Discouraged.

Sunday Inspiration.     Post by David Joel Miller.

Discouraged

Discouraged.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Discouraged.

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

― Dale Carnegie

“It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.”

― Noël Coward, Blithe Spirit

“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”

― Lucille Ball

Wanted to share some inspirational quotes with you.  Today seemed like a good time to do this. If any of these quotes strike a chord with you, please share them.

Recommended Mental Health Books

David Miller at counselorssoapbox.com is an Amazon Affiliate and may receive a small Commission if you purchase a book or product using the link on this page. Using the link will not increase the cost to you.

Delightful.

Sunday Inspiration.     Post by David Joel Miller.

Enjoyable

Delightful.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Delightful.

“Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.”

― Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby

“It’s delightful when your imaginations come true, isn’t it?”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

“Truth is so rare, it is delightful to tell it.”

― Emily Dickinson

Wanted to share some inspirational quotes with you.  Today seemed like a good time to do this. If any of these quotes strike a chord with you, please share them.

Happiness secrets.

By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Happy faces

Happiness.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Ever wondered how some people can be so disgustingly happy?

Some people have a knack for being happy, come what may.

Life has its problems, but people who study happiness and become happiness experts discover some little secrets which they practice every day. Happiness experts will find the happiness even throughout life’s difficulties.

Here are some tips for increasing the happiness in your life

Like who you are.

Incurably happy people have come to accept themselves just the way they are. They work on improving themselves rather than focusing on any imperfections. The more you come to know yourself and accept yourself the happier you will be. Don’t try to live your life being someone else’s ideal person.

Do what you like.

Whether it’s a job or a hobby, spend your time on things you like. Pursue a career because it interests you. If you do what you like you will like what you do. People who are happy on their job, are frequently more successful. People hate their job rarely succeed.

Don’t judge others.

Avoid judging others. Be less judgmental, with yourself also. Other people won’t live up to your expectations. Humans are full of imperfections, just like you. The more severely you judge others, the more severely you will judge yourself. Harsh self-judgments take all the joy out of life. Judge others and yourself by what you do, not who you are.

Be honest.

Honest people don’t have to worry about being caught in a lie. Especially be honest with yourself. Being dishonest with yourself will make you happier. When you’re honest with yourself you will accept the things, you cannot change, and you will focus on improving the things that are within your power.

Be nice.

Be nice to others and to yourself. Being nice costs you little or nothing. Being miserable towards others makes you a miserable person. Don’t abuse yourself. The way you treat others becomes the model for the way you treat yourself. Be careful not to teach others to mistreat you.

Cooperate.

The more you cooperate with others, the less conflict you will have in your life. Happy people live lives free of unnecessary conflicts. The process of reaching goals is sometimes more important than the result. Strive each day to make the activities you do with others happy and cooperative.

Compete fairly.

There may be times in life when you can win a contest by cheating. If you must cheat to win, you will not feel very good about yourself. When you compete fairly, you can feel good about yourself, and feeling good about yourself should make you happy.

Laugh a lot.

Learn to laugh. Laugh at the funny things in life and especially learn to laugh at yourself. Do not take yourself too seriously. Laughter makes you happy.

Know who you are.

Having a clear understanding of who you are and who you are striving to become keeps you from being dependent on other people’s opinions of you. Happy people have a good sense of self.

Focus on the big stuff.

If you want to be happy, take inventory of your life and decide what’s important. Focus your time and your efforts on those things that matter most to you. Don’t waste your life on trivial things that don’t matter.

Hang out with happy people.

Remember the old saying misery loves company? You hang out with unhappy people tend to absorb that unhappiness. Spend as much time as possible with happy people. Whenever possible spread happiness as you go. The more happiness you give away, the more you will have.

Be spontaneous, go with the flow.

Happy people learn to adjust to things as they are. Don’t resist change. Learn to master change by riding the ups and downs. Become a life surfer.

Be curious.

The curious find pleasure in discovering something new. Strive to learn one new thing each day.

Be interested in others. Listen to them.

People who care about others increase the happiness in their life. More time you spend being interested in others the less time you will stay focused on your own problems.

Appreciate what you have.

One happiness secret is to enjoy what you do have. The more you focus on the gap between what you have and what you want the larger that gap will seem. In your focus on achievement don’t lose the enjoyment of what you already have. For maximum happiness, be satisfied with what you have while you work towards the future.

Stop comparing yourself.

You are not someone else. Others may look happy on the outside, but you have no idea what their pain or struggles may be. There will always be someone with more than you. Continually comparing yourself to others diminishes who you are. Accept yourself as you are while working to make you the best you possible.

Recommended Mental Health Books

David Miller at counselorssoapbox.com is an Amazon Affiliate and may receive a small Commission if you purchase a book or product using the link on this page. Using the link will not increase the cost to you.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

Gratitude

Sunday Inspiration.     Post by David Joel Miller.

Gratitude.

grateful

Gratitude.

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
― A.A. MilneWinnie-the-Pooh

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
― Epicurus

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.”
― Alphonse KarrA Tour Round My Garden

Wanted to share some inspirational quotes with you.  Today seemed like a good time to do this. If any of these quotes strike a chord with you, please share them.

Daring.

Sunday Inspiration.     Post by David Joel Miller.

