Inherently Happy

Geoffrey Bennett Ulrich
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
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Quick reminders about Balance, Growth, and the Everyday Divinity within ourselves. More or less. With your pal Happy Lord Geoffrey. HaHaHappy.org

  1. 6D AGO

    How to be Nice (and Mean it!) - Ep. 435

    Having a sense of fun and play can help you be pleasant, While still taking things seriously, which can mean a lot in some cases. The three main things to do are to Agree, Encourage and be Present, That way you won’t pick a fight, but instead stay in people’s good graces.   [full text below]   Ep. 435 - How to be Nice (and Mean it!) We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! I’ve been a waiter, a babysitter, a tutor and a volunteer, I’ve been a little brother, a confidant, and an event emcee,  I’ve been an office assistant, a retail clerk, and one thing remains clear, Things go much smoother depending on how Nice you can be. It helps you get along with others and even make friends,  But doesn’t always work since some folks are just itching to fight, But even they can sometimes be won over, it really depends On how sincere you are about being Nice, it’s gotta feel right. Having a sense of fun and play can help you be pleasant, While still taking things seriously, which can mean a lot in some cases. The three main things to do are to Agree, Encourage and be Present, That way you won’t pick a fight, but instead stay in people’s good graces. When you Agree, it’s not about just saying yes, but finding common ground, It’s about accepting people as they are, and being fair and clear in your dealings, This can work on young and old alike, finding ways to connect not to confound, But just be aware that not everyone appreciates such friendly feelings. When you Encourage, you should avoid idle flattery, but instead be specific, So, it helps if you pay attention and be respectful of the goals they hold dear, Then you’ll have a better sense of want kind of feedback they’d consider terrific, And you can provide words of hope with genuine feelings of good cheer. And when you’re being Present, you’re listening, and reading the room,  You’re showing an interest in the other person to get them to open up more, You’re being mindful, which allows you to adapt quickly--just, like “boom!” Because you’re agile, on your toes, ready to switch, jump, take off and soar. I routinely have long conversations with people I just met, on a bus, or a plane, Because I am Present, I find ways to Agree, and offer Encouragement too, You don’t have to kiss their butt to say something positive--never praise in vain, But be genuine, you can say you don’t get it, and let them explain it to you. It helps if you like people, of course, but sometimes it can still work even so, Even if you have to tell folks bad news--add a reason, and end with something good, Break it to them honestly, tell them why, and provide a spark of hope before they go, Wouldn’t you like to connect with someone Nice? I know I sure would. Haha Yowza

    4 min

  2. 12/24/2025

    Happy Insight - Ep. 434

    Happy Insight comes from facing what you may be suppressing, And realizing that it doesn’t have to steal away your sense of calm, If you can take a look at your own reactions that may need addressing, Then you can defuse whatever may eventually turn into a ticking time bomb. [full text below] Ep. 434 - Happy Insight We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! When something unexpected happens how do you react? Do you explode with anger or do you break down and cry? Whatever was suppressed is what needs to be unpacked, To unlock and release the hidden pain for you to identify. Before I had any comprehension or self-control, I used to raise hell, I once screamed at my boss to get my stuff he’d locked in the store, But he just looked at me and said, “not if you’re going to yell,” And then walked away leaving me alone and fuming outside the door. My dad used to yell a lot and there I was doing the same damn thing, It didn’t feel good, it didn’t feel powerful, it just felt mean and wrong, I tried to blame everyone else, but it was entirely my own downswing I vowed to myself that I would learn how to become quietly strong. Then, years later, I had a boss who liked to yell, and I got my chance, At first, I tried to meet his every need to give him no excuse to get mad, But he still found a way to get upset at some random circumstance, He screamed at me in front of others who ran away when things got bad. So, I went into his office, shut the door and told him he couldn’t do that, I didn’t so much as raise my voice, I said I didn’t care what I had done There was no excuse for that kind of anger and abuse, this wasn’t combat, This was office work and whatever it was could be fixed without a hit-and-run. And I stayed there talking to him for forty-five minutes in a very even tone, I asked him if he’d ever tried anger management to learn how to cope, He eventually apologized and I went back to my desk--no longer a war zone, For we had come to an understanding--did he ever yell at me again? Nope. Happy Insight comes from facing what you may be suppressing, And realizing that it doesn’t have to steal away your sense of calm, If you can take a look at your own reactions that may need addressing, Then you can defuse whatever may eventually turn into a ticking time bomb. Haha Yowza

