Tag Archive for: Happiness

Shared Purpose

Purpose is good.
The pursuit of purpose is better.
๐‘บ๐’‰๐’‚๐’“๐’†๐’… ๐’‘๐’–๐’“๐’‘๐’๐’”๐’† is best.
Meaning, everyone is aligned to the same mission.
They are a part of something.
They belong.
They have a collective responsibility.
They influence.
They radiate positive energy.
They engage.
They boldly go and do.
There is drive.
There is alignment.
And a collective sense of belonging.
Itโ€™s a connective force that pulls a mission together.
It touches us and moves us into action.
It creates a sense of excitement.
Itโ€™s compelling.
It drives collaboration.
Itโ€™s about living it โ€“ together!
It is the glue that strengthens our mission.
It is the common thread woven amongst each of them.
Our ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž is grand, prodigious, and vast!
Itโ€™s life changing…
โ€œInvite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the endโ€.
This is the ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž of every missionary serving around the world for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We live by it.
We invite all to understand the purpose of life.
Come join with us.

An example of the Believers…

There is never a typical week in missionary work.
And there is also never a dull moment as they Preach the Gospel.
This week was busy, very busy, as more people than ever responded to their message of hope.
From singing in choirs, playing violins, serving cookies, street contacting, knocking doors, reaching out on social media, serving in the community, teaching Dutch or English classes, biking everywhere and occasionally a flying kick, missionaries serve and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ through their actions and service.
They are called to represent Jesus Christ.
Day in, day out, missionaries work tirelessly in their efforts to โ€œInvite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.โ€
The message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses individuals and families.
Their message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that all individuals are part of Godโ€™s family and that families can be united now and in eternity.
We believe that โ€œHappiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.โ€ โ€“ The Family A Proclamation to the World.

Joy in Action

Missionaries are to go โ€œin the power of the ordination wherewith [they have] been ordained, proclaiming glad tidings of great joy, even the everlasting gospelโ€ (Doctrine & Covenants 79:1)
And as the Lordโ€™s representatives, they are to be โ€œan example of the believersโ€ (1 Timothy 4:12).
They honour Christโ€™s name by their actions.
During His mortal ministry, the Saviour โ€œtook upon him the form of a servantโ€ (Philippians 2:7). He went about โ€œdoing goodโ€ (Acts 10:38) and โ€œpreaching the gospelโ€ (Matthew 4:23).
Through their service, they fulfil the two great commandments of loving God and their neighbour (see Matthew 22:36โ€“40).
โ€œTrue Christianity is love in action. There is no better way to manifest love for God than to show an unselfish love for your fellow men. This is the spirit of missionary workโ€ (Gospel Ideals p129).
If youโ€™d like to know more about why they are so happy, I suggest you stop and speak with one of them today.

In a dark place?

Sometimes, we can find ourselves in some dark places in our life.
It can be debilitating.
Itโ€™s been my experience, that everyone has low mood days.
And I mean everyone.
When they come (and they will), what can you do about it?
There has been lots written in recent years about positive thinking, mindset, mindfulness, sleeping patterns etc.
Personally, for years, I have maintained a daily habit of journaling.
Unquestionably, it has helped to maintain my mental well-being.
However, one of the most frequently recommended practices by psychologists, counsellors and coaches to help those with dark moods, anxiety or stress, is to keep a ๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ž ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐š๐ฅ.
What is a gratitude journal anyway?
Simply, a gratitude journal helps you appreciate life more.
Its easy to begin.
Find a small notebook, some quiet โ€œmeโ€ time to reflect, maybe 15 minutes at the end of the day and write down three things that you are grateful for.
Let the gratitude flowโ€ฆ
Here are some ideas to get you startedโ€ฆ
โ€ข Someone youโ€™re happy to have in your life.
โ€ข Your favourite part of the day
โ€ข Someone who gave you good advice.
โ€ข Good news or something that made you smile.
โ€ข Something beautiful you saw today.
โ€ข Someone who inspired you.
โ€ข Something you love about your work.
The outcomes?
Itโ€™ll reduce stress, lower anxiety, release tension, provides clarity, itโ€™ll make you happier and will help you gain a better understanding of yourself.
The more practice you get, the easier it becomes, and youโ€™ll more easily feel the sensations that come into your thoughts as you focus on gratitude.
Go on, give it a go, and start today.

4 Ingredients for Success

As a child, I enjoyed baking scones, cakes and biscuits under the watchful eye of my mother.
It was fun, and a great way to spend Saturday afternoons together.
Licking the wooden spoon at the end of the baking was always the best part!
As I grew older, I recognised that in order to bake a delicious banana loaf, the best way to ensure great results was to follow a good recipe with exactness.
Over many years, my banana loaf has now become somewhat of a Daryl Watson classic in our family!
The result, a happy family, especially my wife, with her gluten free version – (that is a fine art in itself!)
Following a simple recipe, oftentimes leads to great success.
And so, it is in our home, family and business life.
For me, there are 4 simple ingredients to ensure happiness throughout our journey in life.
1. Do something you love – Just like baking banana loaf, I love coaching!
2. Find your purpose – Why are you here? Determine that & follow it!
3. Serve Others – That will help you find joy in your journey.
4. Act – Do not be acted upon – take ownership of your own journey.
Mix them all together and the result will be scrumptious.
Enjoy!
What is included in your simple recipe for success?

