No Ordinary Moments

I just finished my recent read from Dan Millman, "No Ordinary Moments: A Peaceful Warrior's Guide to Daily Life." Right from the beginning it spoke to me with "The journey itself creates the warrior; daily life is your journey and is the means of your training. When you recognize this, every moment takes on a larger purpose." When asked to write about my philosophy on life while I was in college, the paper came out "Life is a Journey." It is the journey that matters, not the outcome. This book gave a real hands-on approach to living a more meaningful life. My favorite part was on happiness. Usually when people ask me about goals (Where do you want to be in five years? ten? By the way, I hate those questions), I usually respond with "I'd like to be happy." Happiness is something I've struggled with for a majority of my life and maybe because I've approached it as a goal rather than a way of being. The following directions are a good reminder that we are in control of our own happiness. The Direction of Happiness 1. The next time any emotionally charged incident occurs, stop for a moment before reacting in your habitual way. 2. Remember the bigger picture; think of something more important in your life that makes you feel good. It could be

• something you feel grateful for;
• something that generates wonder, awe, or appreciation;
• something you're looking forward to;
• something that helps put this incident in perspective.

3. Hold your focus there, feel good, and realize that what you feel depends upon the direction of your attention. "The great secret always remains the same; we have the power to shift our attention from petty details, problems, and self-concern to the larger universe, filled with awe-inspiring beauty and wonder."