    3 min

  3. 12/17/2025

    Happy Naming - Ep. 433

    Happy Naming is about giving yourself an accurate assessment of the way things are, Knowing your limits helps you balance, and knowing your starting point helps you grow, Self-Awareness affords you the capacity to evaluate and understand how you got this far And allows for the clarity of purpose and the vision to know how far you have yet to go.   [full text below]   Ep. 433 - Happy Naming We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! I get the draw of softening language to lessen the blow, and yet It runs the risk of diluting the meaning of what you’re trying to express, Like saying “I’m experiencing slight feelings of annoyance and upset,” Instead of just saying “I’m mad and it’s giving me a lot of stress.” Adding abstractions and euphemisms doesn’t always make things better, In some cases it can even create disconnection when you need to recognize That facts aren't that scary, and not every word starts with a scarlet letter, And that hiding from reality makes things worse, burying truth under lies. If you can’t even name it, then you certainly can’t spot it or face it,  And it’ll forever linger to threaten, frighten and worry you to death, An unnamed danger endlessly lurking, defying any attempt to erase it, While an identified feeling or state is as manageable as one’s own breath. Then once named, located, defined, and acknowledged it becomes containable, If I'm blue, I don’t say “I’m having persistent sorrowful leanings,” I just say “I’m sad,” And once I do, then the path appears and reaching the summit seems attainable, As I get to work helping my heart strengthen and heal until I don’t feel quite so bad. And it also keeps me from going overboard the other way into doom speech! When we turn truths into exaggerations, they can get away from us but quick, So that when merely feeling anxious, we instead call ourselves broken and beyond reach, Losing any and all trust in our own ability to handle life and thereby make ourselves sick. Happy Naming is about giving yourself an accurate assessment of the way things are, Knowing your limits helps you balance, and knowing your starting point helps you grow, Self-Awareness affords you the capacity to evaluate and understand how you got this far And allows for the clarity of purpose and the vision to know how far you have yet to go. Haha Yowza

    3 min

  4. 12/10/2025

    Glad Happy - Ep. 432

    Sudden anger or sadness can throw you for a loop,  But sudden joy can undo you twice as fast, It can make you think that you’re better than the group, And such thoughts have been known not to last. [full text below] Ep. 432 - Glad Happy We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! Sudden anger or sadness can throw you for a loop,  But sudden joy can undo you twice as fast, It can make you think that you’re better than the group, And such thoughts have been known not to last. When things go wrong we tend to rally our forces,  But when things go right we can get a little wild, It’s wise to stay centered and best to hold your horses, ‘Cause overdoing it can make you act like a child. And not in the fun way, but one that makes you seem like a brat, Like a kid who spoils their dinner by eating too much candy, Sure, it tastes good, but it’ll also rot your teeth and make you fat, And poor impulse control is not a trait that you want to keep handy. When people say “grow up” they usually mean “stop complaining” As if whining were the only mark of immaturity, But over-celebrating is also not that entertaining, And being smug can make others want to foul you into obscurity. I’m not saying don’t be Glad when things are good, we deserve to acknowledge our wins, I’m just saying don’t go overboard and make yourself Glad Happy or Stark Raving Glad Because that’s arrogant, offensive and mean to others, like an emotional kick in the shins! And they may just retaliate, which may surprise you, turning your good fortune into bad. Haha Yowza

    2 min

  5. 12/03/2025

    Happy Fix - Ep. 431

    Mistakes are not the end of the world, I know, Most things can be fixed, replaced or redone, And what cannot, can help us learn and grow, But perfection is impossible for everyone.   [full text below]   Ep. 431 - Happy Fix   We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! Mistakes are not the end of the world, I know, Most things can be fixed, replaced or redone, And what cannot, can help us learn and grow, But perfection is impossible for everyone. Though the idea that not everything needs to be Life or Death Isn’t something I ever really believed in, If I was going to do something, I would do it until my dying breath, Or else, like, why even begin? But that caused me a lot of stress,  I had to count to ten, and focus on my breathing, In through the nose, out through the mouth, yes, yes, Anything to keep me from furiously seething. But I had the Happy Fix right in front of me, “Don’t treat everything like it’s the only thing,” (Go ahead and make mistakes--feel free!) I just refused to see what calmness it could bring. I figured that if I didn’t do everything all the way,  Then I could be outworked or outlasted, But as a result I was getting stressed every day, And even more stress was being forecasted. Mistakes are not the end of the world, I repeated, Most things can be fixed, replaced or redone, And what cannot, can be honored and well-treated. Either way, perfection is impossible for everyone. Haha Yowza

