BACON BITS with Master Happiness

We will always disagree with and question someone’s thoughts and actions when they don’t align perfectly with ours. That seems perfectly natural, expected, and understood. What is difficult to understand is how some people will not change their mind even after receiving compelling information or evidence that is contrary to their original thoughts. This is because of #Heuristics and #Biases that a...

Have you ever been working on a project or a task and just felt a FLOW? A time where everything was moving along perfectly, feeling laser focused. You lose all track of time, and you're just in the ZONE. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi focused on understanding happiness, creativity, fulfillment, and the idea of FLOW or getting in that ZONE. It is the state of being hyper-focused and totally immersed in an...

Our business, social, and romantic interactions thrive on communication. It is the key to strong and long-lasting relationships. We must be clear speakers and caring listeners if we want these relationships to work. It can be frustrating to feel as if you cannot convey our ideas and thoughts. Is it the way that I'm speaking, the way that you're listening, or is it a little of both? Often, we are s...

Each family, company, and group with a common goal can be considered a team. There are multiple players, positions, or roles in each team. When they can identify, understand, and support each other they can be unstoppable. Since the dawn of man, we have realized that we can usually get more done together than going it alone. We look for like-minded people to form our own tribes or groups. We seek...

We’re all going to die. We don’t really want to talk about it, we don’t even want to think about it. But it is inevitable and it’s also scary. Everyone around us is going to die eventually. We don’t know when, we just know that death is coming. What makes death so scary is that we don’t know for sure what will happen after we die. Some people believe that there is a Heaven, some believe that there...

It's human nature to get angry. It is a sign that something is wrong. It is often a reaction to fear, being hurt, or feeling threatened. When we feel like things are out of our control and are not going the way that we want or have anticipated, we become annoyed. If this feeling is not addresses in some manner, it can build into frustration. Left unchecked, hostility and rage may be the next emoti...

Last week we talked about facing change and how it can be difficult. It is even more difficult when you have an unsupportive partner. You should be able to share all your goals and dreams in a non-judgmental environment within every relationship. This is true in all relationships, parent and child, siblings and friends, business and romantic. There are many reasons why those close to us don’t or c...

Sometimes we look for change, other times change sneaks up on us or is thrust upon us. We prefer routine, we like things just the way they are. We are creature of habit.  We lose old friends and gain new ones. Flowers grow, die, and different ones emerge. Technology advances faster than we can keep up with it. Jobs come and go. Shoes wear out. Change is inevitable. But that doesn’t mean that...

We’ve all got ideas, thoughts, and dreams. But we don’t always have someone who is interested in listening to them. It can be gut-wrenching, when we start to share our story and watch our audience look away. Are they distracted, am I failing to keep their attention, or, EEK, am I just boring? Most people want to connect with other people that share their beliefs. They want confirmation that their...

We apologize for the little oops in the middle of this recording. We went on vacation in the middle of the show. There are over 1200 cities (municipalities) in Illinois. There are 50 states in this country and almost 200 countries on this planet. There are things to see, places to go, and people to meet. Sure, you could read about all these places but there is nothing quite like visiting them in p...

How can a number so small be so infinite? The ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, Pi is constant and never ending. It is beautiful in its simplicity and breathtaking in its complexity. Plus, it's a tasty treat. Cream, Fruit, Custard, or Savory, PIE offers us a hidden secret that never disappoints. But there is a third PIE and that is the PIE of communication. And we’ll be talki...

What will the future hold for me? Have I planned enough? Have I done the right things? What lurks around the corner? The thought of what could be in the future can be terrifying. No matter how prepared we are, we’ll never really know what will happen until it does. Let’s talk about the comfort in living with the unknown and face our ANXIETY with Bacon. B - Be in the NOW! Am I safe now? “The past i...

Repeating bad behavior and BACON, and BACON, and BACON! (It’s time to break the cycle) Oops, I did it again, and again, and again. There is a certain comfort in falling into a pattern. But when it is a pattern of bad behavior, little good can come of it. Fear of the unknown and many other reasons force us into doing what we know is wrong instead of taking a chance at doing what’s right.  Sigm...

