Why Traveling Makes Us Happy

For many people, one of the things that gives them the most happiness in life is traveling. Some doctors, recognizing how much happiness people derive from traveling, are even considering prescribing traveling as a treatment for depression! Why does traveling make so many people happy? What differentiates traveling from other activities that give people pleasure, such as buying new possessions? The answer lies in the long term effects of traveling.


Comparing traveling with buying new possessions helps clue us in to several reasons why traveling makes us happy. Buying a shiny new gadget like an iPhone or Wii is very exciting, but after a few weeks the thrill fades away until the once glorious purchase is now just an everyday item. When you travel, however, you’re not buying another thing to put on your shelf – you’re gaining new memories. These happy memories have a much longer lifespan than the thrill of a new toy. If your new purchase becomes damaged or gets lost, that’s the end of that, but good memories will last you a lifetime.

In addition, traveling helps bring people together. If you’re gone on a trip with a close friend or family member, your memories of the trip will make you feel closer to that person. Sitting on a new couch together with that person just isn’t the same. The experiences you went through during your travels also leave you with a being alive. Recalling a great memory gives you a positive rush that a new piece of art simply can’t match.

Traveling also offers a break from our everyday lives. Buying something is fun, but it doesn’t really break up the monotony of your life like getting into a car or on a plane and going somewhere else. Traveling allows you to physically remove yourself from your problems, which hopefully will help you mentally distance yourself from them as well.

One great thing about traveling is that it isn’t just the actual vacation itself that makes people happy. If you’ve planned your trip several months in advance, the fact that you have something to look forward to makes people happier. If your day sucks, you can count the weeks left until your vacation. If you’re feeling blue, you can lift yourself out of the cloud by planning out your what you’re going to do while traveling, make arrangements or do research.

The above mentioned conclusions aren’t just common sense – some scientists, noting the link between happiness and traveling actually put together a paper on the subject entitled “If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right.” In this paper they discuss the idea of memories creating more happiness than buying material objects. So the next time someone asks you why you’re spending money to go on an expensive vacation, explain that you’re making a long term happiness investment supported by science.

Author Bio

This guest post was provided by Ryan Embly from the website Car Rental Express (CRX). If you're looking for discount car rentals visit CRX today.

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A Short History of Valentine’s Day

Every year on February 14^th, people all over the western world celebrate the day of St. Valentine. Generally, Valentine’s Day is know as a day to celebrate love and romance, where lovers give gifts and cards to each other. However the origins of this holiday are quite murky. 

Which Valentine?

In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius declared that the previous pagan holiday of Lupercalia (a celebration of fertility) be henceforth known as the day of St. Valentine. However, up to this point, there had been three St. Valentines in the history of the church. Today, there is almost nothing historically verifiable about any of the three Valentines except that one was a Bishop in Rome and one was killed in Africa at some point, and all of them are said to have been martyred on February 14^th. 

The Myth

Although almost nothing is known about these three saints, most scholars believe that St. Valentine, the bishop of Rome sometime around 270 AD, is probably the one referred to by Pope Gelasius. Perhaps it was because Gelasius named a holiday for him that a myth was created for St. Valentine, whose origins are untraceable and are most likely apocryphal. 

According to the legend, Roman Emperor Claudius II placed a ban on marriage because he needed more soldiers for his army and he thought single men made better soldiers. Valentine disagreed with the Emperor and decided to perform marriages in secret. Of course, the Emperor found out and put Valentine in jail. According to legend, while in prison, Valentine befriended the jailer’s blind daughter and healed her blindness. When Valentine refused to worship the roman Gods, and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity, he was put to death.

In some versions of the story, Valentine was said to have fallen in love with the jailer’s daughter, whom he had healed, and just before his execution sent her a love letter, signed “From your Valentine.”

The Holiday

Although the Catholic Church tried for centuries to quash the romantic tones of the holiday, they did not succeed, and the tradition grew stronger through the middle ages. But I guess that’s what you get when you try and change a fertility celebration into a solemn day of remembrance.

By the 1700s, Valentine’s Day was a generally accepted holiday when young lovers would give cards to each other, illustrated with hearts and cupids, and decorated with lace. But it was not until the 1840s, when Valentine’s Day card manufacturing became successful, that the holiday really took off and became the holiday we know it as today.

