My Recipe for a Happy Life:
My Wake Up Eager (WUE) Journey

Finding a recipe for a happy life has dominated my thoughts and actions for most of my adult life.

Sometimes I’ve felt out of place. Was I the only one with this restless and relentless focus to find a “I really like my life and want to start the day” formula that made sense?

"We all live with the objective of being happy, our lives are all different and yet the same." ---Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

I’ll share here both my personal and professional Wake Up Eager (WUE) journey. I'll share how and why finding this recipe for a happy life has become my life’s purpose. I'll include visual, a gas gauge, to indicate how full or low my Wake Up Eager meter was during that segment of my life.

Different experience that helped shape the categories and focus used in the free Wake Up Eager Assessment. Click here to take the assessment, to find your own recipe for a happy life. You'll also see how the 10 Wake Up eager Mindset essentials came about.

I'm feel compelled to write this to both clarify my thinking and in the hope that something I've experienced will help someone else to find their own recipe for a happy life.

My southern accent comes from living most of my life in South Carolina (in school) and now, Atlanta, Georgia. I had a lot of freedom growing up – limited structure and routine was the routine at my house.

I love to read. As a kid two of my favorite writers were Helen Keller and Anne Frank. I loved their stubbornness and clear insight. They each found their own recipes for a happy life and for success, and their experiences helped shaped my life.

It's amazing to me that Anne Frank could write happy and clear insights in her diary, even though she and her family were underground for more than 2 years. As kid I was profoundly touched and humbled by her writing.

Key WUE Insight, Part of My Recipe for a Happy Life: Happiness comes from the inside and is not based on outside circumstance.

One of my other heroes growing up - was my mom.

I remember the evening like it was yesterday. I was eight years old. My mom had just dropped the needle on our turntable to play our new 45 record – a number one hit that year, American Pie.

Mom turned up the volume – my sister and I began shaking blue plastic tambourines to the beat. Singing like rock stars, "bye-bye, miss american pie, drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry, them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye…”

When the song stopped, we fell down laughing hysterically.

I remember thinking, "My mom is so cool!"

In her younger years she had long blond hair, elegant hands and a lot of style. In my eyes she could do anything. She's very artistic. She could decorate cakes to make them look like a roller skate (that cake was for my birthday). One time she created a typewriter cake - it looked just like a typewriter – I can’t remember who THAT cake was for.

My dad traveled a lot for business. When he was away we had even more freedom and even less structure in our schedule. Mom pretty much encouraged us to follow our interests with no judgment or expectation set upon us.

She let us decorate our rooms any way we wanted. My sister who was three years older, and infinitely ‘cooler’ than me, painted her bedroom several shades of pink. Because we couldn’t afford mirrors she created a similar effect (not really, but we thought so at the time) by gluing rolled out tinfoil on one entire wall! We thought we were designers.

It seemed that mom had everything a person needs to create a recipe for a happy life: She followed her interests by studying art and attending health food lectures, way before healthy food was a popular topic. Her family adored her. I thought she was interesting and and fun, my dad doted on her. We were all healthy and we had a comfortable home. We had all the things that could make up a really happy life.

Yet, while I remember the fun 'American Pie' times, I also noticed a lot of personal upset and down times for mom. She was never diagnosed with anything – but there were many days when she was not happy, down and unavailable.

Often times she had a hard time getting up the morning. She seemed to lack energy, direction and sustained enthusiasm for her life. I think she wanted to be happy, wanted to find her recipe for a happy life, and yet struggled to figure out how to set herself up so she could be and have that.

As a kid – it didn’t make sense. My best friend down the street had a step mom, Edith, who in my opinion was kind of mean. She wasn't playful and kind, and was nowhere near as interesting as my mom.

But Edith WAS energized, focused and sure of herself. And to tell the truth, a lot of times it was more fun to be in my friend’s house than in my own – at least Edith was consistent and available. Edith seemed to have found a recipe for a happy life that worked for her.

Key WUE Insight, Part of the Recipe for My Happy Life: When you are energized, focused and sure of yourself, people like to be around you. Being sure of yourself and focused is something that attracts others.

I spent two years at Francis Marion College in Florence, S.C. I loved the roommate experiences – more opportunity to see how others lived and to figure out what works and doesn’t work.

I also discovered that I was a great at multitasking – no one could match my ability to work a part-time job, make good grades and attend every ‘happening’ party on campus! Certainly a recipe for a happy college life!

In my sophomore year I roomed with three of the most controversial gals on campus. They were rowdy, smart, beautiful, interesting, funky, fashion-oriented and ALIVE! (Remember, we were at a small, traditional southern town – these southerners had never seen anything like my big-city roommates!) These gals lived their lives with abandon. They looked for the best in me and each other, and shared their appreciation often. It was great.

