Thursday, June 28, 2012

Things That Determine Happiness


I found this great article with the title of "Top 10: Things That Determine Happiness" from Askmen. Many people say that happiness is not a destination, it's somehow a journey you're having. But I think there are those things that can somehow "affect" your happiness state. I don't know whether you're agree with the 10 points below or not but at least we can have a glimpse of what can we say determine the state of happiness =)

No.10 – Having a short memory

Are you one to hold grudges? Do you need the jaws of life to pry forgiveness out of you? Well, don’t expect these attributes to contribute to your happiness or to your overall health for that matter. This ability to forgive and forget, to go with the flow, is frequently cited by researchers of centenarians as being a key factor in their ability to live to see their 100th birthday.

No.9 – Exacting fairness
According to a recently published study in the prestigious journal Nature, people derive more happiness from scenarios and situations that result in a perceived fairness for everyone involved, even when this fairness goes against self-interest or comes at some personal cost. In short, researchers at Rutgers found that the reward centers in the brain light up in situations in which people are treated equally.

No.8 – Having lots of friendships
Extroverts are happier than introverts and they live longer lives, in part because they can spend time in the company of friends and family or they can spend time alone, according to happiness researcher Ed Diener. Like letting go of grudges and going with the flow, being extroverted and having a wide social circle is a major factor in whether someone considers themselves happy or not, as well as an often-cited reason to explain how some people live to be 100 or older. At any rate, it’s a reason to justify spending a little time at work on social networking sites.


No.7 – Being spiritual
The results of a collaborative, multinational study that involved over 166,000 people showed a clear correlation between a person’s “strength of religious affiliation and frequency of attendance at worship services” and their self-reported levels of happiness and satisfaction with their lives. How is this correlation explained? Researchers postulate that this increased involvement in a spiritual circle means more friends, a wider support network and a higher degree of hopefulness.

No.6 – Thinking ahead
In his book Stumbling on Happiness, Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert argues that happiness is derived from the ability to accurately project what will in the future make us happy — not those things that actually do. He notes that we are the only species that truly considers the future, and this ability to think ahead and to imagine the future is “the defining aspect of our humanity.”
According to Gilbert, studies support the idea that we enjoy thinking into the future because more often than not, it’s something of a daydream, and in daydreams we are at our most successful. Furthermore, because imagining the future and what actually happens in that future are often at odds, many people derive far more happiness from the anticipation of a future event than the actual event.

No.5 – Developing a skill
According to psychology professor Dr. Timothy A. Pychyl, the route to happiness is simple enough, “Live it, don’t buy it.” This is especially relevant in the modern world, where instant gratification can be purchased — but only to a point, before it hits a wall.

He quotes a professional base jumper, who says, “You’ve got to have the passion to do your time. If you haven’t done the time, you just can’t get there.” He goes on to argue that only by paying one’s dues through time, effort, devotion, and experience can we, “develop the rich experiences that make life meaningful.”



No.4 – Having personal control over one’s life
Where might you find unhappy people with low morale? Those places where people no longer feel in personal control of their lives, whether it’s a nursing home or a prison, because control equates to happiness. In his book Satisfaction, Emory University psychiatrist Gregory Berns makes the point by distinguishing between pleasure and satisfaction, “While you might find pleasure by happenstance, satisfaction can arise only by the conscious decision to do something. And this makes all the difference in the world, because it is only your own actions for which you may take responsibility and credit.”

No.3 – Defining success
There’s a saying that no matter how talented or successful you think you are, there’s always someone who’s got a leg up on you. People who compare themselves against those people will always come out the loser, even when the comparison is neither appropriate nor consequential. A skilled dentist with a thriving practice can’t reasonably compare his level of success to Robert De Niro and expect to feel good. If he made comparisons within his own peer group or against his own expectations, however, he’ll not only come out more favorably, but he’ll be happier too.

As Gallup psychologist Shane Lopez explained to Psychology Today writer Abby Ellin, “Self-referential people see themselves as the marker. They care about their own performance, not how they measure up compared to that guy over there…. The only competitor is the self.”

