May's Breath of Fresh Air from Akasha

Eureka….it’s official….money can’t buy you happiness!  Here in the UK, there is a new weekly series on TV called The Happiness Formula which is exploring the whole question of Happiness.  What is emerging is no surprise at all to us as we have been witnessing first hand that despite being more affluent than ever before, people are generally unhappier. 

The statistics show that the proportion of people saying they are “very happy” has fallen from 52% in 1957 to just 36% today which is a trend already well documented in the US. 

What interests me is that one of the questions posed is “Should the Government be doing more to make us happy?”  I find this an extraordinary question.  After all, who ultimately is responsible for our happiness……we are!   Sure it might help to have less taxes, a better health service, reduced crime etc…..but I can guarantee that even if all of these things came to pass, there would still be a large percentage of the population who would be unhappy.

It’s a bit like saying “If I win the lottery, I’ll be happy”.  Well, you might be for a short while until the novelty wore off…..and according to a couple of winners I saw interviewed recently, it does wear off.   In their case they said they were happy before and now they are still happy but with more material comfort.  And that’s what money brings……more comfort.  It can also bring more worries but what it doesn’t buy is happiness. 

Happiness is an internal state that overflows into our lives and touches the lives of others.  The more inner work we do to clear out the clutter of life, the happier we are likely to get ….it’s as though we touch back into an essence that has always been there waiting to be re-discovered. 

And this is what the  people who come to work with us on our life-changing programs tell us afterwards..….that they feel lighter, brighter and happier.  They also usually say “I wish I’d done this years ago!”.   However, to do it at all is to give themselves the gift of happiness……a lasting gift that no amount of money can buy.

Hmm…..I feel a song coming on….. “Happiness, Happiness, the greatest gift that I possess…..”

Feature:  Laughter is the best medicine

When we are happy, we laugh more.  It just happens.  Suddenly we seem to have more sense of fun and joy.  Sharing time with friends is key to our well-being. There is surely nothing better than getting together with a group of like-minded people and having a really good laugh together.

There is even evidence that laughter is really beneficial for our health and there are many documented cases of people really aiding their recovery from serious illness by engaging in pursuits that made them laugh.  This is because when we laugh, we produce positive endorphins that cause us to feel better.

So the next time you feel a bit down, why not watch something funny, get a DVD of a programme that makes you laugh.  Or you could record funny programs and watch them again.    When I was a child there was a wonderful song called “The laughing policeman”……which was just someone laughing to a sort of tune.  No matter how many times I heard it, it always made me laugh and I’m sure it still would now. 

I’ve also helped on a program where we had to fake laughter.  A team of helpers would start to laugh, gently at first and then louder.  The effect was incredible.  Nearly everyone, no matter what sadness they had been experiencing, started to laugh too …..it was truly infectious and that’s what laughter is, infectious.  Which is just as well it’s the best medicine!

Ask yourself this:

When was the last time you enjoyed a really good belly laugh?

How often do you spend time with friends who make you laugh?

What would make you happier?

Because we like them……

We decided that each month we would include a few links to other sites, either because we know the people concerned and think they are great or we were inspired by the site and wanted to share it with you. By the way, these are not affiliate links and no money is received for including them.

www.factmonster.com

Full of fascinating information and facts on a huge range of subjects

www.myvirgincosmetics.co.uk/kayamiss

Virgin Cosmetics offers a wonderful range of health and beauty products as well as some contemporary jewellery and accessories.

www.passion4juice.com

If you like juicing or you would like a juice bar at an event, conference or festival, then Trish Tucker is the person to talk to.  Her site also has some great recipes for a variety of healthy but gorgeous juices.

Really useful information….

This isn’t in the life saving category exactly but it can certainly be a life saver in terms of remembering birthdays!  www.birthdayalarms.com offers a birthday diary service.  You sign up for free, input all your friends names and their birthdays……and then 7 days before the due date, you get a reminder followed by two more as the date approaches.  You can choose from a selection of free e-cards or for a small annual amount, you get an even greater range.  All you then do is personalise your message, choose when you want to send it and birthday alarms do the rest.

If you have some really useful information that you’d like us to share with other readers in the forthcoming issues, email me at
akasha.lonsdale@empoweringpartnership.com
and of course, we’ll attribute the information to you.

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BLOGGING.....it's all the rage and a great bonus for any business. Not only that, but it's easy to do and not as time consuming as other forms of regular communication.  It can be a structured message or just your thoughts, ideas, insights and inspirations.

If you have been reading about blogging and wondering what it's all about, then come and join me on a one day workshop being held in Reading with fantastic internet psychologist, Graham Jones.  I did a two day Internet workshop with Graham and Guy Levine in February this year where I learnt a huge amount about maximising opportunities on the internet....and I'm really looking forward to this one on Blogging.

Here's the link to read all about it......

www.grahamjones.biz/cmd.php?Clk=1424589

SHAMELESS PROMOTION....because we're totally committed to inspiring and empowering your life!

************DIARY NOTE: NEXT WORKSHOP*****************

THE BLISS OF BEING (Residential) from evening of 16-18th June 2006 at the beautiful Farncombe Estate on the edge of the Cotswolds.  There are a few places left.

Meantime, to see details of our other life changing programs and services, visit our new look website on www.empoweringpartnership.com.

Until June, John and I wish you an inspired and empowered month.

Akasha

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