Today I woke up with a headache, which is funny, because this is the second day in a row I’ve woken up with a headache and in general felt pretty weak.
Maybe it’s the WiFi we use. They aren’t healthy at all, so I intend to get a few cables for Ingela and myself, but it’s not a priority at the moment.
Headaches don’t bother me at all. I used to worry about them a lot, but now I allow them to be there and after a while they kind of fade away.
If I feel like I really want to get rid of a headache I use Emotional Freedom Techniques and it works like a charm, at least for me, and I know many people have used it to get rid of their migraine headaches.
The Consulting Conundrum
As the day went on, I had a call with a consulting client, which at first I had apprehensions of, because I never like to have appointments or set times for anything.
But then I remembered and reminded myself that my main goal here is to help people. That’s my goal for this year, and that is exactly what I’m doing by coaching and consulting people.
I have actually not officially told my non-newsletter subscribers about my consulting services, because it hasn’t felt like the right time, but I guess I’m sort of telling you now.
My consulting service is all about helping you get clarity on what you have to do to be successful. I’ve already worked with a handful of people and it has been a lot of fun. If you’re interested, send me an e-mail and I’ll get in touch.
I Used to Charge A Lot
I’ve actually had some experience coaching and consulting people back in my poker playing days. Back then I charged between $150-300/hour, because that’s what I thought it was worth and my clients were always happy.
Before I did my secret-consulting-launch for my subscribers here on the Wake Up Cloud, I was a bit afraid. I didn’t think I had any value to offer people.
It’s easy to think that you have to be a master before you can teach others, but I’ve come realize that there’s almost always something you can do to help.
It’s weird that I had to go through this realization since I have done some poker consulting, but I guess the mind forgets quickly and is quick to accept new doubts.
I Never Relax, But…
After I finished my coaching call, I felt excellent and the client was so happy he was going to get in touch with me for another call. That’s always cool to hear!
I’ve found that when I go in with an open mind and open heart, things tend to work out well, especially when I focus on deliver value.
After my call I was feeling pretty good about myself, so I gave myself some time off to relax, at which point I remembered that I had signed-up for Jonathan Field’s Career Renegade Profiles where he interviews cool people.
The interview that stood out to me was Naomi Dunford, who runs IttyBiz. Oh and by the way, you have to sign-up to get access, but it’s completely free otherwise.
Is THIS the Secret to Happiness?
After the interview was done, my mind had changed a bit and I could feel the wheels turning. It has been raining non-stop here in Southern Spain for the last few days, but it had stopped, so Ingela and I decided to take the dog for its evening walk.
That’s when Ingela said to me that sometimes she feels like everything’s kind of boring. And this is where it gets cool, because sometimes we go on walks, but they’re really talks, because we share what’s going on in our heads and then the other one says whatever comes to mind.
So it got me thinking about the fact that here she was, she had quit her job, left icy cold Sweden to basically live the dream life in Spain, but she was still unhappy.
I’m not saying she’s always unhappy, because she’s like 95% super happy, but in this case she had one of those down days that we all have from time to time.
As I was saying, it got me thinking about the fact that no matter what we do, what goals we achieve or how well we live, our minds will still try to find problems and things that are wrong.
After we’d strolled through the wet, narrow, streets, we finally came back to the uphill stretch to our 8-story apartment building, and that’s when I remembered the people that are really the happiest.
The people that love what they do and seem happy no matter what, those people are always focusing on what they are grateful for and what’s good in their life.
If their business failed, they appreciate the fact that they are free to start a new one, they have their health and they have loving people all around them.
What if happiness is really about focusing on the good stuff? You could have millions of dollars in the bank but still be completely miserable if you’re focusing on the fact that you don’t have a billion.
Image by Ségozyme
And this blog is about helping conscious people improve their lives not only through achieving financial freedom, but also improving their productivity, beliefs and realizing that you can live a life full of passion.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
haha, for a moment i thought you are ‘headache’ is a form of happiness for you! That is the first impression from reading the title and first sentence.
Congrats for the consulting. I think consulting works exceptionally well when you are a sort of mentor. I have a mentor and I pay him $100/hour once per month, but those are money well spent because sometimes we need another person who can look from an higher perspective.
