March 15: Companies that Care Day, Ides of March, True Confessions Day
Alright, peeps. It's been a pretty rough week over on my side of town. Consequently, working out has fallen to the wayside. Here's my confession. I've been a fat bum lately. That changes today. I have a few motivational tidbits to help keep me on track and maybe it'll help you, too!
Alright, peeps. It's been a pretty rough week over on my side of town. Consequently, working out has fallen to the wayside. Here's my confession. I've been a fat bum lately. That changes today. I have a few motivational tidbits to help keep me on track and maybe it'll help you, too!
| I am going to be posting one (totally unflattering) picture each month to track my progress. If it's online, I'm hoping it will keep me on fire. Ugh. Well, people - No day but today! 
|
Self Magazine's 14 Days to a Happier, Healthier You! is going to be awesome! Also, Women's Health Magazine has a really great Running for Beginners program!
Day 1: Enjoy Frequent, Tiny Hits of Pleasure
Treat yourself to mini-pockets of fun throughout your day. Eat dessert after lunch and dinner, savoring only a few bites each time. Curl up with a novel every few hours, but read only a page or two. Or, when you've got the blahs, visit CuteOverload.com, but limit browsing to two minutes.
Day 2: Move It
Carve out time for 21 minutes of moderate-intensity (or 11 minutes of rock-your-socks-off) cardio today. Repeat for a week. Why such an oddly specific number? That's what experts say it takes to be considered moderately fit, and moderately fit women are 44 percent less apt to have depressive symptoms than nonexercisers, the Journal of Psychiatric Research reports. (Super fit women are 54 percent less likely to be blue.)
Day 3: Quit Comparing
It's tough to resist seeing how you measure up against others, but give it a try: At yoga, focus on your poses, not other'. At a party, pay attention to the talk, not the size of the host's kitchen. If you must compare, gauge how you're doing now against who you were last year. "Do a better deed today than you did yesterday," says Dan Baker, Ph.D., author of What Happy People Know.
Day 4: Give Up That Grudge
Forgive someone—that maniac who cut you off on the freeway or a pal who stood you up. Breathe in, exhale, and imagine all hostility leaving you; replace it with compassion and love.
Day 5: Linger in the Break Room
Get up from your desk, drop by your pal's cube, and ask about her weekend. The next time you send an email to a coworker, add a personal sign-off, wishing her luck in her upcoming race. No office confidante? Find someone you think you might have something in common with, and schedule a lunch.
Day 6: Tap Into Your Innate Strengths
Discover your dominant character strengths by taking a free, fun, 30- to 40-minute quiz at ViaMe.org. The test asks questions along the lines of whether you try to tease pals out of a bad mood, for example, to ID your best traits. Once you get the results, use a key strength in a new way each day this week. Creative? Pen a haiku—bet you haven't done that since grade school. Highly spiritual? Read about Buddhism, or meditate.
Day 7: Change Your Thinking in 4 Minutes
Imagine an event that makes you anxious, like an upcoming trip. Horribilize it for two minutes, exploring your worst fears. (You'll get in an accident on the way to the airport and miss your plane.) Now take two minutes to possibilize it, picturing the best outcome (80-degree days, discovering a new passion). Ask yourself, Which life do I want to lead?
Day 8: Vary Your Thanks
Tonight, before bed, jot down a few things you love about your family. One morning next week, right when you wake up, do it again, this time focusing on what you adore about your pals. Then, the next afternoon, write down the reasons you're grateful for your job. Give thanks twice a week tops, focusing on whatever feels wonderful in your life.
Day 9: Just Do It...Yes, That!
Drop the remote, shut your laptop, turn on some Arcade Fire, and give your sweetie a little love, even if—shocker—you're not that into it at this very moment. Getting it on reduces anxiety and depression and elevates mood.
Day 10: Be a Faker
Put on a smile, whether you feel like it or not. Feigning joy can induce joy. People who accurately made happy, angry or surprised expressions experienced those feelings two out of three times, a study in Psychophysiology shows. The facial movements trigger physiological changes: I'm smiling; that must mean I'm happy.
