5 stars = 5 happiness!

I get happy when I get 5 star feedback from an eBay customer! Today I heard back from a nice customer who gave me 5 stars all the way. That means she was 5 star happy with my item description, my communication, my shipping time and my shipping and handling charges. I promptly thanked her for leaving feedback because I like to do that for all customers who take the time to leave feedback. Then I started thinking about 5 happiness!
Five Happiness is the name of a traditional Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. I started going there in the eighties, about the same time I took my first trip to China. The food was good and it was a family owned place with great customer service. Well I haven’t been there in years but I still remember the name. I always wondered what it meant. Chinese culture has a complicated philosophy that includes good luck symbols and lucky or unlucky numbers. So I figured the name was based on the family’s good fortune. The number 5 in Chinese culture is important because it is associated with the 5 elements: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. It seems important to keep these elements balanced. I'm not sure if there is a direct translation for 5 but it is close to (self, me, my) in Cantonese. So 5 happiness could be "my happiness". I know a Chinese saying that I really like: “Good things come in pairs.” This is what Chinese people call Double Happiness. It’s good for weddings, anniversaries, and twins. It’s also good for days when you get two eBay customers that leave 5 star feedback!

What Is Your Definition Of Success?

Did you know that the answer to that question can be the gap you need to fill if you want to achieve happiness?

My dad Mr. Luis Alfredo Galarza always was a very successful man in the eyes of everyone in my country and here in the United Estates. But, his description of happiness didn't have anything to do with wealth. In fact, his description of self-fulfillment didn't have anything to do with having a great job position or knowing top city authorities, which he did... His real happy moments were every time he extended his hands to help someone. You were able to see the sparks on his eyes when he was helping someone in need. It actually inspired me to love to help people, and I thank him for that.

My dad's definition of success was to help anyone he could in his life time, and he was very successful at that, which in return make him very happy!

You need to know that Bill Gates isn't just successful by conventional standards. Bill Gates just had a different description of happiness and he did everything he could to achieve it. His goal was to become one or the top software company in the world, and he did it, because he focus on what makes him happy. Now Bill has fulfilled his own definition of success.

That's why I love this quote:

But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?
By Albert Camus

If you want to reach true self-fulfillment, you need to answer this question: What's your definition of success?

Here is a little method you can practice to help you get on the right path:

Get a notepad and a pen and write a true description of yourself in three sentences. Read each sentences out loud to make sure each are relevant to your goals in life. After doing that you will know how close you are to your goal.

Please share your own definition of success with us...

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