Category: Janet Poole

7 Things Happy People Do – They Are Grateful for What They’ve Got (Part 7 of 7)

Published on by Janet6 Comments

If gratitude makes you yawn then come with me :- )

If you want to get excited about life,  gratitude is your key. Let’s go deeper.

This is part 7 of a 7-part series: Things Happy People Do.

Today is Key #7

…possibly the most powerful of all.

3 Simple Steps to Get Excited About Life – see later in this article.

Key #7:

Happy People Are Grateful for What They’ve Got

Whatever You Focus on Becomes Greater

Focus on what you “don’t have” and you make a huge HOLE in your life.

Focus on what you “do have” and you get even more of that… and then more fabulous stuff gets heaped on top.

It has to do with flow. “Don’t have” blocks the flow, “I love what I already have” keeps it going.

Gratitude has a magical way of moving you deeper into the fabulous. (note: striving for magnificent goals is a focus on becoming greater and not on obstacles. An important but different piece of this puzzle.)

Once you’ve got the gratitude habit, trust me your list grows… it becomes infinite.

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”

Earl Nightingale (Motivational speaker – on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor. 1921 – 1989)

When did you last acknowledge that you can walk or see or hear? Hoping of course you can do all three.

Seldom do we contemplate these monumental blessings. Just ask someone who can’t. Don’t let these blessings fade into the background.

Is Your Happiness Part of the Background?

The reason gratitude is a challenge is this background thing. Beauty is in the detail. Those smallest aspects of life are overlooked yet so vital to our enjoyment of life.

Stay with me. Let’s take another one of our precious senses.

TASTE – one of my favorite “background beauties”.

A friend of mine lost her sense of taste, and she’s often on my mind because of this. It had never occurred to me not to taste a juicy, sweet orange, my favorite chocolate… luscious and delectable or my rich full-bodied red wine.

Hard to imagine. Taste is underestimated.

And this: Do you value your husband, wife, partner in your life? If so, appreciate them every day. I mean really hone in on it every day. Make each day count. You wouldn’t want to wish you had, once they’re gone.

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

Frederick Keonig (German inventor best known for his high-speed printing press. 1774 – 1833)

I’m Happy… I’m Big on Gratitude

Every day I focus on gratitude before I focus on my goals. I contemplate and acknowledge how fortunate I am. I’m also fortunate to have written a book I’m proud of, one that is getting magnificent reviews, and awards. It gives me more opportunity to live and write about my passion – sharing with others how to be excited about life. And connect with so many inspiring people across the world.

My gratitude attitude has moved me into a life I love.

Take Yourself into a Life You Love

We live in an age of incredible opportunity. A formal qualification is not a requirement to get what you want. Please remember that. The question is “Do you want to?” and “Are you willing to put in a little effort to get what you want?” There is a lot of hardship in the world, but opportunities abound for all who are interested and willing.

How Does Gratitude Help You?

Appreciation makes you euphorically happy. As a child I loved pencil crayons, my favorite being the Colleen brand of crayons but crayons were expensive then and not freely handed out as they are now.

When I eventually received my own set of Colleen pencil crayons at about age 10, I was beyond delighted. Ecstatic! Not only did I relish the feel of coloring with them, I also carefully sharpened them and ordered them according to color. (trying to get order into my life perhaps : -) You’ve no idea my joy at seeing this picture. I’m thrilled to say the packaging is still the same !

“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”

 Aesop (A Greek writer credited with a number of fables – Aesop’s Fables)

Rarely do I see a child (in a Western country) go ape over crayons today or even enjoy sharpening and arranging them. A little sad for our kids. Things have changed quickly. We must evolve but not go south. Even more concerning is that the replacement toy – video games – doesn’t give any kind of satisfaction – it increases children’s anxiety, impatience and aggression.

I know this first-hand from my own young children, who started to change personality and so no longer “play” video games. It fuels displeasure – nothing “happy” about that. That’s another issue I may soon write about.

For the most part we, adults and children alike, rarely appreciate anything anymore, we just want more. We have no appreciation.

