Happy New Year!

The following Irish blessing is our New Year wish for you:

 

May your troubles be less

May your blessings be more

May nothing but happiness come through your door!


Please take a few minutes to enjoy these one word essays.

Positive Affirmations for the Month of December

I am going to use all my energies to expand my heart out to others -- Dalai Lama

It is a Great Season to be Grateful

Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated Thanksgiving Day. This holiday is observed yearly in the fall as a way of celebrating the bounty of food produced from this year's harvest. In other words, it is a time to be grateful for the great amount of tasty foods we share with one another.

 

Unfortunately, the word "grateful" is often misspelled. In fact, a website has found that this word has been misspelled over 7 million times is a popular search engine. Not only do people add an extra "L" to the ending, but they use the word "great" as the root of the word.

 

Now that you know how it should be spelled, be grateful that you aren't this guy!

 

A Few Tips on How to Become Happier

Lately, I’ve been seeing a fair amount of articles on the topic of happiness. So, I’ve decided to share with you five simple tips I’ve learned on how to become happier.

1.       Exercise –Many studies demonstrate how exercise releases endorphins in our brain which make us feel good. As a result, exercise may treat depression for some people and can also boost body image.

2.       Relationships – Studies show that the happiest people are those who have intimate relationships. People feel good when they can share experiences with friends and/or family. Furthermore, happiness is contagious. So when you need to feel a little happier, find the friends and/or family members who are feeling extremely happy that day.

3.       Volunteer -It sounds ironic that in order for you to feel happier, you should help others. However, studies on volunteering show that helping others releases serotonin in our brain which makes us feel good. In one article, a scientist noted, “We scientists have found that doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.”

4.       Smile – According to studies, smiling can trigger happy memories which make us feel good. In fact, even faking a smile can lift our mood. In another article, researchers wrote, “Pretend that you are happy, and you will feel happy.”

5.       Gratitude – Being thankful for what you already have will bring greater happiness. Take note of at least three things you are grateful for each day or each week. As one author noted, “We're gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren't thankful for what we already have.”                                           

To learn more on how you can be happier, be sure to read each of the articles highlighted in this post.

Positive Affirmation for the Month of November

I give thanks for all that
I am and for all
that I have.

Let's Discuss Language Further!

Or is it farther? How do you know when to use which word?

The word "farther" is used to describe a measurable distance.
For example: Craig lives farther from work than I do.
In this example, we can measure the actual distance from work in miles.

The word "further" is used to describe an abstract measurement or an extent or degree.
For example: Let's discuss language further.
In this example, we don't actually know to what extent I want us to discuss language.

Here's a quick tip to help you remember when to use which word. The word "farther" has the word "far" in it so use this spelling when you mean a measurable distance.

Check out this entertaining scene from the movie "Finding Forrester" when the student Jamal corrects his professor's misuse of the word "farther." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA4Vj-Q3HX4

Positive Affirmation for the Month of October

I will take deeper, longer, and more relaxed breaths.