A treasured delicacy

A new fresh nut stall has appeared outside our local supermarket.
For the last few weeks, after finishing the shopping, I visit the stall.
Iโ€™ve discovered my current favourite, the tropical mix.
Yesterday, knowing that I had a meeting to attend in Zwolle, I bought extra to take with me, so that others could enjoy my newfound discovery and admittedly, I could eat a few more too!
Prior to the start of the meeting, the nuts were dished up and placed on each of the tables.
The meeting went well, it was insightful, and we made some positive progress together.
However, over the passage of time, it was fascinating to watch how the bowls of nuts gravitated to certain individuals!
In addition, it was clear that there was one particular favourite for everyone โ€“ dried bananas!
Simply stated, the tropical mix didnโ€™t contain enough.
Soon, the dried bananas were all gone.

Treasured Delicacy

For centuries dried fruit has been a treasured delicacy.
During His earthly ministry, the Saviour compared good fruit to things of eternal worth.
We read in Matthew 7:16, โ€œYe shall know them by their fruits.โ€ And in verse 17, โ€œEvery good tree bringeth forth good fruit.โ€ Then in John 4:36, He encouraged us to gather โ€œfruit unto life eternal.โ€
In my lifetime, Iโ€™ve discovered that the fruits of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ are real, for many they are a treasured delicacy.
I know when people live the gospel, no matter their age, they always enjoy the fruits.
In John 5:15 Jesus said, โ€œHe that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.โ€
Unlike yesterday when we ran out of dried bananas, the fruit of the gospel is readily available, abundant and there is an endless supply.
The fruits of the gospel are what we become.
May I invite you today to examine the fruits of the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are a divers range of tasty discoveries to be made and countless waiting for you to enjoy.

J-O-Y.

Do you feel ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ in your life?
Are you searching for it?
โ€œThe joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.โ€ โ€“ Russell M Nelson.
What are you focused on?
If you are not present in your life today, you will miss the joy as it happens.
I love this picture of Annalisa Reed, Sophia Reynolds, Hailey Hunt and Melanie Coates. Itโ€™s a cold January afternoon earlier this year, yet theyโ€™re on the beach, literally jumping for ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ.
In that moment they were alive, alert, present, vibrant, vigorous, and enjoying the reality of life together.
Nine months later, each of them has completed their missionary service and have returned home.
Yet ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ connects them to each other.
It will for a lifetime and beyond, I know that for sure.
Joy is an attitude that defies circumstances.
It penetrates deeply into our hearts and is long-lasting.
It helps each of us make peace with who we are.
I recently heard this quote about joy.
โ€œHappiness is an inch deep and a mile wide. Joy is a mile deep and a mile wide.โ€
What is the connection that these young missionaries and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have in common, that helps them to find real joy?

Itโ€™s found in those three simple letters ๐‰-๐Ž-๐˜. Joy.

๐‰ = Jesus Christ
โ€œWhen the focus of our lives is on Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happeningโ€”or not happeningโ€”in our livesโ€ โ€“ Russell M Nelson.
Choose to Look Upward.
๐Ž = Others
When we love God and Jesus Christ with all of our hearts, we naturally want to share our love by losing ourselves in the service of others. It is there that we will find joy and purpose in our own lives. Our service is motivated by the pure love of Christ.
Choose to Look Outward.
๐˜ = Yourself
Along time ago I learned that I am a child of God. โ€œIf we really understood that we are literal sons and daughters of Heavenly Father, I donโ€™t think we would ever question our value.โ€ โ€“ Bonnie Oscarson
Choose to look Inward.
Lasting joy is found in focusing on our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and living the gospel as demonstrated and taught by Him.
The path to joy starts with faith in God and Jesus Christ.
You too can learn how following Jesus Christโ€™s example can help you to find lasting joy, by requesting a visit with our missionaries.
Message me to learn more.

Do you care?

Do you question your motives?
The crux of my personal philosophy in life, the nucleus of my personal motivation, is centred upon a core belief that โ€œnobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you careโ€ a phrase attributed to Theodore Roosevelt and crafted so purposely by him.
In thousands of coaching conversations, I have learned a little.
As youโ€ฆ.
๐‹๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐
๐€๐ฌ๐ค ๐ฆ๐ž๐š๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
๐€๐ซ๐ž ๐ ๐ž๐ง๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐œ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ
๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž
๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐š๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ, ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ž๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐œ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐œ๐š๐ซ๐ž.
Showing interest in others is about being yourself,
being genuine
and sincere in your interest in another person.
๐‡๐จ๐ฐ ๐ƒ๐จ ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ ๐’๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐‡๐จ๐ฐ ๐Œ๐ฎ๐œ๐ก ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ ๐‚๐š๐ซ๐ž?

