I'm envisioning a Wile E. Coyote-esque killin' machine.

...

Don't grasp on to emotional attachments, you can appreciate things in life alot more if your emotions aren't attached and keep variety in your life, I think this frame of mind helps you to accept and understand change without fear and dispair. Much more peaceful excistence.

There are things you can change, and things you have to accept.

Be in the present; The past and future only exist as concepts in your mind and clasping at these emotions means missing the gift of living mindfully in the present.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present -Oogway, Kungfu Panda

Buddhism has some incredible views that make alot of sense to me and brings me more peace and joy every day, thoroughly recommend listening to Tommy Angelo's Eight Fold Path to Poker enlightenment and read some of the books/websites he recommends

Hope you find what your looking for

LMFAO

I am very sympathetic to your request, though our circumstances are different I have found myself thinking the same thing you are - how can I bring more happiness to my life.

I know you asked for something "preferably christian," but I think there is something nonsectarian that may be of benefit to you, if you are kind enough to read this post. If you read some of my other posts, you can probably guess, in the interest of disclosure. I also have an affinity for Buddhism. So, I offer two things, a way that was taught to me to calm things down by just sitting still, and a talk by a Buddhist nun (don't worry, the Ven. Robina Courtin is not your stereotypical wishy-washy love everything Buddhist nun).

First, meditation really helps and its nonsectarian, who ever wants to can meditate and it crosses all faiths and belief systems. Atheists, the spiritual and the hard.core believers all benefit.

Just sit in a chair, back straight, hands on knees, eyes open or closed, and breath comfortably. And kind of focus on your breathing. When thoughts come in, its ok, notice it, label it as a thought and go back to focusing on your breath.

The idea is to create some space between your thoughts. You won't stop thinking, so don't try to, but put a bit of space between one thought in the next. Don't be hard on yourself - if you have a bad thought, its just a bad thought then go back to your breath. In fact, don't even label good or bad, right or wrong thought - just go back to your breath. 5 minutes a day, that's all. And keep it easy going.

Guaranteed to bring results. If after 2 weeks, you don't feel any different, I offer a money back guarantee - no questions asked. ;-) Now this won't bring immediate happiness, won't stop any suffering, but I think it will help calm some anxieties and stress.

Lastly, Ven. Robina Courtin has some good things to say about ending suffering. Take it with a grain of salt, analyze it - if what she has to say doesn't make sense, no worries go about finding something that does. It's mostly nonsectarian stuff too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nasIq...e_gdata_player


Anyways, best of luck.

One last thought, a good book that helped me was Necessary Losses by Judith Viorst. She is a psychoanalyst, it helped me out, maybe it can help you if you are inclined.

Definitely a good point.

Some religious experts think God works through suffering.

"Elihu, told Job he needed to humble himself and submit to God's use of trials to purify his life." quote from http://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Job.html

Then Charles Stanley lists the following as reasons for it:

(A definition of suffering: "Anything that causes us mental, physical, or emotional pain or irritates us in some fashion" (1 Peter 4:12-19).)

To get our attention (Psalm 119:67, 71)

To develop righteousness and maturity in us
To prune us (John 15:1-2)

To teach us obedience (Hebrews 12:5)

To teach us to trust Him (1 Peter 1:7)

To teach us to depend continually on His grace and goodness (2 Cor. 12)

To manifest Christ's life and character in us.

To purify our hearts.

To allow us to share in the holiness of Christ (Hebrews 12:10)

To teach us to give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

To develop character and perseverance (Romans 5:1-5)

To enable us to share in the sufferings of Christ (Philippians 3:10)

To prevent pride in our life (2 Corinthians 12:9)

To broaden our ministry (Philippians 1:12-13)

To reveal the evil nature of mankind and the righteous judgment of God

http://www.intouch.org/you/sermon-ou...sermon_outline

I had thought about walking the streets of Detroit in the middle of the night, to protect people.

