Happiness & Health Plus Raw Emotions Follow-Up
Tuesday, September 29. 2009
I happened to catch this segment on The Today Show about What Makes Women Happy. I found it very interesting, telling and it took some new twists & turns on what people consider "happy". First, Hoda & Kathy Lee asked the question, "When was the happiest time in your life". I actually found this pretty hard to answer beyond some very calming & fun trips to Hawaii. I was not relating it to anything beyond getting away from real life. Heck, we all love vacation BUT we also need to find ways to love our "real life" too.
Personally, I think our health depends on both! There were 5 questions they asked the women:
1. How often do you do things you really like?
2. How often do you look forward to the coming day?
3. How often do you get so involved in what you are doing that you lose track of time?
4. How often do you feel invigorated at the end of a long, busy day?
5. How often do you feel an emotional high in your life?
Well, very telling questions! I do things I like every day, but I am not working right now so I have money stress but not the stress of those crazy days I recall when working long hours. I look forward to the coming day but I don't know why which is weird. I just do although I will say that getting old scares me so each coming day brings me closer to #52 in November. I do lose track of time at this blog stuff. It stresses me out sometimes but I love reading other people's blogs & stories! I am not sure I feel "invigorated" at the end of a day. I am still trying to find a "job" that makes me love it & makes me not care that I am working. I get the emotional high in the gym & from the love of a great husband, family & friends BUT still searching for the "work high" that is not really work. I still think I have lots of work to do!
The study also found that women were happiest not when they focused on goals or dreams BUT ON MOMENTS. They were learning to live for the moment & enjoy that. I understand this & actually think I need to do it much more often. I guess I think my dreams will never some true (I know, negative self talk) BUT living in the moment & enjoying that might help some people. I can see that BUT I do see both sides of this coin & how living for dreams & goals are right for people too.
Another point in the study was that the happiest women do NOT strive for balance. The happy ones, once they found their moments, strove for fullness versus balance. Interesting concept! I think I like that too. But, everyone needs to find what works for them.
Another question asked to the women was what they wished for most: Answer, to spend more time with their children. BUT, on the flip side, they asked the children what they wished for & they said for their mom to feel less stressed.
I just found the whole discussion thought provoking & a good thing for me to think about. Getting all this stuff in perspective is important to our mental AND physical health!
I happened to catch this segment on The Today Show about What Makes Women Happy. I found it very interesting, telling and it took some new twists & turns on what people consider "happy". First, Hoda & Kathy Lee asked the question, "When was the happiest time in your life". I actually found this pretty hard to answer beyond some very calming & fun trips to Hawaii. I was not relating it to anything beyond getting away from real life. Heck, we all love vacation BUT we also need to find ways to love our "real life" too.
Personally, I think our health depends on both! There were 5 questions they asked the women:
1. How often do you do things you really like?
2. How often do you look forward to the coming day?
3. How often do you get so involved in what you are doing that you lose track of time?
4. How often do you feel invigorated at the end of a long, busy day?
5. How often do you feel an emotional high in your life?
Well, very telling questions! I do things I like every day, but I am not working right now so I have money stress but not the stress of those crazy days I recall when working long hours. I look forward to the coming day but I don't know why which is weird. I just do although I will say that getting old scares me so each coming day brings me closer to #52 in November. I do lose track of time at this blog stuff. It stresses me out sometimes but I love reading other people's blogs & stories! I am not sure I feel "invigorated" at the end of a day. I am still trying to find a "job" that makes me love it & makes me not care that I am working. I get the emotional high in the gym & from the love of a great husband, family & friends BUT still searching for the "work high" that is not really work. I still think I have lots of work to do!
The study also found that women were happiest not when they focused on goals or dreams BUT ON MOMENTS. They were learning to live for the moment & enjoy that. I understand this & actually think I need to do it much more often. I guess I think my dreams will never some true (I know, negative self talk) BUT living in the moment & enjoying that might help some people. I can see that BUT I do see both sides of this coin & how living for dreams & goals are right for people too.
Another point in the study was that the happiest women do NOT strive for balance. The happy ones, once they found their moments, strove for fullness versus balance. Interesting concept! I think I like that too. But, everyone needs to find what works for them.
Another question asked to the women was what they wished for most: Answer, to spend more time with their children. BUT, on the flip side, they asked the children what they wished for & they said for their mom to feel less stressed.
