Got Happiness?

Investigation into the relationship between mind and melody indicates that listening to and playing music actually alters how our brains (and therefore, our bodies) function! Consider the results of an experiment in which researchers from the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, Pa., tracked 111 cancer patients who played drums for 30 minutes a day. They found strengthened immune systems and increased levels of cancer-fighting cells in many of the patients. In another study, researcher Michael Thaut and his team detailed how victims of stroke, cerebral palsy and Parkinson's disease who worked to music took bigger and more balanced strides than those whose therapy had no accompaniment.

While countless research studies look at music’s positive effects on health, immunity, learning, creativity, healing, and brain-function, it doesn’t take a scientist to tell you that music can make you happy.

Music is a universal language and communicates directly with the emotions. The lyrics of a song have the power to uplift, inspire, puts things into perspective, give courage, and bring joy. A song can get you going with a catchy, infectious beat, or relax you with calming melodies. Music resonates with your deepest internal sense of being, working gently and naturally to restore your spirit.

In today’s highly advanced technological world of iPods, iPhones, and internet radio, music is almost always at your fingertips. Make a special playlist with your favorite good-mood songs, and get to rockin’!


Read more about the amazing power of music at http://musicandhappiness.com/

A little slice of nature sitting on your desk or dresser provides a daily dose of happiness.

Researchers at the University of Nevada recently confirmed that caring for houseplants can reduce stress and increase life-satisfaction. They invited a group of individuals to four interactive agriculture classes, then sent a plant home with each attendee. Interviews at the end of the study showed that the participants felt an expanded sense of peace in their lives, and better health, after raising their potted pals. In addition, the photosynthetic nature of plants improves air quality. A pretty sweet deal, altogether!

Whether you adopt a plant in your neighborhood or nurture a new one from seed, a green, growing thing is positive and life-affirming. The simple act of watering, trimming, and admiring a plant generates well-being. For best results, give your plant a name (such as George or Tubby), and sing to it on a daily basis.

If you’ve never taken responsibility for another living creature, start with a spider plant, rubber plant, or snake plant. Though the names may be daunting, these beauties will grace your space (and they are death-resistant).


Learn more at http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Beginners-Guide-to-Houseplants

Much happiness and well-being comes of basic self-care.

A very observant individual once said, “A person needs seven hours of sleep. No more, no less.”
Real life is not an exact science; sometimes that magic number seven does vary, more or less. But keep it in the foreground of your fundamental functioning. Without adequate energy to operate effectively, a sleep-deprived person tends to be more restless, irritable, and impulsive. The body and mind are generally weakened, and more prone to physical sickness and/or depression. Sleep deprivation decreases motivation, concentration, attention, and coherent reasoning. It decreases memory, self-control, and speed of thinking while increasing the frequency of mistakes and stubbed toes. Why torture yourself?


Ever on the go, we grow accustomed to operating on minimal Zzzz’s. However, given its wide-reaching impact on health and happiness, satisfaction and success, it’s worth making sleep sacred. Here are some ideas for getting a better night’s rest:


• Give yourself a bedtime, and be ready for bed well before then.
• Make your room dark and turn everything off.
• Stretch.
• Have a journal near your bed. If your mind is full, empty it out. If you are thinking about what you need to do the next day, make a quick list of what you need to remember.
• Tidy up your bedroom. Clutter is not relaxing.
• Get enough exercise. Studies have shown that people who get their hearts pumping during the day sleep better at night.
• Avoid stimulation right before bedtime. This includes coffee, Facebooking or eating a bowl of sweetened cereal.


Study the sleep facts at http://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why.aspx

We human beings are commonly called “creatures of habit.” As such, our daily lives are defined by routine. For the most part we try to establish patterns that serve our overall goals and aspirations: going to work or school every day, cleaning house, staying healthy. These rhythms are very useful for providing continuity to what might otherwise become tedious. But even our means of play and relaxation become habitual, and lose their luster after awhile. In order to sustain long-term productivity, we must diversify!

Studies show that there is a relationship between happiness and trying new things. "When you're happy, known things, familiar things lose their appeal. Novelty, on the other hand, becomes more attractive," says Piotr Winkielman, psychology professor at UCSD.

Next time you have a free afternoon, instead of reaching for your usual form of entertainment (movies, shopping, hanging out), go for something new and unusual.

• Build a sandcastle.
• Make a bird feeder.
• Paint an item of furniture in your house.
• Plan a public exhibition.

Get out of the box and off the beaten track. Have an adventure! It will prove more refreshing than anything your body/mind is already accustomed to, and fuel your creativity.

