Smile Pretty & Abandon Hope.

The secret to a happy life:

Give up hope.Or, should I say, hope wisely.Cultivate wise hope.In When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chodron writes: "You could even put 'Abandon hope' on your refrigerator door instead of more conventional aspirations..."

Chapter 7: Hopelessness and Death"Without giving up hope—that there's somewhere better to be, that there's someone better to be—we will never relax with where we are or who we are."

Unwise hope and fear are two sides of the same corrupt, worthless coin.Wise hope and wise letting go are two side of the golden coin that will make you rich.Our minds produce thoughts. From where do those thoughts come? Where do they go? How quickly they come and go. Emotions too.Meditation does not stop the thoughts from coming.Mindfulness does not mean you are always happy-go-lucky and living 100% in the present moment.Meditation is pure awareness, beyond concentration.Mindfulness is present moment awareness, and the present sometimes (often) includes memories of the past and plans for the future.Smiling is the universal language of contentment, joy, pleasure, happiness, gratitude, friendship.Smile pretty. Shine from the inside out. Don't fake smile.Notice all the storylines, dramas and expectations constantly being played out in your mind.Notice what you are hoping will happen. Notice what you are hoping will not happen.Let go.Abandon hope.Put it on your refrigerator.