Chapter 46

What Is The Nice Life?

As I was making my transition from the radio industry, back into the “real world,” it was a lengthy process.  Everybody in Alabama knew me as “Nick Nice,” so I continued to hang on to that name for about a year.  Since my first book was published just a couple months after I left the radio business, I put the name Nick Nice on the cover—thinking more people would identify with it.
                My first book was titled Have A Nice Life: My Book For Your Life, so I wanted to find a way to include the “Nice Life” aspect throughout my transition back into Brandon Merhout.  It was a way of honoring the wisdom I gained through my Nick Nice phase, while letting go of the Nick Nice alias.
                Dictionary.com defines nice as:  pleasing; agreeable; delightful.  Another definition describes is as:  characterized by, showing or requiring great accuracy, precision, skill, tact, care or delicacy.
                By definition, The Nice Life is a life that’s pleasing, agreeable, or delightful—characterized by showing great accuracy, precision, skill, tact, care and delicacy in all of your actions.
                However, when describing The Nice Life, I’d like to also include what it creates for the practitioner:  consistent joy, peace of mind, and inner strength.
                No matter what vehicle people use (alcohol, drugs, sex, relationships, career), they’re all looking for consistent joy, peace of mind, and inner strength.  There may be fluctuations regarding which of the three is most important at a particular life phase, but overall, it’s what every human being is innately striving for.
                Here’s the million-dollar question:  How do I create The Nice Life?
                The answer is simple:  Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
                In John 16:13, it reads, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on his own, he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
                Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit means you choose the highest thought in every situation.  As cliche as it sounds, you should ask yourself, What would Jesus do in this situation?  I prefer to make it more personal, asking instead, What would the Christ Mind do in this situation?  I know the Christ Mind lives in all of us, so let me tap into that frequency (and power) right now.
                Galatians 5:22 - 23 teaches us about the fruit of the Spirit:  “But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control ...”  In other words, if you follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you’ll produce the “fruit” listed above.  Life is a never-ending-process of planting seeds and reaping harvests.
                Every action you take is a seed you’re planting; it’s really that simple.  If you want to reap a delicious harvest, you need to plant delicious seeds.  A “Red Delicious” apple tree isn’t going to grow in soil that’s been sprinkled with lemon seeds.
                When cultivating The Nice Life, it’s important to disconnect from the attachments of the ego.  Following the guidance of the ego leads to inner destruction.  Selfish ambition leads to inner disease.  Your body will never be “at ease” if you continually ignore the needs of others, while in pursuit of your own agenda.  We’re all “cells” in the body of humanity, and an attack on another cell causes destruction in the body.  When you attack another cell, you’re really attacking yourself.  As you sow, so shall you reap.
                Another ego attachment that disconnects one from experiencing The Nice Life is attachment to material things, or the “things of the world.”  Most humans use material things as “temporary soul-fillers.”  In an attempt to fill the love, joy, or peace void within, they substitute artificial ingredients.  These temporary fixes never satisfy.
                Jesus helps us understand this principle in Matthew 19:24, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  I believe he was trying to express the following:  If you want to experience the Kingdom of God (consistent joy, peace of mind, and inner strength), you need to release your attachment to the artificial substitutes.  Artificial substitutes will never satisfy your soul’s innate cravings.  Attachment to riches will keep you attached to your ego, which will cause you to make decisions based on your “image.”  Your image is just an illusion.  Attachment to your image will decrease your levels of compassion and empathy; it will keep you disconnected from your fellow man.  Attachment to the “things of the world” will keep you disconnected from Spirit (and the fruit of the Spirit), which is the Kingdom of God.
                Following the guidance of the ego will keep you “caught in the Matrix.”  You’ll continue to be a hamster on the wheel—running tirelessly to nowhere.  Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit will lead you to the creation of The Nice Life, which will satisfy your soul’s innate desires.  You’ll experience the Kingdom of God.
                None of the worldly distractions can compare with that.
                My Truth says ... creating The Nice Life is simple.  Stay connected to the Holy Spirit.  Just shine your light.  It’s why you’re here.  When you fulfill that purpose—you’ll be fulfilled.  :]

                What does Your Truth say?