How To Be Happy.org

Questions & Answers

If you have questions, please email me at Michael@howtobehappy.org. I may not have time to personally answer all of my emails, but I'll do my best to read all of them.

This Q&A section is where I can post your question and my answer. Of course, I'll keep your identity confidential. Many questions will be of a similar nature, so you will more than likely find the answer to your question in my Q&A. If not, I'll add your question and my response in my Q&A. So check my Q&A from time to time for my answers to your questions.

Be Happy and Keep Smiling ... Michael Anthony

Q- This morning I got up and told myself that I was going to be happy. I am sixty five years old and best succeeded in making myself and others miserable. I have printed your book and have begun to read it. Now I have a set of tools. I promise I will be diligent, yet one question remains: how do I find what I was meant to succeed in and thus begin the road to be who God wants me to be?

A- The best way that I found to be successful, is to do what you love to do and help others. Success is not measured in monetary terms. Real success comes from the bliss you find within by always being truthful, positive and helping others.

Q- I am in the process of reading your book. I am trained in several therapeutic skills, a black belt (ni-dan) in Jujitsu, a dancer in becoming, trained in some meditation techniques and a seasoned reader of spiritual books.

I am mostly busy in my life by making dreams come true. Right now they are my dreams but I know I am a teacher (and have been through out different occupations I have held) and would some day have a structured methodology to teach people how to become full human beings, making their own dreams come true.

But for now, I'm still working on becoming one myself. I have had some measure of success but I am still comfortable holding myself back with old tapes.

My first reaction to your book or title was "oh yeh, another book on how to become happy...", especially that it was advertised on google. But something in my intuition had told me to read on. And I think it was a good intuition. Your book is simple, relating to science and very clear. It is helping me make things simple in my mind, and my experience as an event producer and creator taught me that breaking down an apparently complex problem into several basic simple facts makes it manageable.

Anyway, to make a long letter short, I would like to be a part of your project and translate your book into my native language of Hebrew (spoken almost entirely in the land of Israel by 6 million very motivated people). I already know some people who would benefit by it, one of them a handicapped person (cp) who is much more handicapped by her fears than her physique, who I am helping finding her powers to be independent and happy.

So I am asking for permission to start the project. It would take some time since I am very busy with other things, but the wish is there and maybe even near by action, depending on your response.As you can see I am quite fluent in English. From my short resume you can tell that I might also be familiar with the contents and I am pretty confident I can do a good job, at least my stomach says so strongly.I hope to hear from you soon.

A- Thanks for your interest in translating my Happy book into Hebrew. You have my permission and blessings to do so as long as you do not charge others for my fr~e ebook. When it is finished, please furnish me with a PDF file so I can include your translation on my website. I have a Chinese translation in the process as well.

Q- I have already purchased 2 copies of your golf book and CD (1 for a friend) and we found them very useful. I was wondering if you have another book for people that don't play sports. My son is always looking on the negative and worries about things which isn't doing him much good. We have taken him to a psychologist who has prescribed some tablets but no real mental help. I played some of your CD to him which seems to have helped him understand the usefulness of thinking positive which is why I'm asking about Mental Keys for everyday life. Hope you can help.

A- Thanks for trusting that "The Mental Keys" will work if you use them :-) I wrote another book for non-athletes to help them. I give it away for fr~e at www.howtobehappy.org. Hopefully, you will read it and encourage your son to do the same. It will help him greatly if he reads it and makes the Daily Affirmation a major focus in his life.

Q- I'm really enjoying your great book, but I would like to ask you are you working the 12 steps program ? Because most of the things you mentioned in your book is related to the 12 steps.

Thank you for that great book. It is realy helping me a lot because I'm working the 12 steps of the NA.

A- Thanks for your feedback. Many years ago I tried to introduce the principles of my Happy eBook to many 12 step programs. Since there was so much jealousy and protection of the Big Book, I moved on and worked with athletics. Now, it's your turn to reintroduce my work to your 12 step program :-)

Q- How can we "will" to be happy or positive or truthful without God/Christ at the center of our lives? Or am completely missing the point behind your "happy book."

A- The Happy Book is not about religion. It's about always being truthful, positive and helping others. I'm sure that Jesus would have no problem endorsing the "Daily Affirmation" in my Happy Book and recommending that you live by it.

Q- I was enlightened by your book...and agree with you ....I believe there are two types of people in this world....givers and takers....I want to be a total giver, but am surrounded by takers and a wife whom is a giver to her children. I call her an enabler, unfortunately I have become there slave and my cast with my wife has become an endless life of servitude....what do you recommend ...do I start over or grin and bare it

A- Without knowing all the facts I can't answer your question. However, I can make a strong suggestion that you and your wife both read my book. Then have an honest and open conversation with her about the issues you have about her, your children and your relationship.

see page 78 > Since we are all individuals, we have different interest and priorities. Fair compromises and kept agreements are the key to all successful relationships. The Daily Affirmation is a great foundation for all relationships to build upon.

see page 66 > Realize that there are three sides to every argument or disagreement. They are: your side, their side and the truth. Instead of defending your side, look for the truth behind the facts and what you may or may not be doing to cause the problem. Even if you are only at fault 1%, take responsibility for your actions and do your best to correct them. Many of your personal confrontations and challenges can be solved with this approach.

Hopefully, your wife will take responsibility for her actions and do her best to correct them. Let me know how it goes after your wife reads my book and you discuss it with her.

"A good man is a bad man's teacher, and a bad man is a good man's job." - Lao Tzu

Q- I've been surfing a bit tonight and saw your book. I skimmed it quickly and it all makes sense. I have a question, though. I believe I am pretty easy to get along with, but I tend to choose some pretty rotten partners. My first husband is gay...of course that didn't last, my second one dumped me on-line. Now, I read all the time that it is wrong to be selfish and a liar and uncaring and to me that makes complete sense. I couldn't live my life any differently, but...BUT....my second husband who meant the world to me dropped me like a hot potato and is as happy as a clam. I've found out he's lied continuously during our marriage yet he is just as happy as can be. I don't get that. How can it be so wrong for him to do what he did but not suffer any guilt, any shame, any negative emotions at all. I am not concerned about why he's happy save for the philisophical explanation as to why it works for him. Any explanation???

A- No one is all good or all bad. Obviously, your second husband has some redeeming qualities otherwise you would not have married him. Your job is to work on improving yourself and not judge others. The Universe will take care of your second husband's short comings. So don't be so sure that you would like to trade places with him or that he is not getting his just desserts. He will get his sooner or later because their is a perfect accounting system in the Universe.

In the meantime, reread my book several times and see how truthful, POSITIVE and helpful to others you can become. It's not what you know. It's what you do with what you know that counts. Make it a point to live by the Daily Affirmation 100% of the time. When your chemistry increases you will attract the right spirit to you and live happily ever after.