Choosing Happiness, part 1

I have just embarked on reading a new book titled Choosing Happiness: Life and Soul Essentials by Stephanie Dowrick. While writing this post, I have found out Stephanie Dowrick is the author of a number of life-changing best-selling books, and she has lived in Sydney since 1983 and is the mother of two children.

I wonder if it is by good grace and fate that I ended up choosing this book to read in the month of September 2009? To read a book on the subject of choosing happiness, by an author based in Sydney?

It is now spring in Sydney. It has been close to a year after my last trip to Australia. About a year ago, in Sydney, one of my friends, XS, shared with me a powerful insight that happiness is often a choice. That insight helped me be more mindful in my everyday choices and has helped me find the strength to face challenging situations with greater ease than I had in the distant past.

I am still practising how to choose happiness mindfully in my everyday life. Earlier this evening, I decided that I shall make an attempt to have a humble blogging project to blog about some of my reflections and learning points that I have had while reading Stephanie Dowrick's Choosing Happiness. To honour my friend who was the first to share this powerful insight with me a year ago, I shall dedicate this blogging project and all the related posts to dear XS. May she be blessed with joy and happiness every moment.

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Entry No. 1:

For the past few days, I managed to read up to page 50 of the book. One strategy that I find helpful from what I have read so far from the book is that when faced with challenges, it can help by paying attention to the strengths needed for the situation. Stephanie Dowrick suggests that we could ask the question, "What does this situation need?".

Reflecting upon some of the past challenges that I had faced recently, I realised that when I had asked similar  questions, I was more able to face the challenges squarely and positively than to be paralysed by the challenges. I shall practise this strategy for now as I am facing the inner challenges preparing myself mentally and psychologically for the upcoming music performance exams.

I find it a useful move for the book to start its first chapter with the topic: Trust who you are. I suppose this reminds us that happiness starts from within ourselves, and the first place to start is with understanding ourselves.

So far, I think Stephanie Dowrick's writing is fairly accessible. I look forward to reading the rest of the book.

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Other entries:

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4