So we lose that opportunity for happiness.

How to Become More Aware Continue reading “7 Things Happy People Do – They Are Grateful for What They’ve Got (Part 7 of 7)” →

7 Things Happy People Do – They Create in Their Own Unique Way (Part 6 of 7)

Published on by Janet

Let’s stop…

… trying to be like everyone else.

Trying to fit in, being seen as successful
– according to other people’s opinions of success!

Advertising and the media hypnotize us into wanting to look like others, do what others are doing, be like others.

You are unique – celebrate your uniqueness.

Keep it that way. Don’t become beige.

One trap is we consider other people’s ideas, stories and achievements noteworthy, but not ours.

This is part 6 of a 7-part series: Things Happy People Do.

Key #6:

Happy People Create in Their Own Unique Way

People especially love to hear about others facing and overcoming adversity.

It’s inspirational.

And who hasn’t overcome adversity – we all have, and our stories are all unique.

To be honest, for me it’s a relief to know our personal stories are an ideal way of illustrating a point, because it means I don’t have to go far to get one.

And remember truth is stranger than fiction!

“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again.

And what do we teach our children?

We teach then that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France.

When will we also teach them what they are?

We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are?

You are a marvel. You are unique.

In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you.

Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move.

You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven.

You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel.

And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?

You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.”

Pablo Picasso

I urge you to read (aloud) the above quote. Don’t just skim it.

At heart we are all still children, each with a fabulous future ahead of us.

If you want it. If you allow it.

You Have Something Unique to Create

Just as your past is unique, you have something unique to create in your future too. This time you’ll do it with intention. I’m ready and waiting to see your product, service or hear your story. There are infinite ways in which you can be creative. Let go of the mind-set that only an artist or a dancer is creative. If you are passionate about something it’s highly likely you already have your audience ready and waiting.

“The happy people are those who are producing something.”

William Ralph Inge (British Professor of Divinity 1860 – 1954)

When you are creative you create new experiences for yourself. Your soul thrives on new experiences. New experiences are a vital key to happiness. Embrace the 7 keys of this blog series and you’ll start getting a sense of your real worth. Your own unique natural creativity will start to effortlessly wash over you.

Another New Unique Opportunity For Me

While shopping and walking my 18 month old son in his stroller, a book caught my eye.

At that point I’d never heard of Robert Kiyosaki, yet his book “Retire Young, Retire Rich” grabbed my attention.

A great title don’t you think? I bought it.

On reading it I was thrust onto a new and exciting path in life.

I became a successful real estate investor. That’s all it took!

As a stay-at-home mother, I was a little bored and struggling to find a solution. Returning to work was not an option for me – all I could imagine was increased stress levels.

Looking back I sense I didn’t want to return to the IT field, and wonder now if I had done so, would I have become too busy for all my other endeavors, including writing my book “How to Get Anything You Want – Just Like That!”.

Because of “Retire Young, Retire Rich” the idea instantly ignited me and I devoured the book.

As I said in key # 3 Put Yourself First, if you feel entitled to put yourself first, opportunities will arise for you to do so.

Real estate investment is an ideal occupation for a SAHM. Robert Kiyosaki gave me all the motivation and reasons that I could do it.

And I did.

Creating is Fun

Within a year I had traveled interstate to attend a Robert Kiyosaki seminar and I’d bought 2 properties.

My result was an excellent profit upon selling these a few years later.

And it was a lot of fun. I researched in my “spare” time and eventually decided to buy in interstate.

This meant I had to travel and it gave me an opportunity for that all important “me time” and I was being productive.

Not that you must be productive during “me time”, no no no!

Your creativity urges are unique to you. You might think real estate is boring – for me it was exciting.

At the time my real estate adventure ticked all the boxes of “what happy people do”:

How Did My Adventure Tick All the Boxes? Continue reading “7 Things Happy People Do – They Create in Their Own Unique Way (Part 6 of 7)” →

7 Things Happy People Do – They Take Action (Part 5 of 7)

Published on by Janet5 Comments

That new information you learn?

