Fun Lamp!

I would like to share with everyone this lamp I bought! It brings me the purest joy! It was only $5.99 at my local Savers. I've had it for two weeks now and every night when I turn it on it makes me giggle, I thought you might enjoy!

And yes, it is a chest of drawers, that is also a teapot, that had a mini record player and a set of mini records on it!

-Alysandra



 

Equanimity in Caregiving

Greetings are to all in Happiness for Honors Students,

I am so excited to share this excellent website with all of you:

https://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/  about self-compassion and caregiving. 

Caregiving has its ups and its downs.  This website is a rich source for finding balance in the caregiving profession.  Even if you care for a cat, dog, turtle, fish, or parrot, the first meditation guides one through the process of feeling equanimity. 

The first meditation is a lovely Self-Compassion for Caregivers [Video - 9 minutes], and it only takes nine short minutes from your day.  In return, you will feel so balanced after listening to it.  So please give it a try for the one about whom you care:  https://youtu.be/jJ9wGfwE-YE

Sincerely,

April Vihilidal

The Robustness of Reciprocity

I wanted to share this article I saw about how people are inclined to help others, even at cost to themselves. The research described supports the idea that people will give to others regardless of differing motivations.

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/23/eaba0504
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/people-try-to-do-right-by-each-other-no-matter-the-motivation-says-new-scientific-study/

Glasses for Color Blindness

I had never heard of glasses for people who are color blind until today. I am not color blind but have several friends who are. So this seems fantastic to me and makes me really happy to have learned about this!
https://nymag.com/strategist/article/color-blind-glasses-enchroma.html

32 Ways to Make Someone Happy Today

The following is a link for ways to make yourself happy but more importantly to spread happiness!

https://zenhabits.net/ways-to-make-someone-happy-today/

I have also copy and pasted the contents of this link here for our convenience:

Just thought I’d give all of you a nice list of things to think about. This isn’t an in-depth post, but more of a thought for the day — is there someone you’d like to make happy today?

Making others happy is one of the best ways to have a great day yourself. It can brighten the world around you.

This list is just to spark some ideas, and please note that not every item on this list is appropriate for every person in your life. I trust you to figure out which actions go with which people.

Make someone happy today!

1. Smile.
2. Help them carry something.
3. Send a thank-you email.
4. Call just to see how they’re doing.
5. Pick them flowers.
6. Cook them a nice meal.
7. Tell a joke and laugh your butts off.
8. Clean.
9. Write a love letter to a loved one.
10. Give them a cherished book.
11. Bake cookies.
12. Praise them publicly.
13. Thank them for a job well done.
14. Listen.
15. Be there when they’re in need.
16. Give a free hug.
17. Spend time with them, having fun.
18. Do errands or chores for them.
19. Say I love you.
20. Help them get ahead.
21. Be proud of them.
22. Babysit if they need it.
23. House sit if they need it.
24. Buy them movie tickets.
25. Create a care package.
26. Coffee. Mmmm.
27. List the things you love about them.
28. Secretly leave them thank you notes.
29. Give a back rub when appropriate.
30. Deliver a nice lunch to them when they’re having a rough day.
31. Love them, completely.
32. Be happy yourself.

Any ideas on how to make people happy? Add them in the comments!

Tin Can Alley

A couple days ago I went to this spot called Tin Can Alley. It was a really cool environment, but the most packed I have seen since the pandemic hit. Seems like a good location to hang out at without a doubt!

A (little) Way I Feel Important

Hi all,

I've been getting into baking and cheeseboard design lately because of a friend's inspiration. Here's the first creation I'm really proud of! I made it for my best friend's birthday.

I really love looking that the new skills people have honed over the quarantine. It helps me to stay really positive. I also find that the task of assembling something beautiful relaxes me and having people enjoy what I make makes me feel important (even if only a little bit) to other people. I mostly stopped cooking when I went to college to I'm really grateful for the opportunity to get back to it! 

Meet Scarface

Hey guys! I came across this video on r/Albuquerque a few weeks ago and it brought me a lot of joy. Thankfully Scarface has found a loving home but you can still watch the excellent ad that led to his adoption.

An amazing YouTube channel for anyone interested in DIY or home science

Hey everyone, 

In the spirit of finding things to occupy your time while we all sit out the quarantine, I thought I'd share a favorite YouTube channel of mine. 

Mark Rober puts a great amount of effort into high-quality, engaging, and wholly positive videos, loaded with super interesting science- and technology-related content, and I have been watching through many of his videos recently when I am at a loss for other things to do. 

