During 2 Weeks to Wealth in NJ (where I still am conducting my 4-day Short Sale Bootcamp), a soon-to-be client commented to me to me the other day and said:

“It’s easy for you to be happy. You have whatever you want.

You get to take cool trips, have a nice business and get to hang out with nationally respected people like Loral Langemeier and Harry Dent.

Me on the other hand… my house is over financed and in foreclosure, I have $112,000 in credit card debt and no job…my life sucks… it’s easy for you.”

He WAS 100% correct. It is easy for me. Why?

I have a very specific strategy for it.

Here it is: My happiness is tied to finding cool things that inspire me. That’s why cool things that inspire me keep showing up.

I’m not advocating we live our lives in a huge dome, like Jim Carey in “The Truman Show”. A complete fabrication of the perfect life and perfect world.

I’m not talking about poking holes in reality or allowing a tiny seepage of positive thoughts to temporarily enter your mind.

I’m talking a full frontal onslaught of thoughts that conjure up words like flow, optimism, resilience, courage, virtues, energy, flourishing, strengths, happiness, curiosity, meaning, subjective well-being, forgiveness, and even joy.

Dang, that’s a novel idea to actually have joy in your life, not from things that your environment produces but things to be deliberately grateful for.

The same honest joy that came from the little girl who was reunited with her sweet little puppy that she thought she lost that I told you about earlier.

Sure, this strategy takes effort. I remind myself of these thoughts when i go into one of my temporary neurotic compulsive and self indulgent spiraling moments of panic. Panic and guilt for not getting things done fast enough… often and simultaneously fighting overwhelm that’s all over me like a bad rash.

Then I simmer down and get back to my “why”.

To make a living or make a difference … Which one do I choose?

I choose happiness every time… that comes from all the little things… minuscule little occurrence’s …maybe the picture of Allie on my i-phone… or thoughts of skinny dippin’ with my honey back home…

Moments that give me great jolts of inspiration–during even the biggest storms.

To make a living or make a difference … Which one do you want? Which one do you choose? Because it is always a decision…

Jeff Kaller