Bold and brave

Daring.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Daring.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

― Helen Keller, The Open Door

“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

― Robert F. Kennedy

Wanted to share some inspirational quotes with you.  Today seemed like a good time to do this. If any of these quotes strike a chord with you, please share them.

Creative.

Sunday Inspiration.     Post by David Joel Miller.

Original

Creative.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Creative.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

― Albert Einstein

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

― Maya Angelou

“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.”

― Rollo May

Wanted to share some inspirational quotes with you.  Today seemed like a good time to do this. If any of these quotes strike a chord with you, please share them.

Scared.

Sunday Inspiration.     Post by David Joel Miller.

Scary stuff

Scared.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Scared.

This is the time of year we scare ourselves about things that won’t happen, to take our minds off all the scary things that did happen the rest of the year.

― David Joel Miller

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

― Eleanor Roosevelt

“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.”

― John Wayne

“I tend to scare myself.”

― Stephen King

Wanted to share some inspirational quotes with you.  Today seemed like a good time to do this. If any of these quotes strike a chord with you, please share them.

Parenting yourself.

By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

child

Learn like a child.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Learning the lessons, you didn’t get in childhood.

Many adults discover that there are things they should have learned in childhood, that they missed out on. Whether your parents didn’t know, weren’t any good at parenting, or just weren’t as available as you would have liked them to be, you may need to go back and fill in those missing lessons. Even people who say they came from wonderful homes may find there are some lessons they should have learned in childhood that they still need to learn.

Below are some of the lessons of parenting you may need to work on to develop yourself. Studying the lessons of parenting helps many people in recovery to fill in the gaps and become the mature person they want to be. Here are some of the things adults should do and not do with children, and that you need to continue to do or not do for yourself in adulthood.

Don’t yell at yourself.

Yelling at children is likely to increase their anxiety. High anxiety can be protective if you live in an uncertain world. Too much anxiety is harmful. Yelling at yourself undermines your self-confidence and destroys your self-esteem. The things you tell yourself come true. Don’t call yourself names, put yourself down, or yell at yourself about the mistakes you have made. Learn to talk to yourself in a supportive, comforting way.

There is little evidence that you can make someone try harder by yelling or criticize them. There is lots of evidence that continued negativity will make people give up trying.

Communicate with yourself.

It’s important to pay attention to your wants and needs. Listen to your feelings and your thoughts. Many people find it helpful to keep a diary or journal. Writing down your thoughts can help to clarify them. If you are afraid of things, pay attention to those fears.

There are no right or wrong ways to feel. Your feelings are a valuable source of information.

Don’t dismiss your thoughts as unimportant. Your opinion on things matters. Especially pay attention to physical sensations. Learning to eat when you’re hungry, drink water when you are thirsty, and sleep when you are tired are important parts of self-care.

Practice patience’s with yourself.

Don’t expect that you should be able to master a new skill the first time you try. Don’t push yourself to do things before you’re ready. Be patient with yourself. Don’t confuse patience with not trying. Encourage yourself. Nurture yourself.

Allow yourself to relax.

Machines that are run too fast, too long, breakdown. You’re not a machine. You will need to give yourself enough relaxation and rest time. You do not need to spend your whole life driving yourself to do more. Giving yourself time to recharge your batteries. Life is a journey, enjoy the trip. There is a reason humans are called human beings. Don’t define yourself as a human doing.

Acknowledge your achievements.

Good bosses know that you can motivate employees by recognizing their efforts. Appreciation can be more motivating than money. Unfortunately, many parents forget to praise their children. People who are told their contributions are valuable are motivated to work harder. People who never receive any praise or acknowledgment eventually give up trying. Learn to accept compliments. Each day watch for the things you have done well and reward yourself for your achievements.

Remember to love yourself.

It’s hard to love other people when you don’t love yourself. Practice each day some self-compassion. Love should be unconditional not something that’s earned or bought. If you grew up in a home where love and affection conditional, based on what you did, work on loving yourself unconditionally.

Remember it’s never too late to learn the lessons of childhood that you will need to be a happy adult.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

Want the latest blog posts as they publish? Subscribe to this blog.

For videos, see: Counselorssoapbox YouTube Video Channel

Book – Bumps on the Road of Life is on Amazon now.

David Joel Miller Books

David Joel Miller Books

New Book Bumps on the Road of Life is now available in Kindle format for preorder. It will be released on 11/13/17. The paperback version should be ready shortly.

Bumps on the Road of Life.

Your cruising along the road of life and then wham, something knocks you in the ditch. Sometimes you get your life going again quickly. Other time you may stay off track and in the ditch for a considerable time. If you have gone through a divorce, break up or lost a job you may have found your life off track. Professionals call those problems caused by life-altering events “Adjustment Disorders.” Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of Adjustment Disorders, how they get people off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Bumps on the Road of life

Amazon Author Page  – David Joel Miller

More to come as other books are completed.

Thanks to all my readers for all your support.

Guilt.

Sunday Inspiration.     Post by David Joel Miller.

Guilty

Guilt.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Guilt.

“Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.”

― Voltaire

“We gather our arms full of guilt as though it were precious stuff. It must be that we want it that way.”

― John Steinbeck

“To me, a wicked man who is also eloquent seems the most guilty of them all. He’ll cut your throat as bold as brass because he can dress up murder in handsome words.”

― Euripides, Medea

Wanted to share some inspirational quotes with you.  Today seemed like a good time to do this. If any of these quotes strike a chord with you, please share them.