Be Happy

The world is full of challenges that can drag us down unless we get proactive in our pursuit of happiness.

It's too easy to be depressed. Or worried. Or fearful. 

Monumental events happen daily across the planet and right where we live. The Good, Bad, and the Ugly are on display every day.

We all want to be happy. Right? But it's not easy. The good news is there are steps we can take to assure happiness.

According to scientists and researchers, some keys to happiness include:

* Positive emotions: Are a key component of happiness, according to Martin Seligman, the founder of Positive Psychology.

* Engagement: Feeling interested in your activities and connected to others.

* Meaning: Feeling like what you do matters.

* Relationships: Strong relationships are a key predictor of happiness throughout life.

* Accomplishments: A key component of happiness, according to Martin Seligman.

* The Big Four: Qualities that bring satisfaction and peace, including friendliness, cheerfulness, compassion, and gratitude.

* The Three P's: Pleasure, purpose, and pride.

* Lowering expectations: Being pleasantly surprised by what life has to offer.

* Physical activity: Can increase happiness.

* Mindfulness: A key to happiness as people age. I touched on the subject a few of posts ago. See "It's a Time for Lifestyle Change."

My own observations about happiness include seeking out positive people, developing a sense of humor, and nurturing relationships with family and friends.

One of my favorite songs' is Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.

"Here's a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note

Don't worry

Be happy

In every life we have some trouble

But when you worry you make it double

Don't worry

Be happy, don't worry, be happy now."

(Here's a link to all of the lyrics)

As it Stands, life is too short not to at least try to be happy. What do you have to lose?

Veteran's Day: Remembering My Tour of Vietnam/Cambodia

Vietnam 1970.

I was a scared 19-year-old away from home the first time in his life. 

I didn't expect to survive my tour. 

I was completely ignorant about the Vietnamese culture. My training told me that the Vietnamese (NVA and VC) were subhuman.

I was a combat engineer (demolition) and spent countless hours minesweeping dangerous dirt roads.

I was assigned to the 442 Eng. Div., 31st Eng. Battalion, B-Company headquartered in Bien Hoa. 

Besides minesweeping I did a lot of hard grunt work building firebases, digging trenches for sanitation and water pipelines to villages, and constructing buildings in Binh Duong and Binh Long near the Cambodian border.

Early May in Cambodia. 

Initially my squad was attached to the 3rd Brigade of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), but we were later transferred to several units (generally - and in one case with a group of Marines. We were assigned to rifle platoons where we used our skills to blow up underground caches of enemy supplies from food to weapons. 

One day my best friend Rogers and I came under fire while helping haul bags of rice that were liberated from an NVA underground bunker. 

He was killed. I was lucky. In that moment I was no longer a teenager - I was forced to become a man determined to live despite the horror of seeing bullets pierce Rogers body. 

             Marijuana in Country

There was one thing all of the pot smokers agreed on... the Vietnamese weed was the best we'd ever smoked.

I freely admit to smoking pot daily, along with the rest of my platoon. It was a way of coping with the hell we lived in. True statistic: the majority of grunts smoked pot in 1970. 

It's been over a half of a century since my south Asian adventures, and I'm still (at times) haunted by the memories. I'm service-connected with PTSD and have spent years in counseling. 

As it Stands, today my thoughts are with Rogers and the other young men who didn't make it back from that terrible war.

You Are Not Alone

When the time comes in our lives that we find ourselves grieving the loss of a loved one it's good to know we're not alone.

Grief is a universal experience affecting both the mind and the body, with feelings in our brain directly affecting our physiology in ways that can leave us stressed and numb.

There's a newly established none-profit that is pursuing a mission to support individuals navigating grief and burnout through community support and somatic-based practices, instructing them how to grow through grief taking control over the nervous system.

The Denver-based LIGHT Movement utilizes scientific insights from the Polyvagal Theory developed by neuroscientist Dr. Stephen Porges, and organizes classes, retreats, and workshops to help overcome grief in a powerful organic way. 

Scientists have learned that grief can significantly alter our physiological state, making it crucial to address both emotional and physical impacts.

The word somatic refers to one-half of the division of the human nervous system, with the other half being the autonomic nervous system.  Somatic refers to those aspects of the nervous system we can control, and it plays a key role in how grief unfolds across our physiology.

The Light Movement also addresses burnout - the loss of passion and motivation in today's hectic world. They use a method called bilateral stimulation, which involves rhythmic stimulation of both sides of the body, such as alternating taps, walking, swimming, art, baking, cooking, and gardening.

Does this non-profit sound like something you are interested in? This December 21st, a virtual (nationally and globally) class will be conducted teaching people how to use somatic based tools to support integration and find meaning and purpose in your life.

Here's a link to the Light Movement offering events and resources to improve your life.

As it Stands, it's good to know you don't have to be alone during those challenges in your life.