BLOG EXPERIMENT! IT'S LIVE!
IS ANY BODY OUT THERE? IF SO...SAY HI! TODAY'S HAPPINESS TIP TO GET THE CONVERSATION GOING::COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS AND WATCH YOUR HAPPINESS MULTIPLY! There's an old Persian saying, "I cried because I had no shoes…then I met a man who had no feet." Well the same holds true today in America. All too often we can get bummed because we don't have the designer clothes we see on celebrities…then we realize …we don't have the bodies seen on celebrities either… and we get even more bummed. Wait. No. That wasn't my point. The lesson to be learned: count your blessings and reap more happiness. Indeed, statistics show that blessing counting is a major happiness aid. In a study done at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1979) women were asked to view vivid depictions of the gruesome poverty and suffering in Milwaukee in the 1900’s, then write about imagined personal tragedies, such as being burned and disfigured. After doing so, these women expressed "greater satisfaction" with their lives. Similarly, when people diagnosed as “mildly depressed” were asked to read about people even more depressed, they all felt somewhat better (Gibbons, 1986). So remember: gratitude is a powerful panacea. QUESTION: Do you think this is why people crave bad news about celebs and weird murder cases and can't get anough of trashy reality shows...?
posted by KAREN SALMANSOHN at 8:23 AM
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22 Comments:
Hershey Garfield is out here for live blog
Karen...Your blog is hard to set up for conversation. You have to be a blogger. Maybe you should look into a different blog set up so more people can say hi and stuff. I love what you wrote today by the way. I think you're right about people loving to see celebrities fall so they feel better.
If you want to write in as anonynous then I don't think you need to have a blog. So feel free to write in as anonymous any of you out there...then you can actually say more honest/outrageous stuff at me anyway, I suppose! :-)
Hi Hershey. If yourse still there...what do you think is the numbe rone secret of happiness?
Your question gives me food for thought; not having craved to read bad news about celebrities I am not sure....thinking
Good morning Karen. I'm going to try your suggestion and write in as anonymous.And in a way I am. You don't know me. I bought your book How To Ne Happy, Dammit in Urban Outfitters about two years ago...and then after bought about 5 more copies as gifts for people. I still keep it out in my lviingroom to read when ever I am depressed. I think the #1 cause of depression is fear. I think when I am afraid of looking at the truth or changing my life I get despressed. (By the way my name is Jennifer)
Dear Happiness Guru...Lynn is correct about he blog being difficult to work in the current format. A live blog would work as a chat room beter.
Jennifer...I agree about fear being a big troublemaker in people's lives. And I tjink what you said about fear of looking at the truth and fear of change or big fears to try to obliterate. Indeed I think both scenarios are about THE FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY. We all want certainty in our lives. We think certainty = happiness. At least certainty = much-o less anxiety/stress. The probelm: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS UNCERTAINTY. Certainty in this world is as much of a myth as a unicorm. It doesnt exist. The only thing we can feel certain about is that we have the "stuff" inside us to deal with whatever comes our way... The only thing we can control is ourselves...our "stuff" to handle life.
This is Bruce trying the anonymous route...the number one reason for happiness??? Desire to be happy.
I agree with you Karen about certianty. I always get stressed when I'm waiting for a new guy to call or waiting to hear if I got a design job or not...and that's when I very muc h dont feel happy at al. :-) What do you suggest I can do to help me improve my "stuff" to deal with stress and uncertainty...so I can be happier, dammit.
Karen...what do you think is the Number One reason for happiness?
