Joseph Murphy - 10 Masterpieces You Have to Read Before You Die 2

I knew a woman in England who had rheumatism for many years. She would pat herself on the knee and say, “My rheumatism is bad today. I cannot go out. My rheumatism keeps me miserable.”

This dear elderly lady got a lot of attention from her son, daughter and the neighbors. She really wanted her rheumatism. She enjoyed her “misery” as he called it. This woman did not really want to be happy.

I suggested a curative procedure for her. I wrote down some biblical verses and told her that if she gave attention to these truths, her mental attitude would undoubtedly change and would result in her faith and confidence being restored to health. She was not interested. There seems to be a peculiar, mental, morbid streak in many people, whereby they seem to enjoy being miserable and sad.

Why Choose Unhappiness?

Many people choose unhappiness by entertaining these ideas: “Today is a black day; everything is going to be wrong.” “I am not going to succeed.” “Everyone is against me.” “Business is bad, and it is going to get worse.” “I'm always late.” “I never get the breaks.” “He can, but I can't.” If you have this attitude of mind first thing in the morning, you will attract all these experiences to you and you will be very unhappy.

Begin to realize that the world you live in is determined by what goes on in your mind. Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman philosopher and sage said, “A man's life is what his thoughts make of it.” Emerson, America's foremost philosopher, said, “A man is what he thinks all day long.” The thoughts you habitually entertain in your mind have the tendency to actualize themselves in physical conditions.

Make certain you do not indulge in negative thoughts, defeatist thoughts, or unkind, depressing thoughts. Recall frequently to your mind that you can experience nothing outside your own mentality.

If I Had A Million Dollars, I Would Be Happy

I have visited many men in mental institutions who were millionaires, but they insisted they were penniless and destitute. They were incarcerated because of psychotic, paranoid and manic depressive tendencies. Wealth in and of itself will not make you happy. On the other hand, it is not a deterrent to happiness. Today, there are many people trying to buy happiness through the purchase of radios, television sets, automobiles, a home in the country, a private yacht and a swimming pool, but happiness cannot be purchased or procured in that way.

The kingdom of happiness is in your thought and feeling. Too many people have the idea that it takes something artificial to produce happiness. Some say, “If I were elected mayor, made president of the organization, promoted to general manager of the corporation, I would be happy.”

The truth is that happiness is a mental state. None of these positions mentioned will necessarily bequeath happiness. Your strength, joy and happiness consist in finding out the law of divine order and right action lodged in your subconscious mind and by applying these principles in all phases of your life.

He Found Happiness To Be The Harvest Of A Quiet Mind

Lecturing in San Francisco some years ago, I interviewed a man who was very unhappy and dejected over the way his business was going. He was the general manager. His heart was filled with resentment toward the vice president and the president of the organization. He claimed that they opposed him. Because of this internal strife, business was declining; he was receiving no dividends or stock bonuses.

This is how he solved his business problem: The first thing in the morning he affirmed quietly as follows, “All those working in our corporation are honest, sincere, cooperative, faithful and full of good will to all. They are mental and spiritual links in the chain of this corporation's growth, welfare and prosperity. I radiate love, peace and good will in my thoughts, words and deeds to my two associates and to all those in the company. The president and the vice president of our company are divinely guided in all their undertakings. The Infinite Intelligence of my subconscious mind makes all decisions through me. There is only right action in all our business transactions and in our relationship with each other. I send the messengers of peace, love and good will before me to the office. Peace and harmony reign supreme in the minds and hearts of all those in the company including myself. I now go forth into a new day, full of faith, confidence and trust.”

This business executive repeated the above meditation slowly three times in the morning, feeling the truth of what he affirmed. When fearful or angry thoughts came into his mind during the day, hew would say to himself, “Peace, harmony and poise govern my mind at all times.”

As he continued disciplining his mind in this manner, all the harmful thoughts ceased to come and peace came into his mind. He reaped the harvest.

Subsequently, he wrote me to the effect that at the end of about two weeks of reordering his mind, the president and vice president called him into the office, praised his operations and his new constructive ideas, and remarked how fortunate they were in having him as a general manager. He was very happy in discovering that man finds happiness within himself.

The Block Or Stump Is Not Really There

I read a newspaper article some years ago which told about a horse who had shied when he came to a stump on the road. Subsequently, every time the horse came to that same stump, he shied. The farmer dug the stump out, burned it and leveled the old road. Yet, for twenty-five years, every time the horse passed the place where the former stump was, he shied. The horse was shying at the memory of a stump.

There is no block to your happiness save in your own thought life and mental imagery. Are fear or worry holding you back? Fear is a thought in your mind. You can dig it up this very moment by supplanting it with faith in success, achievement and victory over all problems.

I knew a man who failed in business. He said to me, “I made mistakes. I've learned a lot. I am going back into business and I will be a tremendous success.” He faced up to that stump in his mind. He did not whine or complain, but he tore up the stump of failure and through believing in his inner powers to back him up, he banished all fear thoughts and old depressions. Believe in yourself and you will succeed and be happy.

The Happiest People

The happiest man is he who constantly brings forth and practices what is best in him. Happiness and virtue complement each other. The best are not only the happiest, but the happiest are usually the best in the art of living life successfully. God is the highest and best in you. Express more of God's love, light, truth and beauty and you will become one of the happiest persons in the world today.

Epictetus, the Greek stoic philosopher, said, “There is but one way to tranquility of mind and happiness, let this, therefore, be always ready at hand with thee, both when thou wakest early in the morning, and all day long, and when thou goest to late to sleep, to account no external things thine own, but commit all these to God.”

Summary Of Steps To Happiness

1. William James said that the greatest discovery of the nineteenth century was the power of the subconscious mind touched by faith.

2. There is tremendous power within you. Happiness will come to you when you acquire a sublime confidence in this power. Then, you will make your dreams come true.

3. You can rise victorious over any defeat and realize the cherished desires of your heart through the marvelous power of your subconscious mind. This is the meaning of Whosoever trusteth in the Lord (spiritual laws of the subconscious mind), happy is he .