Diane Johnson writes about a number of her interests including four wheeling, online courses, shopping, and celebrating holidays.

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20 Simple Ways to Avoid Stress

The following is a guest post from Randall Davidson of Audio Transcription.

1. Wake up without an alarm clock.
2. Wake up to calm music.
3. If you’re going to use an alarm clock, use one that wakes you up by imitating the sun (i.e. it gradually gets brighter and brighter). This is far less jarring than a piercing sound.
4. Meditate daily. Here’s how.
5. Practice yoga daily. Here’s how.
6. Exercise daily (even if it’s just taking a walk).
7. Before any major event, rehearse.
8. Always plan ahead. No matter what the context, always have a flexible plan.
9. Fill your office with happy images. You could hang photos of family, images of picturesque nature scenes, etc.
10. Hire a virtual assistant to free up time and perform your less desirable (and more stressful tasks). You can hire a freelance virtual assistant through a company like oDesk.com.
11. Stop procrastinating. It’s much easier than it sounds, but here is a website that has some great tips. Additionally, there is a website called Stickk.com, which is based on behavioral economics research and allows you to put a contract on yourself (i.e. you’ll lose $50 if you don’t write at least two pages of your essay at least three days before it is due). Many people use Stickk.com to stop procrastinating.
12. Save money. A lack of money causes stress. To that end, check out these massive articles about how to make money and how to save money.
13. Go on regular vacations.
14. Automatically pay your bills. If you worry about paying bills on time, set them up so they are automatically paid out of your bank account.
15. Don’t eat and work at the same time. Lunch at the office is the perfect opportunity to give yourself a break because you don’t stand to lose much productive time in the process. Though you might get a little bit more work done in a day if you work through lunch (and that’s arguable), it’s a marginal amount. For instance, someone who is very productive might get 15 minutes of solid work done for every 20 minutes he or she is in the office; however, the same person while having lunch and simultaneously working for 20 minutes might only get 1-2 minutes of solid work done. If that’s the case, wouldn’t you rather get a 20-minute break instead of getting an additional 1-2 minutes of work done? Many would argue, as well, that a 20-minute break is rejuvenating to the extent that you’ll be far more efficient in the afternoon (so that increase in your overall output for the day will exceed the 1-2 minutes of extra work you could've completed over lunch).
16. Declutter. Clutter not only clogs your home, but it is inherently frustrating. For help decluttering, see these productivity blogs, many of which discuss organization strategies.
17. Clear your office desk of all clutter before you go home at the end of the day.
18. Bring your dog to work. Ask your boss if you can bring your dog to work with you (some offices allow it). I've always found that having pets around makes situations less stressful.
19. Telecommute. Ask your boss if you can work from home a few times a week.
20. Leave work at work. Try to complete all work-related business at the office. That way, when you leave the office to go home, you won’t bring any work-related stressors with you. This means getting everything you need to get done at the office (stay late if you have to) and not checking your work email at home.

Randall Davidson is the lead project manager at Audio Transcription, an innovative company that offers audio transcription services, including interview transcription services. Randall believes it is extremely important to do everything one can possibly do to avoid stress, both at work and at home. He writes about how to relieve stress and other personal development topics on the audio transcription blog.


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The Five Best Parts of Happy Hour

By Kelly Wilson
At one of my previous jobs, the highlight of the week was when my coworkers and I would see the words “Library Meeting” – along with the date, time and place – written in the break room.

This “Library Meeting” had nothing at all to do with books, nor did it take place in an actual library. It was our code to meet up for Happy Hour! I have always – and continue to – enjoy regular Happy Hour outings for a variety of reasons.

Let Off Steam

One of the best parts of Happy Hour is the chance to get together with coworkers and kick back with a refreshing beverage. This is the time where my colleagues and I rehash difficult situations, share stressful interactions, and catch up on office gossip. There’s also no shortage of laughter, as we compare our experiences regarding the inevitable ridiculous events that go on around the office. It’s a great opportunity to get rid of stress.