Key WUE Insights, Part of the Recipe for My Happy Life: Life’s supposed to be fun; Earnestly share appreciation; Having a circle of friends who embrace me for who I am, more than what I do for them, is wonderful.

I transferred to University of S.C. and graduated there with a degree in Journalism. I didn’t even attend my college graduation. I just wanted to get out of school and make money, ASAP. At that point my recipe for a happy life was to 'be broke no more...'

While at USC I started teaching aerobics at a gym. I stumbled upon my love for teaching, encouraging others and fitness, a key element in my recipe for a happy life: Self Care. I had a five-year relationship with a great guy who was a semi-professional bodybuilder.

The power of fitness, nutrition and self care became fully apparent to me. The energy-high of having a solid fitness routine felt good on my body, lifted my thoughts, soothed out any moodiness and built mental, physical and emotional strength.

Key WUE Insights, Part of the Recipe for My Happy Life: Self care is empowering. Being confident in my body feels good and impacts my mental and emotional clarity and strength.

My first job out of college was as a Placement Director at a small college. I didn’t know anything about how to find to write a resume or interview, but it was my job to help students do this. I was also responsible for speaking to High School students about this, to promote the school.

I learned that part of my recipe for a happy life was that I liked rising to the challenge. And that I liked teaching and public speaking. I also discovered that teaching what you want to learn is a good way to learn. (I first realized this when I began teaching aerobics and fitness at the gym, in college.) I used my job-seeking skills to land a much better position.

I can still remember the day I received a job offer at NCR Corporation. I was driving my 1978 four-door Oldsmobile (My dad’s former company car. I had air conditioning and automatic windows!) down the streets of downtown Columbia, S.C. on a beautiful spring day – my windows were down, a big smile plastered on my face as I shouted out ‘woo-hoo’s’ and ‘yippppeeeesss'all the way home.

I’d gotten a 40% increase in pay, incredible benefits and I sensed that this new position would catapult me into new growth and career expansion. And it did. Another part of my recipe for a happy life had fallen into place.

At NCR I worked in employee and community relations. We had over 1,200 manufacturing and engineering employees. I was able to see the General Manager and the top ten directors up close. I learned so much about corporate America, human resources, employee engagement, public relations, what makes a good leader and what makes a lousy one. At a young age I had up close exposure to high powered executives. I could closely observe their their different recipes for a happy life.

I saw first-hand how the best most effective executives were self-aware and decisive. They had vision. This included an unwavering focus around their purpose in life and the purpose and vision of their team and the company. Seeing them live out their recipes for a happy life was very instructive.

Key WUE Insights, Part of the Recipe for My Happy Life: Self Direction is powerful. Written goals anda clear sense of purpose energizes people. Whereever I focus expands, so it’s good and powerful to decide on my vision and what I want.

I moved to Atlanta in 1990. Loved Atlanta, didn’t love my personal life. Empty tank. Married the 'wrong' person for the 'wrong' reasons. Moved out in less than 2 years, took only my car and my clothes and started over.

I was happy as a clam in my empty apartment, glad to have my life back. This experience developed more clarity within me about what I wanted for my recipe for a happy personal life. Starting over with this new clarity was invigorating and energizing.

Key WUE Insights, Part of the Recipe for a Happy Life: Never Done. It’s never done so I can’t get it wrong. I am always Loved and Valued. My past informs my future. My past helps me become clearer and more focused about what I want to create now.

I worked at State Farm Insurance for five years. Good solid company with great people. I became restless and wanted more. More money, more adventure, more creation, more entrepreneurial spirit. I found all of that... at Oracle Corporation. My focus was as an Internal Consultant for Technical Sales Consultants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Here I gathered more insights to add to my recipe for a happy life: I had natural facilitation skills. I could pull people and ideas together into a workable plan they could all embrace. While Oracle was a demanding environment it was exhilarating. A love for consulting was born in my heart. Another key piece in of my recipe for a happy life.

Along the way I was busy two-stepping. Yes, country western dancing. It was fun. A great way to get out and meet people in a relatively healthy way. It was while I was dancing (At that time my recipe for happy life was my weekend cowboy boots, 4 wheel drive pickup and yee-hah attitude!) that I met the love of my life, my husband of now 11.5 years, Jeff. Jeff does not love country music or dancing. His buddies dragged him to the bar that night.

We are so obviously two halves of the same whole. Meeting and dating just happened naturally, there was nothing forced about it. Our connection came about with ease, I am convinced, as a result of the high-joy I felt while dancing, even though all my corporate buddies 'gigged' me about dancing, often!

