Meir Ezra: How to Make Yourself Happier

In 1986, L. Ron Hubbard wrote a poem which is a guide to happiness.

"The Joy of Creating"

"Force yourself to smile and you’ll soon stop frowning.

"Force yourself to laugh and you’ll soon find something to laugh about.

"Wax* enthusiastic** and you’ll very soon feel so.

"A being causes his own feelings.

"The greatest joy there is in life is creating.

"Splurge on it!" — L. Ron Hubbard

(*wax: to increase in size, strength or intensity.) (**enthusiastic: having or demonstrating enthusiasm.)

Four Steps to Make Yourself Happier

1. "Force yourself to smile and you’ll soon stop frowning."

Try this exercise.

A. Smile

B. Don’t smile

C. Smile

D. Don’t smile

E. Smile

F. Don’t smile

G. Repeat the above until you are cheerful.

Do this exercise whenever you are frowning, upset, depressed, angry, apathetic or resentful.

Try the exercise in front of a mirror for an extra boost.

2. "Force yourself to laugh and you’ll soon find something to laugh about."

This exercise is useful when you are feeling stressed out or too serious.

A. Force a laugh.

B. If this is difficult for you to do, say, "ha ha ha ha ha." Then say, "ho, ho, ho, ho, ho." Then say, "he, he, he, he, he."

C. Repeat the above until you find something to laugh about.

3. "Wax enthusiastic and you’ll very soon feel so."

When you feel enthusiasm for a difficult task, you make better decisions, get more done in less time and produce a better result.

A. Write down a task you are avoiding or hate to do.

B. Ask yourself, "What about this task is interesting?" Write down the answer.

C. Ask yourself, "What could I be a little excited about regarding this task?" Write down the answer.

D. Ask yourself, "What could I be enthusiastic about regarding this task?" Write down the answer.

E. Repeat steps B, C and D until you feel enthusiastic about doing the task.

You might be surprised at how quickly this works.

4. "The greatest joy there is in life is creating."

What are your greatest joys in life?

Being a parent? Starting a company? Finding new customers? Forming new relationships?

Notice how each activity creates something?

A. Write down three things you can create today.

B. Do them.

C. Notice if your day is more joyful.

The happiest individuals, families and groups are those that create things.

The most exciting goals you can have involve creating something.

In fact, all of your success is your creation.

"Splurge on it!"

Learn more about Meir Ezra

Meir Ezra: Are You a Professional?

How you look, talk, write, act and work determines whether you are a professional or an amateur. Society does not emphasize the importance of professionalism, so people tend to believe that amateur work is normal. Many businesses accept less-than-good results.

Schools graduate students who cannot read. You can miss 15% of the driving-test answers and still get a driver license. "Just getting by" is an attitude many people accept. But it is the attitude of amateurs.

"Don't ever do anything as though you were an amateur.

"Anything you do, do it as a Professional to Professional standards.

"If you have the idea about anything you do that you just dabble in it, you will wind up with a dabble life. There'll be no satisfaction in it because there will be no real production you can be proud of.

"Develop the frame of mind that whatever you do, you are doing it as a professional and move up to professional standards in it.

"Never let it be said of you that you lived an amateur life.

"Professionals see situations and they handle what they see. They are not amateur dabblers.

"So learn this as a first lesson about life. The only successful beings in any field, including living itself, are those who have a professional viewpoint and make themselves and ARE professionals" — L. Ron Hubbard

A professional learns every aspect of the job. An amateur skips the learning process whenever possible.

A professional carefully discovers what is needed and wanted. An amateur assumes what others need and want.

A professional looks, speaks and dresses like a professional. An amateur is sloppy in appearance and speech.

A professional keeps his or her work area clean and orderly. An amateur has a messy, confused or dirty work area.

A professional is focused and clear-headed. An amateur is confused and distracted.

A professional does not let mistakes slide by. An amateur ignores or hides mistakes.

A professional jumps into difficult assignments. An amateur tries to get out of difficult work.

A professional completes projects as soon as possible. An amateur is surrounded by unfinished work piled on top of unfinished work.

A professional remains level-headed and optimistic. An amateur gets upset and assumes the worst.

A professional handles money and accounts very carefully. An amateur is sloppy with money or accounts.

A professional faces up to other people’s upsets and problems. An amateur avoids others’ problems.

A professional uses higher emotional tones: Enthusiasm, cheerfulness, interest, contentment. An amateur uses lower emotional tones: anger, hostility, resentment, fear, victim.

A professional persists until the objective is achieved. An amateur gives up at the first opportunity.

A professional produces more than expected. An amateur produces just enough to get by.

A professional produces a high-quality product or service. An amateur produces a medium-to-low quality product or service.

A professional earns high pay. An amateur earns low pay and feels it’s unfair.

A professional has a promising future. An amateur has an uncertain future.

The first step to making yourself a professional is to decide you ARE a professional.

Are you a professional?

Meir Ezra: Are You a Professional?

How you look, talk, write, act and work determines whether you are a professional or an amateur. Society does not emphasize the importance of professionalism, so people tend to believe that amateur work is normal. Many businesses accept less-than-good results.

Schools graduate students who cannot read. You can miss 15% of the driving-test answers and still get a driver license. "Just getting by" is an attitude many people accept. But it is the attitude of amateurs.

"Don't ever do anything as though you were an amateur.

"Anything you do, do it as a Professional to Professional standards.

"If you have the idea about anything you do that you just dabble in it, you will wind up with a dabble life. There'll be no satisfaction in it because there will be no real production you can be proud of.

"Develop the frame of mind that whatever you do, you are doing it as a professional and move up to professional standards in it.

"Never let it be said of you that you lived an amateur life.

"Professionals see situations and they handle what they see. They are not amateur dabblers.

"So learn this as a first lesson about life. The only successful beings in any field, including living itself, are those who have a professional viewpoint and make themselves and ARE professionals" — L. Ron Hubbard

A professional learns every aspect of the job. An amateur skips the learning process whenever possible.

A professional carefully discovers what is needed and wanted. An amateur assumes what others need and want.

A professional looks, speaks and dresses like a professional. An amateur is sloppy in appearance and speech.

A professional keeps his or her work area clean and orderly. An amateur has a messy, confused or dirty work area.

A professional is focused and clear-headed. An amateur is confused and distracted.

A professional does not let mistakes slide by. An amateur ignores or hides mistakes.

A professional jumps into difficult assignments. An amateur tries to get out of difficult work.

A professional completes projects as soon as possible. An amateur is surrounded by unfinished work piled on top of unfinished work.

A professional remains level-headed and optimistic. An amateur gets upset and assumes the worst.

A professional handles money and accounts very carefully. An amateur is sloppy with money or accounts.

A professional faces up to other people’s upsets and problems. An amateur avoids others’ problems.

A professional uses higher emotional tones: Enthusiasm, cheerfulness, interest, contentment. An amateur uses lower emotional tones: anger, hostility, resentment, fear, victim.

A professional persists until the objective is achieved. An amateur gives up at the first opportunity.

A professional produces more than expected. An amateur produces just enough to get by.

A professional produces a high-quality product or service. An amateur produces a medium-to-low quality product or service.

A professional earns high pay. An amateur earns low pay and feels it’s unfair.

A professional has a promising future. An amateur has an uncertain future.

The first step to making yourself a professional is to decide you ARE a professional.

Are you a professional?