Make A Top Ten List
When you feel that problems are weighing you down, make a list of 10 reasons why you can still be happy.
If the reasons come from an external source, you might brush them off. But if you develop a list yourself, you will always be able to find at least 10 reasons that are “real” to you.
-From Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book “Gateway to Happiness,” p.180
Think about past experiences that you didn’t exactly enjoy. Look back at those experiences and view them as part of your lifetime growth seminar. Keep learning new lessons and gain new strengths.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book “Happiness”,p.118
The best time to mentally prepare yourself for times of adversity is when things are going well and you are in a resourceful state. Adversity is a challenge that enables you to develop attributes that wouldn’t be developed in easier times. Keep building up the inner resources that will enable you to cope well with difficulties. If you are in the middle of a difficulty right now, then right now is the best time to build up those resources. You won’t have to wait and see if the inner resources you need are becoming a part of you, you will see results right away.
Develop courage and confidence. Develop persistence and resilience. Develop optimism and hope. How can you develop these qualities? Visualize yourself mastering them. See, hear, and feel yourself being confident and courageous. See, hear, and feel yourself persisting and bouncing back. Right now feel an inner sense of optimism that you will cope well with difficulties. And if a difficulty arises that you don’t cope with as well as you wished, learn from the experience to cope better next time.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s “Happiness”,p.196-7
While it is theoretically possible to develop an attitude to totally prevent sadness, the Jewish view is there are times when such feelings are appropriate.
For example, we have an obligation to cry over the death of another person. Also, we should care enough about potential suffering to pray that it will not come. And we utilize these situations as reminders to improve ourselves.
-Sources: from Chochmah Umussar, vol.2, p.203; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.172
Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin used to say:
“The worst fault a person can have is to forget his intrinsic greatness as a human being.”
Sources: Dor Daiah, vol. 1, p.172; Rabbi Zelig “Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness,” p.131
The less gratitude you receive for doing a kind act, the greater the value of the act. True kindness is when we do not receive anything in return for what we do.
Instead of feeling resentment towards the person who is ungrateful, take pleasure in doing a more elevated good deed. Focus on how your kindness towards that person is more altruistic.
Don’t tell yourself, “How awful it is that I’m doing all this kindness and this person is not doing me favors in return.” Rather, tell yourself, “This is a great opportunity to do a true act of kindness!”
Sources: see Genesis 47:29 with Rashi; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s “Gateway to Happiness,” p.106
A master of happiness will appreciate what he or she has while they have them and the moment any specific thing is gone or lost, the focus will be on other things to appreciate and be grateful for. At times, this could be gratitude for the memories that remain. Material and physical objects are temporary, memories are forever.
-Rabbi Zelig Pliskin (1999). “Happiness: Formulas, Stories, and Insights”, p.229, Mesorah Publications
What would help you view today as the greatest day of your life? If today you have a greater awareness of your immense intrinsic value than ever before, then today is the greatest day of your life. If today you decide to upgrade your character beyond ways that you have done before, then today is the greatest day of your life. If today you make goals and plans that go beyond previous goals and plans, then today is the greatest day of your life.
If today you have a greater spiritual awareness and feel more connected with the Creator than ever before, then today is the greatest day of your life.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book Happiness,p.105
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”
During a holiday, students at the Lakewood Yeshiva were elated at the words of Rabbi Aharon Kotler, the Rosh Yeshiva, who had just delivered an inspiring holiday lecture.
At the end of his talk, the students began to sing a tune to the words from King David’s Psalms, “Were it not for Thy Torah being my delight, I would have succumbed to my poverty…”
Rabbi Kotler interrupted the singing, and said with great joy:
“King David was tremendously wealthy. Yet except for the enduring possession of Torah, King David was drowning in a sea of poverty!”
-from Rabbi Shaul Kagan – Jewish Observer 5/73; cited in Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.97
Sorry I haven’t been around much, but I was visiting my aged Mom in Southwestern Utah, an eight or nine hour drive from where I live in Southwestern Idaho. Just got back yesterday, but then we have the grandkids, so I’m still busy. Managed to finally catch up on my sleep last night, but will still be busy catching up with events at home, so my online writing will still suffer.
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”
The more you engage in joyful and grateful self-talk, the more your mind will be free from worry.
Some people tell themselves, “It’s my nature to worry.” But the truth is that no one is born a worrier. A person might have started worrying at a young age and have many early memories of worrying. A person might find it very difficult not to worry. But this isn’t someone’s basic nature. Worry is essentially self-talk about something negative that you hope won’t happen. You feel anxious and distressed about the possibility.
One way out of the worry pattern is to think of potential solutions. Whenever you worry about something, imagine three or more alternate outcomes.
A happy and joyful person has mastered the art of thinking in patterns that create happiness and joy. Let this be your mind.
from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book: Conversations With Yourself, pp.258-9
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