IT’s so easy to get caught up in what we don’t have rather than what we do have. The thing I’ve realized is there is always going to be more that you can get. It’s pure ego driven desire since the ego won’t be happy with fulfillment. Eckhart Tolle talks about this quite a bit in his book.
Hi Henri,
I started searching for happiness when I was a kid. When my life fell apart some years ago, I went in search of it with full intensity and as a result, I found happiness. Here is what I learned: happiness is internal. It will never ever be achieved externally. You can have every possible material thing you want (I know because I did) and if you do not have inner peace, you will be miserable.
Happiness is really a form of inner peace. That is cultivated from the inside and not the outside.
Want what you already have.
No matter what it is.
You’re right!
Great article, Henri and it’s a reminder for us to be happy regardless of our physical limitations and where we are. It’s so true that there are miserable millionaires out there who are only concerned about getting to the next level and that there are people who are literally living in dirt huts who are the happiest people on Earth. It’s up to you. Change your mindset to one of prosperity in happiness and you’ll definitely feel the change.
Karen
Hi Henri,
Great post.
It’s interesting that Ingela said she was bored, not sad. Perhaps she was unhappy because she didn’t feel there’s an exciting challenge in her life.
No matter how much we achieve, we still want to push ourselves further and learn more. Some people possess a higher dosage of enthusiasm and desire for growth than others. I believe this feeling should be embraced rather than substituted.
Sure, we should feel grateful for what we already have, but aspiring towards new heights is perfectly healthy and human.
This could be the secret to happiness. It’s a very subjective subject that’s open to the different opinions of all people, but I think you have good reasons to say that happiness comes from doing what you love. This is because our thoughts are focused on happy things. I would say that this reason is up there. Also, nice finishing touch on the article here; I really like this quote, “You could have millions of dollars in the bank but still be completely miserable if you’re focusing on the fact that you don’t have a billion.”
Henri,
Yes, the inclement weather is something that we all have to deal with.
Sure, bliss is an inner game, but if the weather outside is lousy, that makes me mad.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects millions of people around the world. People who suffer from it report feeling unhappy. It makes them feel cranky (bad mood). Man, I don’t know how many times I have cussed at the lousy weather.
I don’t know about you, but I need plenty of fresh air and sunshine. I am rather sporty and outdoorsy, so staying cooped up–it just ain’t my cup of tea.
Please keep on going for a casual stroll with your girlfriend. It can do wonders to help improve your mood, and chances are your headache will disappear too.
Every time this happens to me, I try to work-out or engage in outdoor activities and that certainly helps to lift my spirits. If you get a chance, however, try swimming.
Maybe you and your girlfriend can join a gym and go swimming together. Swimming is a total body work-out. Once I went for a swim, and emerged a different person.
I felt like a million bucks. Before that, I felt like a loser. Hope this tip helps you.
Henri, I followed your link from the Third Tribe forums, where I’ve enjoyed your comments. When you mentioned your headaches, I couldn’t help wondering if you have fragrance sensitivity. I do, and it really helped me to get rid of all the fragrances in my home and personal products. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been well worth it. Good luck!
That’s just it Henri, in order to be happy you have to figure out what great things in life come about to make you happy. Money isn’t everything but it sure isn’t nothing either.
What money allows you to be able to do and buy is nice but ultimately what life gives you (the good stuff, anyway, and sometimes the bad) can make you very happy. Learn from those mistakes and count your blessings.
Hi Henri
I have recently had a major aha moment on this subject.
My wife and myself are financially better off than we ever have been. We make more money than we ever have, our mortgage is paid off, we have no debts and money in the bank.
We are not mega wealthy but we can buy shiny things if we want to and go on little holidays. It actually took quite a while to realize this. Funny how the good stuff can creep on you and you don’t notice it!
But recently I saw a video by Frank Kern. He was talking about making millions of dollars and still feeling miserable and a lightbulb went on in my head.
I realized that the money and the things and the holidays we have now, have not made us any happier than we were before. Not that we are unhappy. It’s just that the way we feel has nothing to do with money.
If you are going to be miserable, you can still do it lying on a Caribbean beach with a sack of cash as a pillow. So many people have said this in different ways, but you still can’t help thinking that a bigger bank balance would make things better in some way.
Now that I have experienced it, I finally ‘get it’. Happiness a choice, and if you choose it now, the money might come along later. But if it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter.
Rich