Tuesday, January 6, 2015

EMOTIONAL VITAMINS


I guess I'm still on my happy kick.  This morning Kate called to say she had a vivid dream about her Dad which makes her really miss him.  Oddly enough, I also had a (good) dream about him and have been missing him more than usual all day. 

Part of it, I know, is because I'm in his Dream life.  Maui.  He worked an extra ten years to be able to make this happen.  And I am so grateful.  It's so much more than I deserve.  At our income level (and savings level, I guess) it is probably not what any financial people would approve.  I actually inhale love when I am here.  What's the price of that?  

Maybe I need some emotional vitamins.  There ARE vitamins that supposedly help with emotional stability ... Vitamin D is the big one.  As are Vitamin B's.  I take a wonderful multivitamin and an extra D so physically, I think I'm pretty well covered.

But when you no longer have someone on the other side of your bed or across the table from you to give you a hug or a compliment, you need to figure out a way to get an emotional boost on your own.  According to University of Carolina professor Barbara Fredrickson, PhD :
  • “Positive emotions are unique and adaptive because, in the moment, they broaden people’s thought–action repertoires,” she writes, “and, over time and through such broadening, they build people’s enduring physical, social, intellectual, and psychological resources”.

She feels if we make a habit of focusing on joy, even over something insignificant, joy will come more easily with practice.  Including joyful relationships.  Being around happy people, or positive people, or funny people help may keep us focused on things we truly enjoy … whether that is people, pets, Picasso, the Packers or the piano.

Who knew?




4 comments:

  1. That's kind of why I "hibernated" for a few days. I wanted no negative energy coming into my house--like Dar or Pearl. I find a lot of peace and joy just being in my wee home with my cats and cross stitch and cooking and reading and.....

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    1. I did the same thing today! Although I did sit outside on the back lanai this morning. Rainy at first then the rest of the day WINDY. I re-organized some of the kitchen. Tried to bleach my white bath towels that someone took to the beach. And so on. Feeling fulfilled!

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  2. I've been hibernating but not by choice, but it still has been peaceful.

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  3. I had a wonderful friend who used to say that good brings good, and I think she's right. The more we focus on joy over small things, the more it grows.

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