I was at that bar not to make something happen, but to enjoy something that made me happy. In that happiness the biggest joy of my life came into place. (I read somewhere: Marry the right person, it will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.) Another key element of my recipe for a happy life, fell into place.

Key WUE Insights, Part of the Recipe for a Happy Life: My happiness is my job, it’s an inside job. Also, I am always Guided and never alone. As I work on paying attention to closing gaps in my happiness, I am Guided to be in the right place at the right time. My preferences matter.

I went on a spiritual quest. I did a few years of intensive study. I deep-breathed, meditated, studied, gave a few talks, learned to give ‘spiritual’ prayers, went to women’s retreats, set up women’s retreats, taught prosperity courses, immersed myself in a church – getting to know the ministers and Board well, and the church business. (And it is a business.)

Funny. In the spirit of the spiritual I chased after every author, thought, practice and 'shiny new spiritual thing'... looking for the next key ingredient in my recipe for a happy life.

At some point I realized this chase was circular. On this quest I’d run up and down the spiritual mountain several times. And, as lovely author Alan Cohen says, I realized that I had “it” all along. This big spiritual quest was just more of the same. No one else has my answers for my recipe for a happy life. Ministers and churches are lovely, but they are not where my peace, power and presence reside.

My spiritual quest was leaving me empty. I was trying too hard.

For me the real journey is to realize that it’s already here. Within. When I decided that I had what I was looking for – that the gaps I felt were gaps I could close, within myself.

That I could access my Guidance with tools like appreciation (for myself and others), writing, focus, belief and making my own-informed decisions. That I could truly live the Wake Up Eager life I’d been looking for. My recipe for a happy life was there along. I truly did have “it” all along.

(And so does everyone...)

Key WUE Insights, Part of the Recipe for a Happy Life: Focusing on what I appreciate about myself and others creates Great Love in my heart. This love connects me with my Guidance. Also, the focusing of my thoughts, my actions and my intentions around what I value and care about is empowering and energizing.

I began work at an international consulting firm. I taught. I learned. I was around interesting, engaging people who loved to learn and who wanted to help others. For me, the perfect recipe for a happy life, a mix between spiritual and business.

9/11 happened and it seemed the lines between business and spirituality blurred a little bit more.

I taught assessment tools, and because I was around so many psychologists and the consulting arena, I took every assessment known to man. Loved it. Loved to figure how to apply this knowledge to myself and then to how others could use the same data to verbalize strengths and improve their personal and professional lives.

The wonderful thing about teaching and using these tools is that it gives you such an appreciation for our differences, how these differences are so beautiful. Now I understand fully that there IS a sense of purpose for our differences. We each have our own recipes for a happy life - different and unique to each of us.

The more I saw how much value these differences offered to teams and organizations I stopped pushing against my own (and others') development opportunities and started understanding, embracing and leveraging strengths. Personally I got it that building my life around my strengths and preferences IS the recipe for a happy life.

Ah….now that’s a full tank!

The consulting firm's recipe for a happy life for me was in a sales role. I did a good job and they liked me in that role. I missed teaching and learning. I had taken so many assessments that backed up my understanding that acquiring knowledge is a key motivator and energizer for me and is crucial for my recipe for a happy life.

I needed to teach and learn, to be fully satisfied. It’s my purpose, it’s my internal make up, it’s my strength.

Key WUE Insights, Part of the Recipe for a Happy Life: Demonstrating, using and sharing my strengths, insights and talents is important. My strengths are my special gifts that I bring to the world. My preferences matter; I must know them and build my life around them.

The best thing the consulting firm could have done is what they did, say no to my request to do both teaching AND selling. At 38 years old I started Priceless Professional Development. And I’ve never looked back.

Because my work is built around my strengths, interests and talents, even a bad day at Priceless Professional Development is a good day. I’m learning that there is no limit to happiness. The levels just keep expanding. This recipe for a happy life, works!

With each day, with each experience I gain additional insight about what can make it even better, adding new elements to my recipe for a happy life.

I thank my mom for her challenges, because they helped me decide at a young age to figure 'it' out. To decide that I would find a recipe for a happy life, no matter what. I continue to refine and learn in every moment of every day. Thank you for taking time to connect here, now.

Anne Frank was right.

"We all live with the objective of being happy, our lives are all different and yet the same." ---Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

2009 Update:I've had an exciting 2009so far creating this website. I found a wonderful new business partner who's provided everything I need to take my consulting practice online.

To read more about this new focus and business partner, click here now.

If you'd like to stay in touch about all the new developments here, new products, services and free material that's being added every day, click on the bright green RSS feed box, up to your left.

You might also want to stay in touch via my monthly online newsletter. Here I share more tools and resources for getting and staying inspired.

Join Our Email Newsletter List Email:

To contact me, click here now.

To go back to my home page, click here now.