THE FOREST GREEN

just in.. what makes us happy?

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:44:46 GMT

A great article written by Clara Moskowitz from Live Science... at this site

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100222/sc_livescience/5thingsthatwillmakeyouhappier

(an excerpt of her article)

5 Things That Will Make You Happier
LiveScience.com

LiveScience.com clara Moskowitz
livescience Senior Writer
livescience.com Mon Feb 22, 11:50 am ET

Here are five things that research has shown can improve happiness:

1. Be grateful - Some study participants were asked to write letters of gratitude to people who had helped them in some way. The study found that these people reported a lasting increase in happiness - over weeks and even months - after implementing the habit. What's even more surprising: Sending the letter is not necessary. Even when people wrote letters but never delivered them to the addressee, they still reported feeling better afterwards.

2. Be optimistic - Another practice that seems to help is optimistic thinking. Study participants were asked to visualize an ideal future - for example, living with a loving and supportive partner, or finding a job that was fulfilling - and describe the image in a journal entry. After doing this for a few weeks, these people too reported increased feelings of well-being.

3. Count your blessings - People who practice writing down three good things that have happened to them every week show significant boosts in happiness, studies have found. It seems the act of focusing on the positive helps people remember reasons to be glad.

4. Use your strengths - Another study asked people to identify their greatest strengths, and then to try to use these strengths in new ways. For example, someone who says they have a good sense of humor could try telling jokes to lighten up business meetings or cheer up sad friends. This habit, too, seems to heighten happiness.

5. Commit acts of kindness - It turns out helping others also helps ourselves. People who donate time or money to charity, or who altruistically assist people in need, report improvements in their own happiness.
Lyubomirsky has also created an iPhone application, called Live Happy, to help people boost their well-being.

Buddha said...

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:07:06 GMT

thought this was good more >

a lost halloween poem.. the Halloween Feast

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 23:06:51 GMT

hope you like it more >

Right place at the right time.

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 23:11:09 GMT

In the busy shopping season before the holidays.. one has to plan ones route carefully to optimize ones itinerary. I was wisely heading for the next stop at a popular grocery store... for some reason the left turn light heading to my home was green and I was on automatic...you know what I mean. more >

All things as they should be...

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 23:03:06 GMT

I was traveling home from dropping of kids to school.. when I saw a young man with a backpack rushing with all his might to the bus stop. The bus pulls away just as he gets across the street. His obvious ire was perfectly expressed in his jumping down, throwing his back pack and shouting various colorful expletives... more >

number two son got married

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 04:00:31 GMT

To a lovely young miss from Canada...This last Friday in a lovely ceremony at Danish Hall in Surrey BC. more >

Are you SAD?

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 17:26:06 GMT

When having my blood workup pre surgery on my broken arm... I was tested.. more >

ah dang it!

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:44:57 GMT

I fall down and go BOOM. I tripped on Aug 16th.. and have no idea on what.. and landed on my left knee and left palm on cement. broke my arm.. and not in a good way..

oh a wee joke..

"Yeah.. I have a boo boo on my knee.. almost all better with bandaid and time. I went to doc..

"ok.. which knee did you injure"

"The red one! The red one!""

anyway...

well.. yes.. they took a lovely digital xray.. wow.. those are way cooler than the old films in resolution..

yes.. there it was..
more >

What is the nature of reality?

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 16:42:33 GMT

And who thinks I could possibly have any clue?

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/funny-pictures-kitten-realizes-his-friend-is-not-real.jpg

Every once in a while... I really do think what I see around me is reality. Yet... I have this nagging feeling I am wrong!

*grins

Wow! Some guys like curves!

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:41:56 GMT

Breaking news.. whodathunkit?

http://roflrazzi.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/celebrity-pictures-pierce-brosnon-keely-shaye-smith-curvy-women.jpg