Happiness can be shocking . . .

"You have everything you need for complete peace and total happiness right now." ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

Whenever I'm asked "How are you?" nowadays, almost 99% of the time I answer with an enthusiastic "I'm great! How are you?". I can't tell you how many times this simple and honest response gets me the strangest looks. Whenever I answer truthfully and with a beaming smile that I am in fact feeling and doing great, the majority of the time the person on the receiving end of my answer is shocked. Some people don't even know what to do or say in return. I've had people literally stumble backwards and do a double take as if what they have just seen and heard could not have happened. It's usually a clerk at a store or a cashier at Whole Foods.

By now, most of my friends are sort of used to my upbeat mood. Although there are times when I get asked if I'm "high" on something. That always makes me laugh because then I am compelled to answer "I'm high on life!" which always gets a different response altogether. Ha! That answer's not too far from the truth. I am intoxicated by every single day right from the start. My alarm wakes me and from that moment, I start giving thanks to the Universe for yet another day filled with possibilities right at my fingertips. In a half-daze I look at my vision board and pick out a few words that will stay with me throughout the day. That always helps me get out of bed with a feeling of excitement. Today's words were, OM, CREATIVITY and SEA OF GRATITUDE! Now, that's a pretty great message to start the day!

From there, I continue infusing my day with little things to keep my positive mood going. Being grateful and doing a "Thank You Universe" rampage definitely gets me on the right track for the day. Then, throughout the morning and into the afternoon, I consciously make the effort to be on the lookout for better feeling thoughts. The things I choose to read or see on my commute are also geared towards lifting my spirits and making me aware of all the good that is out there in the world.

Even the people I follow on Twitter are a constant source of inspiration. In fact, I make it a point to mostly follow people or organizations that tweet uplifting messages of hope, peace, and love. That in turn makes me want to do the same. On Facebook, I've begun to do a Thought For The Day, where I try to share whatever it is that I'm personally working through or with. I'm always on the look out for interesting and uplifting people to interact with. From these friends I get a myriad of ideas and helpful hints that add to my joy. There are daily affirmations and new YouTube videos to share and view. I have brilliantly creative friends that share their thoughts daily about life. Others share their gorgeous art and photography and beautiful music. It's never a dull or negative moment for me on these various social sites.

I have also made it a point that I will work on my art every single day no matter what. Even if it's 11:30pm and all I have time to do is add a touch of color to a piece, I will do it. Creating is at the top of my list of things that make me extremely, extremely happy so why would I not strive to create every day? How can I expect to manifest a life filled with art if I don't give it some attention? Nothing makes me happier than when I'm working therefore, not a day goes by that at least a moment is devoted to this joy-giving activity.

My point in sharing all these different ways I keep connected to a positive stream is that it takes a bit of effort and imagination to maintain that connection. But, it is so worth it! Once you get started, it becomes easier and easier the more you do it. We know that what we focus on expands. Why not focus on being happy? Why not make it a point to fill your day with as much happiness as you can? Again, the more you do it, the more reasons you will find to continue being happy!

If you make it your daily intention to have an amazing day filled with joy, the Universe will make sure to bring experiences your way that will bring you that joy! Instead of a "same shit, different day" mentality, understand that this simply isn't so. You have not lived this day and everything that you are experiencing on a moment by moment basis is completely new. It's happening NOW and in the NOW, everything is new and fresh and you have the choice to make it the best moment you've ever had.

A simple shift in focus will have a tremendous effect on your attitude. It has for me. I haven't had a bad day in a very long time. Have there been things going on that might be considered not so great? Sure. But especially on those days, my intention to keep reaching for a better feeling thought and exposing myself to positive and joy-filled energy was even stronger. Before I knew it, the rough patch was over and I came out of it with hardly an emotional scratch. It just took concentrating on the good. There is always something good to focus on.

It's my intention to always be happy. No matter what, I know I have the power to choose a thought that will make me feel good. Beauty and love is all around me. It's in the sky above and in the faces of loved ones that are always there for me. A simple smile given to a total stranger will get you one back . . . most of the time. Ending my day filled with gratitude for the day's events only paves the way to more things to be grateful on the following day. Just a little effort gives amazing results. Try it. You'll have fun shocking people the next time you're asked how you are and you can genuinely answer back, "I'M GREAT!"

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The powerful combination of dreams and inspired action!

If you don't believe that dreams really do come true, then let me tell you about Bernard Lachance. He was featured in last week's Oprah show called Harpo Hookups. The Oprah show hooked-up deserving people with tremendous opportunities. One young lady got to spend an entire week in New York with the cast of SNL and the entire country became eligible for a free meal at KFC, etc., etc.

Midway through the show, we were introduced to singer Bernard Lachance. On April 2, 2009, Bernard had posted a vide on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tohGOH20aGA) asking Oprah to come and claim the two tickets he had reserved for her and her best friend Gayle, to his show at the Chicago Theatre on June 6th.

Bernard rented the theatre for his performance, costing him a total of $18,000 for the night (his entire life savings). In order to promote the show and sell tickets, he stands in front of the theatre with a cd and headphones and stops people in the street. He asks them if they'd like to listen to his music and then gets them to buy tickets to his show. If they accept, they get to cross off their seats on the specially made t-shirt he wears with the theatre's seating chart.

This is what he was hoping would happen with Oprah. This was his dream. It turns out, his dream came true, not exactly as he thought but in many, many ways, the reality was even bigger and better! The Universe has a way of rewarding us with bigger dreams than we can come up with for ourselves.

The Oprah show producers found Bernard's YouTube video and sent Gayle to claim the tickets from Bernard himself. When Gayle steps out of the car and calls his name, there was this moment of confusion right before he realizes what is happening to him, that is priceless. After he calms down, Gayle tells him that unfortunately Oprah would be out of the country on June 6th and therefore unable to attend his concert. This where his dream becomes even bigger than he imagined.

Since Oprah wouldn't be able to attend his show, she was then extending a personal invitation for Bernard to join her on her show and make his American television debut!

A week later Bernard Lachance was on the Oprah stage singing an English/French version of "The Impossible Dream" in front of Oprah, the world and his parents who joined him via Skype!

Is that amazing or what? During his interview, he told Oprah that the night before Gayle showed up at the Chicago Theatre, he had broken down in his hotel room and had finally given up trying to get Oprah to come to his show. He had realized that he needed to concentrate on the actual show and had released and surrendered. And the next day, Gayle shows up!

I couldn't believe it! To see someone's dream come true like that is always empowering and inspiring. Although he said that he had finally given up the night before Gayle showed up, what he actually did was release any attachment he had to this dream. The energy was cleared and in turn, the dream had a way in. And it was instant. The next day in fact!

He had been working towards this moment for years. His dreaming with inspired action paid off. That is the lesson here. I strongly believe that by dreaming we are creating our reality, but, there has to be inspired action to support those dreams. Bernard is proof of that. His innovative way of promoting his shows and his music was the action behind his dreams. Constant dreaming and constant action gave him tremendous results!

What an incredible story. Bernard's performance was amazing on the show. The minute the orchestra began to play, he looked straight at the camera and you could just tell he was ready for it. What he'd been dreaming about and working for had finally happened. It was brilliant!

More information on Bernard Lachance can be found on his site officiel: Bernard Lachance . com

His cd While I Remember You is available on iTunes and it's pretty great. I'm not a music critic so I won't go into details but it's a great combination of pop/adult contemporary songs, including one of my favorite songs, Nessun Dorma. I strongly recommend it. Support a dreamer!!

Oh and his appearance on the show happened on Day-Dreaming Tuesday of course!

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel