“I just want to know how to be HAPPY!”

This is the request those of us in the people-building business  get more than any other.

“How to be Happy.”

I’ll never forget the time I was just 15 years old. I was completely obsessed with my
boyfriend, who I thought brought me great happiness. The downside of course, was
that other times, he brought me great despair.

We dated for several years that were quite up and down. Still, one day frustrated with my moodiness, he said some of the most important words I’ve ever heard from anybody.

With as much kindness as he could muster, he looked at me and said,

“Gina! I can not be your happiness committee. It’s not fair, and it’s not a role I can fulfill. If you are not happy in yourself, than whatever I do won’t be enough. Really, your cheerfulness is the most beautiful thing about you.”

I sat there stunned, knowing that I had just been put in my place. In that moment he
was correct. In fact, when I was able to find that happiness in myself, and in my
relationship with God, I was able to live without that particular boyfriend!

When I met my husband, I realized that the emotional roller coaster was NOT a part
of life anymore.

What were my secrets to becoming happy with my self? Here’s three keys:

1. My Identity is in God, not in man.
Seems silly, I know. But truly – I became confident because I am called and raised up with Christ, seated in Heavenly places, and loved perfectly, not because my boyfriend was a football star. This makes me happy.

2. I Have Nothing to Prove and Everything to Give
When I took my focus off myself and realized that people just want to be loved and accepted, I realized that I carry a gift from Heaven. I may have zillions of flaws, but I love people – and that makes up for a multitude of shortcomings.
This makes me feel happy.

3. I am my own best friend
Since it was easy for me to be gracious and loving to other people, one day I decided to treat myself the way I would treat others. I chose kindness and self-grace. I’m not perfect here, but most days I am free from beating myself up and it makes me happy.

If you practice these mindset shifts, you will also find yourself happier! And happy people are nice to have around!

Try it and let me know how it goes.

Until then I’ll be right here, in your corner,

Gina

Please get your free mental mastery mini-course above to learn how to be happy and successful in life and love!

–
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Gina Parris is an internationally sought-after
peak performance speaker and coach who
helps individuals and organizations all
over the world to reach their full potential – Joyfully!

www.GinaParris.com

Have you ever just had a bad day? Have you ever felt lousy when you weren’t even sure why? Wouldn’t it be great to know how to be happy when you’re feeling crappy?

I made this video to help us understand a few things:

1. From the time we are little we are bombarded with messages about how we SHOULD act, look, behave. As women we have one set of ridiculous conflicting messages, and men don’t have it any easier.

2. It’s good to question everything! Jump off the merry go round long enough to ask “Why? – and “says who?”

3. The answer just may be because everybody is looking for the fabulous feeling that really comes from just following Two Commandments.

What do you think? Do you know how to relax, and reframe it all to be happy when you feel crappy? Please share your thoughts below.

I’m in your corner!!
Gina

We are continuing to talk this year, and probably forever, about how to reach your God-given potential – joyfully! There is a certain issue that holds many people back. I don't hear anyone talking about it, but this insidious force starts with the letter "O."

The word is "Offense."  (As in getting offended, not as in getting the ball!)

Sometimes it is easy for us to look at other people in our field, or a leader or someone who seems more "successful" than us and we may disagree with what they are doing. Perhaps we find out that they are being unethical, or corrupt. Or maybe we just can't stand their way of promoting their services. When that happens, we become offended. We become critical, because they don't fit into our pre-determined rules of what is right and wrong.

It's as if we walk around wearing certain uber-cool designer sunglasses, thinking that we are cooler than everybody else because we know what is right. We are superior. The problem with this thinking is that it puts us in a place of pride.

Unfortunately, God opposes the proud. His energy can not mesh with proud flesh, and now we are cut off from His supernatural help. Good luck succeeding on your own. Being offended literally means to stumble. We know that pride goes before a fall.

Last week I took a stand about how I wanted to share my success tips from a more Christ- centered approach to be truer to my calling. I went to bed one night thinking how I wanted to help you overcome this spirit of offense.

I woke up the next day to an email telling me how wrong I was in my theology, and how I shouldn't say things I said. I was being corrected by someone who did not know me, but he had scriptures to point out my errors. Suddenly, without realizing it, I got all disturbed and agitated, and I told God, "This is why I did not want to work in the "Christian" market! They are all so critical and judgmental."

In effect, I was saying, "Everybody should be much more gracious, like ME!"

Oops. I guess I got offended, for a moment.

The truth is, people do not need to be more like me, and they don't need to be more like you. WE need to be more like Christ. He humbled himself and was obedient to death, because he had a JOY set before him. Therefore he was exalted.

Action: Today please re-view the people that may offend you some how. Let go of the judgments you may have cast. The way you judge others is the way you are judged, not just by others, but by your self. You diminish your own confidence when you have a critical spirit.

Until next time, keep playing to win and I'll be right here,

in your corner!

Gina

P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog and share it with someone else. I'd love your comments below.

