smile Day”. That’s the special occasion I created years ago as the perfect excuse to offer guilt-free giving to people going through significant financial difficulties and hardships but are just too proud to ask or accept this help. The only catch is the friend must smile when using the gift because, well, there’d be no reason to have a “Make a Friend Smile Day” if the friend didn’t smile.

Consider doing something like this for people in your life from time to time who could just use a reason to smile. A lot a people would benefit from such a gesture – especially with all of the Covid-19 issues we’re dealing with now.

I plan to buy several Publix gift cards over the next few weeks and have a “make a friend smile day” production! I hope some of you will do the same!

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books and posts: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/ 

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness