Tag Archives: Happiness

Ep96 We Are Our Culture

November 7, 2023UncategorizedAlexis de Tocqueville, Angela Duckworth, Beatrice Webb, Catholic Church, Character, Christ, Corruption, Culture, Forgiveness, Happiness, Hatred, Holiness, Lake Coeur d’Alene, Patrick Lencioni, Prudence, Values, Virtues, West Pointwrestlingwithgodshow

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:56 — 31.1MB)

Father Len invites us to grapple with the virtues and character we value, permit, model and promote and the effect they have on us and those around us.

Support Wrestling with God Productions: https://www.GiveSendGo.com/WWGProductions

Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom

Culture over time is the most important force in shaping our identity. When an entire community prizes certain things, these things just seep into our pores.
Our emotions and values are very infectious. They move through a community faster than a virus.
Change happens, for better or worse, when entire communities unite around virtues and character they value.
There’s undeniable proof that an individual’s character and values effect all of society.
We take on the values of the communities to which we belong.
Virtues and character that are valued by a community are inherited by the community’s children.
If we want to change the world, we have to change our hearts. We are the culture. We are the system.
What impedes us empowers us.
Failure and struggle cause the hero in every hero story to become a hero.
Grit is frequently a greater predictor of success than talent.
Grit or fortitude is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
You need grit to become a spiritual person.
- It takes grit to forgive when you’ve been wounded.
- It takes grit to become prudent and know how and when to hold your tongue.
- It takes grit to become patient.
We can lose our grit when life is good.
Grit is like a muscle. You’re not born with it. You train yourself into it.
“Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth
“Democracy in America” by Alexis De Tocqueville
Beatrice Webb
Patrick Lencioni
What virtues and character do you value, permit, model and promote and how do they match up with the values of the communities to which you belong and, importantly, what are you going to do if they don’t?
We all have a big stake in our community’s culture and the effect it has on us and those around us.

We welcome your questions and comments:

Email: irish@wwgproductions.org
Text or voicemail: 208-391-3738

Links to More Podcasts from Wrestling with God Productions

Life Lessons from Jesus and the Church He Founded: http://LifeLessonsfromJesus.org
A Priest’s Life: https://idahovocations.com/resources/video-podcasts/

Ep91 Encore: Commitments, Happiness, Love and Having Kids

April 15, 2023UncategorizedAspirations, Butch Otter, Canada, Catholic, Christ, Commitment, Feelings, God, Hannah Arendt, Happiness, Howard Stern, Lauren Miller, Montana, Religion, sacrifice, Seth Rogen, Shackleton Expedition, The Biblewrestlingwithgodshow

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:31 — 27.0MB)

Reacting to why actor Seth Rogen says he and his wife don’t want kids, Father Len explains the relationship between making commitments, happiness, love, and having kids.

Support Wrestling with God Productions here: https://www.GiveSendGo.com/WWGProductions

Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom

“It’s not an easy haul having kids. You can’t be narcissistic. You have to give yourself over to parenting. Kids have got to be the priority.” – Howard Stern
God asks of us that our lives be life-giving.
Living life for yourself, free from commitments, is an immature definition of happiness.
Commitments lead to greater happiness. Lack of commitments lead to greater unhappiness.
You’ll never find yourself through your feelings and aspirations. What defines you is your commitments.
“Without being bound to the fulfillment of our promises, we would never be able to keep our identities; we would be condemned to wander helplessly and without direction in the darkness of each person’s lonely heart, caught in its contradictions and equivocations.”-Hannah Arendt
Being unable to settle on something means not being settled ever.
People willing to commit to marriage and having children almost always test out happier than those who don’t.
The world tells us self-fulfillment comes from being free of commitments. Truth says fulfillment comes after commitments.
People who avoid commitments and constantly pursue pleasure in pursuit of an easy life tend to end up bitter and unhappy.
Christ challenges us to not to choose the easy way, to make a sacrifice and give ourselves away.
Life is not supposed to be easy, but rather a great adventure.
Pursuing pleasure as happiness always ends up in unhappiness.
Each year since 1972, there has been a gradual decline in people’s overall happiness in the United States. This despite the average person spending 22% more on eating out and entertainment, living in homes that have doubled in size, having huge screen TVs, access to the Internet, and social media.
The moral question is not whether you should or should not have kids. The moral question is why you would not want to have children.
Religion challenges us to look at everything in life and decide what kind of life we want to have.
Once you fall in love, you can’t help but want to give yourself away. That’s what real love feels like.
God’s perpetual command is to make an offering of our lives, to give ourselves away.
Those who don’t know the power of commitment are yet to know what love is.
God is a trickster who tricks people into falling in love and willing to sacrifice everything for those they love.

We welcome your questions and comments:

Email: irish@wwgproductions.org
Text or voicemail: 208-391-3738

Links to Podcasts from Wrestling with God Productions

Wrestling with God Show: http://WWGShow.com
Life Lessons from Jesus and the Church He Founded: http://LifeLessonsfromJesus.org
A Priest’s Life: https://idahovocations.com/resources/video-podcasts/

Ep68 Commitments, Happiness, Love and Having Kids

August 30, 2021UncategorizedAspirations, Butch Otter, Canada, Catholic, Christ, Commitment, Feelings, God, Hannah Arendt, Happiness, Howard Stern, Lauren Miller, Montana, Religion, sacrifice, Seth Rogen, Shackleton Expedition, The Biblewrestlingwithgodshow

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:22 — 26.0MB)

Reacting to why actor Seth Rogen says he and his wife don’t want kids, Father Len explains the relationship between making commitments, happiness, love, and having kids.

