Yearly Archives: 2013

How grateful are you?

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“Without gratitude, life can be lonely, depressing and impoverished,” said Emmons. “Gratitude enriches human life. It elevates, energizes, inspires and transforms. People are moved, opened and humbled through expressions of gratitude.” —Dr. Robert Emmons

With US Thanksgiving on the horizon (and Canadian Thanksgiving long gone) we turn our attention to gratitude (and Turkey). Gratitude has been shown to have a very positive effect on our wellbeing:

  • Stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure;
  • Higher levels of positive emotions;
  • More joy, optimism, and happiness;
  • Acting with more generosity and compassion;
  • Feeling less lonely and isolated.

Have a look at the Happier Huamn for the source of the research, 26 studies and counting. Clearly experiencing and expressing gratitude is a good thing. How grateful are you? The Greater Good Society of UC Berkeley is offer up a gratitude survey:

2. I count my blessings for what I have in this world.

Mindfulness and productivity

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The Huffingtonpost presents six stellar examples of producitivity coming on the heals of meditation:

  • Steve Jobs
  • The Beatles
  • John Mackey (Whole Foods)
  • Phil Jackson 
  • David Lynch
  • Leonard Cohen

The Unexpected Source That Inspired Whole Foods, Apple’s Sleek Design and The White Album

Research has demonstrated that meditation can in fact boost focus and creativity. A 2011 study found meditation to boost both divergent thinking, which helps new ideas to be generated, and convergent thinking, which is linked with effective problem-solving. With more and more research proving meditation’s extensive cognitive benefits, increasing numbers of artists, writers, musicians, athletes and business innovators are turning to the practice to tap into their deepest creative potential.

join me on the 21 day mediation challenge

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While me and thousands of others led by Deepak Chopra and Operah. 

Every day they will upload a guided meditation for you to join in…a three week journey, so deepak calls it. Cultivate peaceful awareness. 

 

 

Welcome to the 21-Day Meditation Experience, Desire and Destiny! We are honored you’re joining us on this journey toward living with passion and abundance! You will discover your soul’s purpose and create a life in which all things are within reach, where dreams transform into reality. 

 

 

 

There is a whole wack of research supporting meditation for spiritual growth, stress management and general well-being. Here are a few of the 100 benefits listed at I NEED MOTIVATION. 

2- It decreases respiratory rate.
12- Enhances the immune system.
13- Reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress
14- Enhances energy, strength and vigour.

40- Helps with focus & concentration

41- Increase creativity
42- Increased brain wave coherence.
43- Improved learning ability and memory.
44- Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
45- Increased emotional stability.
46- improved relationships
56- Develop will power
61- Increased job satisfaction
63- decrease in potential mental illness
66- Helps in quitting smoking, alcohol addiction
78- Grows a stable, more balanced personality

80- Helps keep things in perspective
81- Provides peace of mind, happiness
82- Helps you discover your purpose
83- Increased self-actualization.
84- Increased compassion
85- Growing wisdom
87- Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony
99- Experience a sense of “Oneness”
100- Increases the synchronicity in your life

Below is the main scientifically proven benefits. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to boost your Positivity Ratio

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Barbara Fredrickson shares insights from her years of research on ways to boost your positivity ratio:

Action for Happiness Suggest this 4 step action plan:

1. Track your positivity ratio
  • Check out your current Positivity Ratio – to see how it is today – using this free, quick and easy free test (it’s one that psychologists often use).
  • Try doing it each day for a week or so, noting down your ratio and see if it changes. What do you think made it change? Do you need to boost your level of positive emotions?
    2. Explore your positive emotions
    • Make a list of ten positive emotions that you can think of. For example, these might include joy, inspiration, contentment, serenity, amusement, pride, interest, or gratitude.
    • Pick one emotion from your list and then note down things that tend to generate this emotions for you.
    • Think back to the last time you felt this emotion… what was it that you were doing? Where were you? What was happening around you? What other things could make you feel this way?
    • What could you do to bring more of this into your life today or this week? Being more conscious of these things will help us to spot opportunities for to experience them.
    • Now repeat this for each of the other emotions in turn. You may wish to pick one per day or per week, to reflect on.

      3. Put together a positive pack

      • Think of a positive emotion you’d like to feel more of. Collect together things that you associate with this emotion. This could include music tracks, pictures, photographs, poems, lines or quotes from books, video clips, objects that bring back memories etc. Depending what you collect keep these things in a box, online or in a note book or scrap book).
      • Find a few minutes to spend with your collection reflecting on the emotion you want to feel. Remember the action doesn’t need to be big and feeling the emotion doesn’t need to be earth shattering – a passing moment is fine.
      • Your pack could also include actions – simple things you can do that you know often bring you that emotion. For example if you want to try joy, you might have listed singing your favourite song at the top of your voice. For serenity it might be a walk in your favourite nearby green space.

      4. Keep it up. Mix it up.

      • Of course there are times when positive emotions come easily and there are times when it is harder. Even when things are tough try to think of something that will distract you for the positive for a moment. And don’t forget to try different actions and emotions – some will work better for each us at different times than others. Have fun!

       

      Strengths Mined: 

      Analytical

      hope & optimism

      positivty

      Responsibility

      Honesty

      Curisity

      Adapatable

      Self-Control

      Focus

      Activator

      Positive resonance

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      “I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 
      ― Maya Angelou

      This beautiful speach highlights what Barbara Fredrickson calls Positive resonance…or what the rest of call love. 

      Barbara has identified 10 positive emotions that will help us Broaden and build our capacity. 

      Take the 21 day gratitude challenge–starts today

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      This round sponsored by KindSpring. And they have lots of idea:

       

       

       

       

      Small Acts That Change the World | KindSpring.org

      Art makes us happier

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      Soul Pancake explores how art inspires hapiness

      This is based on a study

      The Greater Good Society profiles seven artist’s perspectivse on why we make art. 

      Strengths Mined: Creativity, Appreciation of Beauty, Capacity to love and be loved, Authenticity,

      • I make art for a few reasons. In life, we experience so much fragmentation of thought and feeling. For me, creating art brings things back together.
      • I like expressing emotions—to have others feel what it is I’m feeling when I’m photographing people.
      • I make art primarily because I enjoy the process. It’s fun making things.

      While most of us are not artists, not in the sense of making a living in things, I suspect most of us can relate to the sentiments described. Indeed art is important. A London School of Economic researcher found it to be among the MOST important things in making us happy:  Of the top six most happiness-inducing activities, again after sex and exercise, the other four are all arts-related.  They are, in descending order:

       

      1)      Intimacy/making love
      2)      Sports/running/exercise
      3)      Theatre/dance/concert
      4)      Singing/performing
      5)      Exhibition/museum/library
      6)      Hobbies/arts/crafts

       

      Want to join the research? Download Mappiness app and follow the directions.

       

      Be Sure to Check out Julian’s efforts and funnyy story