"Like computer programs, we can be misconfigured and need to re-program our subconscious minds. " Evelyn Cole

Happiness is a subjective state, a temporary one by necessity. We can't know we are happy if we don't know other contrasting emotional states. But as we let go of unhappy feelings, we make room for happiness.

The January 17, 2005 issue of Time Magazine covers the "Science of Happiness" in great detail. It cites several academic studies throughout the world. Though fascinating, I found it strange that such exhaustive coverage has only one oblique reference to the subconscious mind. In their article on spectator sports and passion for home teams, "subliminal" jumped into my lap.

The complete absence of current research that shows the effect of the subconscious mind on happiness reflects, I suspect, a fear of it. However, I doubt that Time Magazine editors would agree with me.

Since this is an essay and not scientific literature, I urge you to find the legitimate research. Simply Google keywords such as "the subconscious mind".

What is often called "the other 90% to 98% of your brain" functions in a significantly different way from your conscious brain. Your subconscious sees pictures, not words. It does not recognize negative commands from your conscious frontal lobes.

This why thinking consciously about what you DO NOT WANT will bring that particular thing to you.

If you do not want to fall over the edge of the Grand Canyon, you will feel great fear when you approach the edge because your unconscious "sees" you falling.

If you don't want to lose your job, your home, or your spouse, what your subconscious mind pictures most often will happen eventually.

If you want success in any endeavor, imagine it. Do NOT picture possible mistakes. You can consider possible mistakes with your conscious mind in order to avoid them. But do NOT picture them repeatedly.

Repetition sells. You may hate a television ad because you have seen it too many times. It plays often because repetition works. Be careful what pictures you repeat in your thoughts.

My daughter, Margie, is a river guide. She has taken many trips over the rapids in the King River, California. On one trip her guest said she was deathly afraid of snakes and asked if there were any on the river.

Margie reassured her. "I have ridden this stretch of the river many times for five or six years. Believe me, I have never seen a snake."

Appeased, the woman settled into the raft. As they headed downstream, a snake appeared near the boat, amazing my daughter.

It did not amaze me.

So, you see, our beliefs, our mental pictures, create our reality. The outer world is a reproduction of the inner world. In our pursuit of happiness we make the mistake of looking outside instead of inside.

The subconscious mind is the prover. Its job is to prove that what you believe and "see" is correct. If you believe you are a failure at business, you will fail. That's precisely why I failed at specific endeavors (accounting) and succeeded at others (teaching)

If you believe you are good at ice skating, you won't fall. If you believe you inherited a physical weakness that causes you to be sick often, you will be, regularly.

Can you remember a time when you imagined something happening, either good or bad, and, by golly, it came to pass? Before I met John I used to daydream about getting married in Fiji. That didn't happen, but I did marry John and he took me to Fiji twice afterwards.

So, be very careful what you picture in your mind.

Delete all pictures of events you don't want and then create pictures of your greatest happiness.

Besides Brainsweep, here are three more excellent ways to do just that:

1. Centerpointe

2. Sedona

3. Effort-Free Life