Making the effort …to be Happy and Enjoy the Day!

“Okay….1..2..3..Jump!!” Imagine two female hikers on the Round Valley Loop trail with the mid day sun shining, surrounded by huge boulders, pine trees and both facing a IPhone propped up to take a live action shot. Well… taking many shots because each picture kept getting worse. I think we actually scared the animals by all of our laughing and snorting.

Had too much fun out there on the trails plus a killer workout!

That day was a good one…. When was the last time you had a really good day and recognized it? To be HAPPY in today’s world is difficult but I believe our health depends on it. How can we be happy?

Know what makes you happy (for me it is being in nature, travel and animals, finishing daily tasks, running/hiking or working out, photography, challenging myself and coffee). Each person has unique needs to achieving happiness. Look at your needs.
Move forward in the direction of obtaining happiness, it will immediately put you in a positive state.
Surround yourself with positive, happy individuals and know that everyone deserves to be happy. Negativity can effect anyone, it wears on you and can be very difficult when you hear it constantly.
And IF you find yourself happy.. then it is your responsibility to be content and have gratitude.

Experiences make us happier than possessions. Material things come and go but memories last a lifetime. I enjoy traveling to new places and even though traveling comes with it’s own list of stressors to know that you were able to get thru them gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Being able to manage the emotional ups and downs is important for both body, mind and can build resilience. Exercise is an extremely effective stress reliever and can even quick start a dropping energy level. A negative mind set can lower your body’s immunity and increase inflammation so keep it positive.

I was reading the Harvard Health News Letter @healthharvard.edu and in it it the article discusses the pathways to happiness, which are recognizing what makes you feel happy and minimize pain, engaging fully or being totally immersed, and searching for meaning outside yourself by giving back and doing good. The last one I do believe is the most important for me, I believe it is vital that people should give back to our community. I volunteer for organizations that I believe in and that I respect their purpose. I just volunteered last night for a 100 mile endurance race and it made me so happy to know that I was helping others and that I was able to assist the athletes and make them smile.

I also was listening to a couple of Ted Talks and it is always surprising that the simplest of ideas can really make an impact to me. One such talk implied that by saying out loud as soon as your feet hit the floor in the morning “It is going to be a great day” … it starts you out in the right direction (positive) for the day. Let’s give it a try!

Work Outs for this week- Ran 10 miles, hiked 6 with altitude, and did a day of weights. I will try to do more miles and incorporate one more day of weights now that I am making progress.

Meal Prep- Salmon ( 3 different ways), Homemade Pesto Sauce, Twice Baked Potatoes, Parmesan Baked Fries, Green Salad, Pina Colada Cashew Balls.