Scott Christopher - The Seven UPs of Happiness

The Seven
UPs
of Happiness

Scott Christopher

The Seven UPs of Happiness

Digital Edition 1.0

Text 2017 Scott Christopher

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

Gibbs Smith

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ISBN: 978-1-4236-4795-9

On the morning of May 29, 1953, after four months of preparation and three weeks of climbing, New Zealand native Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay summited Mt. Everest, the earths tallest peak. For Norgay, much more so than for Hillary, it was the culmination of a boyhood dream. Literally growing up in the shadows of Everest, herding goats in the fields below, Norgay referred to the rocky behemoth as my mountain.

And indeed, as an expert guide, Norgay had attempted the climb more times than anyone else. To finally step foot on the earths highest point was the great moment for which I had waited all my life, an accomplishment he also summed up in the singular phrase, There is no more up.

Technically speaking, Norgay was right. He stood atop the only place on the planet where he could go no higher. There really was no place to go but down. Air and space travel aside, Norgay had quite literally peaked at the tender age of 39. But for both Norgay and Hillary there was more UP; there were still metaphorically mountains left to climb.

For each of us there is an endless UPward path that transcends any actual climbs we attempt and conquer. While it might seem like you peaked too soon in lifeprofessionally, intellectually, romantically, etc.there is always more UP.

We are ever ascending, or should be. No matter our current destination or goal, once we arrive there will be another UPanother discipline to master, another challenge to conquer, another virtue to develop. UPs keep us moving, a continual striving for improvement in all areas of our lives. We aim to get healthier, smarter, more financially secure, more charitable, selfless, better at lawn darts, whatever.

These challengesas varied and countless as they may beare the substance of our contentment. Theyre the stuff of happiness. Its in the doing and accomplishing of these goals, not just the dreaming and hoping of them, that we attainand retainthe almighty H word.

Now Im no genius. I dont have it all figured out. I certainly dont pretend to have all the answers. I still cant understand why shirts labeled no iron or wrinkle-free end up being the most wrinkled garments on the planet, virtually resistant to irons. For that matter, why do irons have different heat settings when everyone just puts them on max heat no matter what fabric theyre ironing?

So I admit Im no happiness doctor or expert on joy, if there are such things. But I do know a few things about being happy from living, observing, and drawing conclusions over my half century of life on this rock. And from my perspective they can all be tied back to this idea of ascension. Growing UP. Shaping UP. Opening UP. And so on.

You want to be happy?
Get UP.

It would be almost impossible to go a dayif even an hourwithout using the word UP in conversation. After all, UP is used regularly as an adjective, adverb, noun, verb, preposition, prefix, and suffix. Just in recounting the first few minutes since you rolled out of the rack this morning we see UPs possible usage:

The sun came UP about the same time the alarm woke you UP .

You got UP .

You were UP most of the night with an UPset stomach and were throwing UP .

You even looked UP your symptoms on the Internet (after mopping UP the UPchuck).

Your daughter came UPstairs. Hey, your toast is UP!

So you joined UP with the family for breakfast. You ate it all UP . You wiped UP your crumbs and then opened UP the newspaper. The Dow is experiencing an UPswing. Your team is UP in their playoff series. Your candidate is UP in the polls.

Things are looking UP.

Whats UP with Jeremy? you ask your spouse.

He UP and left already. (Your spouse is a bit of a hillbilly.) Jeremy stayed UP too late last night watching a stand-UP comic on TV (probably Larry the Cable Guy). Hell have to catch UP on his sleep tonight.

Youre not UPtight about it; hell be UP for it.

Now that may be a bit of an exaggeration. I may have punched it UP a bit. But by and large the English language is rife with UP and its use is decidedly unidirectional: the opposite of down. Theres a positive, productive connotation in the word UP. Is this an UP day for you? Are you feeling UP to it? UP is happy, bright, cheerful, energetic, inspiring, and encouraging. Im UP for anything!

If you were to strip down every mantra, motto, slogan, and motivational message to a simple, unforgettable two-letter word that could capture the essence of all that youre trying to do, be, and becomeyou could do worse than UP.

The purpose of my little book is to help you discover some pretty fun- duh -mental UPs that when practiced bring happiness. Simple stuff here. No need to furrow your brow and laser stare at the pages, harnessing all of your mental acuity and focus to capture the gist of the Seven UPs of Happiness. Were a simple people within these pages, so dont overthink things. These are basic concepts that have proven to bring happiness, joy, and peace to everyday, corn-fed folk at work and at home.

You want to be happy?
Go to work.

Before we go further, one element that is fundamental to the very notion of happiness is work. Having a job and working hard. And if you dont have a traditional go-to-work job, you still have to work regularly and hard to be happy. Its such a basic factor that for the purposes of this book Ive already assumed you have work. So theres a freebie right there, in case you werent paying attention. Read no further and youve already got a way to be happy: get a job! (Or something akin to regular work.) Happiness without work is simply not possible. Dont believe me? Even the simplest moments of happiness require some effort:

UP for a day of joy at The Happiest Place on Earth? Youre going to have to get the kids dressed and fed, pack the car, park the car, walk a mile or wait for the parking trolley, wait in long lines in the sun just to get in the park, keep everyone together, coordinate meeting points and times, wait in long, hot lines all day long, etc., etc., etc. Whew! That doesnt sound like work to you? Recently for spring break, I took my youngest son to Disneyland (the single worst time and place decision ever made), and as we pushed through the turnstiles I said to him, John, youll soon learn that playing is often very hard work!

Every bit of counsel in these pages essentially boils down to working harder, smarter, and with more purpose, both at your actual work and at home (where the work never ends). Success in either place can only happen if individuals like you commit to it. Just because we all want happiness doesnt mean it magically comes to pass. Truly happy homes and workplaces are the by-product of one person at a time doing things that contribute to happiness.

You are the driver of unity, efficiency, great ideas, etc.

You