A Journey To Happiness And Balance
Why go through all the trouble of working hard and being successful if it won't make you a happier person? That is the question noted author and leadership expert David Fischman asks of readers in his new book "The Secret of the Seven Seeds" (Jossey-Bass, $22.95).

First published in Latin America, this engaging book tells of the successful entrepreneur and writer's personal struggle for happiness in his out-of-control life.

In it, Fischman reveals his personal story through the fictional character Ignacio Rodriguez, who, like many businesspeople from New York to New Delhi, is desperately trying to keep up with the speed of life.

The 40-something stressed-out entrepreneur is utterly overwhelmed, at risk for a heart attack, losing money at his business and has no time or energy for his family. His doctor recommends that he try meditation to regain balance in his demanding life.

A Spiritual Guide

Instead, Ignacio's journey leads him to a spiritual guide, who helps him heal by finding his path in the secret of the seven seeds, which represent self-knowledge, meditation, egolessness, service to others, goodness, balance and freedom.

"'The Secret of the Seven Seeds' begs the question: Why go through all the trouble of working hard and being successful if it won't make you a happier person?" said Fischman about writing a book mostly based on his life. "The old cliché says that money can't buy you love, but research is proving that it can't buy you happiness either." Being happy, he asserts, should be one of our primary goals in life and this book will take readers on a path to get there through seven simple steps. True happiness comes from learning to be, getting in contact with your inner self, helping others and living a balanced life. Ignacio was caught in the classic ego trap, but gradually becomes liberated and ultimately sated.


How To Define Happiness

The book redefines success, proposing that it is measured in happiness and not in assets. "I am certain," he states, "that when a person takes their last breath he/she will never repent how many cars they did not buy. They probably will regret not having been close enough to their family or not having helped other people."

But far from suggesting quick-fix prescriptions, this book, based on ancient Oriental wisdom and written as an easy-to-read novel, uses ancestral stories, anecdotes, analogies and humor. It is now available in bookstores.












"5 Ways To Ensure You Will Have a Happy Life After Divorce"
In fact, think about having a life after divorce while getting a divorce can be a sticking point for some people because they just aren't sure what their life will "look like" after divorce.

Here's 5 things to keep in mind so can have a life after divorce:

Life after divorce item 1: Think about your emotional stability...if you wanted the divorce or not, you must face it head on.
Divorce is tough and whether you're going through it or your are already past it, your emotional stability is of vital importance because you might tend to be somewhat touchy after going through an emotional ordeal. Keep in mind that your life after divorce can be great but you must admit that you will go through (or have gone through) a trying time in your life. Admitting this and facing your situation head on is important to your emotional stability and critical to you having a happy life after divorce.

Life after divorce item 2: Look at the bright side, having life after divorce could be a new start for you!
How may times in your life do you wish you could have just started over knowing what you know now? If you answered "many", don't worry, that's a common thought most of us have. Having a positive mental attitude about your new beginning will make a huge difference in how happy your life will be after divorce. Life after divorce can be fantastic and it can also be very tough if you don't remain positive about a what's in front of you. Look at the glass as being "half full" and realize that, in order to be happy after divorce, you must take advantage of the opportunity to get a fresh start!

Life after divorce item 3: Surround yourself with people you like in your free time.
Too often times people start new relationships with just about anyone because they are lonely while getting a divorce or after getting a divorce. Sparking a relationship, romantic or friendly, with anyone and everyone who will spend time with you can contribute to unhappiness in your life after divorce. Stop and think about the people that you spend time with and ask yourself, "Once my emotional turmoil has ended, would I really want to keep the relationship going with this person?". Life after divorce is tough...so, when you're deciding about divorce, going through one, or already have been through a divorce, make sure that you carefully choose who to spend your free time with or you may fall into more negativity in your life after divorce.


Life after divorce item 4: Make it a point to spend time doing things that you like to do every week.
Make sure that you spend time enjoying your life after divorce - don't forget to 'stop and smell the roses'. Some people vent, work, go into hiding, or just plain go haywire after getting a divorce and their subsequent life after divorce isn't as healthy as possible. At least once a week, take the time to go and do something that you really enjoy doing...it will help you deal with your life after divorce in a more pleasing manner.

Life after divorce item 5: Set specific goals and implement a plan to achieve those goals.
Life after divorce is a tumultuous time, your life can seemingly be 'in the balance'. In order to make sure that you feel good about yourself and enjoy the feeling that accomplishment brings, think about a goal or set of goals that you've always had but never attained. Then, prioritize those goals and devise a plan to obtain them, one by one. Implement each plan and be happy (in fact celebrate) once you've reached your goal. Your life after divorce will be markedly better and healthier if you take this concept to heart and follow it.

Visualizing your life after divorce (and thinking about what your life might be like after divorce) is a sound and logical thing to do in order to be happy after divorce. Your life after divorce does not need to be a continuation of the pain you might have gone through or are currently going through.

Life after divorce can be extremely liberating if you act based on logic plus positive emotions rather than negativity. If divorce is eminent or you've already been through divorce, take the time to actually plan your life after divorce