The Greatest Floss: December 2011

"Kindness is the greatest floss..." from The Razor's Edge

When I was in college working at Muir's Drug Store on Michigan Avenue, I remember reading an article about a "rudeness syndrome" that was sweeping the country. Part of the problem, the author felt, was the younger generation's lack of concern for humanity and continual focus on self. I could not stop laughing when I read it! Interestingly though, as I shared the article with friends, family, and co-workers, they agreed with the author! That was in the seventies, and I am happy to report that forty some years later, a New York Times writer, Nicholas Kristof, believes that people are getting nicer. Well, it's about time, don't you think!!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Crafty Are We?

Pop bottle dolls, angels, santas, and witches. Marker pots, wreaths, photo albums. When my kids were young, I loved to dabble in crafts. These pictures show a witch and some angels made from soda or pop bottles. I added some sand in the bottom of each bottle, placed a dowel into the sand that protruded upward out of the mouth of the bottle enough to add a styrofoam ball and voila! there was the skeleton to dress up in some holiday manner or fashion. My friends Mary L. and Kathy and I would sell our crafts here and there for a little extra "fun money." We usually used much of the money to buy more raffia paper, styrofoam, and supplies to continue crafting! It was something we did while our kids were in Mothers' Day Out. When the kids saw what we were doing, we could easily ask for their assistance cutting paper or gathering sticks.

On the Positive...

I just ran across this blog by Marc and Angel whose list of blog entries sound like worthwhile reading. Here are the first three tips with links to the other nine!

AUGUST 30TH, 2011 @ 12:00 AM BY: MARC

12 Things Happy People Do Differently

by Jacob Sokol of Sensophy

“I’d always believed that a life of quality, enjoyment, and wisdom were my human birthright and would be automatically bestowed upon me as time passed. I never suspected that I would have to learn how to live - that there were specific disciplines and ways of seeing the world I had to master before I could awaken to a simple, happy, uncomplicated life.”
-Dan Millman

Studies conducted by positivity psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky point to 12 things happy people do differently to increase their levels of happiness. These are things that we can start doing today to feel the effects of more happiness in our lives. (Check out her book The How of Happiness.)

I want to honor and discuss each of these 12 points, because no matter what part of life’s path we’re currently traveling on, these ‘happiness habits’ will always be applicable.

Express gratitude. – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that’s without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. We’re gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren’t thankful for what we already have.
Cultivate optimism. – Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. – Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. If we’re somehow ‘better’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates – KABOOM – our inner Kanye West comes out! If we’re ‘worse’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we’ve done and dismiss all the progress that we’ve made. What I’ve found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesn’t stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an older version of yourself.

For the other suggestions, click here.

Best blogs on relaxation: Click here.