If you're at all into science or technology, or you just like watching cool people make cool things for fun and to give back to their community, I heavily recommend checking out his channel and showing some support. 

I hope you all find it as enjoyable as I did! 

Url (Not Earl)

Remember when I said I wasn't just going to post cute animal pictures all summer? I guess I lied, because I wanted to share this fun picture of my dad's cat, Url (pronounced "Earl"). Url is so named because he used to be Ursula at the shelter before they realized he was actually a boy cat, so they named him Ursa. But my dad didn't like the name Ursa, so he named him Url. He didn't realize until later that it had a double meaning.

Url is very curmudgeonly. He likes to sit by the sink and meow for people to turn it on so that he can drink out of it, which is what he's doing here. He also only likes my dad and refuses to sit on anyone else's lap. He only plays with toys at 3:00 in the morning - he wouldn't want the humans thinking he's undignified. Url brings me great happiness.

Volunteering as a source of happiness

Hello, everyone!

This summer I have been volunteering weekly at the Road Runner Foodbank. It has been a source of structure and happiness in my life, so I thought I would share it in case some of you are interested!

The Foodbank is in need of volunteers to work in their warehouse. Tasks include packaging, labeling, and sorting food for distribution. You can sign up for 2+ hour shifts. It is so gratifying and I 10/10 recommend, for more information click this link!

-Emily

Why Ta-Nehisi Coates is hopeful

I personally find this article incredibly hopeful and being hopeful makes me happy. So, I hope it makes you happy, too. If the content is too overtly political and offends you, please let me know so I can avoid such posts in the future. My point with this is not to spread my own politics, but to spread hope for everyone in our world!

Why Ta-Nehisi Coates is hopeful

And, happy Juneteeth!

Steps for Enlightenment

Focus on the Positive

For today's blog post I just wanted to remind everybody to stay positive!

I personally have trouble doing this at times because I like to focus on the negative side of things which I have realized does not make me feel happy at all! If you seek positivity you will surely find it because your mind was focused on that. I think the problem that people often have is that when something negative happens during the day it's hard to get past our emotions of anger or sadness because we can't stop thinking about that certain event! Let it go. Move on. There is so much more to come of your day so please do not let one thing ruin the whole day, you may not be able to control what happens but you can certainly control how you react!

Seed Libraries

I had never heard of Seed Libraries before I read this article today:
Seed libraries help communities grow food in a pandemic

And, guess what, we have a Seed Library in Albuquerque!
https://abqlibrary.org/seeds

Daily Positive Affirmations

This video is to help anyone who is feeling low and needs a self esteem boost! 3 hours of positive affirmations to build confidence, self acceptance, and most importantly happiness.

The Happiest Place in Albuquerque

I recently saw that one of my favorite places in Albuquerque has opened up again and you can reserve a time to go! It's Catopia Cat Cafe, where you can go pet adoptable cats in a cafe-type environment. I'll warn you right now that their drinks aren't fabulous, but their cats are always fabulous. You don't have to be looking for a cat in order to go; it's available to anyone, especially animal-starved college students. I may even go so far as to call it the happiest place in Albuquerque.

See below for a picture of a beautiful tabby boy that I met last time I went.

 

Hit Men Online Concert

OK, I'm old and so are these guys. But, this made me very happy for an hour or so today and if you like old rock music... 

CLICK this link as the play button below is just an image

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY90-dqLC1A&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3rI9eSWmy2w8PVY38XE-yS1iWJMtB68w9fNnpmV3-QAYTgKC3_G7UduRI

The Hit Men Online Concert A few years ago, The Hit Men rocked our stage. They have made a recent concert available free of charge to audiences, and we thought our patrons might enjoy the experience. THE HIT MEN, classic rock’s unique supergroup of legendary side men bring you a special concert experience. These five musicians recorded and/or toured with the artists whose hits they play – including the biggest names in rock history from Paul McCartney and Elton John, to Frankie Valli, Foreigner, The Who, Toto, Carole King, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, The Rascals and more. They’ve appeared on 85 albums and are the actual artists you heard in concert in classic rock’s most important songs.

About The Hit Men THE HIT MEN, classic rock’s unique Supergroup of legendary side men, are the 2019 recipients of Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum™ first-ever Road Warriors Award, given to them to honor “their years of dedication to the music, and the countless miles … that they have traveled in delivering so many hits throughout the world.” “20 Feet from Stardom” for most of their careers, THE HIT MEN are a new “Wrecking Crew” for the Next Generation. These five brilliant musicians recorded and/or toured with the artists whose hits they play – including the biggest names in rock history from Paul McCartney and Elton John, to Frankie Valli, Foreigner, The Who, Toto, Carole King, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, The Rascals and more. They’re the Real Deal, appearing on some 85 albums, many of them gold and platinum! They are the actual artists you heard in concert and on the original versions of classic rock’s most important songs.

