Alexei Tolstoi (1883-1945), Russian novelist and playwright, said once, “If you want to be happy, be…” It is up to you to make it happen. Ever thought how can you prepare yourself to follow your passions and feel happy? Here is the answer: HAPPINESS EMPOWERMENT.

Daylle Deanna Schwartz wrote a great article about bringing more happiness into your life.  She says, ” A sincere sense of ongoing joy eludes a majority of people. I want to help change that! Please read this carefully if you don’t want to waste another precious minute of life without feeling contentment and joy when you wake up each day, despite life’s snags. Don’t be one of those who waits until they’re much older and then lament how much they missed. It’s all YOUR choice.” She kindly permitted me to reprint her article.

                                                                      

PREPARING TO FOLLOW YOUR PASSION

by Daylle Deanna Schwartz

I hear people say how bored and stuck they are but they feel it’s too late for them to make changes to have a more satisfying life. Even when you identify what you’re passionate about, it can be hard to pursue it. I often hear all the reasons conjured up for not making stepd to become happier. There is NO good excuse for choosing not to be happy. Yes, choosing! I’ve met people who were quadriplegics-paralyzed from the neck down-and they tell me how happy they are. Yet so many who have much more going for them give up on creating a HAPPY life so easily!

Excuses-Excuses-Excuses-Excuses-Excuses-Excuses! It’s eeasy to make excuses! Taking steps forward is the hard part. I stagnated for years when I was too scared to make a move and convinced myself that was the way my life was, and would continue to be. The thought of change can be scary and actually making the change seems even scarier. So you stagnate like I did. Wishing-hoping-dreaming. And lamenting that you can’t get off your butt to get out of your rut. None of this brings happiness or satisfaction. Passion does!

Staying in a boring or unhappy place shreds your self-esteem-and happiness. It can be a lot simpler to be unhappy than to guide yourself to a happy life. Figuring out what you’re passionate about, and pursuing it, nurtures bliss. Taking a passion fillled road sets happiness in motion. It sends a message to the Universe that you’re serious. Doing what you love is sure to attract more passion and keep you smiling!

The bad news: Rarely will someone take you by the hand and walk you out of your rut. All those wishes will remain wishes if you stay put. While the DVD and book, The Secret, has some great stuff in it, it minimizes the importance of doing the work to get what you want. Sitting around praying for what you want makes you good at praying, but not at manifesting!

The good news: You CAN achieve your dreams!! I felt hopeless for years, until I empowered myself with knowledge, skills, perseverance, and FAITH. And I put my desires out. People warned that I was too old to get a new career, that I didn’t have the skills and experience to do the things I yearned for, and in general, that I should stay a good little DoorMat and continue to live on autopilot in my unhappy rut. then I took the first step and pulled my other leg behind it. let the Law of Attraction assist you in realizing your dreams by putting out a clear message of what you desire-with your thoughts – AND your actions.

Once you CHOOSE to pursue your dreams, no one can stop you! Except YOU of course. Your own negative thoughts keep you stuck. MANY naysayers suggested I save my energy since it was too late to develop a new and passion driven career. HA HA HA! They’re all still in ruts while I’m on a passionate path of infinite possibilities. When you strengthen your faith, and practice using it, the world can be yours! I am living proof!

John C. Maxwell said, “Every worthwhile accomplishment has a price tag attached to it. The question is always whether you are willing to pay the price to attain it-in hard work, sacrifice, patience, faith, and endurance.” Are you willing to empower yourself and find your passion? Are you willing to change your beliefs and let go of old security blankets and excuses for why you can’t do wahat you really LOVE to do? Are you willing to do what it takes?

learning new skills and knowledge can counter doubts and sceptical feelings about not being able to try something new. Knowledge is a HUGE self-esteem booster. Preparation provides confidence to go after what you want. Acquiring knowledge and skills lightens the anxiety of trying new things and taking risks. When you feel inabequate, think about:

  • What don’t I know that could help me?
  • How can I learn it?

The more new skills and knowledge you acquire, the stronger your condidence can be. Fond ways to improve your perceived inabequacies. Then stop lamenting about why you can’t do what you’d like. there are many levels of acquiring skills and knowledge. Set small and specific goals to prepare for pursuing desires. When you pinpoint what you think you lack, change it.

Advance your education. Do you feel inferior to co=workers? Does you thin they know more than you? learning changes that. Explore what might be valuable to know more about. What do co-workers lack that you could learn? Taking a class might help you get promoted. Increased knowledge bolsters confidence. Take one class at a time to empower yourself with knowledge.

  • Learn a skill. Are you tired of paying people to do what you could if you knew how? Do you have a desire to paint? learn skills! Adult Ed classes and books teach how to do a gazillion things. Learn how to use watercolors, do simple plumbing, maintain a website, create a newsletter, etc., andyou’ll feel more competent. Each skill you pick up puts you another notch on your self-esteem, which increases happiness.
  • Get a tutor. Do computer classes go too fast or confuse you? Are you scared to take auto mechanics? Find an expert to give private instreuctions. I’m dense at reading manuals and find people to explain whatever I need, step-by-step. Computer whiz college kids helped me for a few bucks. A friend gave me a guided tour inder my car’s hood. Find the right person to tutor you insted of feeling dumb about not understanding how to do something.
  • Practice to become the best you can be. Skills are like muscles-they improve with use. Decide what you’d like to do and practice, practice, practice. If it’s painting – make time to paint! Learn a langiuage? Find someone who speaks it and chat. You’ll reach a higher level of competency by doing and doing. Be the best! YOU can be. Forget perfection, or you’ll never be good enough. Practice to improve, not to compete with others.
  • Ask questions when you don’t understand. News flash! You’re not tha only one who doesn’t grasp instructions. I used to nod in agreement and stressfully try to figure it out. Now I know that asking makes you smarter. Requesting more clarity doesn’t make you look bad. Asking shows you’re confident enough to ask. Insecure people don’t. You can’t know everything but you can learn by asking for more info on what you need.
  • Get out and network! The more folks you meet, the more possible ways to get into doors to more passionate endeavors. Be friendly to everyone. You never know who might know someone that can help you. As you make more contacts, take more risks to get help from them.

The more you know, the less inabequate you feel. Self-empowered folks try to get better at doing things. Stay ahead of the curve by educating yourself when you can! Knowledge empowers! That gives you more confidence to take more risks to follow your passion. Then prepare to smile lot from the happiness it brings!

This article originally appeared on Daylle Deanna Schwartz’s free e-zine, Self-Empowerment Tips and Tools. Daylle is a speaker, self-empowerment counselor, and best-selling author of 10 books, including Nice Girls Can Finish First, All Men Are Jerks until Proven Otherwise and How to Please a Woman In & Out of Bed. She’s regularly quoted in publications including the New York Times, and speaks on TV/radio, including Oprah, Good Morning America, and Howard Stern. http://www.daylle.com

Copyright 2009.

Photo of Happy Girl by Anna Cervova. Photo Two Youn Women by Vojko Kalan.