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MUKULUA
What's Mukulua?
It isn’t two islets off the windward coast of Oahu in Hawaii – that’s – Nā Mokulua.
It’s an acronym – for my five steps to happiness.
Mukulua spells out the five things that make me most happy, perhaps you might find it useful too.
The ‘M’ is how I laugh at myself.
I discovered why I look bad in photos.
It’s my face.
Why laugh at myself? Apparently, it’s good for you.
Studies show people who regularly poke fun at themselves have better mental wellbeing. How often have you heard, “laughter’s the best medicine”? Enough, I hope to believe it and get your prescription.
Cos, I do, I’m fit in mind and body looking to the future with hope, energy and excitement.
And I have a cunning plan – divide the money I have by the number of years I reckon I have left and that’s my annual spending money, after deducting an allowance for nappies!
The ‘u’ is about you, my Toastmaster friends.
You – are a special brand of people. Through you I’ve gained enormous confidence, learned new skills and become a better version of myself. You've taught me to look for the best in people while helping them find the best in themselves. You've listened to my stories, empathised with my pain and laughed with me at my attempts at humour
You’ve shown me how precious ‘u’ is.
The ‘k’ is the kindness I'm exceptionally lucky to have seen.
Last year, I lost my best mate in the world.
Barry and his wife Libby, whom we also lost a few months earlier, were the kindest people I knew and their most wonderful attribute was their generosity of spirit.
They lived by “mi casa, su casa” – “my home is your home” – opening their home to us when we most needed it and, later, whenever we were visiting London.
The best kindnesses are random acts of kindness. Think of the feel-good sensations we get, giving or receiving them, even letting a pedestrian cross in front of us – rather than running them over.
Margaret Thatcher once saw a man with a sign "Falklands veteran, please give generously" she gave him 20 pounds. he gave her a big smile and said, "muchas gracias señora!".
We have the ‘u’ again to show how important you are to me.
The ‘l’ is for laughter.
Did you know there’s not one canary in the Canary Islands? It’s the same in the Virgin Islands – not one canary there either.
Laughter’s good for you – it relaxes your whole body – boosts your immune system – triggers the release of endorphins, your body's natural feel-good chemicals – protects your heart – burns calories – lightens anger's heavy load – and may even help you live longer.
However, adding humour to a speech is a challenge. It's like standing in front of a group of people, taking off all your clothes, doing a twirl and asking, “what d’ya think?”
To misquote Don Mclean, “I know if I have a chance, I can make people laugh and maybe make them happy for a while!”
Now, to be absolutely clear what you mean to me, we have another ‘u’.
Finally, we have the ‘a’ and this is for an attitude of gratitude.
Of all the legacies a marvellous Toastmaster called Andy Gray left me, his attitude of gratitude surely showed me the way to my best life.
Through his faith and his attitude of gratitude, Andy was able to endure the challenges, pain and tragedies he faced.
In his beautiful, spiritual way, Andy smiled his way through life and taught me life is to be treasured with joy and an attitude of gratitude.
And thus, is spelled Mukulua.
Yet, while this is all true, while it spells out my five steps to happiness, the acronym Mukulua means something else entirely.
Mukulua is the word I’d like to have on my gravestone – in the far distant future, please!
It’s how I'd like to remember you and, how I hope you'll remember me.
MUKULUA
means - miss you, kiss you, love you, always
Mike
Mike loves helping people shine through clear communication and confident leadership. With 37 years of experience from world stages to Toastmasters, he brings a friendly, empowering hand to SilverWalk. Consider Mike your guide to ensuring your voice is heard, your intentions are perfectly understood and your most important messages resonate exactly as you intend.
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