Colorado Camping

Hello Everyone!

I recently got back from a camping trip with my good friends in the Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado ( I am on the bottom left for anyone curious.) It was amazing to get away and slow down with life during all of the turmoil our nation is currently in. This was my first time going to Colorado for camping and I would highly recommend it during this time of year, the weather was fresh and cool and the drive was very easily doable for most. While, it did rain a bit, it only added to the experience. For anyone looking for a get away, I'd be more than happy to provide more details.

Nathan Gonzales

What happened when we all stopped?

This video below made me feel happy in so many ways-- the design, the story, the hope, the drawings, and, well, Jane Goodall! Hope you enjoy it, too.

“What happened when we all stopped” narrated by Jane Goodall

The Secret Life of Plants

Greetings are to all,

Today I watered my house plants. My house plants give me great joy.

Here are three ways to learn more about plants' secret lives and how to communicate with them. Two are Ted Talks, and the other is a book. There are 45 pages of free viewing of the publication that opens the door to the understanding of the highly sophisticated life of plants.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un2yBgIAxYs 

How trees talk to each other | Suzanne Simard

"A forest is much more than what you see," says ecologist Suzanne Simard. Her 30 years of research in Canadian forests have led to an astounding discovery — trees talk, often and over vast distances. Learn more about the harmonious yet complicated social lives of trees and prepare to see the natural world with new eyes. 

The birch and pine talk to each other, but they do not speak to the cedar. 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Secret_Life_of_Plants/Q-lMDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 

The45K1.7KSHARESAVE

World's BIGGEST Flowers! (World's Most Spectacular Plants episode 2 of 14)

World's Most Spectacular Plants Episode 2 of 14 www.spectacularplants.com What are the world's biggest flowers? From palms with trailing flower scapes bearing millions of little flowers to giant Rafflesia flowers up to 1 m across, to gigantic arum lilies that stand over 3 metres tall! Join Stewart McPherson on a quest to discover the world's biggest flowers! This is the second of a series of fourteen "World's Most Spectacular Plants" videos. Visit www.spectacularplants.com to see the rest of the series!

Secret Life of Plants A Fascinating Account of the Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Relations Between Plants and Man 

By Peter Tompkins, Christopher Bird · 2018

Sincerely,

April Vihilidal

Easy Netflix Watchin' - The Big Flower Fight

Hey guys! Sometimes I like to watch upbeat, peaceful shows to calm down. British TV competitions usually do the trick. My most recent discovery is a show called "The Big Flower Fight" where teams of two work for fifteen hours straight to create giant flower arrangements to fit a theme. While it is a competition show, it is much friendlier and more relaxing than American competitions. It's nice to see people working together and complimenting each other instead of cutting each other down to win. I recommend checking it out if you need some light-hearted material to play.

Supreme Court News

Though I hope many of you have seen this, I wanted to share this news because it made me happy. Today the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to discriminate against people in the workplace because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/us/gay-transgender-workers-supreme-court.html

"Chasing the Equinoxes"

Greetings to all in the class,

On account of one of the other students in this course, I signed up for Disney Plus. I found a documentary concerning my focus of interest, entitled "Chasing the Equinoxes." It is an inspiring documentary and motivated me to continue working on preparing my Literary Review for LAIS Independent Study for the Fall of 2020.

After the conclusion of the program, another program of interest concerning Stone Hinge appeared. The viewing of  "Chasing the Equinoxes"  made me very happy!

If you have Disney Plus, then I would highly recommend watching the above documentaries. They will make you very grateful for the sun, which provides life and all of the stars in the firmament that instill hope and curiosity.

Sincerely,

April Vihilidal

Cat

Hey y'all, 

I'm glad pet pics have been the thing lately - I definitely enjoy them and I'm sure everyone else does too. I thought I'd add to the wave with some pictures of my cat Opal. She's like 6 years old and is an absolute spoiled princess but we love her. Bottom pic is her rare gremlin side that pops up on occasion!

Pep Talk

This video went viral ages ago - 2013, I think? - but I still watch it from time to time. It provides a mix of inspiration and nostalgia for me. Sometimes it feels like a lot of pressure to find "my Space Jam" (something to make the world awesome), but it's nice to know that Kid President believes in me.  Does anyone else remember this video from when it made the rounds the first time? What did/do you think?

