You are Where You are Because You Decided to be There

The decisions we make everyday have a big impact on where we are in life, both spiritually and physically. Often these decisions are the 'safe' choices. People don't often venture too far off from familiar paths or too far out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves. As Aristotle the great Greek philosopher said, "Man perpetuates the familiar," and especially teens. The obvious reason not wanting to appear different than their friends. They are afraid of being teased or ostracized from their peer group if they venture too far. They rather let opportunities pass them by than be shunned by the group that helpes define them.

Teenagers do you find yourself in a rut? If so, be honest with yourself and determine why. Are your friends holding you back from venturing forth? Are you concerned about what they might say? If they are true friends they will be the first to encourage you, if they don't, ask yourself, then ask them why. The answer you arrive at should indicate to you whether they are a true friend. Odds are they will be encouraging and perhaps follow your lead. You will have then become a trend setter. Be bold and rise above the crowd. Start immediately. All progress starts but with a single step.

Parents help your teen with gentle encouragement. Perhaps post notes on their pillow or in their lunch bag. Let them know how much you believe in them. For more information on decision making visit www.lunchbagnotes.com.

Ann Marie Parisi is a senior at Cal Luteran University in Thousand Oaks, CA. She is also a published author.

In The News:

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/us/27happy.html%3Fref%3Dhealthcid=1274976377ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNGQdXoC1EYfMPNmdUe8BISOeZG5OQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=TyzsI9bkaz8Jimgurl=graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/11/27/us/27nat-happy.600.jpg width=80 height=44 alt= border=1brfont size=-2New York Times/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/us/27happy.html%3Fref%3Dhealthcid=1274976377ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNGQdXoC1EYfMPNmdUe8BISOeZG5OQEven if You Can’t Buy It, bHappiness/b Is Big Business/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 27, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Participants browse titles in the bookstore written by many of the speakers at a conference called bHappiness/b and its Causes in San Francisco, California. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.f1sa.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D9116%26Itemid%3D219cid=1275802977ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNFoOjypOfcgcDJqZKcoLiJnB_nEIwF1 : Felipe Massa - A little bit of bhappiness/b for those who suffer/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fF1SA,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1We tried to bring a little bit of bhappiness/b for those who suffer.quot; In the end the event was a great success, 12 000 spectators came to see the races at the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ridgecrestca.com/news/business/x541370419/Making-Cents-Cents-will-never-add-up-to-happinesscid=1275627212ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNE7l4vaBWh16ejPawi81iovM97BtwMaking Cents: Cents will never add up to bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fRidgecrest Daily Independent,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 28, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1True success cannot come without bhappiness/b. If you think that money is the root cause of bhappiness/b, just look at all the miserable rich people that you know b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sknvibes.com/Commentary/Index.cfm/290cid=0ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNGFrQOGTwpkK2mo3TYfIxCa9UePbQ“Breathe” bHappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSKNVibes.com,nbsp;St. Kitts and Nevisnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Julie Charles THE quest for bhappiness/b is as old as the human race, and that great quest still continues even in today’s world. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Heads_and_Tales/Brazil_to_import_happiness_from_Bhutan/articleshow/3776664.cmscid=0ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNHjzN-60FA01MNzVkABs_m_5gIy1gBrazil to #39;import#39; bhappiness/b from Bhutan/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTimes of India,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobrNov 30, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-130 Nov 2008, 2018 hrs IST, PTI THIMPHU: Bhutan#39;s Gross National bHappiness/b (GNH) has found a new admirer in Brazil, which says it plans to adopt the unique b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/11_30-48/LIFcid=0ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNFHk-QCxsi3wQy8SfGDLi-ooW7HEgAchieving bHappiness/b: Reaching out for help puts you on road to success/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAnnapolis Capital,nbsp;MDnbsp;-/font nobrNov 30, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Dr. Tom Muha is a psychologist practicing in Annapolis. To contact him, call 443-454-7274 or e-mail him at drtom@achieving bhappiness/b.com./font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/464660-britney-spears-for-the-recordcid=1276316625ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNFuyLORfli4OTtLjVi0CskpQdB5lAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=bWimoJEzzdgJimgurl=www.mtv.co.uk/files/library/images/artist/britney_spears/500/vmas_2008_britney_russell_5.jpg width=80 height=32 alt= border=1brfont size=-2MTV UK/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blogs.nypost.com/popwrap/archives/2008/12/britney_people.htmlcid=1276316625ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNEvayNbu148o5zzGn8550zgaem8XgBritney: quot;People Shave Their Heads All The Timequot;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Post,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Everyone needs bhappiness/b in there life. God protect everyone. All you need is to ask. Good job. Be kind to yourself. Everyone needs bhappiness/b in there life. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1090925/I-want-married-babies-live-desert-island-reveals-lonely-Britney-Spears.htmlcid=1276316625ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNG6ucXcHSpdu6I9lQopxMpxx1alrw#39;I want to get married, have more babies and live on a desert b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrDaily Mail/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276316625hl=ennobrall 216 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/features/6137158.htmlcid=1275560247ei=EFY0SZT7A6iY6AOJ2dWDDwusg=AFQjCNF3v_Mp5d_ZpX_TtFBoL7_MPyA54wAbby: Happily married man bothered by ex’s bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHouston Chronicle,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 28, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By ABBY Universal Press Syndicate My first serious relationship lasted a year and ended more than eight years ago. “Stacy” was terrific, but we were very b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
happiness - Google News


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