For thousands of ideas, visit: http://www.discoverfun.com/

Sometimes the best way to get happiness is to give it.

When you help others you are actually helping yourself too…it all depends on the frame of mind with which you perform the task. When you give of yourself without expectations of return, you expand in your ability to receive. It’s a win-win situation.

Some people believe that if you give, then you have less. Don’t be fooled by this fear-based thinking. Reasearch shows that people who consistently help and serve others enjoy better mental health, higher self-esteem, and lower stress. In addition, you’ll cultivate positive connections and interactions—making the world go around more easily.

Happily, the opportunities to give are endless. Pick up some trash, offer a kind word to a neighbor, pay for somebody’s meal, help move or carry a load, do some volunteer work, or just smile. As Flora Edwards says, “In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.”

The next time you want to fill your heart, lend a hand!



Read more at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/do-the-right-thing/200911/helping-others

What you see is what you get. Apply quality of concentration control! Focus on what you want to achieve, and don’t allow yourself to be distracted by self-criticism, negative judgment, or over-analysis.

Example A
You have a busy week ahead of you. Generally speaking, you choose between two modes of approach:
1.) Panic. Anticipate high-stress levels, exhaustion, and many complications.
2.) Prepare. Feel confident that you will manage your time wisely, keep a positive attitude, and be successful.

Example B
You deeply desire to eat healthy food and get enough exercise. However, it seems that life is conspiring against you—free donuts at work, dinner with the folks at an Italian restaurant, and not enough hours in the day to squeeze a trip to the gym on top of everything else. Besides, you’re too pooped.
1.) Put yourself down. Feel fat, lazy, and disappointed. (Ironically, negative emotions tend to encourage junk food and sitting around.)
2.) Pick yourself up. Visualize yourself as strong, healthy, and happy. You can always create opportunities for both nutrition and exercise, and tomorrow is a new day!

Spend your self/energy wisely; what you pay attention to will become your reality. Never underestimate the creative power of thought!



Read more about the power of positive thinking: http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm

Every day has its moments, for better or worse!

Stress is a natural by-product of our unnaturally fast pace of living. Be gentle with yourself. Understanding the sources of your stress, as well as your most effective responses, is key to maintaining a balance of happiness in your life.

When the going gets hairy, instead of “turning off” by reaching for a bag of chips, turning on the television, or surfing the internet, do something useful! Straighten your laundry. Do the dishes. Go for a walk. De-clutter your work area. Stretch. Call a friend. At the very least, you can look back and feel like giving yourself a high-five.


Read more at http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Need to get away? Looking for a relaxing vacation? Go through the great out doors—the universal exit. No need to spend hundreds of dollars on an airplane ticket, or even a cent on gas. There is nature all under you, above you, all around and within you.

Nature has great spirit and creative energy, and it constantly heals and purifies itself. Sadly, many of us are out-of-tune with nature, spending most of our time indoors and hooked up to one distraction or another. The excessively stress-filled, polluted, physically and emotionally sick "normal" society we live in shows that our mentality has learned to overlook its inborn ability to sense and appreciate nature's gifts.

Walk, run, sit, read, or talk outside in the open air. It’s more than just the physical activity that gets your cells to singing. Fresh air and sunshine, both provided by the universe free of charge, are powerful therapies!

Also: find a private place, somewhere out there in the arms of Mother Nature, and make it your sanctuary, whether it is under a certain tree or at a beach or park somewhere. Go to it in times of trouble. Sit in contemplation, perhaps with a pen and paper.

"Nature is doing her best each moment to make us well."
- Henry David Thoreau



Fresh Air and Sunshine: understand the physiological details: http://11thhouraction.com/node/992

Gratitude is a tool, a key, an opener.
It opens your heart and mind to receive the positive.
The universe contains all the beauty, love, and joy you could ever hold—so empty your hands.
Put down any patterns of behavior or conditioned thinking that disconnect you from appreciating life.

The first post of this series discussed the benefits of gratitude in making your world a happier place. Your homework was to start a special gratitude journal…time to check in!

To keep the power of gratitude working in your life:

The 5-A-Day.
A list of 5 things you are thankful for. It’s okay if they are the same every day, although as you get into it, you will discover more and more to be thankful for. What matters is that you take the time on a daily basis (and it isn’t much—very affordable), to acknowlege, by hand, that which has made you smile, that which you are glad to have, those whom you are glad to know, etc. Keep it easy and clear. Don’t over-think it. The key is that you are able to FEEL it; take the moment to acknowledge the good. And as the words sit on the page, they fester. They fester and marinate and empower your world.

