Happiness

Happiness, Life lessons, Self care

Hobbies

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The importance of fun for fun’s sake

If anyone should read this, it’s me. I’ve always been a “work first, play later” type of person but I don’t recommend it. You need to fill yourself up each day with something you enjoy or things get old fast.

Having a hobby, or several, is a way to fill your day with a little bit of sunshine. Finding the time for it can be a challenge but if you make it priority, you’ll make it happen.

Ways to put fun time into your day:

  • Wake up a bit earlier and fit 15 minutes of your hobby in the morning – birdwatching, anyone?
  • Take a real lunch break and spend half of it doing something you enjoy
  • End your work day with a treat: your favorite thing to do
  • After dinner, sprint over to your workspace – or wherever you play – to get some hobby time in

Letting the work go

Depending on your age, you may or may not believe me, but life is short. Be sure you spend your days wisely. Have fun!

Image courtesy of EpicTop10.com.

Happiness, Life lessons, Self care

Happiness is finding a furry friend

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Our pets bring us peace

Cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, snakes, pigs, chickens – you name it – can bring happiness into your life. Studies have shown that pets:

  • reduce our blood pressure,
  • increase dopamine, and
  • give us a sense of purpose

They greet us when we arrive, keep us company when we’re down, and fill the house with buzz. I have two cats and a dog and I love the hustle and bustle they add to our lives. It’s comforting to have a buddy who doesn’t question your craziness – who loves you as you are.

How to find your new best friend

If you don’t have a pet, and would like one, stop by your local shelter. The Denver Dumb Friends League is one great option but there are many other great places too.

Do your research in advance to learn what type of animal your best suited for and then start your journey. You won’t regret it. Bow wow and meow!

Photo courtesy of Living in Monrovia (Maji and Theo).

Happiness, Life lessons, Self care, Travel

Get outta Dodge!

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Why you need to take a trip

I’ve traveled to many wonderful places so I always see the value of finding myself in a new environment. I often ask my friends – where’s your favorite place to visit? Pulling yourself out of your typical, day-to-day life to a new surrounding is exciting and fun.

Advantages to getting away:

  • Time to unplug – put away your computer, email, and other work “stuff” and focus on where you are.
  • Bask in nature – whether you’re at the beach, in the mountains, or stowing away on a boat, soak up the wonder of the outdoors.
  • Make new memories – take the opportunity to do things you’ve never done before.

Time to get moving

There you have it. Book that flight, rail pass or bus ticket – or jump in your car – and head away from home for some fun R&R. Enjoy your new adventures!

Photo courtesy of Victor Camilo.

Happiness, Life lessons, Self care

Creating the best you

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Being creative can bring so much joy to your world. Spending a few minutes nurturing your right brain can help focus your mind and calm your brain and body.

Doing something fun and creative also fills you up to be your best self for others. So take time today to:

  • write
  • take photos
  • cook
  • draw
  • paint
  • sew
  • build a model car
  • make a gift
  • revive an old artifact
  • create a new tradition
  • play an instrument
  • decorate
  • and more!

Whatever makes sense for you – enjoy and have fun!

P.S. It’s right around the corner – Happy April Fool’s Day!

Photo courtesy of Hammad Khan.

Happiness

Freedom to choose

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I saw the 2022 Oscar nominated live action short films this week. They were all thought provoking and I am so glad I don’t have to pick the winner because each covers a difficult topic in a heart-wrenching, memorable way. One, in particular, was notable to me because I’m a woman.

“Ala Kachuu – Take and Run,” written and directed by Maria Brendle, is about a young woman who is kidnapped and forced into marriage – a custom still widespread in Kyrgyz society.

Set in Central Asia, this poignant story shares the struggles of a young scholar who wants to go to college but her family and culture dictate that she should marry and have a family instead. Even though she is intelligent and driven, her wishes are shunned and force a wedge between she and her family. After stolen from her previous life and forced to marry a stranger, her repeated attempts to flee are disregarded by both her parents and her new family. She is expected to simply accept, and even appreciate, her fate.

Living in my bubble of freedom here in the United States, I sometimes forget just how lucky I have it. I can vote, work, own property, choose whether to marry and/or have children, and make my own decisions. I do not have to beg anyone’s permission to live my life the way I choose. It’s a luxury I wish all women could enjoy. It’s a right all women should have.

Photo courtesy of Nithi Anand.

Happiness, Life lessons, Self care

Don’t live in the past

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The older I get, the more I realize that you must live for today. As a people pleaser, I’ve spent much of my life regretting, re-living, revising how things went. It’s a terrible way to spend your day because you are literally “spending” that time and you’ll never get it back.

Many of us have experienced horrible things or wonderful things and we either want to redo them to get it right or do them again because they were so lovely. But you cannot go back. I’m in it now with growing older. I think back to my younger days, especially how I looked, and long for them. But here’s the deal: I will never be 25 again. However, I can be my best self today. And honestly, I’m so happy now that there really is no reason to “go back.”

Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead tomorrow (Sunday, March 13) and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Photo courtesy of Andrew Malone.

Happiness

Learn something new today

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Even though you may not be in school, it’s important to keep growing and learning new things.
Whether it be for a hobby, for work, to help in the community, or just to improve your own knowledge, learning something new can help you in many ways. Not only does it open you up to new thinking, it also can improve your concentration, attention to detail, memory recall, and problem solving.

Let’s face it, doing the same things over and over again gets boring. So give some thought to something new you’d like to try today and give it a shot. Happy learning!

Photo courtesy of Luis Esnal.

P.S. The Cheshire Cat makes his appearance in chapter 6 of Alice in Wonderland. Check it out here.

Happiness, Life lessons

Love your neighbor

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As we settle into 2022, I think back to what’s happened in the last few years. Democrats vs. republicans, black vs. white, rich vs. poor, male vs. female, heterosexual vs. LGBTQ, attacks on houses of prayer, school shootings, and the list goes on.

It has been a sobering, sad time of loss.

I hope that we have learned something from these moments: we all have different backgrounds and preferences that lead us to be who we are today. But that doesn’t mean we should be on opposite sides, it just means that we should see that the differences are what make us interesting.

Photo courtesy of Demietrich Baker.

Happiness, Life lessons, Self care

A benevolent world

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There are 2 ways to see the world around you:

  • Good with nice people who want the best for you
  • Difficult with mean people who want to make you miserable, cheat, or treat you poorly

As we start our day, I really believe that the way we expect it to unfold has a direct effect on how it does. “It’s gonna be a great day!” is a much better way to begin than “Ugh. Another day of work and misery.” Granted, few of us are at either extreme but it might be worth a try changing how you view the world around you. And if we all did, what a lovely place it could be.

Happy almost Valentine’s Day!

Image courtesy of Sue Thompson.

Happiness, Self care

Exercise – and pull yourself outta that funk

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When I was young, I was not an athlete. I had no coordination and couldn’t catch a ball to save my life. So I never understood why gym class was a required course. What was I “learning”?

Fast forward to today and I get it. Exercise is the key to managing stress and staying in shape. And those two things make life better, help you live longer, and keep your spirits up. Between the jump in endorphins and your reflection in the mirror, there really is no negative.

I’m still not an athlete (please don’t throw balls at me because they’ll most likely hit me in the head) but I love my daily walks and yoga – they keep me sane. So try something – volleyball, golf, swimming, rock climbing, whatever – and if that doesn’t rock your boat, try something else until you find what does. Pretty soon, you’ll be looking forward to it.

You may not get an “A” in gym class anymore but you’ll get an “A” in living. And that’s a grade worth sharing.