Happiness | Buddha’s Way

Making your own Happiness

While I was sitting in my favorite neighborhood coffee shop today at Dulce De Leche having my daily carrot/orange juice I ponder on the simple things that life has to offer, “Happiness“.

… I think about the glorious prospects that the future holds for me, wherein the world is my canvas waiting for me to color it with my imagination.  I practice every day is a new opportunity to be better than yesterday; that pursuit can increase your self-esteem and, accordingly, your happiness…

We all can be who we want to be right now, no matter what our situation looks like.  Money is not everything and we all think life needs to change dramatically for us to be the person we really want to be. Not true. The truth of the matter is you can be those things at any point in your life and time.  How?  Be yourself, being generous with your compassion, or by just listening when your friends have problems. Create a new adventure in your day-to-day by trying new things and introducing yourself to new people. You never know when your “nows” will run out, so please ask yourself, “How can I be that person I want to be in this very moment”?

Finding joy in the present moment, no matter how inadequate it may seem, makes a difference in other people’s lives. Though we all have different lists of dreams and goals, for most of us this is at the forefront: the possibility of living a meaningful life that affects other people for the better.

Happiness is a moment-to-moment choice, one that many have a hard time making. Other people will notice if you make that choice, and you will motivate them to do the same.  Motivation has a substantial impact on your health and future happiness.

I don’t think happiness is so much about what you have, in my opinion.  It’s how you put it out there for yourself, and everyone around you.

Evolve your life, make changes, and focus on your “blessings”.  Happiness is about how you interpret what’s in front of you. How proud you are of the way you live your life. How willing you are to enjoy simple pleasures, even if things aren’t perfect.

Though I haven’t always done this well, today I choose to focus on the good—both in the world and within myself. Make the difference; make your own happiness.

So I am asking you, how will you brand your own happiness today?

“Success is not the key to happiness; happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”  

“True Happiness Is a State of Mind”, Buddhism explained these things; physical and emotional feelings correspond or attach to an object. The problem with ordinary happiness is that it never lasts because the objects of happiness don’t last unfortunately, most of us go through life looking for things to “make us happy.” But our happy “fix” is never permanent, so we keep looking.  The happiness that is a factor of enlightenment is not dependent on objects but is a state of mind cultivated through mental discipline.

I have asked myself many times before, how can I cultivate my happiness?    We’ve said that deep happiness has no object. By all means avoid being that object and don’t make yourself an object.  Straight up!  As long as you are seeking happiness for yourself, you will fail to find anything but temporary happiness.

The Buddha taught that the stress and disappointment in life (dukkha) come from craving and grasping. But at the root of craving and grasping is ignorance. And this ignorance is of the true nature of things, including ourselves. As we practice and grow in wisdom, we become less and less self-focused and more concerned about the well-being of others.  There are no shortcuts for this; we can’t force ourselves be less selfish. Selflessness grows out of practice. The result of being less self-centered is that we are also less anxious to find happiness “fix” because that craving for a fix loses its grip.

…”If you want others to be happy practice compassion; and if you want yourself to be happy practice compassion.”… Dalai Lama

That sounds simple, but it takes practice.

 

Thank you, Dulce De Leche in the Heights of Jersey City my happiness was the  Broccoli Cheddar Quiche.

 

Everyday talk with Chef Ediem

 

Customer Service | Moms & Pops Stores

Many small family owned hardware stores are under enormous pressure to hold onto customers and remain solvent as national chains like Home Depot and Loews expand their footprint in New Jersey and elsewhere, a trend some independent stores have emphasized their neighborhood roots, while others have raised prices or tweaked their inventories beyond paint supplies and off-brand sandpaper to include household staples like tapes, electric extensions. Many independent store owners and workers say they are facing a bleak future as their customers have more choices, and rising rents and operating costs further cut into their dwindling profits.

Several blocks from where I live is a popular neighbor hardware store called Novick Hardware located in the Heights of Jersey City.  This store has been there for many decades and recently purchased by new owner Mitzi.  I stopped there a few days ago, inquiring about paint applications for walls and repairs.  “When you go to her store, you’re going to get something different,” and the old fixtures are still there from back in the 80’s-90’s.  Reasonable price products and great customer service.

Mitzi was not only knowledgeable about her paint products by Benjamin Moore but her convictions on what type of paints I should be using for my kitchen renovation project.

From one business woman to another, we both spoke about the survival of moms and pops businesses.  So what’s the secret to the success of mom-and-pops? I asked Mitzi of Novick Hardware, “The most important thing is that you have to bring a unique entrepreneurial vision to what your store is.  Many utilize their own recipes of personal customer service, community involvement and other tools that keep customers coming back.”  “Those are not necessarily the reasons someone would or should choose an independent small business,” Mitzi said. “They [small business] need to figure those reasons out and build on those strengths and make sure they’re fulfilling that when the customer comes into the store.”

This in my case may be true.  Small-business owners hold steady, they like to know what’s coming next and where it’s coming from. They make calculated decisions where the outcome is clear. The result may not be huge, but it will typically keep them moving forward.

Moms and pops stores, it’s an enormous industry made up mostly of small business owners. And it’s about to undergo a huge change that will challenge their survival.  I strongly believe being knowledgeable and providing excellence customer service is the #1 factor – When your business focuses on good customer service as your marketing strategy, it positively affects your bottom line, reducing your business costs and increasing your prices.  It gives you a competitive edge, which keeps a consumer coming back spending their money with you and referring others to do the same.

Go visit Novick Hardware:  https://www.facebook.com/NovickHardware/

Chef EdieM