You can take this simple daily exercise one step further. Once a week, on your least favorite day (Monday?), after you list 5 things you are thankful for, take another few minutes to write about what you want to create, see, feel, know, and experience in your life to come. Write your dreams, ideas, goals, intentions, prayers, questions, and comments. Again, these can be repetitive from week to week; the point is that you are keeping them fresh, fed and watered.

Do this in remembrance of who you are, who you have been, and who you will be. Watch what happens!


See what The Happy Guy has to say about tracking thanksgiving: http://www.thehappyguy.com/articles/gratitude-journal.html

Stop and smell the roses, they say…

…they’re right. As Martin Seligmann, Positive Psychologist, says, “One of the most powerful ways to increase happiness in the present is to savor more.”

Savoring is defined as attending to, appreciating, and enhancing positive experience (Bryant & Veroff). It only takes a moment to appreciate a positive experience—and this deliberate attention to the details of life can dramatically affect your bottom line.

Not only can you savor a moment as it occurs, but you can anticipate a positive event before it happens (Dinner smells amazing!), and you can reminisce about a positive event that has already occurred (That was the best concert ever!).

The key to a savory experience? Slow down. Take it in. And while you’re at it, enjoy, appreciate, regard, delight in, feel, partake, relish, sip, smell, taste, admire, groove on, applaud, be pleased, apprise, cherish, esteem, revel in, extol, honor, like, praise, get a kick out of, respect, feast on, treasure, glorify, hold dear, take comfort, adore, prize, be content, cherish, dig, luxuriate in, love, marvel, and bask.

The little things count, in fact, they are quite numerous throughout each day!



For more about slowing down and savoring the moment, here’s an article from Positive Psychology News: http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/miriam-ufberg/2007012961

Ever felt the comfort of a warm hand on your shoulder when you’re struggling? Evidence shows that even momentary touches can communicate emotion or change mood and behavior, sometimes more effectively than words!

“It is the first language we learn,” said Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the UC Berkeley, and the author of “Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” (Norton, 2009), and remains “our richest means of emotional expression.” The human touch helps set off the release of oxytocin, a hormone that creates a sensation of trust and well-being, and reduces levels of stress.

A quick hug, fist pound, high five or belly bump goes a long way toward brightening your day!

"If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Wherever you are -- if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time." -Joseph Campbell

One of the most important steps to creating happiness? Know what makes you happy. This seems obvious, and yet, with all the distractions of day to day life, we often forget to plug into this simple source of energy.

Whether it’s listening to or making music, painting, writing, dancing, singing, surfing, gardening, cooking, reading, knitting, playing, helping, hugging, hiking, or something you have yet to discover—do it. Cultivate the activities and endeavors that bring you a sense of inner peace and stillness, put wind in your sails, and fill you with joy.

Continued explorations into the paradox of choice, based on Positive Psychology in Practice (P Linley & S Joseph 2004).

Social Comparison: Keeping up with Jones

We have seen how the quest for the next best thing keeps happiness at arm’s length. If an individual creates a dynamic of dissatisfaction by constantly seeking out a better alternative, one of the ways in which this plays out is through social comparison: That person has more money, is better looking, has a better position, etc. Or, I have more money than that person, am better looking, have a better position, etc.

If your happiness depends on the performance of others, it isn’t yours. It is an illusion that exists at the mercy of something outside of your control.

There is always somebody with more of this and less of that. For happiness that is genuine and lasting, cultivate attention and appreciation for yourself!

Continued explorations into the paradox of choice, based on Positive Psychology in Practice (P Linley & S Joseph 2004).

Great Expectations

We established that the ability to adapt quickly to change is a two-sided coin: one that sometimes leaves us on our tails. Another double-edged tool in our box is The Mind.

The Mind is a great analytical machine. And, like adaptibility, this thinking machine works both for and against us. Instead of taking an experience at face value, where it can be readily appreciated for what it is, the mind likes to tinker around and break it down into disconnected fragments:

THE EXPERIENCE vs.
· what you hoped it would be
· what you expected it to be
· what you experienced in the past
· what others have experienced

Expectations stand in the way of direct experience; this applies to the direct experience of happiness.

When the rising quality of experience is met with rising expectations, you find yourself running in place (Satisfaction Treadmill). You adjust, expecting a certain level of pleasure—until it no longer registers as such.

Assessment of well-being is often done relative to expectations of some sort. Be aware of yours. If expectations are unreasonably high, then good decisions, good experiences, and even good lives will feel as though they fall short.

The Mind requires supervision, and patience. Each day is unique, and each experience once-in-a-lifetime. Keep your expectations positive and flexible. There is great happiness in taking what comes and allowing it to be, well... whole.