The number one REASON for happiness...reason is an odd word to use. Aristotle believed that's man's moral duty to oneself is to be happy. There's not even aquesiton about it. IT"S A MUST. Arisotle believed that man achieves happiness by accomplishing two things. THING#1: Each of us have our unique thing that we do best. Shoemakers gotta make shoes. Ice sculptors gotta make ice sculpture. You gotta _____. You gotta do the thing that you as indiviudal do best. If your an accountant that gets inspired by photography and you're crucnhing numbers all day and never photographing a thing around you...you will not be a happy camper. THING#2: Man is the only animal capable of conscious thought...WE CAN THINK RATIONALLY. (Yes aristotle is optimistic about humankind>) aristotle says we must use conscious thinking to live a conscious life...be alert to ALL the choices of acitvity and beleifs we can choose...and then concsuously choose "habits of virtue"...acitvities that are good for us and those around us. He believes the soul knows if you behave badly. So being a good person will get you happiness points her eon earth.
Next up...how to deal with stress. Like I said earlier...you cannot control this careening swerving rollercoaster of a ride called life. But you can control YOU...and try to have the right attitude to enjoy the bumpy curvy ride. ATTITUDE will not only help you enjoy the journey..but it will help you get to where you want to go. You'll see more clearly the right paths and meet more people...because you attract more of the right people..not only because you'r emore "adorable" when you have a good attitude..but that weird thing called "energy" will probably also help to magnetize you better toward lucky breaks. Though I do think being relaxed helps you see better the world around you so you dont do as many self-sabataging/stupid things...You know those snow-dome thingies that have flaky snow iinside when you shake them? Being stressed out is like shaking one of those up. Being calm is like letting the flaky stuff settle..you see the world better around you...so you can make better life chocies.
Hi. This is Keith. I bought your newest book ENOUGH, DAMMIT and really loved it. I am an actor ...or at least trying to be. It's hard to stay positive. So much rejection. Any tips? Or do you know a good agent?
Hi Keith. Welcome! So you wanna be an actor? Hmm..why don't you "play the part" of a confident/successful person. I'm actually not joing. If you enter into the physology of someone who is confident/successful psycholgoists believe you can take on their thinking and behavior too. You will start to think like a confident/successful person and thereby choose the actions they might take. So "play the part" of what you want to be...and I betcha you'll see some positive change. Plus you'll be having fun...and having fun helps to shed anxiety. On a more "practical" note...write down tangible goals you can "measure." For example ..."I will improve my 8 X10 glossy by Jan 18th" if you have a photo that is not doing you justice. Or "I will find out the names of agents who represent voiceover talent" if you feel you can make some quicker money as a voiceover person. Then write down every step you take in a forward direction so you ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR OWN EFFORTS. ALSO...Every day do at least one thing for 20-30 miinutes/three times a day to move you forward...pace them out throughpout the day so you dont get burnt out.
Jennifer here. Thanks Karen. I think you should look into a chat room that would be easier for conversation. I like what you had to say today, tho!
Yo Karen, it's Keith. Thanks for those thoughts. I like the idea of "acting" like a confident/successful person in particular. I'm gonna tell me girlfriend that one too. She's an actress. You should get a chat room. And if you're someone who writes abotu change...well then you shouldnt be fearful of chanigng your format here. Hahahaha!
Hahaha. Yes, I will look into a chat room. You're right! But thanks to all of you for being part of my experiment here today! Another thing I got out of this...I have to learn better how to type really really fast! (maybe I should have had a second cup of coffee. My typing might have been speedier!)
Karen, I also think you should have your chats at end of day. Not everyone can take the time first thing in the morning.
Keith here. That's true. Only freelance people like me that dont have a job to rush off to. Later in day would probably get more people.
All really good ideas I will look into for sure. Again thanks for being part of my experiment. I wish you all a supe rhappy day today, dammit! xoxoKaren
Hi Karen, my name is Karina and I'm from Holland. I love reading you and until now I've read only one book of yours, Business without a penis, and I love it.
Of course I'm on my way to get the rest of your collection.
But I'm here to help people out with the chat problem. I have a journal online and everyone is welcome to react on the things I post and it works really good. Maybe you can try thesame.
I'm talking about an livejournal.
www.livejournal.com
And if you will start it, please let us know about it!
Was a pleasure meating you, Karen
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