No.2 – Good genes
According to “The Science of Lasting Happiness,” an article by Marina Krakovsky published by Scientific American in 2007, “studies of twins and adoptees have shown that about 50% of each person’s happiness is determined from birth”, what’s loosely termed as a “genetic set point.” The weight of this variable on determining our happiness is supported by hedonic adaptation; according to this theory, even if we win the lottery, within a year or so of coming into this kind of material good fortune, we adapt to it and revert back to whatever level of happiness we were at before.

No.1 – Liking yourself
Liking oneself is arguably the principal characteristic of happy people. It’s been revealed in study after study after study: happy people like themselves. They think they’re pretty great people. They have high self-esteem, meaning they think highly of their own intelligence, they consider themselves to have strong ethical standards and to have far fewer prejudices than others.

(article source: askmen.com - image source: image 1, image 2, image 3)

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Something right..


I read the quote above just now and decided to post it here. I was thinking about the same thing on my current life, the state of being very blessed. There were times when I think about what I've done before in life to have such a blessed life I'm having right now. And then I thought that it's all about what we did in the past that come back to us eventually. When you did good to someone or something, chances are those good things will come back to greet you with more goodness in life =) So, don't be afraid to do something good even if it's just a small deed or small act, you'll end up having a better and better life...
(image via imgfave)

Monday, June 25, 2012

Tree Advice

Good morning Monday =) Hope you all had a great weekend. Wouldn't it be nice if we can share some points of life to be pondered upon? Here's a small but meaningful lesson we can learn from a tree. Have a great Monday...

(image via 9gag)

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Country home..

This is a really great country house located somewhere in Belgium. I love country house and it has been a dream of mine to own one. One day if I had one country home, I would definitely go there every weekend for a fresh air and a clearer mind =)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Self Appraisal


Hi everyone, sorry for the lack of posts lately. My baby girl just had a flu and cough so I have to go back and forth for about 5 days to the hospital to do a nebulizer treatment but thank God she's fine now. And thank God that she loves the treatment so I didn't find it hard to take here everyday to the treatment place =) Oh I forgot to tell you that last Thursday (June 14th) and last Sunday (June 17th) were the birthdays of my husband and I. We didn't celebrate it, just a simple dinner at home and a birthday cake of course. So, how are you all doing? Hope you're having a good time. Today I'm going to post a short writing about self appraisal. I think self appraisal can do you good when you really want to know how good or haw bad you are doing. Below is a really good story I got from my friend. Have a good day =)

A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialed a number.

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:

Boy : "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) "I already have someone to cut my lawn."
Boy : "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now."
Woman : I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.
Boy : (with more perseverance) "Lady, I'll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.
Woman : No, thank you.

With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.

Store Owner : "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."
Boy : "No thanks
Store Owner : But you were really pleading for one.
Boy : No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!"

*
** This is called

"Self Appraisal"

(image via favim)

Friday, June 15, 2012

Forward...

I found this article on DailyOM. It's about moving forward. It's about life that we have to live and life that is moving forward. Life can never be lived backward. You can see your past but you have to look back in order to move on. My favorite line of the article is "Once the sun rises, it doesn’t go backward but instead follows its path in one direction"

Every Step Is Forward
No Going Back

There are times when we feel that we are spinning our wheels in the mud in terms of our spiritual progress. This can be especially true following a period of major growth in which we feel as if we’ve gained a lot of ground. In fact, this is the way growth goes—periods of intense forward movement give way to periods of what seems like stagnation. In those moments when we feel discouraged, it’s helpful to remember that we don’t ever really go backward. It may be that we are at a standstill because there is a new obstacle in our paths, or a new layer to get through, but the hard work we have done cannot be undone.

Every step on the path is meaningful, and even one that seems to take us backward is a forward step in the sense that it is what we must do to move to the next level. In addition, an intense growth spurt requires that we rest for a time in order to fully integrate the new energies that have been liberated by our hard work. When we feel we are not making progress, we can encourage ourselves to take a moment to rest. We can meditate more, feed ourselves well, and get extra sleep. Before we know it, we will be spurred on to work toward the next level of our development, and this rest will make sense then as something we needed in order to continue.

