Happiness is Now

Happiness is Now

Please turn off your cell phone before reading this blog. Be considerate of other readers as they try to get through this complex narrative. Nothing is worse than that customized ring tone of “I Ain’t Got Nobody” disturbing the otherwise peaceful tranquility of reading. If you are driving, why are you reading this to begin with and you should definitely not have anything to do with a phone at this point. You’re probably the guy swerving in front of me as I hammer this out on my iPhone’s keyboard at the traffic light.

Well, it has been an interesting week. Last week was a sort of “break week” from P90X’s regular hard core fitness routines so I was actually standing up straight for the first time in three weeks. I was doing “easy” things like stretching and the yoga that I’ve come to know and love. I also got Hip Hop Abs which is so much fun I can hardly believe it counts. We’ll see if the six pack emerges from all this. I am now onto my second 30 days and it has become a family affair. We all gather around the TV at night and sweat until we are delirious. I especially love seeing my 15 year old waking up from his Xbox coma to MOVE!!!! One thing is for certain, Beachbody has changed our lives.

Last week I also went out with my girlfriends to see John Corbett of “Northern Exposure,” “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Sex in the City” fame. He has a honky tonk band that tours and he played in our beloved Harold’s in Cave Creek. We had our usual good time and managed to stay until the very end and stick around to meet Mr. Laid Back himself. He isn’t quite like his usual stereo typed characters – but he has a touch of that mellowness with a little scatter brain built in – at least that was my 3 hour opinion of him. Bo Derek, who is his love, can write to me and disagree if I am wrong.

So I want to talk to you about my Dave Ramsey class last night. It was a really good topic….BUYING stuff. He talked about how often we trade in our security tomorrow for what we perceive as something we NEED right now. An interesting example he used was there was a young man who was rather successful in real estate in the 80’s and had some extra cash to use for a new Mercedes which was his dream car. The story goes that when the guy went down to the Mercedes dealer he thought long and hard about the opportunity cost of the car. For the $40,000 it would cost him to buy his dream car that would depreciate the minute he drove it off the lot, after doing some quick math, he realized that if he took that same money and put it in a mutual fund, after 20 years he would have over $300,000. He decided not to buy the car.

I really liked that story because it showed that if we think things through a little better, we can make so many wiser choices in our lives and set up our futures in a manner that will allow us to do so many things we would enjoy in our older years. As Dave always says, “if you live like no one else, LATER, you can live like no one else.”

But there was one other VERY important piece to the lesson yesterday that stuck with me. Dave was saying how we always think we will be happy when….(fill in the blank). How often have I thought that through. I will be happy when the baby is more independent. I will be happy when I make more money. I will be happy when I have furniture. Whatever it was I was always looking past today. Dave Ramsey really hit home when he said “Happiness is NOW.” If we always look to another day, to more STUFF, to a different situation for our happiness, we will never enjoy the reality that we have so much to be grateful for and happy with today. Time flies whether we’re having fun or not my friends.

So take stock folks. This isn’t a dress rehearsal. If you’re not having some joy in your life you need to find some – fast. If you want to get in shape, call me or write to me at fitnessempress@yahoo.com, I can help! If you want to get your finances in order, go to Dave Ramsey’s website and find a local class, I can’t tell you how much it is helping me and thus my family. If you are lonely or bored, go on Meetup.com to find some groups that do the things you enjoy like hiking, wine tasting, political events, book clubs – whatever you enjoy it is there. And there are so many things you can do that won’t cost a dime.

I came home from class last night and looked at my baby girl who…well – she really isn’t a baby any more. Next month she will be four. Wow did that go fast. She immediately wanted me to hold her and rub her back as she fell asleep. I thought about my lesson. I didn’t need to watch TV. I didn’t need to read a book. Looking at Ashley, my precious little girl drift off in my arms into a peaceful slumber, you bet, happiness is now.

Until next time,
Empress OUT!

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