Finding Happiness, On the Other Side of the World

by Nitant Bhartia

It's not everyday that we meet a guy with such a great perspective on life. Nitant Bhartia lives in Bangalore, India and is just finishing up his Bachelor's in Information Science. He also works as an intern at a software firm called EDS. He really enjoys what he does, but is troubled by the people around him who don't share the same luxury. Here's a little insight to help you stay on the path toward happiness like Nitant.

Remember the last time you sat down peacefully and thought about what truly makes you happy? No? Well hopefully this will get you thinking…

Most of us are so busy with our daily routines that we tend to forget what we aim to achieve as an ultimate goal – what everything in life finally boils down to. No, it's not money…I'm referring to something far more superior, far more real and true.

Happiness! Come to think of it, that's ultimately what we all wish for in life. Everything we love provides us with it. If you observe closely enough, happiness comes in just one type, no matter where you find it. Whether through money, fame, success or even shopping, it has only one face to it – a happy face.

It takes some courage and effort to direct ones energy toward achieving happiness. My advice is to frequently self-assess the level of joy in your life. Don't wait for it to come tomorrow. Make it happen today. Get addicted to it.

Easier said than done, right? It may take a bit of an attitude adjustment before you're ready to maximize the pleasures of your life. Here are some points:

1. Set small realistic goals. More Positive Results = More happiness.
2. Do charity work. Spend time with those less fortunate than yourself. A smile on their face brings a bigger one on yours.
3. Don't look for material happiness. It will always be limited by the money you make.
4. Feel happy for others, genuinely. You will feel truer within.
5. Do something constructive that gives you pleasure, everyday. Be it cooking, dancing, blogging or anything else under the sun.
6. If you're stuck with a job that you don't like, find another one you do like. You can't spend half of your life doing something you don't enjoy. Phone cards.

Happiness is not expensive. It's not even for sale, but it's priceless. It sometimes comes in small doses, but there is no end to which it can grow. Nurture it, constantly. You deserve every bit of it.

Why Don't You Cry About It? Seriously.

Crying at work has long been seen as verboten. But there's evidence that a growing number of workers, especially those in their 20s and 30s, see it differently. Some think it's old-fashioned to hide your emotions. Others are quick to cry over negative feedback. And many find themselves at odds with managers who grew up with a more repressive definition of professional conduct.

Sue Shellenbarger – The Wall Street Journal

All girls cry during their first real job. At least that's what my female friends tell me. Whether true or simply a stereotype, who doesn't get a little emotional over something they've invested so much time in?

Sue Shellenbarger's article, Read This and Weep: Crying at Work Gains Acceptance, explains the perks of showing emotion at work. "Some say crying gets issues out in the open…this sparks healthy dialogue…it's old-fashioned to hide your emotions."

Personally, I've caught several employees in the act – restraining an avalanche of emotion. If these frustrations were conveyed openly, petty concerns could be resolved with ease. We just need to develop an ability to cope with what has become taboo – actually dealing with human nature.

Professor Jean Twenge suggests that the millennial generation is too damn fragile. Give us a little criticism and we "burst into tears." First and foremost, I say screw her! Secondly, learning to cope with our emotions and the emotions of others is way overdue.

Think of all the time you spend pissed off at a colleague, silently cursing their very name because you didn't see eye-to-eye on a proposal. Now imagine not suppressing how you really felt…I smell progress.

Managers! When an employee cries, don't make assumptions. Take some advice from Shellenbarger's article. Confront issues the right way:

DON'T

1 Jump to conclusions about the reason

2 Assume they want a hug

3 Write them off as weak

DO

1 Ask if they'd like to postpone the conversation

2 Allow time for emotions to cool

3 Try a different approach to the topic

At the risk of sounding sexist, I've never seen a guy cry at work. Maybe slamming our fists on the desk is just an equivalent. Then again, I'm sure it happens, but nobody will admit it. Of course there's a difference between a few shed tears or fist pounds and the landslide of emotion that plagues some individuals. Draw the line where emotions impede productivity. Just don't bottle it all up. Emotion is bound to ensue when you put your soul into your career. Why hide it?

