Happiness and Gratitude

In an earlier post, Kari Henley brought the brilliant point of WIIFY (What’s In It For You) regarding service. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kari-henley/why-dont-we-volunteer-the_b_218155.html. Here are some reasons for you to consider looking at your life through the lens of thankfulness.

They Got Out the Magnifying Glass
Leave it to some savvy researchers to put gratitude under the microscope. New studies are confirming that all the stuff you thought would make you happy—the turbo-charged new car, the two-week jaunt to Bora Bora, the closet full of new shoes—doesn’t. An attitude of gratitude turns out to be a bigger predictor of who is feeling glad to be alive than a big ol’ whopping bank account. Yep, just wearing Gratitude Glasses made the difference.

Happiness cuts across economic lines. Contentment can’t tell the difference between a Camry and a Cadillac. Another study found that folks who were appreciative for what they had (whether they had a lot or a little) were as happy as the people who had the most. Wait. It gets even better. The people who were grateful for what they had, even if it wasn’t much, were twice as happy as those who actually had the most stuff. Ha! What better proof?

Get yourself a prescription for a pair of thankfulness lenses and watch your life transform.

7 Tips To Turn Your Long Weekend Into A Staycation

"Are you an alien freak?" were the words that welcomed me into the first day of my "vacation." Those words didn't cling to the thumping party air as I danced into the wee hours on a costumed cruise or discotheque in Ibiza.

Nope.


They were the spiky greeting from the TV producer in charge of the shoot. (Confirmation that my iPhone makes me sound like I am visiting from Pluto in certain areas.) Instead of taking a week to commune with nature I had journeyed into the unknown territory of Orange County to shoot a TV pilot called "Life Changers."

Vacations Are For Wimps
I was not alone in working through my time off. Almost 50 percent of small business owners take only major holidays off or take no vacation at all, according to a study by Big Research that surveyed 520 small-business owners. Kari Henley wrote a great post on why Americans are the worst vacationers. A study conducted in 2006 by the Department of Labor confirmed that workers get five days of paid leave after one year of service. Twenty three percent of Americans get no paid vacation. None. Recent studies show that due to fear of job loss even fewer Americans are taking any time off.

Burnt To A Crisp
There are numerous well-known studies that track how vacations keep us both mentally and physically healthy. The 1992 Framingham Heart Study conducted by Boston University showed that not taking vacations was particularly risky for women. It was a significant risk factor that contributed to heart disease. Vacations have have been shown to cure burnout which is the final stage of chronic stress. Humans need time away from stressors. That time away helps to replenish emotional resources. Taking a break leads to sense of mastery and optimism as well better job performance. "Studies have also shown that time off increases positive mood, a sense of initiative, competence, and that the more leisure activities you're involved in the higher your life satisfaction" say life balance expert, Joe Robinson.

I would love to wave my magic wand and give each and every one of us a month in the county, Perhaps if I really were an alien freak I could use my extraterrestrial powers and have all of America join in a playful recess for the month of August. Hmm. That doesn't seem too likely.


"Staycation" Nation
As I wave good-bye to summer, I realize how very precious and restorative a vacation is. So I decided to make my weekend into a "staycation". If you aren't taking a one, two or three week vacation, it is essential that you give yourself a weekend "staycation" at least once a quarter.


Here are a few tips from my weekend "staycation". I can't wait to hear yours!


1. Take A Vacation....From Your PDA
One of the fastest ways to unwind is to take a vacation from your PDA. As a culture we are accustomed to being "wired" all day every day. I put the phone in a kitchen drawer.

2. Is Your Name Martha?
Unless your name is Martha Stewart and you just love, love, love to organize drawers do not turn your "staycation" into a chore and errand festival. (I had a client whose hobby was ironing -so I know that those folks are out there!) If you know that you are more relaxed with a tidy home take the weekend before your weekend "staycation" to clean.

How To Amplify Your Success

As a coach I am observing how much time goes into online networking. It is key to take time out to nurture yourself and your friendships with face to face interactions.

Recently, Funky to Fabulous friends spent time at Artwalk in Downtown Los Angeles. It was so energizing that we will be doing this every month. Here are some tips for serial socializing from fellow HP blogger Kari Henley.

"Not sure how to get started with some serial socializing?

Try to find a way to socially engage in three categories: daily, weekly and monthly. Each takes a slightly different focus and each offer its own rewards.

Daily: set a goal to make a heartfelt connection to at least one person each day that you do not normally run into. 'Reach Out and Touch Someone' - via email, phone call or in person. Think of this as a chance to check in, ask how they are, and offer help if it is needed. When you extend a hand, the return is always there. Maybe someone you know just had a baby, or lost a relative, or is feeling blue.

Weekly: find a small group of people you enjoy and make a weekly commitment to get together. For the social types, try coffee once a week. For athletic types, take a walk, jog or yoga class together. For the spiritual types, try a weekly meditation group to keep everyone relaxed, centered and connected. Make it short- one to two hours, so it is easy to keep the commitment.

Monthly: join or develop a group that may be a bit larger, that shares a common interest. Maybe it is a book club with a twist, a motorcycle riding group, a social action group, a 'going green' group, poetry slam, or a poker night. Monthly gatherings are often the easiest to schedule, and to maintain long term. Think of each of these social commitments as individual roots you are planting in the ground, and as something sacred to cherish.

Our lives are marked by the connections we have, not the accomplishments of our careers. "Battling loneliness requires sacrificing time that could be spent elsewhere, but the payoffs are worth it."