September 17, 2024- Having perspective on life as we live it is critical for our happiness. Many persons are overwhelmed with life as it occurs and never feel in control as they see it coming at them in a hundred different directions at a hundred miles an hour. The result is they cannot keep pace with their lives which produces anxiety and often depression. Simply defined, perspective is a way to look at your life to be able to cope with it and recognize our attitude has a lot to do with the level of happiness we will experience in our one time trip through it. We must learn how to deal with what life dishes up and cope with it to be as happy as possible. A person with a strong sense of spirituality often has perspective from the fact they realize they are leading a life that will end with eternity if their behaviors are consistent with their beliefs. For example, a Christian who believes in Christ has a roadmap to joyous eternity. Other religions offer similar beliefs. Secular humanists gain perspective by trying to figure out why they are on earth and what is their purpose. Many have the perspective that their purpose is to make the world a better place than the one they came into. Others gain perspective from failure.They are able to use it as a starting point and not an ending point for how their lives will proceed. As I have often stated before, great success can only be achieved when one has learned from failure how to be successful. Perspective also can be gained from the loss of loved ones who we had counted on during our lives. This would include parents, grandparents, mentors, or friends we have fortunately encountered along the road of life. Perspective can also come when we have gratitude for the period we had to share with these persons as we try to live consistent with the advice they gave us when they were alive and with us. Perspective can also be gained when a person tries in their mind to understand what advice these deceased significant persons would be giving them now with the problems and struggles in life that occur as they walk their road of life. Gratitude also gives perspective when one realizes how other persons have harder lives but live their lives with a positive attitude. When all is said and done,one’s perspective on life has much to do with whether a person will have a happy or unhappy life. Choosing a happy life is my advice!

September 10, 2024- Many people see aging as negative and something that will bring less satisfaction to a person. Many of these persons also believe youth is where happiness is greatest, and after that there may be satisfaction, but nothing like being young. Others believe people are either happy or unhappy, and that is how they are and will be their whole lives. Because of the differences in outlook that human beings have and their life experiences,it is really difficult to answer the question relating to whether someone older or younger is happier. For the sake of discussion, I believe there are many reasons that many persons can have tremendous satisfaction and joy living their lives as they grow older. It may not be that level of joy and happiness that comes when one is young and everything in life can be so unique,exciting,tempting,exotic and wonderful. One may even hate to go to bed when young so they cannot continue doing what gives them such pleasure during the day. The world of gaming is a current such example. I certainly remember many days like that in my youth long before gaming. With that said, it is also true that adolescence can be a very difficult time for young people with levels of joy and satisfaction greatly reduced by such things as bullying, poor achievement, poor social skills, and problematic home environments. What can bring great joy and happiness to many persons in their middle and later ages could include the following: 1. Children raised and developing their own families and lives. 2. Less financial stress that occurs when one is not attempting to buy a home, raise money for retirement, raise children and obtain things that are involved in bringing happiness to a person. 3. More satisfaction and acceptance of a job situation with retirement in sight. 4. Retirement and the ability to have far less stress in life and do things they were not able to do during the hectic periods of early marriage, financial distress, and child rearing that while exciting and even joyful, may have been very stressful. 5.Stability and love in a marriage or relationship. 5.Spending time with friends as desired in a leisurely manner. 6.Finding purpose in life as physical passions cool and the inevitable biological clock unwinds in each person’s life.

September 6, 2024- Dr Braccio & Mike Austin discuss the recent school shooting in Georgia.