On today's post I thought I'd share a video that symbolizes our society's misconception of happiness. I will admit this video is bleak but I feel like nonetheless it sends a message of what happiness is by showing us what happiness certainly is not.

Best Brownies Ever!

Hey y'all!

Today I wanted to share a delicious recipe with you all. This recipe is for "Better Than Sex" Brownies, which are so so easy to prepare. Check out this 15 second video, which will tell you what you need and how to do it. 😋

Baking is definitely something that makes me happy, and I would love it if you all shared some of your favorite recipes!

Yours,
Emily

Meet Freya

Today I drove for ten and a half hours to get to my mom's house, which was tiring and stressful. But I got to see THIS beautiful face when I arrived, which was super exciting and very cute. Meet Freya, by mom's boyfriend's new golden retriever puppy. Freya is an absolute bundle of joy. The cat is less than thrilled about it, but she's coming around.

I promise that I won't just post pictures of cute animals all summer, but I felt like this couldn't wait. I hope you all love Freya as much as I do.

Some Thoughts on Meditation

Hi everyone! I hope you all have been doing well these past few weeks. I know this year has been incredibly stressful for some, and in the past few weeks, current events have become an additional source of worry and trauma for many. 

Meditation is always a reliable source of calm and collected thinking in the midst of struggle and stress, but now more than ever it can be an incredibly effective way to keep a sense of inner peace when facing the chaos of the world. Unfortunately, meditation also has a somewhat misleading reputation, and many people shy away from attempting it simply because of the cultural and social expectations we've gathered when it comes to meditative practices. 

So no, you do not have to grow out your hair, don a monastic robe, and find a high mountain peak... you can start small and in the way you find most comfortable. I am by no means an expert on meditation but I've been trying to do it more and more often recently and these are some of the tips I've found most helpful: 

- Find a comfortable and calming place. It doesn't have to be picturesque and serene, as long as it's somewhere you can separate yourself from the stresses of home, work, and social lives, and it shouldn't be the same place you do your work or class assignments. Being outdoors is always helpful, but if you prefer indoors, make sure you have somewhere soft and comfortable to sit. 

- Sit comfortably. Cross-legged, back straight, hands on your knees is the most common pose people think of when they think of meditation, and it is one of the easiest, most comfortable, and best for relaxation. However, any pose that keeps your back straight, core engaged but relaxed, and allows for lowering muscle tension is ideal, and even lying down can be effective sometimes. 

- Avoid forcing yourself into an 'ideal' mental state or thinking about particular things. As was mentioned once before, meditation isn't the absence of thought, but rather a mindful approach to gathering all your thoughts and all your senses and letting them flow freely and become organized. Sit back and let your subconscious take the wheel, and if the first thoughts that come to your mind are anxious, overwhelming, or fearful, take it in stride and allow yourself to confront them. 

- Be mindful - take in your surroundings, welcome sensory input, take the time to appreciate each little thing in your environment and ground yourself in reality. It can be hard to separate yourself from the chaotic thought processes we often encounter, but using mindfulness strategies (like listing things you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel, or progressive muscle relaxation) can help bring you back down to earth and harmonize your thoughts and feelings with your environment. 

There's obviously a lot more you can do to enhance your experience, but these are some core basics I found to be incredibly beneficial, and it's a very good starting point. Even just 5 minutes a day can leave you feeling relaxed, focused, and strong. I hope this can help some of you starting out - please feel free to comment and share any other tips you all might have!

Work Less Be More Productive

I myself like to work hard and push myself in everything I do, but sometimes working less can be more productive and in turn make us happier!

How to REPROGRAM Your Brain ( for Happiness!)

I found this video super interesting and I am definitely going to keep this video in mind and put it into practice in my life! I hope it helps you guys as much as it helped me!

Cat-Sitting

My partner and I are housesitting for their parents which involves taking care of all their cats. They spend most of the day just napping around the house and you never know which ones you'll find around the corner. Animals definitely improve my mood. 

Here are some pictures! Please enjoy these descriptions as provided by my partner. 

 

Goat Joy

I've been staying on a farm for the past couple weeks, and they have the funniest and most adorable goats. The white one in the picture is Sophie, and her kid is Goldie. The goats love people and follow them around the farm when they can, and the kids are just little bundles of joy. If you collect some pine needles from a tree, they'll crowd around to get a snack, and they don't mind being pet at all. A new baby goat just arrived from another farm on Saturday as well, and she and Goldie have been playing nonstop. These pictures really don't do them justice, but the goats have been a steady source of happiness for me. 