Day 11: Grab Some Girlfriend Time
Get your BFF and head to a museum, take a hike or spend an evening with takeout and Downton Abbey. (See more fab girlfriend get-together ideas.) If your pal isn't local, call or Skype her for a heart-to-heart. Having one truly great friend affects your joy more than having a few dozen sort-of-close friends. A solid relationship with your nearest and dearest can improve your happiness by up to 10 percent, according to research in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Day 12: Help the Local Economy
Whatever you need—a bottle of wine, new tires—don't drive miles out of your way to get it at a better price. Today, go to your local store and ask for the shopkeeper's recommendation. Then snag it, even if it isn't the exact thing you had in mind or the least expensive. People who search for only the best, even if they find it, are less happy than those who opt for something that's good enough, research suggests. "It might seem counterintuitive, but learning that good enough often is good enough buys you time to devote to more meaningful things, like family," says Barry Schwartz, Ph.D., author of The Paradox of Choice. When you buy locally, you also bond with a merchant, and relationships are a primary source of joy. That makes it a twofer, happinesswise.
Day 13: Plan Fun
On your first free day, pencil in something you'd love to do. (A massage!) Then download the TimeAndDate.com Countdown app on Facebook. Every time you log on, you'll see how long you have until the pampering. Looking forward to a future perk can give you a lift right now. People who book a vacation feel elation long before they board a plane, research finds—that is, you don't have to go anywhere to reap the benefits of a holiday. Maximize the high by reminding yourself of the upcoming event as often as possible. (Photo of a beach on your mirror? That works!)
Day 14: Put a Cherry on Top
When you have something unpleasant to do, like a horrible commute or an appointment at the dentist, give yourself a positive finish to look forward to. When you reach the end of a long car ride, crank up your radio and groove out to "Mr. Roboto." After the cavity filling, treat yourself to a walk in the park. Life as we live it and life as we remember it are two different things. When people look back on their day, it's the very best and the very worst moments that tend to have the greatest effect on how they remember it, a study in Emotion reports. What's more, people tend to recall feeling angrier, sadder and more tense during the worst moments than they actually reported experiencing during the event itself. "If you engineer a positive outcome, you'll help offset a negative one," says study author Talya Miron-Shatz, Ph.D., founding director of the Center for Medical Decision Making at Ono Academic College. Not only will you recall a tough week at work, but you'll also recall that luxe mani-pedi on Friday evening. So go live happily for these two weeks—and ever after!
Day 1: Enjoy Frequent, Tiny Hits of Pleasure
Treat yourself to mini-pockets of fun throughout your day. Eat dessert after lunch and dinner, savoring only a few bites each time. Curl up with a novel every few hours, but read only a page or two. Or, when you've got the blahs, visit CuteOverload.com, but limit browsing to two minutes.
Day 2: Move It
Carve out time for 21 minutes of moderate-intensity (or 11 minutes of rock-your-socks-off) cardio today. Repeat for a week. Why such an oddly specific number? That's what experts say it takes to be considered moderately fit, and moderately fit women are 44 percent less apt to have depressive symptoms than nonexercisers, the Journal of Psychiatric Research reports. (Super fit women are 54 percent less likely to be blue.)
Day 3: Quit Comparing
It's tough to resist seeing how you measure up against others, but give it a try: At yoga, focus on your poses, not other'. At a party, pay attention to the talk, not the size of the host's kitchen. If you must compare, gauge how you're doing now against who you were last year. "Do a better deed today than you did yesterday," says Dan Baker, Ph.D., author of What Happy People Know.
Day 4: Give Up That Grudge
Forgive someone—that maniac who cut you off on the freeway or a pal who stood you up. Breathe in, exhale, and imagine all hostility leaving you; replace it with compassion and love.
Day 5: Linger in the Break Room
Get up from your desk, drop by your pal's cube, and ask about her weekend. The next time you send an email to a coworker, add a personal sign-off, wishing her luck in her upcoming race. No office confidante? Find someone you think you might have something in common with, and schedule a lunch.