Many years ago, I suffered from chronic stress which resulted in chest pains. Yes, meditation and especially breathing exercises helps to relieve stress.

I have a plan. I'll post my decision soon, God willing.

ya!

what about changing the desire to increase happiness and reduce suffering. Aren't you less happy because you are trying to increase your happiness? Maybe we can't control our environment but we can certainly control our desire to control it.

or what about taking a religious view that we are supposed to suffer and shouldn't try to change that. wouldn't that be happiness or at least peace which must have something to do with happiness.

OP, maybe go to a local church of similar faith? Christian communities seem quite friendly, for the most part.

Consider looking into Buddhism, since that religion functions around elimating suffering, and doesn't seem to contradict Christianinty AFAIK.

+1,000,000

The BBV poster Ch3ckRaise once stated a four-step path to ultimate happiness, much like the four Noble Truths of Buddhism. I remember the first three. Cash-->Bankwire-->atm. I forget the fourth

The common denominator that most happy people share is they have cultivated meaningful relationships with other people. How's your social network looking? Do you have people in your life who you could tell anything to, either for advice or just to get something off your chest?

Limited

Just internet, rare (4 x year) trips back to my hometown &...2+2

I need money to pay off debts and support myself, and having money would make it easier to help find someone, to spend my life with. Last I checked at online dating sites, girls wanted a guy with $45,000 yearly income.

It's hard to get motivated when I basically get the same dismal results throughout my entire life. It gets to be "why even try, I'll just get by" and that translates to having even worse results because "just getting by" results in things just getting overall worse and that results in caring less, which results in...

I'm getting too old for this.

I believe that I have compiled most of the pertinent information, that I need to solve this problem of increasing my contentment, if at all possible for me to do so. I have to breakdown the information. Maybe I can start posting it soon.

Sometimes I log in and look for happiness.

I feel for ya OP, I'm in the "why bother, let's just get by" but am only 20, only just starting to feel the progressive apathy such a life demands.

From what I have been reading from Op, it sounds like a good OP. But I hope you the help you need, and make sure you are safe.

The flow of suffering ceases with no storyline.
It's in the thought-based storyline where suffering perpetuates.

And that ties in with contentment,
For contentment is ease of mind.
And ease of mind is the natural state of one
that is not tied up in the stories and thoughts.
====
So, the next time you are feeling the energy of what you call suffering, do the meditation and the breathing exercises that you did before. And then where is the suffering without the story, without the thought attached to it?
====
It's in that state, where realizations will happen
that will reduce your suffering and where you'll find
that you already are content, free and peaceful;
and that it's the thought and stories
that disrupt that contentment.

continuing,

That place where you are meditating from,
that place where you are doing the breathing exercises from,
that place at the center of your being,
is the place where you are one with the One.

Increased happiness and decreased suffering doesn't happen
because the outside world is set up the way we want it to be.
Contentment and peace unfold from that inner place into outer manifestation.
And being wrapped up in the thoughts and storylines
hinders that unfoldment and our realizations of the One Source.

I read stories at night they are wrapped up in happiness and I mediate with my water cup in hand. Thoughts come and go. but happiness will be here soon.

Peace unfold at lung and air movement. State that will happen at moment of energy. Inner place and peace from centre.

Increased happiness will decrease suffering. Movement breath deep in lungs feel free and peaceful. Nothing attached to stories and thoughts just this moment.

Contentment and peace unfold from
that inner place into outer
manifestation. In and out but just this moment. Peace and air.

Life and energy. And being wrapped up in the thoughts and storylines
hinders that unfoldment and our
realizations of the One Source. You are the one Neo.

Simply having fellowship with like-minded believers in "Christ Jesus" should bring some comfort. If that isn't very likely to happen regularly, talking to/praying with Spirit-filled believers, even if it's simply on the phone, might help you find "G-d's direction" for your life. Remember Proverbs 3:5-6.