The Happiest Man in America
Speaker, Author, and training consultant
INTRODUCING
James Paul Godsey
James Paul Godsey (J.P. “Gus” Godsey) was selected as “The Happiest Man in America” by USA Weekend magazine in March 2003. USA Weekend was attempting to find the happiest man in America and found that Virginia Beach, VA, was picked as the best place to live in America.
They went there and did countless interviews and surveys. Eventually, tests were administered by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., nationally acclaimed happiness expert and author of Authentic Happiness.
Godsey scored in the top percentile of the 70,000-plus people worldwide who have taken the tests. In fact, “Dr. Marty” was so astounded by Godsey’s scores he made him take the tests three times.
Easter came and went like a flash. Big Easter egg hunts that are really not hunts anymore, but are basically kids running out on a grass field and picking up eggs in plain sight. One held at Mom’s retirement home and another at church. There were over 1,500 eggs at Westminster-Canterbury alone. My eight year old granddaughter Mia could not keep all the eggs in her basket. She started handing them off to me to stuff in my pockets. Like Tom Brady in the Super Bowl even chastising me when I fumbled. They were big fun, but really a bit over the top. I mean she collected 125 eggs between the two hunts!!! Seriously?
My March class at the Adult Learning Center “How To Be Happy EVERY DAY,” was just a pleasure to teach. Everyone was engaged, enthusiastic and great participants. They were a nice group that I thoroughly enjoyed. Here is a class picture with most of the group. Future soap opera stars all of them.
Why don’t you come join us for our next class, May 13,2026, 6:30-8:30PM? Money back guarantee if you are not absolutely satisfied. The classes are really fun and I promise you will pick up a dozen tried and true ways to get more joy out of life starting TODAY. Info is available https://adultlearning.vbschools.com
We have a vicious political battle here in Virginia over redistricting. I will not get political but I can say it seems grossly unfair to me. We have a system in place now with 6 democrat and 5 republican congressional districts. We are a pretty evenly balanced state so this seems fair and we voted on this in 2020. In 2020, 65% of voting Virginians passed a constitutional amendment on the ballot to establish a bipartisan commission that would redraw Virginia’s election maps. The new proposal wants to give the democrats 10 seats and the republicans only 1. How is that fair. Texas did it and it was wrong, but two wrongs don’t make a right. I am voting NO. Just my two cents worth.
As always, “peace on earth good will to men”.
Til’ then,
Gus
rolling happisms
"Happisms taken from “How To Be Happy EVERY DAY”
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BOOKS by j.p. "gus" godsey
HOW TO BE
HAPPY EVERY DAY
This is J. P. Godsey’s first book and offers daily insights as to how to make each day the best it can be. This is sure to be an upbeat, humorous, and enthusiastic offering of “Gus’s” quotes and philosophy on making EVERY DAY count. This book has been RE-RELEASED effective January 1, 2008. Yep, it has new Happyisms, new pictures, and new “stuff” to keep you happy for years to come. On the top of this website’s home page are examples of Happyisms from the book. They are daily affirmations of things we can all do to make our lives more fulfilled, and yes…happier.
HOW TO BE
Be Happy In HARD TIMES
This book is packed with helpful advice on how to survive these hard times with a smile. Gus grabs the bull by the horns and rips through a tough environment like a steak knife through hot butter. This book follows his first bestselling book, “How To Be Happy EVERY DAY”. It covers, in plain English, tips on how to get more out of life this minute. Check out the table of contents. Take a spin on the foreword written by Dennis McCafferty, of USA Weekend Magazine, who selected J.P. “Gus” Godsey as “The Happiest Man in America” back in 2003. He knows more than anyone how Gus’s grasp of the simple, turns hard times into happy ones. This 13-chapter book is a quick read, but still offers stories that make your jaw drop from disbelief, your belly ache from laughing, and your mind race as to how you can implement these helpful tips into your life. Read the Preface, Table of Contents, and Foreword.
BOOKS BY AUTHOR
J.P. "Gus" Godsey
Meet Buttercup, a sweetie-pie flying squirrel; Buckshot, a big buck deer; Scooter, a blue-skinned lizard; and Dipper, a timid possum: Four unlikely friends who find themselves on one crazy adventure!
A typical day at the park starts out with a friendly game of dodge ball but quickly turns into something none of them bargained for. With one quick snap of his jaw, Skeeter the fox swipes Scooter’s tail---and
Scooter is determined to get it back! With this gang, it’s all for one and one for all, so the friends enter the forest together, hot on Skeeter’s trail. . . Little do they know the dangers that await them there. One thing’s for sure: A sly fox, a grumpy bear, a no-nonsense porcupine and a very hungry snake turn this ordinary afternoon into a day these four friends will never forget! A bonus is there is a underlining strong anti-bulling message that is so needed today.
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TV Appearances AND VIDEOS
J.P. "Gus" Godsey Has appeared on nationally syndicated shows such as Good Morning America, The Daily Show with John Stewart, and CNBC Power Lunch.
INSPIRING MOTIVATIONAL
SPEAKER AND COACH
Godsey is a master at providing insightful, humorous, and thought-provoking motivational speaking programs. He offers insights on how to make each day the best it can be and provides his personal philosophy on making every day count.
He also explores navigating and surviving life's trying times with a smile. Godsey's coined term, "happyisms", are daily affirmations of things we can all do to make our lives more fulfilled, and he shares these tips with his captivated audiences. To book a motivational speaking session from Mr. Happy USA himself, get in touch today!
MORE ABOUT J.P. "GUS" GODSEY
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
High School: At Buckhannon Upshur High School, he began a 13-year career in wrestling and played football and baseball. He also developed acting skills, appearing in several class plays.
College: At West Virginia Wesleyan College, he received a bachelor of science in business management and economics. He was class president and president of his fraternity, Theta Chi. He was also involved in several athletic programs, college activities, and clubs, all while working 40 hours a week.
Post-college education: Godsey received extensive securities degrees in management, securities trading, commodities, insurance, and a certified senior advisor designation.
MORE ABOUT J.P. "GUS" GODSEY
OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY
Godsey’s first job was shoveling sidewalks in Lancaster, PA, when he was seven years old. This led to a successful yard-mowing and paper route in New Mexico. Junior High involved a job at a food processing plant in Indianapolis. In Buckhannon, he worked his way through high school and college as a yard boy, maintenance man, maid, night watchman, and bartender/bouncer.
He graduated and accepted his first professional job as the initial manager of the newly opened 2001/VIP nightclub in rapidly expanding Myrtle Beach, SC. This was the “spot to be” and was packed night after night in the disco heyday. He left after two years to go back home and accepted a job as the campaign manager for his former boss and father figure, J.D. Hinkle, who was running for Congress. He left this and worked for two years as a sales/public relations representative for the Washington Federals of the United States Football League.
After getting married, he moved to Norfolk/Virginia Beach and began a 25-year career as a successful stockbroker with three different firms. After hosting several weekly shows for 20 years, he left the brokerage business to begin a career as a radio talk show host for WHKT “Freedom 1650” AM, heard 3-6 p.m. EST and streaming on his website. He left the radio business on December 31, 2010, to accept a job as a training consultant for a technology training firm.