Take action with it!

This is part 5 of a 7-part series: Things Happy People Do.

Key #1 is Happy People Have an Open Mind.
Key #2 is Happy People Love to Learn.
Key #3 is Happy People Put Themselves First.
Key #4 is Happy People Approve of Themselves.

Key #5:

Happy People Take Action

Knowledge is (almost) useless without action. Action is after all how you participate in life and achieve your goals.

“I learn by going where I have to go.”

Theodore Roethke

You only fully understand your knowledge once you use it.

Imagine a surgeon never performing a real life operation. Their theory, their knowledge never unfolds into pure understanding and wisdom unless they take action. Once they do, they truly “get it”.

It is the same for you in your life. Action becomes wisdom.

I am Healthier Through Action

For years, every time a new nutritional concept resonated with me, I tried it out.

I don’t even look for them anymore they just seem to find me!

But only by acting on it did I fully understand the instructions or the book and learn whether it works for me. Taking action also raises new questions for me and I am able to ask even more in-depth questions.

While I’ve never stayed with any one particular way of eating, I retained certain wisdoms from each.

From the Zone Diet, I learned that a way to feel full after a meal is to make sure it has a portion of fat, protein as well as carbohydrate.

The Eat Right For Your (Blood) Type book taught me gluten in bread makes most people feel sluggish.

But bread is so yum and while I tend to still balance my bread intake, my bigger focus now is thinking:

“everything I eat is good for me”

A far more powerful way of thinking.

While I don’t overload my day with bread, I now digest it more easily (and enjoy it). Your thoughts really do decide your life.

It is an effort to take action, but only initially. The achievement you get gives satisfaction, happiness and that motivation to keep going. Greater discoveries here we come!

“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.”

George Bernard Shaw

How Do You Take Action?

Once you learn something new, Continue reading “7 Things Happy People Do – They Take Action (Part 5 of 7)” →

7 Things Happy People Do – They Approve of Themselves (Part 4 of 7)

Published on by Janet2 Comments

Do you want an ideal way to love yourself more? Then…

Approve of yourself!

This is part 4 of a 7-part series: Things Happy People Do.

Key #1 is Happy People Have an Open Mind.
Key #2 is Happy People Love to Learn.
Key #3 is Happy People Put Themselves First.

Key #4:

Happy People Approve of Themselves

What Does it Mean to Approve of Yourself?

When you approve of yourself you approve of everything you think, say and do. And everything you have ever thought, said or done.

Sure, we always learn from what we say and do, but don’t agonize over the past and allow it to spoil your future. Add it to your wisdom and move on with today.

If I’m challenging you today, that’s good, it will help liberate you. Everything you’ve ever thought, said or done is okay.

“The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.”

Walt Disney

Keep Moving Forward Toward Your Dreams

Additionally, happy people also approve of their abilities and skills, and move forward in their life despite the need to further develop certain areas e.g. confidence, self-esteem, negotiating, interview skills… whatever.

Holding back because of doubt or hiding because of low self-esteem will never take you to more confidence, it just leads to frustration… it leads to unhappiness.

By contrast, it is through engaging in life that your skills develop as does your self-approval.

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

~~ E.E. Cummings

My Dream of Working Overseas

In the early stages of my I.T. career, at 22, I moved from South Africa to live and contract in London.

I had a yearning to work in another country, it wasn’t enough for me to travel; I wanted to experience the nitty-gritty of life in another country.

To my delight I discovered my ADABAS/Natural programming skills (… looong time ago!) were in short supply the world over, including England. A friend was heading there to stay in her large family home in Sevenoaks, Kent and invited me to tag along.

The trouble was that although I had experience in Natural programming, it wasn’t recent. But I was going no matter what, so there I was wildly revisiting my programming notes and studying for interviews. A few months later I flew to England, a little nervous.

Choose Your Destiny

This choice of mine completely changed my destiny, not that I knew it then. I now live in Australia instead of South Africa so that’s a clue. My point is that although I recognized the need for more experience, my opportunity to live in England arrived and I took it.

