I know from my personal experience that I feel happier when I am aware of being grateful for what I already have in my life. And I feel good letting people know that I appreciate them and/or what they have done for me.
Well now a professor at Kent State has conducted a study that indicates writing letters that demonstrate our gratitude can improve our own happiness. And I thought writing thank you letters was just good manners--and for the "other guy". Now we have a selfish reason to write our thank yous!
Steven Toepfer, the prof, had students write letters thanking people for the positive influence they had provided. The students didn't write a lot of letters, just one every other week for six weeks. That's only 3 letters!
The ground rules were pretty simple, be positive, express appreciation and (no doubt the most challenging part) include some "insight and reflection, not venture into trivial waters"...in other words, they had to put some thought into it!
After writing the letters the students were surveyed to gauge their mood, feelings of happiness, gratitude and overall life satisfaction.
The study showed that happiness levels were higher after each letter. According to the professor, 75% of the students want to continue writing letters--even after the study ended.
Our "social network" is important--large or small is not the key. But having and maintaining a few significant relationships has great benefits. According to Toepfer these benefits are both psychological and physical!
This appears to agree with the information we learned earlier this month about happiness being "contagious" and the importance of social networks for our happiness!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Affirmations Work for All Areas of Our Lives
Affirmations work for us.
Whether we are looking to lose weight, fatten our bank account, improve our health, increase the love in our lives, decrease stress or add joyful experiences, we can help achieve all these things and more by using affirmations.
The first step is to be clear on what you want. Then affirm that you have it!
Check out today's health affirmation at RefuseToDiet.com
Whether we are looking to lose weight, fatten our bank account, improve our health, increase the love in our lives, decrease stress or add joyful experiences, we can help achieve all these things and more by using affirmations.
The first step is to be clear on what you want. Then affirm that you have it!
Check out today's health affirmation at RefuseToDiet.com
Monday, December 29, 2008
Be the Change You Want to See in the World
My friend, and a beautiful soul, Carol Oxenrider has set up a not-for-profit foundation, Serendipity West, and is working to make an impact on the lives of kids--and their families.
I am so impressed by Carol...she had a vision of what she wanted to achieve in the world and she set out to get it! She didn't know how it was going to happen, but with her faith in her dream she has been attracting people to support and promote her vision along the way!
Carol works with schools to set up "Challenge Days" and also "Be the Change" workshops. The latest workshop was called, "Next Step to Being the Change" and was held in Bend, Oregon December 5-7.
I am so impressed by Carol...she had a vision of what she wanted to achieve in the world and she set out to get it! She didn't know how it was going to happen, but with her faith in her dream she has been attracting people to support and promote her vision along the way!
Carol works with schools to set up "Challenge Days" and also "Be the Change" workshops. The latest workshop was called, "Next Step to Being the Change" and was held in Bend, Oregon December 5-7.
It’s such a treasure to experience events that allow people, young and old alike, to understand that we each are unique and special and have important things to contribute to the world.
Carol tells me they have 4 Challenge Days coming up in January in her area!
Wow!!!
To learn more about Carol, her foundation and the wonderful work they are doing, check out her blog: http://yourpieceofthepuzzle.blogspot.com/. It's all about how we can make a difference in the world by bringing programs like Challenge Day to our communities.
Visit Carol's website--it you are in her vicinity perhaps you can collaborate on projects. If you are in a different area and her work sounds like something you'd be interested in, let her know! I know for a fact her vision is to make an impact around the world!
Visit Carol's website--it you are in her vicinity perhaps you can collaborate on projects. If you are in a different area and her work sounds like something you'd be interested in, let her know! I know for a fact her vision is to make an impact around the world!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thank You for the Teachers Around Me
I am so grateful for the wonderful teachers that surround me.
Some of these teachers are "official"--you know speakers, authors, professors, ministers, experts in their fields, etc.
I'm also grateful for the "unofficial" teachers, who frequently do not even recognize themselves as teachers. This might include a neighbor, a child, the shop clerk, someone in line at the post office.
Some of the other teachers that we are surrounded by include all the elements of nature--the trees, clouds, our pets, wildlife...here I have been getting many lessons from some simple natural events--the doves who live in the trees outside my dining room, the horses in the pasture across the street, the glorious sunrises.
