Book Summary Preview : Being Happy!

Chapter 1: Patterns

Patterns
The human mind can be compared to an iceberg. The tip that is visible is the conscious part of the brain, while the bigger part that you don’t actually see is the subconscious. The subconscious is the quiet part of the brain that records most of your thoughts and also influences your actions. More often than not, the things that you experience in life, specially the behavior that keeps on coming back, are caused by the subconscious mind.

The habits that you form, be it positive or negative, are patterns in life that you got accustomed to doing or experiencing. Some of these patterns that people get hooked with are:

• Drama Pattern. This is the it-is-not-right-to-be-okay pattern. When things go smoothly, the subconscious tells you that this is not right then something dramatic emerges.
• Accident Pattern. Some people simply have a way of getting into any form of accident whenever there is a chance.
• Sickness Pattern. There are people who have unintentionally scheduled sickness, like monthly flu or Monday headaches.
• Mess Patterns. Some people just can’t keep anything in order, they are inclined to being messy all the time.
• Broke Patterns. No matter how much someone makes, there are those who are just always out of money.
• Job Change Patterns. There are those who just can’t stay in a single job for a long time.

Life patterns are influenced by the environment that you have been introduced to. From birth, you already form behavioral patterns—these are persistent and tenacious. Your childhood experiences, the relationships that you form with your parents and the situations in your respective families that you were exposed to are factors that have influenced and determined the patterns that you have acquired.

Changing patterns may be difficult. This will always be challenged by resistance. But it is not impossible. The first step is to recognize this recurring behavior that you wish to change. Accept it and believe that you are not stuck with it forever. Simply start talking positively about yourself. Always reassure yourself that you can do better and can change your ways. Sooner enough, you will see yourself creating the new happiness pattern.

Self-Image
Your self-image is the blueprint of your success. It determines how you will mix with the world and how much you will accomplish in life. You are what you believe you are. You become what you see yourself becoming.

If you want to see vast favorable results happening in your life, you better change the way you perceive and talk about yourself. Though changing your self image is totally difficult, the following are things that you can do to help yourself start over:

• Accept compliments. Always say thank you or words to that effect.
• Give compliments. One of the easiest ways to feel good about yourself is to recognize the beauty in others.
• Always speak well of yourself. If you have nothing good to say about yourself, keep your mouth shut.
• Praise yourself. When you do something right, give yourself a pat in the back. Acknowledge your value.
• Separate your behavior from yourself. Realize that your behavior is not connected to your self worth.
• Treat your body well. It is the only one you got. Exercise and nourish it well.
• Let people know how you expect to be treated. Don’t allow negative behavior.
• Get around good people. Choose the people who can influence you positively.
• Work at having pleasure without guilt. Learn to sincerely enjoy everything that you do.
• Use affirmations. Talk positively to others and to yourself.
• Nourish your soul. Read books which give you ideas and inspiration.
• Always picture your mind how you want to be and not who you are. You will then necessarily gravitate toward your dominant thoughts.