    2 min

  6. 11/26/2025

    Happy Patterns - Ep. 430

    Don’t bother fearing chaos, but treat it as a call, To seek the deeper order that permeates us all, It’s our thoughts and actions that make the meaning clear, And our Happy choices that make Happy Patterns appear. [full text below] Ep. 430 - Happy Patterns We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! Maybe chaos is a pattern that you just don’t yet know,  Though you mustn’t try to force it, just simply let it show All it has to teach you, and all it has to say, And soon you’ll see the pattern showing you the way. And don't let your perspective start clouding up your sight,  With your old assumptions insisting that you’re right, But, instead, try to just be present, try to just be there,  And maybe then you'll realize and become much more aware. Or what may seem like chaos could be just a piece Of a larger pattern waiting for release From your tunnel vision, from your restricted view, So maybe the confusion is coming just from you. Or chaos is transition, not destruction like you thought, And change becomes uplifting not a battle to be fought, Patterns will emerge if you just give them a chance, Idle words and movements become a song and dance. So, don’t bother fearing chaos, but treat it as a call, To seek the deeper order that permeates us all, It’s our thoughts and actions that make the meaning clear, And our Happy choices that make Happy Patterns appear. Haha Yowza

    2 min

  7. 11/19/2025

    A Happy Sport - Ep. 429

    Have you ever been intentionally Mean? You know, done something unkind just for fun? Such as taking the last two desserts, so the loudmouth behind you gets none? Why do we revel in the misfortune of those we dismiss? Are we Mean down to the core? Or is it because the world keeps messing with us, and we just want to even the score? [full text below]   Ep. 429 - A Happy Sport We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! Have you ever been intentionally Mean? You know, done something unkind just for fun? Such as taking the last two desserts, so the loudmouth behind you gets none? Why do we revel in the misfortune of those we dismiss? Are we Mean down to the core? Or is it because the world keeps messing with us, and we just want to even the score? But does it really even it out, or have we, instead, just picked a new fight? Where our targets target us in return just when we thought we were right, And the whole thing becomes a battle of one-upmanship, trading same for same, Only instead of a Happy Sport, we're all just playing a losing game. It may feel like winning and even glory, but maniacal glee is not joy, it’s hate,  And there are better ways to play that don’t include such a self-destructive fate. Respect your fellow players--they dislike losing too. Shake hands and play fair. Cooperate or compete as you see fit, but never act like you don’t care. Life is meant to be lived, and it’s much more fun when we do it as a team, For who knows what happens when it ends, so play nice and share the dream. Haha Yowza

    2 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    Happy Perception - Ep. 428

    Your sense of reality is influenced by how you view and interact with the world, Your frame of reference is impacted by how you feel and what you believe, When you lose it’s a tragedy, while winning deserves a parade with banners unfurled, Happy Perception starts with seeing Balanced Growth as built-in, not something to achieve.   [full text below] Ep. 428 - Happy Perception We begin as always  with the Happy Creed. We believe in Happy,  in Balance and Growth,  of being Mindful and Grateful, Compassionate and Understanding. Yowza Haha My Happy Friends! Your sense of reality is influenced by how you view and interact with the world, Your frame of reference is impacted by how you feel and what you believe, When you lose it’s a tragedy, while winning deserves a parade with banners unfurled, Happy Perception starts with seeing Balanced Growth as built-in, not something to achieve. Balance is there equalizing contrasts and managing every extreme, While Growth is about realizing better ways than were previously known, Seeing others as being on the same journey helps you look past how things may seem, Allowing you to consider points of view that may be different from your own. Being mindful and paying close attention is a great way to deepen your connections, Connections with others, with your senses, and with the world at large, Do you mindlessly wolf down your food? Is your focus split in all directions? Or are you able to be present, intentional and mindfully in charge? In charge of your actions, thoughts and, yes, even your moods? How do you see yourself? Do you ever spare yourself time to check-in and take stock? To be aware of your triggers, your prejudices and attitudes? Or do you just try to keep the world from knocking off your block? Happy Perception can also be about changing your point of view to take a closer look, To allow yourself to lean in and let your understanding of the world increase, Rewarding you with deeper appreciation for the second glance you finally took, And granting you greater ways to express gratitude and find peace. Haha Yowza

    3 min
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About

Quick reminders about Balance, Growth, and the Everyday Divinity within ourselves. More or less. With your pal Happy Lord Geoffrey. HaHaHappy.org

Information

  • Creator
    Geoffrey Bennett Ulrich
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    435
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Inherently Happy