I am grateful for the wonderful sense of joy, peace and harmony that I get when I contemplate these wonderful teachers.
Some of these teachers are "official"--you know speakers, authors, professors, ministers, experts in their fields, etc.
I'm also grateful for the "unofficial" teachers, who frequently do not even recognize themselves as teachers. This might include a neighbor, a child, the shop clerk, someone in line at the post office.
Some of the other teachers that we are surrounded by include all the elements of nature--the trees, clouds, our pets, wildlife...here I have been getting many lessons from some simple natural events--the doves who live in the trees outside my dining room, the horses in the pasture across the street, the glorious sunrises.
I am grateful for the wonderful sense of joy, peace and harmony that I get when I contemplate these wonderful teachers.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Taking Care of Oneself
I "met" someone today through her blog...she is talking about the importance of taking care of oneself...and she referenced my RefuseToDiet blog.
The idea of taking care of self is something I've been covering here. I really appreciate her take on things we can do (actions)--check out her blog!
Taking care of oneself includes our health, doing our affirmations, keeping our hearts centered on love and peace...and really deciding that we deserve good things and setting our intentions that we are open to receiving all the good there is in the universe!
The idea of taking care of self is something I've been covering here. I really appreciate her take on things we can do (actions)--check out her blog!
Taking care of oneself includes our health, doing our affirmations, keeping our hearts centered on love and peace...and really deciding that we deserve good things and setting our intentions that we are open to receiving all the good there is in the universe!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Importance of Feeding the Soul
Listening to Cheryl Richardson yesterday I was reminded how important it is to do things that feed the soul...by doing what brings us joy we open ourselves up to even more gifts from the universe.
I had been neglecting my own source of joy--my art. Yesterday I made my way to the studio for the first time in a long time. What a wonderful experience and reminder!
I had been allowing myself to focus on "tasks" that seemed important...but not joyful. Instead, yesterday I did some "tasks" but I also spent half the day in the studio. During this time I could actually feel the energy shift and the openness to positive things from the Universe.
Thank you Cheryl for the reminder. Thank you to my supportive partner who encouraged me. And thanks to myself for following through on the inspiration!
I had been neglecting my own source of joy--my art. Yesterday I made my way to the studio for the first time in a long time. What a wonderful experience and reminder!
I had been allowing myself to focus on "tasks" that seemed important...but not joyful. Instead, yesterday I did some "tasks" but I also spent half the day in the studio. During this time I could actually feel the energy shift and the openness to positive things from the Universe.
Thank you Cheryl for the reminder. Thank you to my supportive partner who encouraged me. And thanks to myself for following through on the inspiration!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Attitude Is Key
No matter what you want to change about your life, your attitude is the key component.
A woman here in Loveland, Colorado, is an excellent example of this. Like me, she has struggled with weight her entire life. And like me, she made a determination to change.
Unlike me, her success made national television when Jay Leno dissed her as part of the Tonight Show, Headlines segment in November. Apparently her losing 80 pounds was not visible enough in the advertisement and so the comedian poked fun at her.
For a lot of people, that would have been enough to send them to the frig or back to bed. For this local woman, she is using it fuel her desire to achieve her goals of fitness.
What an awesome example for all of us! Whether we want to bring more health into our lives or if we want to attract the perfect mate, more money, the perfect job or our dream home...it is up to us to set the intention and keep our attitude positive and not let other people "take us out!"
A woman here in Loveland, Colorado, is an excellent example of this. Like me, she has struggled with weight her entire life. And like me, she made a determination to change.
Unlike me, her success made national television when Jay Leno dissed her as part of the Tonight Show, Headlines segment in November. Apparently her losing 80 pounds was not visible enough in the advertisement and so the comedian poked fun at her.
For a lot of people, that would have been enough to send them to the frig or back to bed. For this local woman, she is using it fuel her desire to achieve her goals of fitness.
What an awesome example for all of us! Whether we want to bring more health into our lives or if we want to attract the perfect mate, more money, the perfect job or our dream home...it is up to us to set the intention and keep our attitude positive and not let other people "take us out!"
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