Archive for: Our Happiness Blog

Research has demonstrated that having an active social life can have many benefits, such as improved mental and physical health. If you have friends you have not seen in a while, we encourage you this week to reach out and make plans. Joining classes or groups can be another great way to increase socialization. For example, joining a yoga class can help you get in a workout and also meet new people! Or joining a pottery class can be a way to learn a new hobby and get to know people who share that similar interest. Opportunities are endless, and you can start with a quick Google search of options in your area.

Other than upcoming fall festivities, there are other exciting things to look forward to! Jumpstart the month of September by celebrating a few of these national holidays:

September 5th – National Cheese Pizza Day- Order from your favorite pizza joint or bake your own!

September 10th – National Boss/Employee Exchange Day- Experience what if feels like to be in your boss’ shoes for a day, while they get a chance to see what it is you really do on a daily basis.

September 12th – National Chocolate Milkshake Day- Forget the calories and drink up!

September 14th – National Cream Filled Donut Day- Enjoy a donut or two!

There are times we all feel like there is just too much going on too fast. Sometimes asking someone for help can help alleviate the stress, but all too often people stay silent whether it is due to worry about being a burden, fear of admitting its becoming too much, or fear of being told no. As humans, we actually enjoy helping others because it strengthens our social connections. Here’s another way of looking at it— If your friend needed your help, would you help them? Often, the answer is yes and so there is a good chance they would feel similarly if you asked them. If part of the hesitation of asking for help is admitting you bit off more than you can chew, then take a moment to ask yourself, is it worth continuing to sink or would it reduce some of your pain if you just asked for a lifejacket? If the bigger issue for you is worry about being told no, then consider who you are about to ask for help. Have they been receptive to you or others in the past? Is your request for help reasonable? There is a big difference between asking to watch your children for one Friday night versus every Friday night. Sometimes one question can change a lot!

Life has its way of throwing curve balls at us that leave us feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Here are some ways to reduce feeling overwhelmed, which inevitably can contribute to improving our overall mood:

• Ground yourself in the present moment: A great quick way to achieve this is using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique that utilizes your senses. The idea is to identify five things you can see; four things you hear; three things you can touch (go ahead and touch them if
  possible); two things you can smell; and one thing you can taste.
• Clean up your personal space: Keeping your workspace or immediate surroundings organized can help reduce some of the negative emotions by making us feel as though we have accomplished something.
• Prioritize: Focus on things that need to be done first and put the things that should be done to the side. One step at a time.
• Abandon the multitasking ship: It can feel like you are getting a lot done when you are on the phone, responding to e-mails, while also keeping tabs on a work chat. But the truth is our brain is not designed to do multiple tasks at once. Often, we spend more time doing the activities in multitasking mode, then we would if we attended to them one at a time.

At some point we all abandon a project, whether it is a crossword puzzle in the Sunday newspaper or a DIY project that takes up half the garage. Starting something new can be exciting, but can quickly turn into something that puts a damper on our happy mood. Often what happens is we start off with the big, end picture in mind fueling the joy of starting, but once we are in the nitty-gritty of things we begin realizing how many steps there are. This is usually when our mind starts saying, “Abandon ship!” If you decide to return to an old project, this time approach it for what it is, small parts that make something whole. Take time before you even dive back in to where you left off and develop a plan. Be realistic of the steps and specify in your mind or on paper what each step entails. Once that is done, each time you take time to work on your project, aim to complete that one specific step rather than trying to tackle the project in its entirety.

Parents start getting excited around this time of the year, while kids are not ready to let the summer fun end. With back to school around the corner, there are supplies to be bought and clothes shopping to be done. After all, we want our children to be well-prepared, right? With the mixed emotions and obvious tasks that need to be done, try to plan one last hurrah! Whether it is a stop to Office Depot, Walmart, or the mall, find a way to make it enjoyable for all that are involved. Maybe that means stopping to enjoy some froyo or having dinner at your favorite restaurant afterwards.

Most of us have heard the saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” While we are not here to debunk that, we want to encourage you to look at the saying in a slightly different way. For example, imagine having your eye on a particular item that you acknowledge every time you go to the mall. After saving up, you can finally purchase it and can call it your own. Feels good doesn’t it? Or sometimes it just feels good to treat yourself to a little something on a quick trip to the mall to brighten up your week.

Endorphins, the brain's "feel good" chemical, are peptide hormones that interact with receptors resulting in feeling focused and putting you in an overall better mood. While we regularly release endorphins in response to things like stress or pain, we can elicit production in other ways. While there are multiple options, here are a few for you to try:

• Exercise
• Eat chocolate
• Eat something spicy
• Smell lavender or vanilla
• Listen to music
• Seek out daily laughter

Some may have been deterred from reading this post based on the title alone. Social media is a big part of the lives of many and part of their daily routine. For example, some may start scrolling through their Instagram feed while waiting in line at Starbucks for their order or while brushing their teeth every morning. Often, we get sucked into the world of Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, etc. In those moments we fail to recognize missed opportunities, such as connecting with others in-person. Instead we become wrapped up in comparing ourselves to others or become consumed with the feeling of being left out. This week we are not asking you to delete all social media accounts, rather challenging you to identify your social media usage pattern and replacing social media time with something different (e.g., observing your surroundings, calling a loved one, or reading a book).