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This is a story about an
international couple raising and home educating three
young boys on a small island in Japan, half living in
buses, engaged in organic, self-sufficient farming in
the middle of a mountain forest while dealing with
climate, cultural, and personal challenges. These pages
are about pretty much anything and everything all guided
by our family motto, Taking Chances, Making Changes,
Being Happy. Thank you very much for joining us on our
ongoing crazy adventure.
Comments or questions about this blog?....message me at
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 How to be Happy in this Crazy World
I am not a therapist, psychologist, philosopher, or motivational speaker.
I am simply someone who has been through a lot of good and
bad times and has learned much along the way. For me at
least, happiness depends on three things. Without
them existence can become pretty dull and boring and that's
not the way things need to be. If you are miserable and feel
like you cannot find a way out, realize that you are in
control of your destiny....at least to some extent. Sure
shit
happens and you might get knocked back a few times, but you
need to pick yourself up and keep going. Ah....back to the
three things. |
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Three Things 4 Happiness |
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1. Taking Chances - Nothing is
more important than this first step. How many times did you
want to change something about your situation? A new house,
a better job, a nicer girlfriend (boyfriend)....hehe.
Changes cannot happen without making the choice to take a
chance. For us this meant me giving up a successful real
estate appraisal business and retiring at 40 years old,
returning to college to study Japanese, getting married,
creating kids, and living in a foreign country.
2. Making Changes - All right
then, you decided to take a chance....now what? Well now you
need to make changes to implement your new decision. This is
the time consuming part. Changes can take place over a
matter of days, weeks, months, or even years depending on the
new road you're now traveling. This was the tough part
for us including 4 moves in 10 years, 3 of which were
international, buying, repairing, and selling, multiple
properties, and simplifying all aspects of our situation.
3. Being Happy - This is the most
difficult to achieve or to even realize. Many people do
what's known as satisficing, ie. settling for less than
what you
really want. This generally doesn't translate into
happiness. You made the decision to take a chance, you made
a lot of changes, and now it's up to you to turn all of this
into happiness. We are constantly finding new ways to make
the most of every day, living simply, staying positive, and
enjoying being together.
For many years I took many chances, made a lot of changes,
and found ways to be happy. From changing professions and
moving abroad, to achieving basic self-sufficiency and
leading a healthy lifestyle. I learned many things, and continue to learn,
from people I meet along the way.
Happiness is not merely a state of mind, it's a way of life. |
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