I just found the whole discussion thought provoking & a good thing for me to think about. Getting all this stuff in perspective is important to our mental AND physical health!
You can see the video at the link in the first sentence of this post BUT I am curious about what you think of the questions & answers here. Also, are you willing to share your happiest moment in time? I can certainly think of the very saddest moments in time but I best get to the happiest for sure! I do know that family get togethers rank VERY high & now that many are gone, those memories are precious!
PS: For those that read my Raw Emotions post, the lady featured in that post made a follow up comment to that post. She said this: I wanted to add a few additional words to my writing included in this post. I have struggled with body image for a long time - even at my thinnest/fittest, I always compared myself to others. I have done this my entire adult life - thinking my body wasn't good enough. A few weeks ago, the realization hit that my body is good enough ... simply because I am alive. I can walk and talk and do anything I want to do - what isn't good enough about that?
However, with this realization came a big dose of anger. My sister-in-law was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells in her cervix and underwent a full hysterectomy at 34 years of age. I was with her throughout this time and witnessed the overwhelming fear of possibly not living into old age - leaving her two young children motherless. Luckily, the surgery and recovery went well and she was granted a clean bill of health. What infuriates me is that she continues to smoke heavily. Her body gave her a undeniably clear signal that it couldn't handle the toxic chemicals she was putting into her body - and she ignored it. So I am trying to put anger aside, learn from her situation and listen more to my body and give it what it needs. There is comfort in knowing that I am doing everything possible to live my best life in the best of health!!
Thanks for reading and making positive comments - it helps my journey to read your stories!
You can read the full post at the previous link.
PS: For those that read my Raw Emotions post, the lady featured in that post made a follow up comment to that post. She said this: I wanted to add a few additional words to my writing included in this post. I have struggled with body image for a long time - even at my thinnest/fittest, I always compared myself to others. I have done this my entire adult life - thinking my body wasn't good enough. A few weeks ago, the realization hit that my body is good enough ... simply because I am alive. I can walk and talk and do anything I want to do - what isn't good enough about that?
However, with this realization came a big dose of anger. My sister-in-law was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells in her cervix and underwent a full hysterectomy at 34 years of age. I was with her throughout this time and witnessed the overwhelming fear of possibly not living into old age - leaving her two young children motherless. Luckily, the surgery and recovery went well and she was granted a clean bill of health. What infuriates me is that she continues to smoke heavily. Her body gave her a undeniably clear signal that it couldn't handle the toxic chemicals she was putting into her body - and she ignored it. So I am trying to put anger aside, learn from her situation and listen more to my body and give it what it needs. There is comfort in knowing that I am doing everything possible to live my best life in the best of health!!
Thanks for reading and making positive comments - it helps my journey to read your stories!
You can read the full post at the previous link.
Yes, "moments" are the best, but I need me some balance. I'm a miserable woman when I allow the balance in my life to spiral out of control. It takes effort everyday to maintain the balance, but it's also rewarding, because balance brings me peace. And that equate to happiness, right?
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WOW-love this post! thanks so much for the reminder that YES we have a body that works and no it will never may be perfect in your own mind but it sure is in your kids and families mind-today I will be thoughtful to it and all it will do for me today-in the moment!!
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I really like this post, and agree with it. Thank goodness, I either learned this, or stumbled onto it accidentally years ago, but I live this way, and it works for me
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This post is great. I completely agree with it. It's wonderful when we can embrace this.
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kudos on revisiting this again and again.
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What a fabulous post to start my day with! I especially can realate to the finding happiness in 'real life'. Holiday are great, but it's how you feel and what you do everyday that makes the difference.
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So glad you all enjoyed this post! I did too! Something new to learn every day!
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Happiest moments: yesterday, being completely freaked out on the Whistler Ziptrek but watching my 10yr old and my 8 yr old, who were also scared, but who were so courageous and just let go of their fear. They totally inspired me to let go of my own fear and step off the platform and trust that the harness would hold me up a hundred feet in the air. Wow. That is one moment I will never forget and I'm so grateful to have shared it with my children.
I agree about living for fullness and not balanced. If I were looking for balance, I'd spend my life chasing it. Fullness gives me the freedom to throw myself into the moment without worry.
Great post, thanks so much for sharing!
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Melanie.. WOW is all I can say to your moments!
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