Greetings!
Greetings!
The past month has been an exciting adventure for us at
H-Factor...Where is Your Heart? Where ever we go we seem to meet people who want
to share what happiness means to them.
I'm always interested in finding the common threads of happiness. Of course, it seems that for a great many
people true happiness comes from the loving relationships that surround their
lives. Yet some people say that
happiness comes from doing the thing they are most passionate about. If there is one common thread is seems to be
that happiness manifests itself in a state of being. As Tolstoy said, "If you want to be happy,
be."
Isn't it true that when we are happy we are completely in
the moment? We aren't questioning the
past or attempting to manipulate the future, we are simply in a state of being,
and we are fully present.
If it possible that putting ourselves in a state of being
present then can create a sense of Happiness?
It can certainly create a sense of peace and fulfillment that has the
potential to create happiness. Isn't
that the goal of meditation, to bring us fully into a state of being present?
As an experiment in our ongoing research into the roots of
happiness, we at The H Factor would like to challenge you to live more fully in
the moment and let us know if you find more happiness in your daily
activities. If you find yourself
stressing about something, ask yourself if anything is happening right now. Chances are you are worrying about something
that already happened or something that might happen in the future. Let those worries slip away, and experience
this moment, right now. Most of the
time, this moment is filled with abundance and blessings. Enjoy now and let me know how it affects your
H Factor after all happiness is an inside job.
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We remain in the editing room hard at work on the new and improved 90 minute version of H-Factor for Film Festival submission, Motivational Speaking, Educational Services and Academic Conferences.
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I am pleased to announce that the
new website for my coaching business Harvesting Happiness™ has
gone live. Please check it out at www.harvestinghappiness.com. Changing your beliefs to manifest the life you want is as
simple as picking up the phone. You can change the mental, emotional, spiritual
and physical patterns that are keeping you stuck where you are and preventing
you from being where you want to be. Find the secret to enjoying
your life more fully no matter where you are in your journey.
Harvesting
Happiness™ gives you the power to create your life now - call me directly at
310 753 6399 or email me at lisa@harvestinghappiness.com
for a complimentary introductory session.
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Michael J. Fox
Imagine being 27 years old and being the toast of Hollywood. You have a successful acting career in both
television and film; you've won three Emmys and a Golden Globe award. You're
married to the love of your life and you have a healthy baby boy. The world is
your oyster. But you've got a twinge in
your finger that takes you to the doctor, who tells you that you have
Parkinson's disease. The prognosis is
dire. There is no cure. Your symptoms will degenerate until you have
no control over your limbs, tying your shoes will become a daily trial. Sitting peacefully will become a distant
dream.
Do you:
A) Sink into a deep depression
B) Become an advocate for
others suffering from the same disease
C) Vow to live every moment to
it's fullest with an optimistic viewpoint
D) Both B&C
Of course, if you are Michael J. Fox, the answer is D. For the first seven years after he was
diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Michael J. Fox kept his diagnosis private
while he continued to work as an actor.
In 1998, he went public with his diagnosis and created the Michael J.
Fox Foundation which is devoted to finding a cure for Parkinson's. That same year Fox made a pivotal decision to
appear before a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee without having taken the
medicine that allows him to function on a daily basis. His shocking revelation of what it is like to
live with Parkinson's was deeply affective and catapulted him into full time
advocacy for the Parkinson's cause.
His two books, Lucky
Man (2002, Hyperion) and Always
Looking Up: Observations of an Incurable Optimist (2009, Hyperion) say it
all. This is a man who looks for the
positive.
He continues to be an inspirational role model, ever
reminding us that happiness transcends the physical.
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Where does the pursuit of happiness figure into your daily
priority list? The Declaration of Independence guarantees all of us the
inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness.
But do we really make happiness a priority? The Kingdom of Bhutan
has created the Gross National Happiness as a means of legislating a
consideration of happiness in all elements of government planning. What would our lives look like if we all
factored happiness into all of our daily considerations?
Consider the most hectic part of your day - where is
happiness in that part of your day?
Where is there room to factor happiness in? I had the opportunity to visit with two moms
recently. One Mom, who was heavy with
her second child was lamenting that getting her toddler into the car had become
a painful experience. Her child swollen body couldn't pick the toddler up
anymore, and he was particularly obstinate about getting into the car of
late. The other mom, who has older
children, advised the pregnant mom to make getting into the car the most fun
and rewarding part of her toddler's day.
The pregnant mom wailed, "I don't know how to do that!" I was thrilled when the other mom offered to
demonstrate.
She asked all of the kids in the room, "Who wants to go
snail hunting?" All of the kids leapt to
their feet and the toddler was jumping up and down in excitement. She told him that if he would hurry and put
his shoes on she would take him snail hunting.
The pregnant mom watched in amazement as her toddler hurried to put his
shoes on, all by himself! Within minutes
we were all out doors walking down the sidewalk looking for snails. We didn't find any but before we knew it we
were at their car. The older mom
announced to everyone that the toddler had won the award for best snail
hunting. He was beaming with joy it
didn't matter that he hadn't found a snail at all. And when his mother asked him if he was a big
enough boy to get himself into his own car seat he was happy to scamper up into
the seat all by himself while we all cheered.
They drove off happily but the story doesn't end there. The pregnant mom had a healthy birth and now
has two beautiful boys, and her toddler continues to get into his car seat with
joy instead of being difficult. Even
better, his Mom reports that she is having fun coming up with new games to get
him to enjoy the parts of the day that used to be difficult. It has become one of her favorite activities,
finding ways to entertain her son into good behavior.