Emotional Rollercoasters

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ญ?
Transfers week and riding the emotional rollercoaster began all over again.
Rollercoasters are thrilling though โ€“ arenโ€™t they!?
Missionary arrivals on Tuesday and departures on Thursday mean that emotions are pulled in opposite directions over a very short period of time โ€“ again!
During our 3-year period of service, transfers happen 27 times.
This week was our 9th rotation.
Our emotional heartstrings have already been stretched in so many ways.
The thrill and excitement of welcoming our new arrivals.
Followed by the joyful and agonising feelings that accompany those departing for home.
For instance, highs and lows, laughing and crying in rapid succession (or even at the same time) are commonplace in the mission field.
๐‘ถ๐’–๐’“ ๐’†๐’Ž๐’๐’•๐’Š๐’๐’๐’” ๐’„๐’๐’๐’๐’†๐’„๐’• ๐’–๐’” ๐’•๐’ ๐’๐’๐’† ๐’‚๐’๐’๐’•๐’‰๐’†๐’“.
Rather than let these emotions run my life, I am learning to deal with them in a much healthier way, by considering the bigger picture for each of those coming and going.
I am beginning to understand my emotions more as a barometer to measure my own sense of wellbeing and happiness, by mastering those feelings and listening to my heart.
The most challenging moment for me is the final hug at the airport with those departing missionaries.
Yesterday I did better!
I stopped for a moment and took a big conscious breath. It made a difference, at least until we started walking back to the car, and I had a wee tear (or two even!)
The best thing about the afternoon on departures day, is when I take a break and have a wee nap. It allows me to reconnect with my heart and is a golden opportunity to relax.
9 transfer weeks down, only another 18 to go.
Do you listen to your heart?
#joy

Be there!

๐๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž!
Whilst on a video call last night with our three grown children, my mind drifted back to when they were all much smaller.
In my minds eye, I was holding hands with our youngest daughter, walking through our beautiful park in town.
It felt like only yesterday, but 10 years have swiftly passed by.
Those tender moments are one of the sweetest, most enjoyable parts of life.
Suddenly โ€“ growing older, there can come a sense of having been there – and yet knowingly perhaps, I should have enjoyed the journey much, much more.
Iโ€™m sure those old like me, or older even โ€“ will understand my sentiment.
Life is going on all of the time.
Sometimes we are so focused on the next big thing, that we miss much of the beautiful scenery along the way.
Time with loved ones, the holidays, the picnics, the walks, the challenges are all part of ๐›๐ž๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž.
There is purpose and meaning to all that we experience and undergo in this life.
We should enjoy our children when we have them around us, as I know now, they wonโ€™t always be with us.
Back then when they were young, they not only needed us, they also wanted us too!
We live through each part of our life only once, we donโ€™t go back, so it is vitally important that we ๐’ƒ๐’† ๐’•๐’‰๐’†๐’“๐’†!
There are few sweeter memories than your childโ€™s hand in yours, walking with you.
Wherever you are, ๐›๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž, be present and enjoy the moment, our life after all, is only a nanosecond of time.
How can you focus better, be present and be engaged in the here and now?

Is love the answer?

๐ˆ๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ฌ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ?
Celebrating my 57th birthday this week, I received several lovely cards and gifts from family and friends.
One particular gift came from the missionaries.
A folder of 60 pages, 109 letters, 30 photos and a few sketches too.
As I read through the album on Thursday evening, I must admit to being moved.
The letters and photos simply touched my heart.
I shed a few tears of joy.
Think of the last time you experienced joy.
Real joy – that deep enduring feeling that seems to warm your entire soul.
I felt of their love, one by one.
โ€œGodโ€™s love is always there for you, whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there.โ€ โ€“ Thomas S. Monson.
Arriving in the Netherlands nearly a year ago now, in a few meetings Monic and I have frequently sung together (also with the help of missionaries too) โ€œLove One another.โ€ It is always a beautiful experience.
In the book of John, Jesus spoke to His Apostles about love โ€œA new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved youโ€ฆ. By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.โ€
“Love is the greatest of all the commandmentsโ€”all others hang upon it. It is our focus as followers of the living Christ. It is the one trait that, if developed, will most improve our lives.” Joseph B. Wirthlin
There are a number of ways you can feel the Saviourโ€™s love.
Its different for everyone โ€“ but the missionaries can help you along the way.
“Love is the greatest power and will have the most powerful influence. โ€“ Elaine S. Dalton
May we love Him and love one another.