The secret to true happiness is found in helping and giving to others. Filling a need, alleviating a pain, or solving a problem is a great start. The joy you give comes back tenfold in magnificent ways. Stress is relieved and you explode in elation as you realize that your purpose in life is to be in the service of others. An old saying goes like this… If you want to be happy for an hour, take a n...

It’s that time of year again when all the would-be romantics start giving extra thought to their special someone. Do they like #flowers? Do they like #chocolate? Should I pick up a card? Valentine’s Day, like birthdays and anniversaries, come one time a year. But that doesn’t mean that we should express our love and appreciation just one time per year. Let’s use Valentine’s Day as a reminder to te...

Based on the work of #GaryChapman, author of the 5 Love Languages, let’s look at the 5 Love Languages of BACON and get ourselves prepared for Valentine’s Day. How someone anticipates and needs to feel love may be different and more important than the ways that we express and give love. Do you prefer a present or a pat on the back? Would you rather a kind conversation or a cup of Kahlua and coffee?...

Happy Chinese New Year We were living high on the hog in 2019 when it was the Year of the Pig. Then in 2020 we were tricked by the Rat and slapped with a worldwide pandemic. In 2021, the Year of the Ox we worked hard to rebuild. We’ve earned our stripes. Now it’s time for a fresh start. It’s our time to ROAR! 2022 is the Year of the Tiger. What does that mean? What is the story of the animals? Wha...

Fuses seem a little shorter today. Maybe we’ve been cooped up a little too long. Maybe we have been deprived of enough face-to-face social interaction. Or maybe we have just been stuck in an information overload filled with conflicting opinions that are driving us crazy. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT JUST HAPPENED! What were they thinking? Aaaargh! Are we letting too many things irritate, anger, and u...

I gotta do this! I gotta do that! I need this! I need that! All this running and where is it getting you? Maybe it's time to slow down just a little bit. Reassess what is important in life; what is important to us, not society. Take a deep breath and enjoy where your journey has already taken you and choose your next step wisely. There are many forces that are pulling and pushing us in directions...

We interact with Bosses, Teachers, Parents, Customers, Cops, and so many other Authority Figures in our day-to-day life. These are the people who take or are given a certain amount of power. In most circumstances, everything runs smoothly. But sometimes, we feel uneasy around these people. We hold back, we quiet down, we keep some of our opinions to ourselves. Sometimes we start getting anxious, s...

Vandalism has probably been going on since the first unwanted cave painting. As kids grow up, they test the waters and push the envelope to see what they can get away with. At that age we all rebelled in one way or another to assert independence. On the other side, humans have a pack-mentality. We all want to be part of a community. …but sometimes we pick the wrong community. Now combine these tho...

We all want to better ourselves and be the best that we can be. But it’s a little too easy to put it off till tomorrow. Our intentions are noble, our motivations are honorable, but often our perseverance is questionable. That’s where New Year’s Resolutions comes in. We choose to start a new life on January 1st. We promise to make life-changing improvements to ourselves starting on that magical day...

The best holidays are spent around the table. Eating, drinking, chatting, and laughing. Sharing a meal and breaking bread brings people closer together and leads towards nourishing conversations. Stories are created when we spend time with the people we love. And few times are better than when we prepare meals and eat with family and friends. Think about some of the best recipes that you made, the...

What are you gonna buy Uncle Earl? What are you going to get for your sister’s boyfriend? How about the person who says that they don’t want anything, but you know that they really want something? We live in a same-day-delivery world. Everyone seems to have instant access to everything that they have a fleeting fancy for. We are racing and raging towards gift grabbing and giving. Just flip and cli...

Maybe you can’t be with family this year. Maybe you’re not financially set for the holidays. Or maybe other issues are bringing you down and you don’t feel like seeing festive friends right now. The days are getting shorter and colder. You have a lot to be sad about. I have a lot of sad memories about the holidays, and I have a lot of angry memories about the holidays. But I found a way to recall...