10 Ways to be Happier

By John Amaro, LAc, DC, Dipl. Ac.(NCCAOM), Dipl.Med.Ac.(IAMA)

Do you want to be happier? Its not as complicated as you might think. Here are 10 ways to achieve this goal in your everyday life:

1. Do things that bring you a sense of fulfillment, joy and purpose, things that validate your self-worth. See you life as being your own creation and strive to make it a positive and expansive one.
2. Pay close and loving attention to yourself, tuning in to your needs on all levels. Take care of yourself, nourishing, supporting and encouraging yourself.
3. Release all negative emotions, especially resentment, envy fear, sadness and anger. Express your feelings appropriately and authentically, don't stuff or hold onto them. Forgive yourself daily for anything you feel negative about.
4. Hold positive images and goals in your mind. pictures of what you truly want in your life. When fearful images arise, refocus on positive images that evoke feelings of peace and joy.
5. Love yourself unconditionally and do your best to love everyone else. Make this love the purpose and primary expression in your life. Create fun, loving, honest relationships allowing for the expression and fulfillment of your needs for security. Try to heal any wounds in past relationships as with parents, old friends, relatives, co-workers, neighbors etc.
6. Make a positive contribution to your communit y through some form of work or volunteer service that you value and enjoy.
7. Make a commitment to your health and well being and develop a strong belief in the possibility of total health. Develop a healing program drawing on the advice and wisdom of respected professionals, and sound diet, exercise and positive thoughts.
8. Accept yourself and everything in your life as an opportunity for growth and learnking. Be grateful for the abundance and blessings in your life. When you make a mistake, forgive yourself, learn what you can from the experience and then move on without regrets.
9. Keep a light hearted sense of humor. Laugh at the appropriate time to laugh. Laugh freely and unrestricted with joy and a smile. Look forward to each and every birthday and to the future. Even though you may be another year older, youthfulness is a feeling not an age.
10. Develop a sense of kinship with a loving, protective, benevolent Universal Intelligence. This intelligence is referred to by a variety of names by various religions and areas of the world (God, Tao, etc). Talk to this higher Intelligence and tug on it for assistance and support in times of need.

Read this message at least once a year, now when you receive it and on your yearly birthday. Your life will change for the best. There will be plenty of opportunity to share this wisdom with friends, relatives, associates and perhaps people you do not even really know. We can all benefit from these words. Do not be afraid to send an anonymous envelope with this information enclosed. Those that are ready for this message will use it for their good.

John A. Amaro, DC, FIAMA, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), LAc, is an internationally known author, lecturer and practitioner beginning his practice of acupuncture and chiropractic in 1971. He has led 13 diplomatic Acupuncture study tours of The People's Republic of China escorting more than 500 doctors and practitioners. He has personally studied acupuncture in nine separate Asian nations.

Dr. Amaro received certification in acupuncture through the Columbia Institute of Chiropractic in 1973. This was one of the first acupuncture postgraduate education programs for physicians in North America commencing in 1972.

He was certified by the Waseda Acupuncture College in Tokyo, Japan in 1974 and graduated from the Chinese Medical Institute in Kowloon, China in 1976. He had previously taken postgraduate studies at the Tai Chung Medical School in Taipei, China in 1973.

Dr. Amaro received his diplomate status from the Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture in 1980, and received his diplomate (Dipl.Ac.) from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 1985.