I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck. 
~ Emma Goldman

    I've been trying to stop and smell the roses more during the past week, but am having a bit of trouble... not metaphorically-speaking, but physically. A lingering cold combined with chronic hayfever has left me with a blocked-up 'sniffer'!
    Despite this, every time I pass the rose garden in front of my work I still stoop to admire the latest pink bloom - especially because the fourth item in the '10 Keys to Happier Living' is APPRECIATING
    So, it's official: stopping to 'smell the roses' can actually make us happier. In psychology circles it's known as 'mindfullness', or 'living in the present'. There are even whole books written on the subject (the one titled, 'The Present' is a short, yet profound, read - and usually sits on our bookshelf, except I haven't unpacked that box yet from our recent move :) ).
    Instead, how often in life do we rush through on auto-pilot, trying to make the next deadline, or get to the next appointment, or finally drive the kids to school on time (gulp!)?
    By cramming more 'things' or activities into our lives, we're merely increasing our stress levels - and consequently decreasing our chances of improving our work- and life-satisfaction.
    So, what are some easy ways we can become more 'mindful' and learn to notice the world around us? Here are some tips I've gleaned along the way:
1. Get outdoors - take a walk, play ball with your kids or dog, breathe in a big gulp of fresh air, or lie on your back in the grass and spot cloud shapes.
2. Eat slowly - instead of inhaling your next meal, chew each mouthful slowly, and savour the individual flavours of your food. Make sure the TV is off. You'll find that slowing down your pace of eating does wonders for your digestion (and a bonus is that you're less likely to overeat).
3. Really listen - the next time your child or significant other talks to you, stop what you're doing, look at them, and really focus on their words. Once they get over the shock (lol!), you'll find it easier to connect with them and improve your communication.
4. Engage all your senses - try stopping for a moment and experiencing the world around you with each of your senses. What do you hear? see? taste? touch? smell? 
    The next time you're feeling stressed, or even simply feeling disconnected from life around you, take a moment to appreciate your surroundings - including smelling the odd rose or two - and the people in your world (appreciate them, that is - don't smell them, lol!). You're bound to feel happier as a result.
    So tell me - what are your tips for living more in the present? I'd love to hear about them on my Facebook page. Thanks. :)

    For all those of you who have absolutely no interest whatsoever in your health, longevity, energy levels, or how you fit in a pair of jeans, you can tune out now. For the rest of us - oh, it looks like everyone's still here (lol!) - read on.
    I'm continuing on with my posts relating to the '10 Keys to Happier Living' (check out the cool video at the end of this post), and this week's topic is (you guessed it) EXERCISING: Take care of your body.
   Now, before you scream, run away, and dive back under the covers of denial, I'd like to discuss some great research that shows how we can all fit 'moving more' into our already-busy schedules.
     I've been reading some research lately about the health effects of standing vs sitting (you heard it correctly: not 'huffing-and-puffing', just 'standing'). A couple of weeks ago I came across a really great article, and just felt that I had to share it.
        The article by Tony Fitzsimons, titled 'We're sitting ourselves to death', detailed an excellent (and highly-readable) summary of the latest research on this topic.
    In a nutshell, we're all sitting too much. And even if we exercise the recommended 30 minutes (or even an hour) daily, we're STILL sitting too much - up to 16 hours, in fact.
    Our human bodies were designed to be in constant movement during our waking hours. But now in our increasingly mechanised society, we have machines to do the work for us. For many of us, we even sit at a 'machine' (computer) at our workplaces, often for hours at a time.
    Interestingly, prior to the Second World War the concept of exercise was reasonably foreign. People were very active in their everyday lives, both at home and in their work (often on a farm), and didn't have a need to go to the gym.
    But back to 2011, most of us don't live that way anymore. We have to be more intentional about incorporating movement into our everyday lives, as unfortunately, the phrase 'use it or lose it' will always prove true. This also applies to our flexibility, strength, and muscle tone (and, in turn, our metabolisms).
    The Heart Foundation confirms that too much sitting is bad for our health, even if we're meeting minimum exercise requirements. They report on research revealing that too much sitting can increase your risk of heart disease by as much as 50 per cent.
    So, how does this all relate to increasing our happiness levels? One word: endorphins. These are mood-boosting chemicals that our bodies produce when we're physically active, giving us that feel-good rush. It's well-documented that participating in regular exercise can even be effective in treating certain types of depression.
    It all sounds like reason enough to move around more. So I'm signing off now to go do some vigorous housework (*sigh!).
    Oh, and for the record, I read most of the research articles for this blog post while standing up. :)
    Let me know your tips for including more physical activity in your day by sharing on my Facebook page. Thanks. :)