In “Be Happy NOW!” I share my list of the Six Steps to Happiness. A word of caution and it may sound counter-intuitive – this list is NOT a check list.  

Rather, the Six Steps to Happiness reflect an experiential learning process. Paulo Coelho, world famous author of “The Alchemist,” puts it this way:

                  “Is it possible to avoid Pain? 
                     Yes, but you'll never learn anything. 
                      Is it possible to know something without 
                      ever having experienced it?
                       Yes, but it will never be a part of you."

This is experiential learning – you learn by discovering – often what you already knew deep inside yourself. In the process of self-discovery and self-excavation, the lessons you learn become a part of you, the new you.

My back-story. On a crisp blue-sky Tuesday, I landed at LaGuardia at 8:47 AM on my way to an important client meeting on the 99^th floor of the World Trade Towers. It was 9/11 …. and the terrorist attacks actually proved to be the beginning of my salvation.  

After the 2^nd plane hit, Manhattan was on lock down. My driver and I headed 2 hours north to my Aunt Mary’s.  The live radio coverage brought the tragedy into the car. Looking out the rear view window of the limo, I saw the thick plumes of black smoke turn white, reaching high into the sky, as the towers collapsed.  

On September 11, 2001, I had a great career as a Wall Street banker, a caring and supportive family, and an enormous secret. I was silently and profoundly unhappy.

After surviving 9/11, I realized I had been given another chance to really live.  

And it took me nine years to fully understand what fulfillment and living with joy, really meant. I was looking in all the wrong places. One day in May, I met David Prudhomme, founder of Mederi Wellness who became my mind coach, guiding me to learn how to look within, rather than looking to others and the trappings of success.  His proprietary process, The Best Me NOW!^® was a life-changing breakthrough for me.  

The gift of an enduring solution to authentic happiness is incredibly rare – priceless, really. So, when I discovered it for myself, I knew I had to share it with everyone.

The Six Steps to Happiness.

What did I learn? My top six experiential lessons are:  

1. The Power to Choose: I learned how to take back control of my emotions thoughts and behaviors, rather than reacting to people and situations based on old habits and patterns. I learned how to choose to live a healthier and happier life. Breathing, a daily gratitude practice, guided visualization and future pacing are all part of this important first step. 
   
   
2. Let Go and Take Control: I learned how to let go of old hurts and anger and the suffering of losing a loved one. Starting my morning in peace and silence, incorporating daily meditation, staying in the present moment are all important pieces of this second step. I can choose love only when I have let go of all negative, limiting emotions and beliefs, such as anger, resentment, loneliness loss and feelings of "I am not good enough." When I let go, I take control and have the power to choose from a loving heart. 
   
   
3. Forgive and Be Free: I learned how to forgive myself and others. Letting go of my ego, expectations, judgments and learning to accept people and things as they are were integral to learning how to forgive. I start choosing my words more carefully, eliminating the "shoulds" and the "you make me feel" -- all the red flag words that signal judgment. I start using words like "splendiferous" more frequently to shape my view of the world. I start re-activating the voracious reader within me -- the Bible, Hafiz, and so much more. When I simply accept, do not judge others or myself, when I give goodness, peace and trust, there is nothing to forgive, and I am free.  
   
   
4. Release and Rejoice: I learned how to release deep-seated fears. This is deep. In an age-regression hypnosis session I am guided by David to "snip" the thread of fear that traced back to the womb and I experience an amazing emotional release. I learned that by releasing fear, I see the world with new eyes and experience life with a new heart. My faith starts to blossom.
   
   
5. Look Within and Love Me: I learned how to find peace in the present moment and what it feels like to unconditionally love yourself and others. My daily gratitudes and meditation practices are going deeper and deeper. As I shed my armor, my negative and limiting beliefs, I start to feel my connection to everyone and everything. While I call this my spiritual journey, you may want to label it entirely differently. By now, I am not into "labels" -- I am purely into experiencing the journey. And, I  discovered my purpose.
   
   
6. I Am Not Special: I learned how to tap into my Higher Spirit and how to connect with everyone by seeing we are all the same. God is in everyone, everything, and everywhere. I learned that I am unique rather than special.

In Be Happy NOW!, I share some of my personal journal entries and words and feelings that came together as I experienced these lessons. David Prudhomme, my guide and mental coach, assists and allows me to share parts of our sessions. There are both instantaneous changes and evolutionary changes, and there are also regressions and the need to learn some lessons over again.

Everyone’s journey is unique. However, as David Prudhomme, coauthor, writes in his Forward: “True positive personal transformation is not only possible, but it also follows this specific path of perception, awareness, and choice.  

I connected with David Prudhomme and his process, The Best Me NOW!^®, to change my life, to change from where I was to where I really wanted to be.

Mind you, David never mentioned his proprietary program, and for good reason. If David had laid out the program and the process, it would have been another checklist. I would have looked through the entire list and thought, Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it. As my guide, David simply allowed me to experience whatever I experienced, and then and only then did I get it!

Eight years ago, I was so far over on the dark side, guarded with an impenetrable suit of armor, I did not know how to spell the word forgiveness, let alone fathom unconditional love.  And I came out on the other side, and if I can do it, I know you can too!

Are you stuck? Is there something missing in your life? What are you afraid of? What have you not been able to let go of? Who are you intrinsically, aside from your name, family, business, and location? Are you aware of how you talk to yourself in private? How many levels of self-awareness have you discovered? How much more do you want to or think you can discover? Do you know your life’s purpose? Are you living your best life?

I did not ask myself these questions when I was caught up achieving, running, and climbing the corporate ladder. There just came a point in my life when I finally heard all the wake-up calls that I had received and heretofore ignored. I share when and how I came to know I needed to do something different—and the something different started with looking inside of me.   

What will you do? How will you shape your experiential learning curve?

Happiness is already there right now inside of you. This I Know.