Jake Pearson  00:00

Are you trying to figure out the secret to happiness, we're here What Makes You Happy with Jake Pearson, we want to make that happiness more accessible for you in your life. So stick around as we interview everyday people, inspirational leaders and your favorite celebrities on what makes them happy.

Welcome back to the podcast where we ask the simple question, what makes you happy? 

My name is Jake Pearson and today we have with us a retired physician, Richard Ruhling from Arizona. Richard, pleasure to meet you. How are you?

Richard Ruhling  00:37

I'm fine. Thank you. Good to be with you.

Jake Pearson  00:39

Oh, I'm sorry that our time zones are a bit stretched. It's currently about what? 8 PM did you say?

Richard Ruhling  00:46

Yes. 8: 50.

Jake Pearson  00:47

And it's 2 PM here on the other side of the world down here in Australia. But look, I love that the internet has brought us together to talk about what makes you happy. Could you share a little bit more about that for us?

Richard Ruhling  00:58

I like Earl Nightingale’s definition of success that is a progressive realisation of a worthy goal and if I'm making progress toward a worthy goal, I think basically I'm OK. It's—Things-- Tonight, the internet went out, I felt stressed because I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to talk on these interviews but I see, as a physician, an object lesson in physical health, it is really not the medical care that makes us healthy. It is our observance of health habits and there if we are in harmony with healthy laws, the laws of our body, we can have health, OK. 

The same is true for other dimensions. Just like there is physical health, there is mental health, which happiness is a function of that maybe and so, if a person observes the laws of-- Maybe rules of relationships. If you break those rules, if, for example, in marriage, you try-- I think it's not 50-50, it’s 100-100.

You got to give a 100% or there may be problems sometimes. So, that's an example of-- I think the 10 commandments, as an example, if we honor our father and mother, iff we don't kill or hate people, if we are faithful in a marriage type of thing to their spouse. All these things, people who lie, cheat and steal, they're not really happy people and I think that that's my perspective, that there are moral laws. If I steal or lie, I'm going to be trapped at some point. 

I think basically, it's those laws and then there are spiritual laws that give destiny. If we honor our maker, I think we have a destiny that's better than if we want to do our own thing and who cares, you know, type of thing. 

That's my perspective on happiness. Basically, physically, healthy, happy, good destiny. All of those put together in a short wrap up. I think feelings are betray us sometimes because like, an old fashioned train has an engine called current Caboose. We don't have coal cars. Now we have diesel engines, but you're used to-- The engine pulled the train, and the coal car was the idea of fuel. It wasn't in the right ideas. OK, a caboose represents feeling and you may not you may not always have a caboose on the train. If just like my internet went out, and I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to talk with you, I may be stressed and not feeling the greatest but in the overall, I think feelings are not so important as what the facts are, and doing the best we can with those facts. You have to make tough decisions sometimes.

Jake Pearson  04:03

Wonderfully said, Richard and what would you say to our listeners who are searching for a little bit of happiness in their life? What would your advice be for them if you could sum it up?

Richard Ruhling  04:15

Well, I believe that doing our best and the work that lies nearest committing ourselves to right principles as best we understand it to God as we believe in him. I believe that he can work through that and we can come to a good end on a daily basis even and so I would say that's my perspective of progress on a daily basis but towards goals that I think, honor and serve our fellow man. First, our rewards in life or proportion to our service, I think, and we feel better if we're giving and rather than just trying to get, etc.

Jake Pearson  04:55

Yes, helping other people and putting yourself in a position to make others lives just that little bit better has been something that has helped me along in my journey as well working with people.  

Richard, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and sharing all things that make you happy. 

Richard Ruhling  05:12

Thank you for the opportunity of being with you.

Jake Pearson  05:14

No, my absolute pleasure and if you'd love to connect with Richard and learn more about his book Mega Quake, you can do so by clicking the episode link in the description below. There'll be a link there so you can go check that out on Amazon, which will be fantastic. 

Richard, it's been an absolute pleasure to hear your perspective and what makes you happy. 

Thanks for listening to the podcast. We hope it gives you something to think about on your quest to discover what makes you happy. Make sure to check out whatmakesyouhappypodcast.com to connect with today's guest and follow us on all our social media platforms, and to stay up to date on what's happening next and what makes you happy. Don't forget to share this episode with a friend and we'll see you next time.