Monthly Archives: April 2012

HAPPINESS: Over come the Fear of Failure in Life


I have come to believe that all my past failures and frustrations were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. -Tony Robins

I have just completed reading Pat Groce’s book, I feel great and you will too! In 1996 Pat bought the NBA team Philadelphia 76ers. Pat’s story is about the courage to face failure over and over again but still hold the passion to persist. He is a pioneer in the sports physical therapy industry. As a therapist, Pat kept asking to be employed as a Physical therapist for NBA clubs but he was always denied. Pat went from being in the training room to the boardroom in one of the most unlikely stories in sports history. His book reminded me of a high school friend. My friend Messiah (not real name) had a humble beginning in life. In the early years of high school he fell in love with one of the most beautiful girls in a neighboring school. His proposal was clearly and completely rejected. While in A’ level (last two years before college), by coincidence they shared the same school, Messiah was fortunate to meet his childhood girl of his dreams at University. Messiah again made her know he would stop at nothing to ask for her hands in marriage. Messiah’s persistence paid off. Meghan (not real name) finally accepted to marry Messiah. Most of Messiah’s high school friends broke the hearts of their high school girl friends. CONTINUE

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GYA today

“Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities.” ~Aldous Huxley

(This post is re-blogged from one of my favorite blogs,
“Meant to be Happy,” written by Ken Wert)

What is Happiness?

We talk a lot about happiness all dressed up and pretty. But what does it look like when it’s standing in nothing but its birthday suit?

As I’ve studied and practiced, researched and questioned, written and talked with people about happiness, I’ve become increasingly convinced that many of us define the term in very different ways.

This is no unimportant matter either. Because some of us understand happiness so differently, we can easily misunderstand what it takes to get more of it. And so we’re often found groping in the dark for something that was never put where we’re groping for it in the first place…

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HAPPINESS:Why Butterflies Fly and Humans Drive


“As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness.” — Henry David Thoreau

Just like any adolescent, I always treasured a complex life until I got my first job. My job excitement influenced me to buy the most expensive shoes I could afford.

As I received compliments from colleagues, my boss cautioned: “simplicity shows the magnanimity of the soul.”

I later would never forget these words as life threw punches at me. My boss was the richest educationist yet the simplest teacher ever in Uganda. This was the awakening of my simplicity consciousness.

Last night, a friend told me a story of a young American who visited one of the rural village fishing sites in Africa.

He was astonished by the lifestyle of the fishing community. The Africans used sticks and strings tied to a hook to fish.

Most of them used local boats that could barely move deeper into the lake while others remained on the shores of the lake.

They spent the whole day fishing and holding conversations by the lake side. In the evening, they enjoyed the walk back home to prepare their meal.

The young American got inspired to help. He asked his parents for money to set up a fish factory.

He bought motorboats, refrigerators and sophisticated fishing tools worth millions of shillings. He anticipated that he would sell the fish and save the Africans from wasting more time.

Unfortunately, the project failed to take off after completion. The American then consulted the village elders, why the fishing community had turned down the project.

An elder told him: “Welcome to the roots of wisdom.” It’s all about the simplicity of our life style. Your project will make our lifestyle complex. The elder continued: “Your project will make the fish extinct for our grandchildren. We don’t know how to operate the machines you have brought but even if we learnt, the fish would cost us much more than we have always paid.”

The young American responded: “But I will save you a lot of time to do other things and you will have enough fish to eat whenever you need it.”

In response, another elder said: “Look, my son, the time our children spend at the fishing sites is for dating, that’s how they identify partners. Besides, we don’t practice agriculture here. If our children get more time to do nothing, they will use it to do wrong things.” CONTINUE


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WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT: Why Uganda is Ranked Happiest in E. Africa


By Aliker David martin

“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worst than it is, and the future less resolved than it would be” –Marcel Pagnol (French Writer, producer and Film Director1895-1974)

The UN last week released the first ever World Happiness Report.

In the report, Uganda is ranked the happiest nation in East Africa. Uganda is placed at position 128 out of 156, and followed by Rwanda at 132 out of 156 countries.

Columbia University’s Earth Institute report considered factors like economic and social support, absence of corruption and degree of personal freedom.

According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Uganda’s inflation rate slumped to 21.2 percent in March from a revised 25.7 percent in February 2012.

The Central Bank of Uganda ramped up its key lending rate to 23 percent last year after inflation soared on the back of high food and fuel prices.

Uganda’s unemployment rate is at 3.5 percent and that of the youth is at a whopping 32.2 percent while for those with degrees, it’s at 36 percent.

In 2007 Transparency International ranked Uganda 117th most corrupt country out of 178 countries in the world Corruption Perception Index (CPI).

The World Bank report (2005) estimated that Uganda loses $ 300m (510b shillings) through corruption and procurement malpractices.

Last week, the government banned a pressure group Activist for Change (A4C). A4C is campaigning for good governance and freedom in Uganda.

Having mentioned all these snapshots of happiness indicators in Uganda, the question is; with all this poor record, why are Ugandans the happiest nation in East Africa? Continue

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Mukono Campus Girl Heartbreak: How to Deal with Rejection


By Aliker David Martin

“Everyone suffers at least one bad betrayal in their lifetime. It’s what unites us. The trick is not to let it destroy your trust in others when that happens. Don’t let them take that from you,” said Sherrilyn Kenyon, Invincible

The feast of Palm Sunday reminds us of the betrayal of Jesus and his journey to crucifixion. This year it also coincided with the betrayal and death of Liz Namboozo, a second year student of Social Works and Social Administration at Uganda Christian University, Mukono.

Liz reportedly found her boy friend cheating on her and could not contain the ugly scene. She locked herself in her room and set herself ablaze.

Unlike Liz, most of the people who have overcome heartbreaks realized they could not change the situation but could change their responses to the situation.

This is what author Jack Canfield in his book, The Success Principles formulated to mean:

E+R=O (Events+ Response =Outcome). Continue


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