Where There’s a Will There’s a Way!

My first contract wasn’t easy; Continue reading “7 Things Happy People Do – They Approve of Themselves (Part 4 of 7)” →

7 Things Happy People Do – They Put Themselves First (Part 3 of 7)

Published on by Janet2 Comments

Candle relaxPut yourself first.

I know I know that’s supposed to be taboo.

And therefore a great reason to challenge it : -)

Putting yourself first is logical when you know why.

If you want scientific proof then I have that too.

If the idea sounds tempting then I say, good for you.

It’s 4 years since this blog post was written.
As of 2016, it’s my 4th most popular blog post.
It shows many of us are asking questions about what we’re “allowed” to have.
We have a yearning for truth.

Imagine if we ALL had permission to do what’s right for us, to follow our passions. Everyone would be happier, correct?

This is part 3 of a 7-part series: Things Happy People Do.

Key #1 is Happy People Have an Open Mind.
Key #2 is Happy People Love to Learn.

Let’s get started on #3.

Key #3:

Happy People Put Themselves First

Putting yourself first means you can follow your passion.

It’s the difference between waking up and savouring the idea of the day ahead and bouncing out of bed yelling, “Oh yea!” versus groaning, “Ugh, and now I have to get up…”!

“Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.”

Jon Bon Jovi

Would You Even Know You’re Putting Others First?

Putting others first is a program so drilled into us as children it becomes part of who we are.

Then someone (that would be me) shocks us with “put yourself first !” and we draw back in horror.

So how does putting others first play out in our life?

It means we rarely do what we want.

We spend our life trying to please our family and friends and be accepted by our peers. We do what is popular, we try to fit in, we never offend (a serious no-no), we try to impress others and appear successful and yes, we even try to appear happy.

Does feeling obligated to please others and having to constantly appear successful make you happy?
No.

Most people consider this selfish… it’s not.

Why?

That Scientific Proof You Wanted

1. Quantum physicists have proved that you can only create your own reality – by what you think and how you choose to live your life.

You don’t create someone else’s reality – you can only create yours.

2. Take that one step further and you’ll see you can’t make someone else happy; why some people are never satisfied no matter how hard you try.

3. And one more step – the flip side: You can’t expect others to make you happy.

It’s all about YOU. You make it happen for YOU.

You’ll Become More Generous and Loving

Just because you put yourself first doesn’t mean you skip your responsibilities and stop loving your children. Nor do you become selfish, nasty or greedy. You’re human: you’ll always care for others. You become even more generous, patient and loving. And you’re empowering yourself and others. Life is brilliant!

Tell me, would you rather be around someone who is vibrantly happy and inspirational or someone who is exhausted and disgruntled after years of self-sacrifice… and of course trying their best to mask it? You decide.

My Time as a Stay-at-Home Mother

Women with children surely face one of the toughest challenges to feel okay about putting themselves first.

When I was a SAHM, I was desperate for me time. So were my friends.

It didn’t help that I had no family in Australia, my daughter had started school and I had a very lively active (adorable!) 3yo son who had moved on from his afternoon naps.

Back then I didn’t know about putting myself first.

Achieving Me Time

So how did I handle the situation back then?

I must have had inkling of how important this was because I chose to put my son in childcare 5 hours on a Wednesday.

This meant I could get a cup of coffee by myself or even chop vegetables for dinner uninterrupted!

I didn’t even want to catch up with friends – I just wanted to be alone.

My son hated childcare.

The first few months were fine and he always had a lot of fun once there, but he started objecting every Wednesday morning. I persevered a little longer because I knew I was a better, more patient mother with me time.

I stopped the childcare because my son was becoming more distraught, however those 6 months gave me what I needed. He started kindergarten soon after and I got a few hours to myself.

How Can Your Attitude Help You?

You don’t have to logically work out how to put yourself first. Merely understand that you’re entitled to do so and Continue reading “7 Things Happy People Do – They Put Themselves First (Part 3 of 7)” →