The Happiness Quest

I found the article in a magazine and I thought I would share it with my beautiful blog family.  I know we all have days...when happiness is an elusive dream that we may never find.  I know I do.  They article shared 25 to get your happy back.  I will share a few (not all) with you.  It will be a lengthy post.

Inhale, exhale
It quiet your champion level worry brain learn to meditate.  It forces you to be still for at least 15 minutes a day.  Researchers at the University of California Davis Center for Mind and Brain found that daily meditation has been linked to higher levels of telomerase-the enzyme that combats feelings of stress and promotes a sense of well-being.  another boon:  Telomerase retards the cellular breakdown that least to aging preserving energy and vitality.  So get cozy in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, and breathe in through your nose for five seconds, then slowly exhale through your mouth.  Can't spare the full 15 minutes?  Just five minutes of intentional breathing is enough to release tension from our bodies and lower blood pressure.

Turn off the small screen
Your television is one of the biggest joy stealers: A 2008 University of Maryland study showed that the unhappiest people watch six or more hours of television each day.  Not only does the barrage of advertising leave you yearning for things you don't have, but the time spent cradling the remote robs you of simple everyday experiences that can tip your happy meter.  Instead of sitting on the sofa watching other folks having fun, go out and find you own.  Even an activity as simple as putting on your shoes and going for an afternoon stroll is a step in the right direction.  Even better, take a class in something you love or join a group that will force you to engage in an enjoyable activity outside your home consistently. 

Forget the gym, head for the outdoors
A good mood may be only minutes away, but your going to have to the leave the house to get it.  According to researchers at England's University of Essex, light exercise done in a natural environment - such as a park, outside by a lake or even in the backyard - elevated both mood and self-esteem in participants. The best news?  You don't need to work out for hours to reap the rewards.  The most significant happiness spike was felt after only five minutes.  And here's another reason to lace up those sneakers: We all know that regular exercise is good medicine, but did you know that it can work as well as some of the most effective antidepressants?

Retreat
Stepping away from your everyday can help you gain perspective by giving you the me time you need to relax and refocus.  Think quiet countrysides or serene beaches, not clubs and bars.  The idea is to be in a place that allows you to tune in to yourself.  Can't manage to swing the next flight to Jamaica?  Take a day off from work for a home retreat.  "Carve out a period to do absolutely nothing," suggest life coach Vaorie Burton.  "It might be 20 minutes to an hour.  Sit or lie somewhere comfortable and pleasant and just be.

Star in your own music video
Go ahead and pump up the volume, preferably while using your hairbrush as a mic or belting out your best shower solo.  Better yet-get up and dance.  Whether you choose to do Zumba or simply to bust a move in your living room, you'll experience an immediate lift. It's really hard to stay somber when you're grooving to an up-tempo tune, especially one that calls back on a happy memory.  That's because activities like singing and dancing power up your mood by boosting the level of the feel-good hormone serotonin in your brain.

Get yours in bed - freely and frequently
In other words, plan to pay attention to your sweet spot just as often as you can.  Research conducted at Duke University showed that you can reduce your physiological age by as much as six years just by having an orgasm 200 times a year-that's nearly four times per week.  Who wouldn't want to cheer about that?  But there are more immediate benefits as well:  When you orgasm, you also release oxytocin, a chemical that can put you in a euphoric state for hours.

Pack your own happiness kit
"You know that you're going to have a down day at some point," says Bonnie St. John, author of How Strong Women Pray and Live Your Joy.  "Why not prepare a first aid kit for your emotions?  Fill a box or a bag with things that you know will cheer you up."  Whats in St. John's kit?  "I have a picture of my teenage daughter when she was 5.  I have a note my late mother wrote to me that says, 'Cherish yourself.' And chocolate is an essential."  What might be the staples in your happiness kit?

Forgive
Not because the other person deserves it, but simply because you need to put down the weight of that grudge you've been nursing.  And while you're at it, forgive yourself for what you think was your biggest mistake.  Just let it go.  FOREVER!!

Choose joy
Joy is not dependent on everything that's going on around you.  You can be the source of the joy in your own life.  You take action to create the life you want. "When talking about joy, I'm not talking about flipping a switch so you can experience a constant 'ha ha ha!'  But choosing to be joyful for on e hour a day will give you the energy to make something good happen in your life" says St. John.