Happiness is available in even our most trying moments. It is a choice that is always available to
us. Where is happiness in your daily
routine? Make room for it where ever and
when ever you can.
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· Harvesting Happiness
http://www.harvestinghappiness.com
A website devoted to the creation
of happiness in your daily life using tips, tricks and techniques taught by
Lisa Cypers Kamen
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· H-Factor Blog Where do we find
happiness? How do we find happiness? Why are happy people
happy? And why are unhappy people unhappy? These are legitimate
questions with some surprising answers. Find out at: http://lisakamen.wordpress.com/
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· Global Happiness http://www.globalhappiness.net
The goal of this organization is to "spread this
most contagious bug to everyone everywhere so that they feel empowered to live
the best lives and feel they can make a difference to our planet, our people
and our earth."
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· Happiness.org http://www.happiness.org
The Happiness Foundation
provides strategic consulting services to non-profits that want to
optimize operations, grow stronger, and have an even bigger impact by supplying
intellectual capital. "The world is filled with bright, motivated individuals
who use their skills and talents every day for economic gain. It is our belief
that most of these same individuals - given the chance - would gladly
contribute a share of their time to the non-profit sector if asked." In this
alternative to traditional philanthropy, business leaders and experts donate
their time, knowledge, and contacts to help non-profits increase
their impact. Acting as a matchmaker and project coordinator, the Happiness
Foundation supports a wide range of non-profits doing work on poverty
alleviation
education, human rights, and health.
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· Visit the H-Factor website to leave your heartprint!
www.whatisyourhappiness.com
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July 2009
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Summer is quickly approaching. For most of us summer is a time of
change. Our schedules change, or at
least our children's schedules change.
The way we spend our free time changes; even the light that filters
through our windows changes. Change
represents a choice, we have the choice to embrace the change or fight
against
it. Summer is a wonderful time to
embrace change and start or continue to ask yourself "the right
questions." "What would make me happy today?" "What
can I do today that will bring
happiness into my life and my family's life?"
"How can I express my happiness today?"
I hope this summer you will find the time to sink your toes into warm
sand and enjoy the tactile joy of simply being in the moment.
Love,
Lisa, Kayla & Aryel Kamen and
the staff of H-Factor...Where is your Heart?
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Last night I looked in my gratitude journal that my mom
helped me start. On one page it said,
"I'm grateful for my Mom and all the things she teaches me." When I read it, it
made me think how lucky I am, so I decided to show it to her. I think it's really important to tell people
when you are grateful for them. My mom
hugged me really hard and got that funny look on her face she gets when
something makes her really happy. Then
she laughed and told me that when I am a teen ager she is going to frame that
page and put it in my bedroom. I'm
really grateful for my Mom.
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Mother & Child
Click the image above
for a sneak peek!
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We have been on the road sharing our Harvesting Happiness
workshops with groups all around the country.
What is truly amazing to me is that no matter where we go we find
amazing stories of courage, hope and happiness.
We recently did a Harvesting Happiness workshop with the
amazing women of Motherhood Incorporated.
This is an organization of moms who have a desire or a need to work from
home. I'm always excited to walk into a
room full of people who have gathered to explore the infinite possibilities of
happiness. I never know what I am going
to hear and what as a collective we will learn, but I am never
disappointed. The Motherhood Incorporated
event was no exception. It was an
amazing experience to be in room with such strong women. The inspirational stories that were shared
were breathtakingly beautiful. I look
forward to meeting with the ladies again next year as they have asked to make
"Happiness" a yearly event for their company.
If your company or
organization would like to take part in a Harvesting Happiness workshop, to
relieve stress, team build or even to just have fun please contact us at heartprint@whatisyourhappiness.com.
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New! Harvesting Happiness Workshops
& Coaching facilitated by Lisa Kamen Now Available!
According to Lisa, her inspiration for Harvesting
Happiness came a few weeks ago while standing in the shower. "It just
dawned on me that I could be doing something to help people navigate what many
refer to as the Global Economic Crisis. My take on what is happening is that it
is a unique opportunity to shift our focus to what really matters most. Yes,
the financial impact is hitting home hard in different ways for each of us.
Yet, at the end of the day it is how we relate to these challenges that is key.
After years of study on the important topic of happiness, I realized that
beyond H-Factor, I have other gifts of
value I can share. In a very real sense, I harvest happiness, I harvest
the joy in myself and help others do so within themselves, and that is how the
workshop and the name came to be. Soon after I conceptualized the idea, a dear
friend organized my first "test-drive" workshop with super happy results
(contented attendees). It is a simple, four-hour format. I screen the 30-minute
version of H-Factor followed by a Q& A, a light meal, and a brief
meditation to assist participants in focusing on and accessing their happiness.
Then we close with a Vision Boarding session on what else....happiness! Talk
about setting intentions and watching them come to life! We have planned
two more Harvesting Happiness workshops in the upcoming months, so if
you'd like to plant the seeds of happiness and reap bountiful benefits of this
healthy harvest, please contact us at heartprint@whatisyourhappiness.com. And, if you or someone you
know would be interested in hosting a Harvesting Happiness workshop,
we'd love to hear from you. Happiness is truly an inside job!"
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Currently no new conferences on the horizon.
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Written and edited by
Shannon Penrod
Writer
&
Lisa Cypers Kamen
Film Maker
Designed by
Dustin Zahn
Dzahn Design
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