My Sunshine Song: 4 tips for a HAPPIER you:

instead of posting a sugary-sweet hot breakfast recipe to indulge in on this Saturday, i will instead post a few "happiness" tips from the fabulous book i am currently reading.

surely these will do your saturday just as good (or better) than a hot, sweet breakfast...

i love reading books and learning about "people," and love the study of people and behavior in general so i am always drawn to books about the psychology of human thought and meaning...

The book:

Thrive: Finding Happiness The Blue Zones Way

by Dan Buettner

(A "Blue Zone" is a geographical area that represents longevity)

*italics indicate excerpt from book
Happiness tip #1: EXERCISE

People living in thriving countries tent to participate in a physical activity 1 to 2 times each week, according to the Gallup World Poll. Those who participate in even small amounts of physical activity report smiling more, or being treated with respect on a regular basis.

I can definitely attest to this. It's on your very worst days, yes, the days when you want to come home, put your jammies on and watch chick flicks and eat ice cream straight from the carton that you NEED TO EXERCISE the most! It's amazing how just getting out and working your muscles and sweating somehow shifts everything back into perspective, and makes you go from feeling sorry for yourself and down-in-the-dumps to confident and motivated. The hardest part is the act of getting off your butt and changing into your workout clothes, but if you can just get over that hurdle and get yourself outside or in the gym it's amazing the good it will do for your body and mind!

Happiness tip #2: FAITH

Religion and faith are often linked to happier lives. However, according to Ed Diener, author of the book Happiness, it's a religion's broader lessons that lead to happiness--acting selflessly and morally, having a sense of purpose, finding meaning in daily activities, and expanding positive emotions on a continual basis.

for me, it's plain and simple. without my faith, my life is empty. I've spent a few chapters of my life distant from God, and it's undoubtedly during those years that my life was, for lack of a better word, a wreck. i lacked purpose and meaning and was a greedy, self-serving, material, pleasure-seeking, very very EMPTY girl. my relationship with God is what puts power behind my stride. it's what gives me strength when I'm weak, hope when I'm hopeless and joy in seemingly dark days. there are so many things that come and go in life, and things change every single day...but the one thing that is forever constant, steady and reliable is Jesus.

Happiness tip #3: SUN

Being happy can be as simple as stepping outside on a sunny day. The sun provides us with vitamin D, also known as the "happiness vitamin," which naturally increases the levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin in the brain. Doctors often prescribe sunlight to their patients who suffer from seasonal depression during the winter months.

oh, how i love the sun. i could honest-to-God live in a place void of seasons where the sun shines bright each and every day...ahhhhhhh, the thought of it. i remember when i first moved to Seattle from Eastern Oregon my body went through major sun-deprivation. it was going on almost three straight months of rain and i couldn't figure out why i was sleeping ALL the time, and always felt lethargic and moody. Dr. orders: SUN. He said even when it was overcast, i should try to get outside for at least 30 minutes because i was still able to soak up some of that good Vitamin D. so i did, and i guess it helped because it never got any worse! something as simple as just getting outside to breathe fresh air and feel the sun on your skin and breeze on your face works wonders for one's mood and energy levels. it's easy to get caught up in the mix of our busy lives and forget the importance of taking time to step outside and just breathe and enjoy God's great creation....

Happiness tip #4: WINE

Drinking even just one glass of wine leads to increases in the happiness-inducing chemical dopamine in our brain. Enjoying that glass of wine with friends will also add to an enhanced feeling of cheer.

no, I'm not suggesting we should all become "winos" to achieve ideal happiness. i think the essence of this message is to remember to take time for YOU. sometimes, treating ourselves to that glass of wine or espresso enables us to slow down and {savor}life--sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of friends.