A Place to Meet

Happy Hour usually takes place in a bar attached to a restaurant, which sets a relaxing tone. “Everyone likes to feel welcome,” says Brian Johnson, one of the owners and operators of B.J. Willy’s, a restaurant in West Linn, Oregon, central to local happy hour patrons. “Happy Hour is a more intimate setting for people to meet versus sitting in the larger restaurant.” It’s this casual atmosphere that I appreciate about Happy Hour.

Watch the Game

Sometimes a living room isn’t the best place to watch the big game. Many bars that offer Happy Hour are outfitted with large screen high-definition televisions with a variety of sports channels. Getting together with people who are rooting for your team is a great way to share in the experience regardless of the game’s outcome.

Drink Specials

Is there a drink you’ve always wanted to try? Happy Hour is the best place to take that chance! Many times, restaurants and bars offer drink specials on beer, wine and even mixed drinks during Happy Hour. These reduced prices also make it possible for you to try something new and order your favorite drink without breaking your budget.

Cheap Eats

The best part of Happy Hour has to be the food. The portions are smaller and a more realistic part of a calorie-conscious diet. The menu is more limited, but the prices are greatly reduced, making for a cheap dinner!

Usually there’s a drink minimum in order to get the great food prices, and if you’re not interested in drinking alcohol a soda will usually fit the requirement. Even with a drink order, you’ll get good food at great prices.

Kelly Wilson is a busy mom and freelance writer who enjoys local Happy Hours in places like B.J. Willy’s, a bar in West Linn, Oregon.

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This Week's Happiness Around the Web

The Secret's of the Happiest Men and Women
MSN's 15 Habits of Happy Men
MSN's 15 Habits of Happy Women



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Coming Up In February....

A Bit of Happy has been bitten by the love bug again. Starting in February, keep an eye out for Valentine's Day edition posts from some very talented guest writers. Date ideas, gifts, crafts, recipes, histories, freebies and more! Check back each day for lots of new love-filled posts!

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"
- Lucy Van Pelt
In Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz.

Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It's a blessing to help strangers....

For those of you whom do not know it, it gets very cold in the doctor's office . Don't know why they keep it so cold unless of course it's to kill off the germs. I'm usually prepared for the cold since it has happened to me many times. So now when I go to do lab work or to the doctor, I carry a sweater or coat and a book to read. I was waiting with this elderly lady one day at the clinic. We were going to have to get some blood work done in the lab. She had a walker and had been driven there by a friend. Her friend was suppose to come back to pick her up. She was so cold that she was shaking. I was hesitant to say anything to her but I was thinking that I had a perfectly good clean blanket in the trunk of my car and I bet it would really warm her up. We started talking about how cold it was and I asked her if she would like for me to go out to the car and get that blanket for her.She said "yes" and was so happy! I got it and she wrapped it around her body like a coat. Needless to say, that made my day to make someone happy. Just saying...

Challenge submitted by: June

Make Someone feel special today!

Join in on the challenge - Make Someone Happy→

8 Outdoor Activities to Do With Your Kids

Just because you have young children doesn’t mean you should be stuck at home watching kids’ shows on TV. Being active with your kids brings the whole family closer together. Those are the memories your kids will cherish, and it helps them know that they are a priority in your busy life. So here are a few suggestions of outdoor activities for the whole family.

1. Backyard Games

Often we think that activities with our kids require a small fortune, but that doesn’t have to be the case. There are lots of games and activities that we can do in our backyard or at a nearby park. For example, catch, kickball, shooting hoops, and water fights require very little money, but it gets you and your kids out of the house, spending time together.

2. Picnics

Gather up a picnic lunch or pick up some sandwiches on your way to your favorite spot. Whether you live in the mountains or by the beach, there’s plenty of places for your whole family to enjoy the outdoors.

3. Nature Walk

Give each of your kids a little bag and have them collect interesting items they see on a nature walk. Leaves, rocks, seed pods. Even if you don’t live in a wooded area, your local neighborhood has plenty of nature. This gives you a chance to spend time with your kids while teaching them about the world around them. This can also be the material for a fun art project when they get home.

4. Wash the Car

Something as simple as washing to car can turn into a fun outdoor activity. Let everyone have their own sponge. Your kids will feel a part of the action, while you get one of your chores checked off the list. You may want to be in charge of the hose, though.