What an awesome week of victories and defeats!
Football! Ultimate Fighting! Basketball playoffs!
I love it all – the fighting most of all – who knew? And who didn’t love watching Georges St. Pierre beat the pants off of BJ Penn? I couldn’t even find anyone to bet against me at the sports club.

But again, the real lessons were “Beneath the Surface,”
to quote the title of Micheal Phelp’s first book.

Speaking of Micheal…What was he thinking?
Now the photos of him are plastered everywhere
as he is smoking pot from a bong (looking like quite
a pro at it) His fans were forgiving after his DUI,
but on this one, he lost a lot of them.

Love and respect your fans – when they’re not around.

Why?

Because…

YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE – WHEN NO
ONE IS WATCHING!

And even if you’re famous for what you do, people
want to believe in who you are.

The real hero of the week?

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger -

Oh, not just because of his miraculous crash landing
on the Hudson River a few weeks ago, where his
cool head saved at least a hundred and fifty lives.

No, that was too public.

His hero award today?

He gets the award because through the chaos of
the crash landing, he lost his library book in the
plane cockpit.

Because of this, when no one was looking, he called
the library to inform them of the lost book and ask
for a waiver of late fees.

Um, he really didn’t have to do that, but he did
because it was the “right thing.”

What was the book about?

Professional ethics.

He probably could have written the book.

What made him a hero when the pressure was on
to crash-splash land an airplane? His character.

Lots of “winners” have the talent to take them
where their character can’t keep them.

Not you. You have both – talent and character.

Be who you want to be – when no one is looking.

God sees everything – and…

The Game Knows.

Here’s an audio about the Five Steps that make
you a real winner.

I’m sharing with a crowd of firefighters and cops -
so it’s a fairly intimate setting with some of my
favorite heroes.

You can download it here:
http://sohappygina.audioacrobat.com/download/FirehouseSCORE.mp3

Or you can just listen through your computer right here:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WTjbX8hs

I’ll see you again next week. I am thankful for all our
new readers. Let me know how I can serve and support
you.

Remember that you were made to win – so keep playing
hard, and enjoy your game!

In your corner,

PS – If you don’t know how to keep your cool under
pressure – than learn the secrets in Flow On Demand-
The Athlete’s Edge. The same techniques that work
for professional athletes under fire, will work for you
too – whatever your game. You can get it here:
http://www.builttowincoaching.com/athletes/

Coming up:
I know a majority of my readers on this list are testosterone- driven men who
cannot for the life of them relate to the romance project I’m releasing in the
next two weeks.

However, if you are married, than you will be really happy if your wife gets
a hold of it, (although I’m sure she wants you all the time…)
so please find a way to share it with her, and her girlfriends.
I’ll keep you posted.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you would like to quit spinning your
wheels and finally experience true breakthrough
in your life and business, than please visit:
http://www.BuiltToWinCoaching.com for your
free MINDSET MASTERY MINI-COURSE.

Gina Parris is an internationally sought-after
peak performance speaker, coach, and author.
She is the founder of Built To Win Coaching,
Where she equips business owners and
solo-preneurs to skyrocket their authentic
success through mindset mastery and strategic action.

http://www.BuiltToWinCoaching.com
Abundant Life – expressed in your livelihood
(931) 461-7836

What makes a person a success? We are such a performance driven culture. I make my living as a peak performance coach. And yet, it is your success in life as a whole that means more than any successful performance.

As we draw near the close of the year, it is time to ask – was it a successful year? Did you come closer to the goals that matter to you? Did you make good on your promises to yourself and those around you? Are you living a successful life?

I read “success” books like most people listen to music. I read biographies and autobiographies of “great” people, but I’ve noticed that even for these, success is easier to come by than a successful life. They may become millionaires but lose their marriage, succeed in business but have children who despise them, succeed in sports or entertainment, yet have addictions that eat them alive. That, my friend, is not a successful life. It is not your inheritance to have public success at the expense of private peace. You can have both.

Today, I encourage you to look at all of your roles. Who are you as a spouse, a friend, a parent, a son or daughter, a sibling, a co-worker, an employee, a boss? How do you want to be remembered under each of these hats? What words would you like to have describe you? Hint – for this exercise you can not use the word “successful.” Instead, I recommend quality-of-life words like, “Faithful, joyful, loving, satisfied, generous, fulfilled…” Think of who you want to be when no one is watching. That is authentic success.

Remember finding true success is not a matter of accomplishing some external goal to validate who you are. Rather, it is becoming who you want to be, and in so doing, attracting all of the pieces necessary to live the life of your dreams. You were created to live a life of purpose – a life on purpose. You were meant to be blessed in order to be a blessing. Toiling endlessly is a part of the curse. I choose to rejoice in the blessing purchased on the cross.

Enjoy the little things today. Count out loud, the things that make you smile. As you do, you will realize that your success has been available all along.

Until next time,

Enjoy the journey

Ephesians 1:18
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.