What is your life’s purpose? Does anyone have an easy answer? Perhaps some do. Perhaps your purpose changes as you evolve. Perhaps the search for a purpose is a purpose in and of itself!

This week’s quotes - on purpose:

(Check out this first one for its obvious relevance.)


Allow the president to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose - and you allow him to make war at pleasure.
Abraham Lincoln

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.
Dalai Lama

When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous.
Wayne Dyer

Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Any idea, plan, or purpose may be placed in the mind through repetition of thought.
Napoleon Hill

We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.
George Washington

The main purpose of life is to live rightly, think rightly, act rightly. The soul must languish when we give all our thought to the body.
Mohandas Gandhi

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.
John F. Kennedy

Success demands singleness of purpose.
Vince Lombardi

I look forward to a great future for America - a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose.
John F. Kennedy

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
William Shakespeare

Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.
W. Clement Stone

To forget one’s purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.
Friedrich Nietzsche

Let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
Kahlil Gibran

I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, “Where’s the self-help section?” She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin

Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.
Aristotle

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.
Helen Keller

True happiness… is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.
Helen Keller

All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.
Brian Tracy

Your purpose is to make your audience see what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt. Relevant detail, couched in concrete, colorful language, is the best way to recreate the incident as it happened and to picture it for the audience.
Dale Carnegie

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.
Pablo Picasso

Here at Only Positive News, we’ve talked about forgiveness a lot - and it’s for a good reason. Many people get stuck in a state of anger and pain in their lives. It’s hard to see the positive when you feel mired in the negative.

These techniques are deceptively simple but I like them for just that reason. Sometimes forgiveness is simpler than we think. Or we forget that there are actually techniques that can help us move forward today.

1. Allow yourself to experience anger, but don’t hold onto it for months or years on end. When the anger starts to consume you, you’ve held onto it for too long.
2. Express your feelings in a positive way through writing a journal or talking to a professional, close friend or family member who can help you make sense of the situation.
3. Try to step into the shoes of those who hurt you in hopes you’ll see the situation from their perspective.
4. Write a letter about your feelings to the people who hurt you. Using “I feel” or “I felt” are productive ways to start sentences.
5. Most importantly, have patience with yourself: “Remember, forgiveness doesn’t have to happen in a day.”

Like the simple but effective yogic advice to “be kind, starting with yourself,” we can always benefit from being reminded of these basic, healthy premises.

Source: YourTango.com

As we watch the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico unfold, many of us feel helpless and angry. How could this happen? What can we do? Who will pay for this? Can this ever be undone? Not positive news, this is true.

In response, today, I decided to post a baby animal born in LA Zoo; a thriving, beautiful creature that symbolizes hope and grace.

On April 5, 2009, a male Masai giraffe was born here at the L.A. Zoo! He’s currently in the giraffe habitat with his parents, Neema and Artimus. Able to stand shortly after birth, calves can grow four feet during their first year. When full grown, giraffes can reach a height of 18 feet, making them tallest land mammal.

Native to Kenya and Tanzania, giraffes can reach a speed of 35 miles per hour. Their kicks are so powerful that they’re capable of decapitating a lion.

Giraffes communicate with one another through posturing, movement, the way they carry their tails, retreat and sometimes vocalization, which can include moos, bellows and whistles.

Source: PetLvrBlog

Most of us know the basics when it comes to lifting our spirits: exercise, socialize, express, eat well, meditate. But there are a lot of boosts out there you may not know about. Here are a few “out of the box” aids when you’re feeling down:

•Kriya Yoga. This is a form of Yoga that uses a type of rhythmic hyperventilation, and its daily practice has been shown in studies to alleviate several or all of depressive symptoms in whole ranges of depressive symptoms.

•Bright Light Therapy. Originally a test and treatment for depressed pregnant woman, the Bright Light Therapy has also been used to treat SAD (seasonal affective disorder), where the sufferer has a depression due to the season’s lack of sunlight.

•St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum). This is a long-studied, and well tolerated natural herbal cure for depression.

