I am still reading through a bunch of old Reader's Digest magazines and came across an interesting article last night. It's not featuring weight loss tips or anything but I think the topic is relevant. The article is written by a Harvard psychologist and his research is focused on joy and happiness. He points out that humans are lousy at predicting what will bring them joy in life. He shared various ideas that are to lead us in the right direction so we do find happiness and joy in our lives and don't waste time pursuing dead ends.
I think this can definitely tie into weight loss and health promotion. I think it's safe to say that people can slip into unhappiness easily when they aren't pleased with their body, endurance, health, etc. Sadly, the way we look can certainly make us depressed and unhappy in general. Furthermore, feeling below par and having a poor health status adds more distress to the situation and everything can go downhill fast. Throw in the correlation of being overweight/obese and poor mental health too. We can't pinpoint causation since being overweight can cause depression and vice versa.
The first idea he discusses is committment. He focuses heavily on having strong, stable relationships in your life. Along with that comes the support system that is needed for positive changes in life, like weight loss. If you are able to committ to someone (and to change), happiness is a more likely to be part of your life.
Secondly he talks about "the little things". It's the little things in life that should make you grateful about life. You may not be able to run half a marathon but you can walk. You need to make changes in your diet but you can afford food. You want to work out more and your lifestyle allows you to workout and increase your physical activity levels. I think it's easy to get down on yourself when you aren't meeting goals but you should still reflect and take credit for the process in general and all the small goals you have acheived.
His third idea pertains to "hanging in there". Everyone experiences difficulties and obstacles in life. Humans are more than capable to "roll with the punches". Even better, we are able to learn from mistakes. Sadly we do have those BIG hurdles in life when unfortunate circumstances occur but still, we can press on and heal from loss, heartache, injury, etc. "Hanging in there" certainly pertains to weight loss since it's never a walk in the park.
His fourth idea is going to church (or somewhere spiritual). I admit after joining a church I liked, I became happier last year. It's nice to fit into a mini community and help with good causes. Not exactly sure how to tie this one into weight loss but I can always use prayer and meditation as a means to stay focused.
Giving is the fifth idea he discusses. This one makes me think about church again because I got a lot of joy from donating money last year and giving to those that truly needed it. In a sense we give each other support and motivation through this blog and discussion. I don't think you only have to focus on the money aspect of giving but you can think about all the other methods of giving people attention and support. Weight loss is not possible without the support of family and friends.
His last piece of advice is to invest in experiences. Have fun. Be daring. Try new things. All those things can apply to changing your life style because new workouts need to be tackled, new foods tried, new clothing sizes bought, etc. I can certainly appreciate the idea that saving is important because you never know when you'll have a big expense. I also believe that it's important to enjoy your money and use it in ways to have fun and live life at the fullest. I see examples of this with weight loss because people will take a chance and spend the money on a gym membership or sign up for a 5K. They'll treat themself with a vacation when they reach critical milestones with weight loss. Life's too short and there is way too much to do and see.
Anyway, I was tickled with the article and wish more people thought like that doctor. People would certainly keep there priorities straight if they thought about those six ideas on a daily basis. Most of those can also keep people in the right mindset when it comes to a healthy lifestyle too.
2 comments:
What wonderful advice this man has to offer. I think sometimes we're so worried that we haven't yet received the things in life we think will bring us happiness that we don't find the happiness in the things we already have.
I think the hardest concept for me is his last idea, investing in experiences. Because my finances are so limited right now I don't really do anything and I really should. I'll have to work on that. Thanks for sharing this find Jenny!
I should probably have that Reader's Digest somewhere in the apartment. I would have to agree that people are horrible about knowing what will make them happy. This generation has the whole instant gratification obsession. They don't look for the long-term effects. It's noticeable with most aspects of life: food, money, religion, school, relationships, etc.
I am definitely not above it. Unfortunately, I am very much a part of it to some extent. I, however, can see the folly of my ways. I wish more people saw that - instant gratification = less happiness long-term or later.
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