by Rupe | Aug 13, 2011 | Health-Wellness-Sex
Strategies for Happiness: 7 Steps to Becoming a Happier Person
A popular greeting card attributes this quote to Henry David Thoreau: “Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.”
With all due respect to the author of Walden, that just isn’t so, according to a growing number of psychologists. You can choose to be happy, they say. You can chase down that elusive butterfly and get it to sit on your shoulder. How? In part, by simply making the effort to monitor the workings of your mind.
Research has shown that your talent for happiness is, to a large degree, determined by your genes. Psychology professor David T. Lykken, author of Happiness: Its Nature and Nurture, says that “trying to be happier is like trying to be taller.” We each have a “happiness set point,” he argues, and move away from it only slightly.
And yet, psychologists who study happiness — including Lykken — believe we can pursue happiness. We can do this by thwarting negative emotions such as pessimism, resentment, and anger. And we can foster positive emotions, such as empathy, serenity, and especially gratitude.
Continue reading by clicking the source link below…
My Comments:
This is a pretty good read that I ran across at WebMD. Â I also found another article titled – “3 Tips for Being Happy” that was also ok. Â I included the links below to both. I believe that happiness is important to fully experience life, no less than love. Â I am not sure if I believe in a happiness gene, but then again, since there are or might be genes that controls depression, a similar gene might control how good or bad / happy or sad one feels toward stimuli in the environment. Â This is a pretty interesting topic.
Source: WebMD and 3 Tips
by Rupe | Aug 12, 2011 | Fitness
Felt relatively good; sitll having a bit of nagging pain in right bicep and left wrist. At any rate, really good workout. Unlike last week deadlifting 180 with some struggle, this week was much easier. I definitely felt much stronger. I have to be careful here though I don’t want to increase too fast, body might break.   Â
Workout: Day 59 (F12/Upper Body II) – 50mins/1min rest
Pull down (close grip) 2×12 @ 130,140
Pull down (wide grip) 2×12, 8Â @ 130,140
Deadlifts – 2×12,12 @ 180, 180 (*) o’yeah!!
Hammer Machine 1 – 2x 10 @90, 110
Hammer Machine 2 – 2×10 @90,110
One arm DB rows 3×12 @ 60,65,70
Barbell Bentover Rows – 10@110
DB Shrugs 1×12 – 60lbs
Smith Machine Shrugs – 2×15 @ 110,110lbs
Smits Machine Reverse Shrugs – 2×15 @ 110lbs
Seated Shrugs – 3×15@90,110,110
Preacher Curl – 2×12 @ 20lbs (2x10s) – got to hold back until biceps are healed.
Barbell Curl – 1 @12 (Long Bar with 10s) – wanted to do more, but I got a twitch in my upper rear delt.
Standing DB Curl 2×12 – 20lbs – used to supplement other bicep movements
Cardio: 60 mins
Distance: 5.0
Pushups: 0 (at least 50 per day)
Calories: 500
Tracker
Total Distance: 159.69 miles (Goal 250/90.31 remain) *
Total Calories: 40,994 (Goal 50,000/9,006 remain) *
Total Pushups: 1,880 (Goal 10,000 / 8,120)
Good livin’…keep movin’!
-R-
by Rupe | Aug 11, 2011 | Fitness
Really awesome cardio/abs day. Unlike last week, the intensity and reps were up; felt really good. Felt really good coming back from a lackluster last week. Having a bit of pain in left wrist from bicep curls last week, as well as a nagging hum in my right bicep. Will just have to watch them.
Workout: Day 58 (Th11/Cardio-Abs) – 90mins/1min rest
Obliques – 100 (w 45lbs)
Leg Lifts – 100
Reverse Crunches – 100
Lying Crunches – 100
Lying Left Crunch – 100
Lying Right Crunch – 100
Cardio:Â 60 mins
Distance: 5.0
Pushups: 0 (at least 50 per day)
Calories: 1100
Tracker
Total Distance: 159.69 miles (Goal 250/90.31 remain) *
Total Calories: 40,494 (Goal 50,000/9.506 remain) *
Total Pushups: 1,880 (Goal 10,000 / 8,120)
Good livin’…keep movin’!
-R-
by Rupe | Aug 10, 2011 | Fitness
Sort of a mixed workout in so many ways. Started out relatively strong as usual and got pretty tired towards the end.  Â
Workout: Day 57 (W10/Upper Body I) – 61mins/1min rest
Bench press 3×12,10,10 (45s,70s,80s)
Incline press 3×10,10,10 (45,45,45)
Smith’s Close Grip Presses – 3×12 (45s)
Chest Press Machine Incline – 3×12 (70s)
Chest Press Machine Decline – 3×12 (70s)
Decline press 3×12 (45,45,45)
Front Military Press 1×12 (45)
Bench Dips 1×25
Push Down 3×12 (110,110,110) + 8s from 100 – 40
Pec-Rear Delt 3×12 (70,100,100)
Fwd Str Arm Push Down 3×12 (70)
Forward Arm Raises – 1×10 (15)
Punches – 2×15 (15lbs)
Bent-over Lateral – 3×12 @15
Cardio:Â 17 mins
Distance: 2.15
Pushups: 0 (at least 50 per day)
Calories: 748
Tracker
Total Distance: 154.69 miles (Goal 250/95.31 remain) *
Total Calories: 39,394 (Goal 50,000/10,606 remain) *
Total Pushups: 1,880 (Goal 10,000 / 8,120)
Good livin’…keep movin’!
-R-
by Rupe | Aug 9, 2011 | Inspiration
So often we daydream and think of some far-off goal that we would like to achieve. “I want to play the guitar in a band,” “I want to run a marathon”, “I want to be better at my job,” etc. It’s not difficult at that point to break it down into short-term goals… practice some chords in the evening, run on the weekends, or arrive an hour earlier at work. You get in a groove and suddenly you’re on the way to reaching that long-term goal.
However, there are so many other goals where that groove is tougher to find once you get started. You begin to feel overwhelmed as you think about the long journey ahead. Continue reading.
My Comments:
This is an ok article from my Sparkspeople daily reads. It is not earth shattering, but an ok read nonetheless.