St John’s Wort contains a variety of natural antidepressant substances including, hypericin, pseudohypericin and hyperforin. These work at the root of mild depression, boosting neurotransmitter function and returning your mood to normal.

It may not work as fast as the pharmaceutical alternatives, but there are NO side-effects, and in time (perhaps 6 weeks) are just or more effective.

•EPA. This is one of the Omega-3 fatty acids, derived from fish oil. Recent studies show high does of this natural substance are curing acute depression, even suicidal tendencies.

•Saffron. New studies have indicated that saffron (long known for its anti-depressive qualities) is as effective as imipramine and Prozac.

•DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA), is now considered by many doctors an effective antidepressant. This herbal remedy for depression works by raising phenylethylamine (PEA) levels in the brain increasing the production of Norepinephrine. This natural antidepressant also protects and increases the lifetime of Endorphins (chemicals involved in mood and pain regulation). DL-Phenylalanine converts to L-tyrosine in the body.

•L-Threonine is an essential amino acid. In several studies, L-Threonine supplementation gave people with acute depressive symptoms a greater control over their moods.

•5-HTP. This is an herbal remedy for depression that is also the immediate precursor to Melatonin and Serotonin. Serotonin gives a neurochemical balance during times of stress, and is essential to regulating mood and other important bodily functions.

* Skullcap (scutellaria laterifolia). ) Skullcap is rich in the minerals that are essential for the nervous system. This herbal remedy for depression is also used for agitation, neurasthenia, anxiety, fatigue, hysteria, and headaches, Skullcap as an herbal remedy for depression is useful to relieve withdrawal symptoms when going off of pharmaceutical antidepressants and tranquillizers.

Source: Light Therapy Boxes

Here are a few tips I came up with to make some positive news into you life, your home and your community:

1. Pick up Trash - It may seem small but every time you do it, you’re displaying a sense of concern and pride for your community. Others may notice and realize that people do care.

2. Sing a song - Singing is a natural way to shift your energy. Like dancing, you can only feel so down when you sing. Sing around others - don’t be shy. The more we’re able to openly express ourselves, the more it gives others permission to do the same.

3. Clean up your Mess - Cleaning a messy area in your house does wonders for your mind and soul. Purging old stuff, airing out a room, refreshing a space - all can do more than hours with a therapist!

4. Listen - We often have a tendency to overthink, our minds whirring away like a blender. When you talk to somebody today, genuinely listen to what he or she has to say. Give your mind a break. Validate others. Listening is a practice that opens us up and quiets the mind.

5. Share good news - even if it feels forced, tell someone about a positive event or thought you had today. By doing this, you set a trend - being positive, even about something small, creates a ripple effect. Positivity can be contagious.

Here’s my example today:

My friend Vince came over for coffee today. I forgot how nice it is to sit down and chat with someone in the morning about any old thing. It gave me a chance to reconnect with a friend and enjoy those smaller moments in life. Plus the coffee was delicious!

That’s my positive news! Nothing earth-shattering, right? But I wrote about it. I experienced it. You read it. Its that trajectory that can change the world, I do believe.

This story is a great example of people making the most of out of difficult economic times as well maximizing space in a trying real estate market. What can you do to make the best of a limiting situation in your life? How can you think outside of the box and optimize your space better?

They spent a lot more than a penny doing it up, but turning the public toilets into a home was a true labor of love.

For nearly a century the Victorian WC was used as a loo by visitors to the beach at Scarborough.

Now the distinctive building has been transformed by Tracy Woodhouse and her partner Graham Peck into a cosy house, with magnificent views overlooking the North Sea.

Now named Lookout, the single story building, built into the cliff overlooking the resort’s famous North Bay, is widely admired by local residents who have witnessed its reincarnation.

Miss Woodhouse, 45, said: “Some people joke about it. At work they’ll say things like, “Oh yes, you’re the couple who live in a lavatory.”

“But we now have a lovely little house with a sea view that used to be a loo. We understand the amusement it causes. It tickles us, too.”