I Don't Know Where my Cell Phone was Made, and I Don't Care

BOSTON (Reuters) — Even as some economic commentators fret about the rising trade deficit, U.S. college students remain big fans of U.S. products like LG mobile telephones, Adidas sneakers and Lego toys.

Or so they think.

South Korea's LG Electronics Inc., Germany's Adidas AG and Denmark's Lego are among more than a dozen well-known consumer brands that U.S. college students misidentified the nationality of, according to a survey released Friday. (CNN Money.com)

As if we didn't spend enough time obsessing about "stuff." Now it's a dilemma if we don't know what country manufactures it?

According to a recent survey, college-aged millennials don't know (or don't care) where their favorite products come from. "This can be important economically since survey respondents tend to associate particular countries with producing high-quality merchandise in particular categories."

Is this really an issue?

We live in a global community. Products are developed, manufactured and sold in diverse locations around the globe. If you ask me where my LG phone came from, I wouldn't say South Korea. I'd say Best Buy.

Think of it this way. Jack Daniels is made in Lynchburg, Tennessee. In college, I spent way too much time nursing a bottle of whiskey to know this information. If you spend that much time coddling your LG cell phone, your Adidas sneakers or your old collection of Lego's, you have bigger problems than me.

Blogging is the New Graduate School

Like most people our age, my friends don't really read blogs. So I created a My Space page to market my blog. At first, this worked out great. Our friends could see bulletins every time a new post went up and people got a better sense of what the blog was all about.

On top of this, every night before bed I left an AIM away message stating, "click here" and people would be sent to the site. I also updated my Facebook profile every time a new post went up. All of these things worked great for the first few weeks. My friends went to the site, and someone new would ask about it nearly every day.

Despite all of this, we realized that it is not easy to convert the average twentysomething to the wonderful world of the blogosphere. Even my friends and acquaintances that appreciate what I'm doing and compliment my site, do not frequent my blog or any other blog on a regular basis. And when they do visit the site they almost never leave a comment.

It's ironic, though, because blogging is a way to deal with the biggest problem at the beginning of one's career: No expertise. If you offer intelligent opinions or advice on a credible blog, then you are an expert. This is why more young people should blog. If you have a focused blog, then you can jump from job to job and learn many skills, but the constant will be that you are an expert in whatever area you choose to research and write about.

Read the rest at the Brazen Careerist….

Read this Book!: My Start Up Life, by Ben Casnocha

I just read Ben Casnocha's book My Start Up Life and I recommend everyone picks it up. For those of you who don't know, Casnocha is a 19-year-old entrepreneur, author and blogger. He started his first company at age 12 and was later nominated for Inc. magazine's "Entrepreneur of the Year." So you could say he is good at what he does.

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, this book will give you the kick in the ass you need to start doing something about it. Casnocha stresses taking action time in and time out. Reading, researching and thinking are all great, but he constantly reminds the reader that nothing will come without action.

For people who are not looking to start a business, he describes how to become CEO of your own life. One of the best lessons in the book is to push yourself almost to the point of being uncomfortable in everything you do. Casnocha describes pushing himself to finish 30 minutes on the treadmill even though his quads are burning and he is short of breath. It's a great point. Even the most seemingly unimportant aspects of life can be used as a learning opportunity and a chance to better oneself.

Another thing that caught my attention was the fact that Casnocha's passion for entrepreneurship has less to do with money and more to do with making a difference in the world. It has become strikingly apparent to me through my own self reflection and discussions with friends and peers, that this desire to make a difference is a key driver for most young people today. If I do start a business it will certainly not be solely for monetary reasons.

Buy the book, visit Cashnocha's blog and drop him an e-mail if you feel compelled. After enormous success, he still takes the time to answer every message. He is extremely gracious. The book was just ranked #1 "mover and shaker" on the Amazon.com charts. I'm not the only one who thinks it's good.