Day 21! How about a recap?

2/8: Did you feel liberated doing the 27 thing fling boogie? I really wanted to tackle my sock drawer, but ended up doing accounting in my office instead. So upon completing daily receipts for January, I tackled a pile upon pile of paperwork. Remember the notion that that computers will paperwork obsolete?! Hmmm... I think that plan backfired! At least in my office...

2/9: Ramping up the daily tasks.

2/10: Tell someone about the Happiness = Wellness Experiment.

2/11: Write & mail a Valentine.  ♥

My husband considers Valentine's Day as a "Hallmark" holiday, but then he is the antithesis of a sentimental guy. How does he show his love and affection? By doing the laundry.  <Swoon!> Honey you shouldn't have!  While clean laundry doesn't make my heart flutter, I have grown to appreciate his expression of his love language. 

2/12: Waterfall Wednesday. Holy Cow that was alot of fluid. I obviously need to up my daily intake (and no, not more coffee Susanne!)

2/13: Positive in the Present. Jim Rohn said it best, "Here's the best way to treat a problem: As an opportunity to grow ... If you will change, everything will change for you."

2/14: ♥ <mwah!>

2/15: Gratitude Review: By now you should have a bouquet of gratitudes! Would love to know which one surprised you the most.

2/16: Instrumental Music. I had the delight to wedding dress shop with a friend and in the midst of the day we discussed wedding songs.  Our wedding song was Cast Your Fate to the Wind by Vince Guaraldi played by George Winston. It's still one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard.  

I, like many, was first introduced to Guaraldi through Linus & Lucy the recognizable theme to Charles Schulz' Peanuts specials. :)

2/17: 25 Jumping Jacks! Wheee... were you taken back to grade school PE class?

2/18: Up to Date Dr/Dental Check ups. Think Nike ... JUST DO IT!

2/19: Create! I want to know what you 'made' today!

2/20: Spic & Span.

2/21: Flowers! After a week of named Snow Events (35+ inches of snow this month so far!) who wouldn't love a breathe of spring & summer? I'll leave you today with this gorgeous display... ahhhh...

Tutti Fruitti

A big mantra in our house is "Eat Your Fruit!" My husband is a living breathing proponent of all things citrus. I'm serious, if we had the storage capacity, he would buy 64 oz. Del Monte Sunfresh Red Grapefruit containers by the pallet load. When we were first married, he valiantly tried to introduce me to fruit smoothies for breakfast. Let's just say it's been almost 15 years, and he's still trying... 

Me? I prefer vegetables... Lots & Lots of vegetables! I grew up on a farm with 2 gardens--both larger in acreage than my current city lot--in which we grew almost any vegetable you can imagine, and in such copious amounts that our storage demands required a canning cellar, a full size upright freezer, a 2nd basement refrigerator and cold storage locker rental in town. A partial list: Sweet corn, green beans, lima beans, wax beans, pole beans, summer squash, winter squash, butternut squash, acorn squash, hubbard squash, zucchinis, pumpkins, asparagus, eggplants, peppers, potatoes, yams, sweet peas, sugar snap peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, radishes, onions ... you catching my drift? We even grew some fruit: Tomatoes, Cantelopes, Honeydews, Watermelons, Blackberries, Red, Black & Gold Rasperries and Strawberries. When it was in season, we ate it, whether we liked it or not.  And what we couldn't consume, we prepped & stored for winter.

It was certainly a great start to eating right! And eating right has so many benefits:  

• A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite in check.
• Each fruit or vegetable has different beneficial nutrients, so the best strategy is to choose a variety every day. A colorful assortment is best, as different benefits exist in the color spectrum. 
• The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling.

It's been said, "An apple a day...keeps the doctor away." The old adage still rings true, but like so many things, it needs an adjustment to 'compensate for inflation'. 

Talk to me ... what were your 5 today?

Musical Monday ~ Grati-Tuesday

Happy Tuesday! What a gorgeous day in NH. I hope you were able to enjoy a bit of the beautiful sunshine either this morning or afternoon.  T'was a little gift from Mother Nature to lull us before tonight's predicted snow.

 

Your response to the "Experiment" is delightful! :) Love the discussions both at the center and reading/responding to your posts on FB.  Athena Henchey, one of my fabulous Jazzercise babysitters, took an idea from pinterest to help her visualize her daily tasks and RAK's.  Super!

 

  

By engaging the power of music, yesterday's assignment was meant to take some of the Manic out of your Monday. :) As reported in a recent study conducted by the University of Missouri and published in the Journal of Positive Psychology...

 

“We found that people were successful at raising their positive mood as long as the music they listened to was happy and upbeat.” ~Dr. Yana Ferguson

 

Neurological studies of music on the brain indicate that we're hardwired to react emotionally to music.  Benefits can range from the reduced stress to increased happiness.  Music may even be the most potent happiness trigger because it feeds a way to build social bonds.  When in a room with those who like the same music you do, friendships can blossom, which results in more happiness! So... how 'bout a lil...

 

...Music, Maestro, Please!  I'd love to hear what songs you picked in the comments below.  My Pandora Pick is a station based on an old jazz standard, Polka Dots & Moonbeams.  Here's the John Coltrane Version...

 

 

 

Moving on to Today ... Grati-Tuesday! Oh those 2 little magical words. 

 

The daily challenge:
"Find a reason to smile & say 'Thank You' to everyone you come in contact today. Notice and appreciate those around you."

This task would be a piece of cake for my Mother. She is the quintessential picture of politeness and charm.  My husband, on the other hand, he likes to say he doesn't discriminate, he hates EVERY-body.  Like you, I fall somewhere between these 2 extremes. 

While I'm not exactly face to face with you... I'd like to say Thank YOU for reading this blog. I appreciate the time you're taking to participate in the Experiment to be happier and healthier, inside & out!

 Tomorrow? Snow & Planking

Anticipation is making me ... Happy?

Remember this vintage Heinz Ketchup commercial? It made regular old ketchup sound & look soooo good, didn't it? If anticipation did that for a burger condiment, then I gotta get me some of that! Anticipation that is.

Have you ever noticed that anticipating something is almost as enjoyable (sometimes more so) than the actual event? That's the positive brain at work compounding your measure of pleasure! It works in a parallel vein as our daily 2 minute positive pondering.  The chemistry in our brains reacts nearly the same in recall as does during the actual event; so by pondering and/or recording the best part of your day, you reap double the effect of that positive experience.

Even being mindful in ordinary tasks brings a positivity to any activity. Had you ever really thought about your teeth when you brushed them? When I started in on mine last night, my mind was going a million miles an hour--then I glanced at the mirror and realized, oh, right!  I slowed down, started over and concentrated only about was I was doing in that moment. Heck, I even flossed. :)

If you're willing, let's hear some of these events/dates/tangible goals. Mine? You bet!  A big family trip with my folks. They're celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary later this year and for the first time ever, I get to meet my niece Zoe and we'll ALL be together.  This is posted late due to my mom & I spending 6 hours on the phone and online discussing the myriad of options from plane tickets to transfers.  Are we all booked? NOPE!  We didn't even make any rock solid decisions.  That's OK though, because where we're going and what we're doing isn't half as important as the anticipation of being together.

Calendar

Here's the calendar!

Should be perfectly sized to print on a 8.5" x 11" sheet o' paper.

BTW, It's exactly the same content as the handout at the center...

Just in a larger typeface :)