The public loo, which became an ammunition store during the war, was closed down in the 1990s and for a few years became a seasonal cafe.

When the lease became available five years ago, the couple, both factory workers, decided it would make a perfect home. A local architect produced plans which maintained the character and style of the building and the council backed the scheme.

The Lookout has stunning views out over the North Bay in Scarborough

Boarded up: The delapidated public toilet before being bought and converted

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1271229/Scarborough-couple-convert-15k-public-toilet-seaside-home.html#ixzz0nXoSY4Rs

Researchers Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, Stanford psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post have studied people all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being.

So without further ado, ere are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.

1. Savor everyday moments. Pause now and then to smell a rose or watch children at play. Study participants who took time to “savor” ordinary events that they normally hurried through, or to think back on pleasant moments from their day, “showed significant increases in happiness and reductions in depression,” says psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky.
2. Avoid comparisons. While keeping up with the Joneses is part of American culture, comparing ourselves with others can be damaging to happiness and self-esteem. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focusing on our own personal achievement leads to greater satisfaction, according to Lyubomirsky.
3. Put money low on the list. People who put money high on their priority list are more at risk for depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Their findings hold true across nations and cultures. “The more we seek satisfactions in material goods, the less we find them there,” Ryan says. “The satisfaction has a short half-life—it’s very fleeting.” Money-seekers also score lower on tests of vitality and self-actualization.
4. Have meaningful goals. “People who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new craft or raising moral children, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations,” say Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener. “As humans, we actually require a sense of meaning to thrive.” Harvard’s resident happiness professor, Tal Ben-Shahar, agrees, “Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable.”
5. Take initiative at work. How happy you are at work depends in part on how much initiative you take. Researcher Amy Wrzesniewski says that when we express creativity, help others, suggest improvements, or do additional tasks on the job, we make our work more rewarding and feel more in control.
6. Make friends and treasure family. Happier people tend to have good families, friends, and supportive relationships, say Diener and Biswas-Diener. But it’s not enough to be the life of the party if you’re surrounded by shallow acquaintances. “We don’t just need relationships, we need close ones” that involve understanding and caring.
7. Smile even when you don’t feel like it. It sounds simple, but it works. “Happy people . . . see possibilities, opportunities, and success. When they think of the future, they are optimistic, and when they review the past, they tend to savor the high points,” say Diener and Biswas-Diener. Even if you weren’t born looking at the glass as half-full, with practice, a positive outlook can become a habit.
8. Say thank you like you mean it. People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals, according to author Robert Emmons. Research by Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, revealed that people who write “gratitude letters” to someone who made a difference in their lives score higher on happiness, and lower on depression—and the effect lasts for weeks.
9. Get out and exercise. A Duke University study shows that exercise may be just as effective as drugs in treating depression, without all the side effects and expense. Other research shows that in addition to health benefits, regular exercise offers a sense of accomplishment and opportunity for social interaction, releases feel-good endorphins, and boosts self-esteem.
10. Give it away—give it away now! Make altruism and giving part of your life, and be purposeful about it. Researcher Stephen Post says helping a neighbor, volunteering, or donating goods and services results in a “helper’s high,” and you get more health benefits than you would from exercise or quitting smoking. Listening to a friend, passing on your skills, celebrating others’ successes, and forgiveness also contribute to happiness, he says. Researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that those who spend money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves.

We’re cutting loose day. Getting wild. That’s right. C-R-A-Z-Y.

As Seal so aptly put it, “we are never gonna get by unless we get a little crazy.”

So here are some non-traditional, wacky and unusual quotes meant to inspire your inner lunatic.

