Dear Readers,

I decided to name our new column "The Arts and Crafts of Life". Why, you might ask? Well, in my opinion, life is very flexible and interesting; we just have to make the best of it. And since it has been given to you, now you own it. Mix and match the colors on the palette to paint the desired picture. And the way you view it depends on what angle you are looking at life from.

Ilona Magaseyeva
ilona@new-generation.com

Happiness is a skill that can be learned. The essential factor whether or not you will live a happy life is based less on external factors such as wealth, success and fame, and more on your attitude toward life, toward yourself, toward other people, and toward events and situations. Regardless of your attitudes in the past, you have the ability to change and become a master of happiness. Today is the best day to improve your skills. Either things will go exactly the way you want – and then you can focus on the feeling of joy. Or things will NOT go the way you want and you'll have the opportunity to attain greater mastery over your attitude. Throughout the day, keep asking yourself: "What attitude will enable me to experience joy and empowerment right now?" A truly happy person does not allow his happiness to be dependent on any external factor over which he may not have control. Base your happiness on your own attitudes, and you can be its master. If you tell yourself that you can only be happy if others do or say what you wish, your happiness is under the control of those people. You can never have a guarantee of how others will behave. Even when they do behave as you wish, you are likely to feel uneasy about how they might behave in the future.

One of the great sages of the 20th century, Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz, observed: "People become so used to being unhappy that they are unaware of the needless misery they cause themselves. They imprison themselves by filling their minds with thoughts of resentment, hatred and envy. It is amazing how they tolerate living such a life. The only reason they do tolerate it is because they have become so used to living with these thoughts that they feel it's normal. They think it's impossible for life to be any different!" Be totally resolved to free your mind from thoughts of resentment, hatred, and envy. If your brain focuses on thoughts that needlessly cause you emotional distress, say aloud, "NEXT!" Then begin to focus on something else that will be more worthwhile. You have the ability to make yourself happy! And remember: by increasing your personal level of joy today, the total level of joy in the world will be increased!

Rabbi Simcha Zissel of Keln wrote: "There is no comparison between doing something with enthusiasm and joy and doing it without enthusiasm and joy. If we would do everything with enthusiasm, there is no limit to the elevated levels we would reach. Enthusiasm generates power. A person with enthusiasm is able to overcome laziness and pursue wisdom and higher spiritual levels. "But," you might say, "there are many things I have to do that I'm not interested in doing." But wouldn't you do it with enthusiasm if you were paid a large amount of money to do it?! Knowing that you have the ability to generate enthusiasm will transform the entire quality of your life. Hear the inner sounds of enthusiasm. Feel the feeling of enthusiasm permeating your entire being. Today, pick a task you've been procrastinating – and generate enthusiasm to accomplish it!

The world is filled with limitless opportunities for pleasure and enjoyment. What destroys this potential is that we become used to what we already have and take things for granted. We do not derive great joy and limitless pleasure from the natural world – because we become habituated to its sights and experiences. Today, try focusing your appreciation on an everyday occurrence you've been taking for granted. Here's one idea: before eating, say the proper blessing and express gratitude to G-d for the good taste and sustenance of the food.

From www.aish.edu,
the website of Aish HaTorah