2010 Women of Faith Conference, Philadelphia, Pa

I attended the Women of Faith Conference Part I this past weekend and was unable to make it to part two because I didn't want to miss Connor's first soccer game, but what a way to start off your weekend. I attended the conference last year and definietly did not want to miss it this year. It's a great way to revitalize your mind, body and spirit and to really recharge your spiritual life. It makes you want to take a deep breath before yelling at your kids or getting worked up over the little things in life. I got to hear some great speakers and listen to some wonderful music over the course of the day. What I really got out of the day was a ton of inspirations and facts from the speaker Andy Andrews who really sucked you in and made you think about your everyday actions. Here are some of his tips that he discussed and I thought I would share them with all of you.

"ANDY ANDREWS" 

- always smile when you talk...

Today I Will Choose To Be Happy: The Fifth Decision That Determines Personal Success

4:17 PM PDT, September 27, 2007

      
The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success


The Joyful Decision

Today, I Will Choose to be Happy!

     This particular decision for success has been conditioned out of most people. They’re doing the same things every day; just because that’s the way they’ve always done them.  Here’s an example of this decision in practical everyday business terms.   Let’s say you’re an employer and you have two people standing in front of you with the same educational background.   They are the same age and have the same experience.  One of them has a complaining look on his face and this other one appears happy. Well…who are you going to hire?  The happy one, of course, because that’s the person you want to be around!

     True happiness comes from deep within, but choosing happiness can be as simple as choosing to be grateful.  The seeds of depression, anger, and resentment cannot take root in a grateful heart.  A couple of years ago I was taken to Mexico City by World Vision and they walked me around a slum that had a million people in it. I saw my children in the eyes of the children that were playing there in the broken glass. It was a horrible situation to see what they have to do in order to get water and food.

     I want to urge you to condition yourself, to find things that you can be grateful for. Become the possessor of a grateful spirit. From this moment on, you will ignore the conditioning that has shaped everything in your life. You will ignore the conditioning that says children who laugh in a restaurant get on your nerves. You will ignore the conditioning that says that you must look for everything in the form of its lowest common denominator. You will become a possessor of a grateful spirit, a person who is grateful for the laughter of children, and grateful for situations that make you struggle. You’ll become grateful for situations in which you have to find your way out, because if you can find your way out of situations, then you can lead others to successes of their own.

     There is a second part to the conditioning process of becoming the possessor of a grateful spirit:

Learning How to Express our Gratitude

     There are so many invisible people in our lives who provide services and never get thanked. You will stand out when you stop and say, “I just wanted to say thanks for what you’re doing.” The possessor of a grateful spirit, who gives that gratefulness to others, will not have to daily choose to be happy. It will be a conditioned effect. You’ll wake up happy. You have to choose to be happy at first, but the conditioning will take over and soon you will BE happy.

     How does this translate into personal, business, and financial success?  Happiness leads to opportunities. Become somebody that other people want to be around. People want to be around happy people. That’s why happy people receive opportunities. Opportunities translate into success.  Nobody expects you to be happy every moment of every day, but you can make a choice to smile. You will attract people in your life and when you become a person other people want to be around, you will attract their opportunities as well.

     I’ve been asked, “What one thing can somebody do to change their life? It’s going to blow your mind because it’s so simple:

“Smile while you talk.”

.   Very few people do this. Even when people tell jokes, they don’t smile while they talk.   Most people talk with a serious or bland expression on their face. Get in front of a mirror and learn to smile while you talk. Add a little chuckle while you’re talking, and have laughter coming through in your voice, and everything will change.  When you smile at people, they will smile back. And I dare you to have people not participate in whatever it is you want them to participate in. If you want people to sign the deal or  be your client forever, learn to smile while you talk. Your spouse, your kids, your neighbors, everybody will react to you differently when you smile as you talk.

     Happiness is a choice and you are making that choice today. The bubbling laughter in your soul is an expression of enthusiasm, the fuel that moves the world. Your smile is the most potent weapon you have. Always remember to be the possessor of a grateful spirit, and to share that gratefulness liberally!

Today, you will choose to be happy!

Andy Andrews is the NYT Bestselling author of The Traveler’s Gift from which the “Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success” are taken. For more information about Andy Andrews’ books, CDs, and DVDs log onto http://www.AndyAndrews.com.