10 Secrets to Everlasting Happiness (Megan Fitzmorris/Fitness Magazine, May 1998)
There's incredible pleasure potential buried deep in your soul. Here's how to find it.
1. Keep Track of the Good Stuff - Every day, write down one thing that makes you smile.
2. Look for Humor in Everything - Never underestimate the power of a gut busting laugh. Research indicates that a hearty chuckle doesn't just improve you mood, it also boosts your immune system, lowers stress hormones and eases pain. No wonder happy people are less likely to get sick!
3. Make Friends - And Keep Them - Studies confirm that happy adults are more extroverted and less self-absorbed than those who are depressed. But don't befriend just anybody: Try to hang around with happy people.
4. Be Yourself - Trying to live up to other's expectations is exhausting and unfulfilling, says Michael fordyce, Ph. D., a leading researcher on subjective well-being for 30 years. Instead, love your body now and forget unrealistic ideals.
5. Fall in Love - "Love and intimacy are the root of happiness," says Dean Ornish, M.D. So don't be afraid to bare all-emotionally and physically - with someone you love.
6. Choose Time over Money - Although personal income in the U.S. has more than doubled, Americans aren't any more or less satisfied than they were in 1967... The point? Money can't buy happiness.
7. Wake Up Your Senses - Keep nostalgic feel-good scents on hand: the cologne your husband/wife wore when you met, etc. Smell...Look...Listen...Touch...Taste...to boost your mood.
8. Take Care of Your Body - If you don't get enough sleep, you'll feel chronically cranky... Catch more zzz's... And if possible don't diet. Break a sweat instead. Frequent exercisers are consistently less depressed, less angry, and experience less anxiety than couch crashers.
9. Turn Off the TV - Make the most of your free time. You get far more satisfaction from active pursuits-playing sports or cooking a good meal-than vegging out. Do activities that require concentration and creativity and you'll feel more balanced and satisfied.
10. Make Happiness Your Number One Priority - The problem is that you don't always ask yourself if the reality of the situation in the case of a job, putting in long hours and having limited time for friends, family and yourself will actually be satisfying. Fordyce recommends that you write down those things in life that make you truly happy. Then, when you're faced with a big decision, check your list and choose happiness over other goals.
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TINY TIDBITS
Radicchio, Pasta and Asparagus Salad
1 large head redicchio--2 cups diagonally sliced, trimmed asparagus (about 1 pound)--4cups cooked radiatore pasta--1 7 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry and cut into 1-inch pieces--2 tablespoons capers Creamy Dill Dressing: 1 8-ounce container nonfat plain yogurt--1/4 cup minced fresh dill--1/4 cup minced scallions--1 tablespoon honey mustard--1tablespoon red wine vinegar--1 teaspoon minced garlic--1 teaspoon sugar
Halve radacchio head; rinse, trim, dry, and set aside in refrigerator. Steam asparagus, covered, for 2 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender; drain, rinse with cold water; drain again. Thinly slice radacchio; transfer to a large bowl. Add asparagus, pasta, roasted red peppers and capers. In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until combined. Add to salad and toss to mix. Garnish with additional dill sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
-Recipe from Fitness Magazine, June 1998 |
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