12 Things Happy People Do Differently

[zoom-zoom]

My favorite part of the list was the bit on Flow...while the first thing that actually made me think of was my experience on my favorite mountain bike trail (beginner that I am), there are many other ways to experience flow.

Ha, the part about flow made me think about mtn. biking, too. I haven't really experienced this phenomenon, but my DH returned from a mtn. bike ride a couple of weeks ago just gushing about it being the best, most "flow-y" ride he's ever done. I hope I can stop crashing at some point and feel that first-hand!

[indysteel]

I didn't mean to be so much of a poopy pants. Like Catrin, I also liked the stuff on flow. I loved being so fully immersed in something that nothing else exists. Very, very satisfying.

Trust me; I know all about being a poopy pants. That's why I have to work at being happy. It doesn't come easy for me.

As for the flow, I get that concept, too. It's why I find yoga to be so therapeutic. I just don't find myself thinking about anything but the poses in class and that, in and of itself, is quite helpful. Of course, I take "flow" classes, so there's no coincidence there.

[OakLeaf]

I don't mountain bike - my experiences with "flow" are pretty much limited to the moto. I expect you could get the same thing on long descents on a road bike, but we don't have any of those here. Nothing like having your life depend on instantaneous physical response to sensory input, to get your mind and body good and integrated.

[GLC1968]

See - and when I read that part about 'flow', I didn't even immediately think about athletics at all! I thought about the day at work where I executed a tough schedule with finesse or back when I was in school and I was able to block out most of the world while I worked my way though a tough engineering problem of some sort. Funny!

(maybe this means I should focus more when it comes to exercise, huh?)

[indysteel]

See - and when I read that part about 'flow', I didn't even immediately think about athletics at all! I thought about the day at work where I executed a tough schedule with finesse or back when I was in school and I was able to block out most of the world while I worked my way though a tough engineering problem of some sort. Funny!

(maybe this means I should focus more when it comes to exercise, huh?)

I don't know that flow is limited to exercise. To me, it's anything that completely engages your attention such that you are completely in the moment.

ETA: There is some exercise I do that does not totally engage my mind. Running and road cycling are two. There is enough room in my attention span for it to wander.

[GLC1968]

I don't know that flow is limited to exercise. To me, it's anything that completely engages your attention such that you are completely in the moment.

You know, most of my life is like this. If I don't completely engage in the moment for whatever I'm doing, the rest of the things on my 'list' derail me and my productivity suffers greatly. In some ways, I look at it as being incapable of truly multi-tasking, but in reality, it could be viewed as ever changing 'flow'. When I'm focused on the farm, it's all I'm concerned with and I'm happy. When I'm networking on a college campus for work, it's all I'm concerned with and I'm happy. When I'm racing a triathlon, it's all I'm concerned with and I'm happy.

It's when I let my brain open up or 'wander' and all of the OTHER priorities come rushing in that I start to panic or get stressed. It happens a lot in the last few miles of a long training run where I start to think about what I have to do next and everything breaks down from my focus to my form to my enthusiasm for what I'm doing at that moment...

Interesting.

[Crankin]

Flow is a well documented phenomena in neuroscience/cognitive processing literature. I had to read a whole book on it when I was taking a course on brain based learning a few years ago, so we could provide appropriate learning strategies and activities that would engage kids. I remember immediately making the connection to how I felt when I was riding. I was a new rider when I was reading this stuff, and I think now, it's a lot harder for me to get that feeling. Cycling feels like hard work a lot of the time! However, I feel the flow when I finish.

[shootingstar]

The best experiences of flow for myself has been in: cycling and for certain times when I'm "creating" something: writing certain pieces (yes, it includes certain blog posts), painting, calligraphy and sewing.

That's my strongest association of flow.. the rest of the world and time melts away for several hrs. and one's being is completely thrown/lifted into the immediate experience. Whenever that happens, it's a gift.