Happy Guy David Leonhardt explores his own expectations at http://www.thehappyguy.com/expectations-and-happiness.html

Continued explorations into the paradox of choice, based on Positive Psychology in Practice (P Linley & S Joseph 2004).


In Pursuit of Happiness

As humans, one of our key selling points is an amazing ability to adapt to change. Like many talents, however, it has the potential to work both for and against us.

We are like walking hedonic “thermometers:” when something feels good our pleasure “temperature” rises, and when something feels bad our pleasure “temperature” drops. As in any climate, repeated exposure results in adaptation (Frederick & Loewenstein, 1999).

The SatisfactionTreadmill

Although this adaptation to pleasure is almost universal, the drop in “temperature” still catches us by surprise—and so, we go looking for another high. The Satisfaction Treadmill, coined by Daniel Kahneman, has us constantly running toward that next pleasurable thing, which, once adjusted to, loses its luster.

Let’s say you work your tail off, save and save, and finally buy your dream house. Your pleasure “temperature” shoots through the roof. After awhile however, you acclimate. ..and now you’re onto your dream car, your dream vacation, your dream re-model, etc.

To slow your roll:
-Make choices that support long-term satisfaction rather than immediate gratification.
-APPLY GRATITUDE DAILY. (Gratitude and appreciation keep you warm!)


Read it from the man himself—Daniel Kahneman on pleasure and pain:
http://pages.towson.edu/jpomy/behavioralecon/KahnemanEUOH.pdf

Positive Psychology in Practice (Linley & Joseph 2004) puts forth a fascinating perspective into the process of choice-making and its effect on happiness.
Since we’re constantly making choices, big and small, it is well-worth examining this study in greater depth over the next few weeks.


Satisficing vs. Maximizing

When it comes down to decisions, folks generally fall into one of two categories:

· Maximizers seek optimization and go to great lengths to find the best possible option.
· Satisficers content themselves with the option that satisfactorily meets their criteria.

1,700 people participated in the survey, and the verdict is in: Satisficers are happier, more optimistic, less likely to compare themselves to others, and enjoy greater overall contentment in life! They don’t spend countless amounts of energy and brain-power chasing down a percieved “best possible option,” and their needs are still being met. Of course, effective satisficing requires a clear and balanced understanding of needs (never settle for less than you deserve!).

The Maximizer’s Dilemma

Highly toxic to happiness is regret. Every choice we make comes at the expense of a choice we don’t, and, in a world of a many choices, Maximizers set themselves up.

Although it is the Maximizers’ worst fear, regret is a natural by-product of a Maximizing mind. When making large purchases, for example, Maximizers will often suffer from Buyer’s Remorse: the notion that rejected alternatives were actually better than what was chosen. Nastier still, Maximizers can suffer from anticipated regret, preventing or forestalling their decision entirely. Maximizers are very good at imagining a better alternative in any scenario, thus keeping happiness and satisfaction at arm’s length.


An Economic Theory of Happiness :
Accept and appreciate the good that comes, rather than rejecting it to pursue something better.


Stay tuned for next week’s edition, as we continue to explore the psychology of satisfaction!

Have you ever been hurrying along, when out of the blue some one mentions that you are wearing awesome shoes? It’s a little drop in the bucket of happiness, a token of appreciation that pays your way forward. And you don’t have to wait for it—an unexpected, sincere compliment can brighten the mood of both the receiver and the giver!

Positive Psychology demonstrates the importance of noticing the good. Take it another step further and say something about it! You are surrounded by beauty and achievement everyday…so the next time something special catches your eye, open your mouth and share the love.

Remember:
1. Be specific. Giving specific praise shows that you really notice what the other person is doing well.
2. Be honest. When you’re complimenting, sincerity gives your words weight and significance. Mean what you say.
3. Praise the everyday as well as the exceptional. Folks expect praise for great things, but forget to appreciate the ordinary details and daily tasks well-done. Sometimes these reminders are the most helpful!

“I can live for two months on a good compliment.” -Mark Twain


Read more about positive experiences and good feelings at http://www.futurehealth.org/PositivePerception.htm

Its 3:30 and you’re dragging. But before you start complaining, have a snack! A nice tasty morsel will boost your mood and your energy.

Snacks can be a great source of vitamins, minerals and "good" fats—an excellent way to get five-a-day!

Grab a baggie. Sliced apples (dip in orange juice or Sprite to prevent them from turning yucky brown), baby carrots, nuts, cereal, raisins, chips (go for the healthy variety: baked or whole grain), granola bars, celery, even chocolate in moderation (yes!) can be carried along with you, making nutrition fast and affordable.