White Polar Bears and Meditation

Ted Talks

6/9/2020

Debunking the 5 Most Common Meditation Myths | Light Watkins | TEDxVeniceBeach

The physics, the mechanics, and the biology of meditation are offered as a positive experience.  Yet many people find it too difficult because they can not sit still and they do not have the time (:57.)

Myth 1: I’m a bad meditator if I can’t quiet my mind (2:42.)

Wandering mind = MORE REST—even deeper than sleep (4:40-4:56!)

Myth 2:  There is no correct way to meditate (5:18.)

Myth 3: The way to sit.

Best practices in meditation include sitting comfortably without any strain on the body so that the body does not hinder the process (8:17—8:26.)

Positive aspects of meditation:

What you put into meditation will be returned to you via chronological aging versus biological aging

30 years old Biological Age after 5 years could equal 1) Without meditation + 6 = 36 or 2) With meditation practice—7 = 23 years (8:56-10:25!)

Myth 4:  Meditation will solve all of my problems(10:44.)

Myth 5:  Success in meditation is based on the stillness of my mind (13:28.)

The touching story about the type A lady learning to meditate, persevering with no obvious results, and then in a year and a half was able to improve her relationship with her spouse (15:33.)

Concentrating on the breath is an excellent practice for meditation (16:52.)

Ten minutes a day of meditation cultivates peace on many levels as we are part of a collective (17:18.)

This talk was incredibly inspiring because it taught the person viewing the talk about meditation through a straightforward experience of meditation. The experience supported the study of the ‘relaxation response.’  It made me want to meditate more!

Meditative Stories

Hello, everyone! 

I hope you are all having a good week. Today, I meditated with the help of an awesome podcast called Meditative Story. Meditative Story is a podcast that provides inspiring human stories alongside meaningful meditation prompts. It is one of my favorite guided meditation methods. 

The episode I listened to today was called "A mediation to welcome change". Lately I have been feeling especially "stuck" and powerless to affect change in my own life or the lives of others. This podcast helped me to work through some of these feelings and I walked away feeling calm and hopeful. I hope some of you have the chance to check it out!

Yours,

Emily

How to Donate to BLM if You Don't Have Money

The world has seen a lot of unrest in the last two weeks in the wake of George Floyd's death. People everywhere are demanding government action in regards to the disproportionate killings and incarcerations of black Americans. Those who are unwilling or unable to be on the frontlines contending with police can still support the movement from home by watching Zoe Amira's YouTube video, which features content from black creators and is full of ad breaks to maximize the video's revenue. Amira is donating 100% of the proceeds to Black Lives Matter. This is a peaceful, positive way to show support for black lives right now, especially for those who do not have a lot of extra income to donate.

I missed this show

Today, I began to watch through the power invested in Disney plus, "Star Wars the Clone Wars." I can remember watching some episodes here and there, but being able to go back through past episodes and see which I have missed has provided me with a unique mix of nostalgia and joy. For ANYONE who likes the franchise and does not mind rather childish dialogue, I would recommend it. Let me know what you all think.

 

Being Mindful of the Present

https://www.ted.com/talks/andy_puddicombe_all_it_takes_is_10_mindful_minutes?referrer=playlist-slow_down_enjoy_life#t-538548

Andy Puddicombe REDSalon London Fall 2012

All it takes is 10 mindful minutes.

Monday, June 8, 2020

Taking time to look after the mind, our most precious commodity as individuals (1:23).

Meditation is more than an aspirin for the mind.  Meditation can be preventative (2:38.)

The importance of learning to appreciate the present moment (3:50.)

How to be mindful of the present moment (4:05.)

Constant mind wandering is happening 47% of the time and is the cause of much unhappiness (4:35.)

The framework of meditation involves stepping back and witnessing thoughts without judgment but with a relaxed, focused mind (5:48.)

We are looking for a state of focused relaxation without the usual involvement (6:37.)

Watching the mind to release the storyline of the body/brain/mind (7:43.)

Meditation offers the opportunity to step back, get a different perspective, and to realize that things are not always as they appear (8:20.)

Focus the mind ten minutes a day to experience calmness and clarity by attending to the present moment (9:02.)

After listening to this talk and studying what Andy Puddicombe has to offer, I am encouraged to meditate daily.  I hope you will be supported as well.  I love the way he uses talents in juggling to demonstrate his salient points of focus concerning the process of meditation and attending to the moment. 

Surprises and Significant Bits of Shawn Achor's Video

In our first week's class today, we watched Shawn Achor's TED Talk "The Happy Secret to Better Work": https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare. Although I have asked students who were not able to attend our class today to post thoughts about Achor's ideas here, I would also like to throw this discussion open to anyone who wants to continue discussing Achor's ideas.