[limewave]

Last night I picked up the kids and my dd was in a mood. She seemed depressed, cranky about everything, all she wanted to do was watch TV. Ugh! She was so miserable to be around I almost sent her to her room.

And then I thought about the "12 Things Happy People Do." I thoughtfully suggested we go for a run after dinner. Wouldn't you know, that completely changed the dynamic. A very moody child became chipper, helpful, respectful, and excited. We even ended up having a light snowfall and got to tour the Christmas lights around the neighborhood.

[indysteel]

Last night I picked up the kids and my dd was in a mood. She seemed depressed, cranky about everything, all she wanted to do was watch TV. Ugh! She was so miserable to be around I almost sent her to her room.

And then I thought about the "12 Things Happy People Do." I thoughtfully suggested we go for a run after dinner. Wouldn't you know, that completely changed the dynamic. A very moody child became chipper, helpful, respectful, and excited. We even ended up having a light snowfall and got to tour the Christmas lights around the neighborhood.

That's great, LW. Do you think your daughter recognized that there was a correlation between her improved mood and the run?

[goldfinch]

Last night I picked up the kids and my dd was in a mood. She seemed depressed, cranky about everything, all she wanted to do was watch TV. Ugh! She was so miserable to be around I almost sent her to her room.

And then I thought about the "12 Things Happy People Do." I thoughtfully suggested we go for a run after dinner. Wouldn't you know, that completely changed the dynamic. A very moody child became chipper, helpful, respectful, and excited. We even ended up having a light snowfall and got to tour the Christmas lights around the neighborhood.

This is great! I tended towards moody as a child. (And as an adult too, for that matter). It is good to give kids tools to help them manage their moods.

For me, I am most likely to get in the zone or with the flow if I am making music. The physicality of playing, the emotion of the music, and importantly, playing it well due to preparation and practice before hand does it for me.

[Melalvai]

I'm sorry some of you took issue to all or part of the blog post. I didn't post it because I think there's only one set of habits/characteristics that make somebody happy. I just thought it offered some food for thought.

I think it's been a great thread. It really sparked a lot of discussion. If it had been something everyone had agreed with 100%, there wouldn't have been much to discuss. Thank you for sharing it.

On a related note, here's an article called "The Top 5 Regrets in Life by Those Who Are About to Die". I thought it was a really interesting article. It wasn't so much of a wake-up call for me as it was comforting and reassuring to know that I'm living my life in a way so that when I'm dying, if I have regrets, they won't be the most common 5. I'm not so naive as to think I'll have no regrets just because I won't have these 5! I'm sure I'll find something else to regret.

[indysteel]

I think it's been a great thread. It really sparked a lot of discussion. If it had been something everyone had agreed with 100%, there wouldn't have been much to discuss. Thank you for sharing it.

On a related note, here's an article called "The Top 5 Regrets in Life by Those Who Are About to Die". I thought it was a really interesting article. It wasn't so much of a wake-up call for me as it was comforting and reassuring to know that I'm living my life in a way so that when I'm dying, if I have regrets, they won't be the most common 5. I'm not so naive as to think I'll have no regrets just because I won't have these 5! I'm sure I'll find something else to regret.

It has been a good discussion. I was just a bit bummed when I checked in on the thread yesterday to read mostly negative comments. For all of the flaws to the list, I think it makes some good points, too. I'll have to read the article you linked.

[zoom-zoom]

On a related note, here's an article called "The Top 5 Regrets in Life by Those Who Are About to Die".

That was a good read, too. I think I'm actually doing pretty well on that list.

[indysteel]

Just read the list myself. I feel like I'm getting a solid B according to the list. For the most part, I'd say I'm hitting the high notes, but there is room for improvement. At some point in my life, I'd like to move something new, but it'll make me confront the risk-adverse side of me that has, thus far, dominated most of my life choices. I don't want to carry that regret with me to my deathbed though.