Support Wrestling with God Productions here: https://www.GiveSendGo.com/WWGProductions

Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom

“It’s not an easy haul having kids. You can’t be narcissistic. You have to give yourself over to parenting. Kids have got to be the priority.” – Howard Stern
God asks of us that our lives be life-giving.
Living life for yourself, free from commitments, is an immature definition of happiness.
Commitments lead to greater happiness. Lack of commitments lead to greater unhappiness.
You’ll never find yourself through your feelings and aspirations. What defines you is your commitments.
“Without being bound to the fulfillment of our promises, we would never be able to keep our identities; we would be condemned to wander helplessly and without direction in the darkness of each person’s lonely heart, caught in its contradictions and equivocations.”-Hannah Arendt
Being unable to settle on something means not being settled ever.
People willing to commit to marriage and having children almost always test out happier than those who don’t.
The world tells us self-fulfillment comes from being free of commitments. Truth says fulfillment comes after commitments.
People who avoid commitments and constantly pursue pleasure in pursuit of an easy life tend to end up bitter and unhappy.
Christ challenges us to not to choose the easy way, to make a sacrifice and give ourselves away.
Life is not supposed to be easy, but rather a great adventure.
Pursuing pleasure as happiness always ends up in unhappiness.
Each year since 1972, there has been a gradual decline in people’s overall happiness in the United States. This despite the average person spending 22% more on eating out and entertainment, living in homes that have doubled in size, having huge screen TVs, access to the Internet, and social media.
The moral question is not whether you should or should not have kids. The moral question is why you would not want to have children.
Religion challenges us to look at everything in life and decide what kind of life we want to have.
Once you fall in love, you can’t help but want to give yourself away. That’s what real love feels like.
God’s perpetual command is to make an offering of our lives, to give ourselves away.
Those who don’t know the power of commitment are yet to know what love is.
God is a trickster who tricks people into falling in love and willing to sacrifice everything for those they love.

We welcome your questions and comments:

Email: irish@wwgproductions.org
Text or voicemail: 208-391-3738

Links to Podcasts from Wrestling with God Productions

Wrestling with God Show: http://WWGShow.com
Life Lessons from Jesus and the Church He Founded: http://LifeLessonsfromJesus.org
A Priest’s Life: https://idahovocations.com/resources/video-podcasts/

Ep39 Commitment and Happiness

November 23, 2020UncategorizedBo Eason, Book of Ruth, Catholic Church, Commitment, Dan Gilbert, Happiness, Houston Oilers, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Marine Corps, Narcissism, San Francisco 49ers, Selfishness, Suffering, The Biblewrestlingwithgodshow

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:38 — 21.6MB)

Father Len explains the relationship between commitment and happiness.

Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom

Father Len shares the story of NFL football player Bo Eason and what he learned about commitment from fellow Pro Jerry Rice.
“There’s No Plan B for You’re A-Game” by Bo Eason
Commitment breeds commitment. Indifference breeds indifference.
There are two types of commitment: “even if” and “as long as.” Even if commitment never wavers even when there is trouble, hardship, sickness, sacrifice, and suffering. As long as commitment is always conditional on finding something easier and more pleasurable to do than keeping the commitment, like watching a favorite television show or going to a party.
Father Len shares a favorite “even if” commitment story from the Book of Ruth in the Bible.
Commitment leads simultaneously to suffering and happiness. Uncommitted people don’t suffer much pain, but surprisingly, it’s the committed people who are willing to suffer that end up happier.
TED Talk: “The Surprising Science of Happiness” by Dan Gilbert
Irish explains how commitment saved his marriage.
Father Len embarrassingly explains how watching the Oprah Winfrey show helped him understand why couples who live together before marriage have double the divorce rate of those who don’t.
“If you chase two rabbits… You will not catch either one.” – Russian proverb
People who are low on commitment are also low on control over their egos.
Bible symbolism: the number seven shows up frequently and is code for complete commitment.
Happiness and suffering go together.

Ep29 Winning, Gratitude, Happiness, and Jesus

September 24, 2020UncategorizedCatholic Church, God, Gratitude, Happiness, Jesus, Naomi Williams, St Ignatius, The Biblewrestlingwithgodshow

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:17 — 15.8MB)

Father Len explores the relationship between gratitude, happiness, and finding the presence of God in everyday life.

Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom

The custom of athletes and entertainers thanking Jesus after winning games and awards inspired this episode.
Father Len uses the ancient Jewish feast that celebrates the birthdays of trees to reveal the importance and value of gratitude.
Gratitude helps prevent narcissism and entitlement.
Gratitude helps us grow and mature as true human beings.
Gratitude makes us happy.
Gratitude improves our health.
Gratitude makes us more compassionate.
“It’s impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment.” – Naomi Williams
Father Len introduces “The Daily Examen” gratitude exercise created by St. Ignatius.