Day 6: Tap Into Your Innate Strengths
Discover your dominant character strengths by taking a free, fun, 30- to 40-minute quiz at ViaMe.org. The test asks questions along the lines of whether you try to tease pals out of a bad mood, for example, to ID your best traits. Once you get the results, use a key strength in a new way each day this week. Creative? Pen a haiku—bet you haven't done that since grade school. Highly spiritual? Read about Buddhism, or meditate.
Day 7: Change Your Thinking in 4 Minutes
Imagine an event that makes you anxious, like an upcoming trip. Horribilize it for two minutes, exploring your worst fears. (You'll get in an accident on the way to the airport and miss your plane.) Now take two minutes to possibilize it, picturing the best outcome (80-degree days, discovering a new passion). Ask yourself, Which life do I want to lead?
Day 8: Vary Your Thanks
Tonight, before bed, jot down a few things you love about your family. One morning next week, right when you wake up, do it again, this time focusing on what you adore about your pals. Then, the next afternoon, write down the reasons you're grateful for your job. Give thanks twice a week tops, focusing on whatever feels wonderful in your life.
Day 9: Just Do It...Yes, That!
Drop the remote, shut your laptop, turn on some Arcade Fire, and give your sweetie a little love, even if—shocker—you're not that into it at this very moment. Getting it on reduces anxiety and depression and elevates mood.
Day 10: Be a Faker
Put on a smile, whether you feel like it or not. Feigning joy can induce joy. People who accurately made happy, angry or surprised expressions experienced those feelings two out of three times, a study in Psychophysiology shows. The facial movements trigger physiological changes: I'm smiling; that must mean I'm happy.
Day 11: Grab Some Girlfriend Time
Get your BFF and head to a museum, take a hike or spend an evening with takeout and Downton Abbey. (See more fab girlfriend get-together ideas.) If your pal isn't local, call or Skype her for a heart-to-heart. Having one truly great friend affects your joy more than having a few dozen sort-of-close friends. A solid relationship with your nearest and dearest can improve your happiness by up to 10 percent, according to research in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Day 12: Help the Local Economy
Whatever you need—a bottle of wine, new tires—don't drive miles out of your way to get it at a better price. Today, go to your local store and ask for the shopkeeper's recommendation. Then snag it, even if it isn't the exact thing you had in mind or the least expensive. People who search for only the best, even if they find it, are less happy than those who opt for something that's good enough, research suggests. "It might seem counterintuitive, but learning that good enough often is good enough buys you time to devote to more meaningful things, like family," says Barry Schwartz, Ph.D., author of The Paradox of Choice. When you buy locally, you also bond with a merchant, and relationships are a primary source of joy. That makes it a twofer, happinesswise.
Day 13: Plan Fun
On your first free day, pencil in something you'd love to do. (A massage!) Then download the TimeAndDate.com Countdown app on Facebook. Every time you log on, you'll see how long you have until the pampering. Looking forward to a future perk can give you a lift right now. People who book a vacation feel elation long before they board a plane, research finds—that is, you don't have to go anywhere to reap the benefits of a holiday. Maximize the high by reminding yourself of the upcoming event as often as possible. (Photo of a beach on your mirror? That works!)
Day 14: Put a Cherry on Top
When you have something unpleasant to do, like a horrible commute or an appointment at the dentist, give yourself a positive finish to look forward to. When you reach the end of a long car ride, crank up your radio and groove out to "Mr. Roboto." After the cavity filling, treat yourself to a walk in the park. Life as we live it and life as we remember it are two different things. When people look back on their day, it's the very best and the very worst moments that tend to have the greatest effect on how they remember it, a study in Emotion reports. What's more, people tend to recall feeling angrier, sadder and more tense during the worst moments than they actually reported experiencing during the event itself. "If you engineer a positive outcome, you'll help offset a negative one," says study author Talya Miron-Shatz, Ph.D., founding director of the Center for Medical Decision Making at Ono Academic College. Not only will you recall a tough week at work, but you'll also recall that luxe mani-pedi on Friday evening. So go live happily for these two weeks—and ever after!
Happy living!
XO
XO
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