“Ever wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?”
John Mendoza

“Whatever I want to be known for I need to be doing.”- Unknown

“Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.”
Benjamin Franklin

“Some days it’s not worth gnawing through the straps.” - Unknown

“Insanity: a perfectly rational response to an insane world.” - Unknown

“I have a grip on reality, just not this particular one.” - Unknown

“A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?”
- Albert Einstein

“My psychiatrist told me I was crazy and I said I want a second opinion. He said okay, you’re ugly too.”
- Rodney Dangerfield

“There is a thin line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.”
Oscar Levant

“Sometimes we reach the boiling point before we realize that the stove is on. Become aware of your feelings – keep your eye on the stove.”
Karen Dougherty

“Life is a short, warm moment and death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less.”
Pink Floyd

“Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you.”
Carl Gustav Jung

That’s right - after years of debating and in-house feuding, the United States of America has passed a healthcare reform:

The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to pass a landmark healthcare reform bill at the heart of President Barack Obama’s agenda.

Under the legislation, health insurance will be extended to nearly all Americans, imposes new taxes on the wealthy and bars restrictive insurance practices such as refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions.

They represent the biggest change in the US healthcare system since the creation in the 1960s of Medicare, the government-run scheme for Americans aged 65 or over.

President Barack Obama:

“It’s a victory for the American people.”

Damn straight.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and senior staff, react in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, as the House passes the health care reform bill, March 21, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Source: BBC News

This Wednesday, we’re going down the easy road. That’s right - this week’s quotes are just funny. Hope you appreciate. And feel free to send us some suggestions on possible themes for quotes. We’d love to hear from you!

A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.  ~Fred Allen

Say what you will about the Ten Commandments, you must always come back to the pleasant fact that there are only ten of them.  ~H.L. Mencken

A compromise is an agreement whereby both parties get what neither of them wanted.  ~Author Unknown

A gentleman is a man who can play the accordion but doesn’t.  ~Author Unknown

Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today.  It is already tomorrow in Australia.  ~Charles Schulz

All generalizations are bad.  ~R.H. Grenier

All my life, I always wanted to be somebody.  Now I see that I should have been more specific.  ~Jane Wagner, The Search For Intelligent Life In The Universe, performed by Lily Tomlin

I have six locks on my door all in a row.  When I go out, I lock every other one.  I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.  ~Elayne Boosler

Man was predestined to have free will.  ~Hal Lee Luyah

Maybe this world is another planet’s hell.  ~Aldous Huxle

The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.  ~Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

Today is the last day of some of your life.  ~Author Unknown

It’s always darkest before the dawn.  So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.  ~Author Unknown

You can’t have everything… where would you put it?  ~Steven Wright

He’s turned his life around.  He used to be depressed and miserable.  Now he’s miserable and depressed.  ~Harry Kalas, on Garry Maddox, 1981

I plan on living forever.  So far, so good.  ~Author Unknown

As to the Seven Deadly Sins, I deplore Pride, Wrath, Lust, Envy and Greed.  Gluttony and Sloth I pretty much plan my day around.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

There’s no such thing as fun for the whole family.  ~Jerry SeinfeldThe universe is merely a fleeting idea in God’s mind - a pretty uncomfortable thought, particularly if you’ve just made a down payment on a house.  ~Woody Allen

My doctor says that I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes.  ~Douglas Adams

A great name for a new country song:  If I’d Shot You Sooner, I’d Be Out of Jail by Now.  ~Author Unknown

Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself.  ~Rita Mae Brown

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.  That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile way and you have their shoes.  ~Author Unknown

How do the angels get to sleep when the devil leaves the porch light on?  ~Tom Waits, “Mr Siegal,” Heartattack and Vine

Duct tape is like the force.  It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.  ~Carl Zwanzig

Can we actually “know” the universe?  My God, it’s hard enough finding your way around in Chinatown.  ~Woody Allen, Getting Even, 1971

All my life I’ve wanted, just once, to say something clever without losing my train of thought.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

I learned law so well, the day I graduated I sued the college, won the case, and got my tuition back.  ~Fred Allen

Just because you’re not paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.  ~Colin Sautar

She’s the kind of girl who climbed the ladder of success wrong by wrong.  ~Mae West

If you cannot answer a man’s argument, all it not lost; you can still call him vile names.  ~Elbert Hubbard

If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?  ~Author Unknown