Once the sun rises, it doesn’t go backward but instead follows its path in one direction. It may appear to stand still for a moment in time, or to move more slowly at some point or another, but really it is steadily moving forward on its path. We are the same way, and once we have moved through something we can never really go back. We may be resting or revisiting issues that seem old, and it’s natural to feel stuck, but in truth we are always taking the next important step forward on our path.

(image via favim - article via dailyom)

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Smoothie..

Good morning everyone =) Did you have a good sleep last night? Here's something for you to make your day fresher and brighter. It is a simple recipe of Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie I found from Hot Polka Dot. Who doesn't love smoothie? I think almost all of us love it. And I think this recipe can really make a great morning =)


Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Makes 1 large smoothie

1 banana, sliced and frozen
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix it until it's smooth. Easy! Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Baking Soda


Who knew baking soda can be the source of many things we can use on our daily life =) This article came up just when I needed the most. I was cleaning out my kitchen cabinet when I found this baking soda I haven't used for quite some time. Luckily I haven't throw it away, I could use these DIY tips =) Found these amazing tips of "Seven Surprising Uses of Baking Soda" on good.is. Below are some of the tips.




  • Wash Your Face With It As a rule, we think that harsh scrubs and exfoliants do not belong on your face—not least of all because you need that top layer of skin to keep bad stuff out and moisture in. Most exfoliating scrubs also contain other sketchy ingredients—like plastic balls. If you’re hellbent on scrubbring, though, at least switch to baking soda. It works great on elbows and feet too, and combined with some raw honey, this DIY face wash isrefreshing and soothing—and anti-acne, too.



  • Soak Your Skin That's right, dissolve some into your bath for a soothing and skin-softening experience. The added bonus? You won't need soap—and sometimes that's a good thing.


  • Spot-Treat Acne Our favorite natural acne remedy is clay, like this green tea one we swear by. But in a bind, making a little paste from baking soda and water and applying it to an unwelcomed visitor will help dry it out. We don't recommend this for deep cysts, but for more surface afflictions, it works like a charm.
(source good.is)

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

How Common Is Your Birthday?

I found this graph really interesting. Look at your birth date and birth month...see how common or not your birthday is =)

(image source thedailyviz.com)

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Your age..


Above is a quote from Yoko Ono. I am completely agree with the quote. The year of your age could not really tell about the maturity of us. Just like the quote, some people are old at 18 and some people are young at 90. We often see young girls acting as if they are really mature and often we can see old lady acting just like a teenage girl =) What I'm saying is that we can always act just the way we want to no matter how old or young we are. Just be who we want to be.


(image source wordsoverpixels.com)

You Look Good..

I think we need this reminder everytime we're looking at ourselves in the mirror. I found this rustic nice mirror on Etsy. A nice and good reminder that "We look nice today", and when everyday we look at the reminder, means that everyday we always look nice =)

(image via etsy.com)

Monday, June 4, 2012

Wedding Anniversary

Today is my first wedding anniversary. A year ago today was our wedding day. Time feels like moving so fast I didn't realize it's already a year since the wedding day. And now, we have our precious baby girl, Zilla. My life seems complete and I couldn't ask for anything more but to add more happiness in this little family we're building now.

An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday,
and the hopes of tomorrow.
~Author Unknown

Friday, June 1, 2012

Good Deeds


Good deeds, what do you think when you hear the term "good deeds"? I might say that it's a noble act when you manage to do a good deed a day, it doesn't have to be a big thing..just a small noble act is more than enough. Wise people always say that you reap what you sow, which means that when you do good, the good thing will eventually goes back to you even when you don't really realize it. Just like a quote below which says that good things you have done will always wait for you. And good deeds will always shine in the dark. So, would you like to try to do a good deed a day?

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, 
but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
- Kalu Kalu -

“So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
William Shakespeare

(image source weheartit)