Life is busy between classes, meetings, and other obligations. Fueling the body with healthy snacks will help keep your productivity levels high!


Read the research at http://www.snacksense.com

We all have strengths and weaknesses. While the ‘negativity bias’ wired into our evolution (see last post) might highlight the weaknesses, Positive Psychology recognizes the role of nurturing our strengths.

When you know what you bring to the table, the meal has more flavor. Do you love to learn? Are you kind? Appreciative? Persistent? Funny?

Go into the New Year with a clear understanding of your potential! Know your strengths and flex them in new and creative ways to boost your happiness. Focusing on and developing your strengths will naturally create a successful, satisfied frame of mind, guide your endeavors, and help you navigate challenges.

Researchers have created an online questionnaire that determines “Signature Strengths.” Registration is free, along with an assessment of your top five strengths after you take the test. The entire process won’t take more than thirty minutes of your time, and the results are worth it.

http://www.viacharacter.org/VIASurvey/tabid/55/Default.aspx

While you’re at it, take a short survey (no registration required) at the UCSD Wellness site to gain a sense of your overall balance. Then use your strengths to enhance your wellness! http://wellness.ucsd.edu/survey/index.php

As evolution would have it, we humans are wired in such a way that negative events leave a stronger impression than positive ones.

For example, studies have found that:

-Having a good day does not have any noticeable effect on a person’s well-being the following day, whereas a bad day carries over and influences the next day.

-The self is more motivated to avoid bad definitions than to pursue good definitions.

-Painful experiences are more memorable than pleasurable ones.

Do you find that your mind gravitates most readily to what’s bothering you than to what’s making you happy? Do you think more about what you don’t want, don’t like, and didn’t do? Since the bad stuff carries more mental weight, it’s unsurprising that we are easily tipped in this direction.

If bad news sits heavier in the brain, how can we balance the scale in favor of good?
By taking in more of it.

When you notice something good, instead of brushing it off or taking it for granted, sit and soak in it for awhile. If lunch is delicious or a movie is hilarious, bask in the glow. Congratulate yourself for every completed task, celebrate that which goes well, and appreciate positive energy in people around you. It only takes a moment to make a good impression.

Every day offers a myriad of treats for the taking. Re-condition yourself to really digest and absorb the positive moments, and you will find them ever more plentiful.

Read the research on our “negativity bias” at http://www.carlsonschool.umn.edu/Assets/71516.pdf

Researchers for Time magazine took a closer look at “what makes the human heart sing.”

It turns out that money, education, youth, and sunshine have less impact on happiness than a solid relationship with close friends and family.

We are social creatures; even if our material lives are full, our hearts can be empty!

Although certain members of the family may drive you a bit nuts, and your best friend keeps farting in the car, remember that the people who answer the phone when you call and show up to celebrate your birthday are an amazing emotional resource. Psychologist Edward Diener, a.k.a. Dr Happiness, says, “It is important to work on social skills, close interpersonal ties and social support in order to be happy.”

Whereas money spends and youth fades no matter how tightly you cling, friends and family remain as close as you keep them.

Consider your three closest relationships and two more that could use some attention. Send each of these people a note expressing your love and appreciation for their existence.

Read more about the importance of human connection at http://www.relaxationexpert.co.uk/TheImportanceOfFriends.html

Welcome to positive psychology, or THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS.

You can observe, record, document, and measure the happiness in your life. But more importantly, you can generate it. How? With Thanksgiving!

Instruments of Happiness: Gratitude and Thankfulness

This year, as you sit before your steaming turkey (or tofurkey, as the case may be), take a moment to reflect on what you’re thankful for. Friends? Family? Eggnog? Don’t stop there. While this particular feast may come but once a year, expand your gratitude. Make it a daily habit.

According to the “Research Project on Gratitude and Thanksgiving”, conducted by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough in 2003, people who keep daily gratitude journals are more likely to realize goals, experience health and wellness, and feel optimistic about life.

Find a journal you like. Blank pages, lined pages, spiral binding… whatever suits your fancy. Every night, before you hit the sack, write down three things that you are thankful for that day. Whether it is a hug, a meal, a completed task, an idea, something nice somebody said…make the little things count!

It is said that the written word is immortal. Putting your gratitude into black and white before you go to sleep at night will have a profound impact on your waking world!

In the event of A Bad Day, pick up your gratitude journal and read it. Your own words will go a long way toward setting you back the happy track. Never underestimate the power of gratitude!