5. Star Gazing

Check out a book from your local library about the starts. Read it together, and then take an evening to put what you’ve learned into practice. Bring some hot chocolate or roast some marshmallows while you’re at it.

6. Berry or Apple Picking

A lot of local farmers let you pick your own berries or apples. This is a great opportunity to teach your kids about seeds and how they grow. It also leads to great indoor activities like making pies or preserves.

7. Snow Play

If you live in a place that gets snow in the winter, take the whole family out to enjoy the cold weather. Sledding is a great family activity that gets everyone outside even when the temperature drops, or if you’re more adventurous take your kids skiing and snow-shoeing. With younger kids, building a snowman with all the accessories is a great activity that involves lots of teamwork and fun.

8. Hiking

Find a hike that is appropriate for your kids’ skill and energy level. Even a paved path through the woods or a walk along the beach can be a lot of fun for everyone.

About the author: Diane Johnson graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing, particularly about travel and adult education.

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A Bit of Happy Meals: Pumpkin Scones

Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Scones

2 cups all purpose flour

7 Tablespoons sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground ginger

8 Tablespoons cold butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3 Tablespoons skim milk

1 large egg



Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger

orange food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425* degrees



1.line cookie sheet with silpat or parchment paper

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry knife, until mixture is crumbly with no chunks of butter.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk and egg.

4.Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and form into a ball.

5.Pat out dough onto lightly floured surface and form into a 1 inch thick rectangle

(about 9 inches long and 3inches wide)

6.Divide into three sections and then make each section into two triangles.

7. bake for 15 minutes scones should begin to turn light brown, let cool on rack

8. make icing by mixing powdered sugar and milk together with spices and apply to scones when cooled. I applied first coat of icing then colored the rest orange and drizzled over the tops.

Submitted to Linky Tools by: Dana | Blog: findingbargainsinwa.blogspot.com/2010/10/better-than-strbucks-pumpkin-scones.html

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A Bit of Happy Meal: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Ingredients:

1 cup margarine, softened in microwave

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bag of semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)

Instructions:

Beat butter and sugars until well blended. Add in and beat eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Add all dry ingredients, beat well, scrap sides, beat some more. Clean off beater and add chips and mix with spoon. We use a melon baller to make the cookies uniform sized. Drop onto cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 mins at 375. Allow them to cool before transferring them to a cooling rack or directly to your mouth. Enjoy!  Stop by my site for many more recipes!

Submitted to Linky Tools  by: Kelly Runde | Blog: mysimplewalk.com

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How To Know If Your Dog Is Happy

Guest Post | Author: trinidad walbrid

If you are a dog person and enjoy the company and friendship that you have with your dogs, you probably want to do everything that you can to take care of them, and make sure that they are happy and healthy. Having a happy dog is a good sign that you are taking good care of them and that they are healthy. If you are not sure how to know if your dog is happy, here are a few ways that you can check to make sure you are doing what you can to see that you keep your dog happy and healthy.

If your dog is always perky and happy to see you every time that you come home, you can tell that he or she is happy. Dogs love to be around their owners, and depending on how much time you spend with your dog, they may be very loyal and always wanting to spend more time with you. If you notice that your dog is starting to be withdrawn, or is not as excited to see you when you come home, you may want to consider what you are doing and how you are caring for the dog. It could also indicate that your dog may be sick, so if you start to notice changes in your dog, you should take them to the vet.

You can also tell if your dog is happy by the body movements that they make. Most dogs wag their tails in excitement and pant when they are happy and excited to see you. If your dog is doing these behaviors, you can probably assume that he or she is happy and enjoys your company. It is important that you spend a lot of time with your dog, and that you show the dogs plenty of affection. Dogs need to know that they are loved and that they feel the affections from their owners. Taking the time to pet your dog, play with your dog or take your dog for walks are all great ways to make sure that they will be happy.

You should also make sure that your dog is getting the exercise that they need, and that you are taking them outside enough to get walked and spend time in the outside. Taking your dogs for plenty of good walks, and taking them to the park, or playing with them shows them that care about them and want them to be happy and healthy. Show your dog how much you care and find the best ways to take care of them so that you know they are happy and they are healthy.

If You Are Looking For Quality Information Related To Dogs, then you should check out www.dogs-online-guide.com to learn more about dogs.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1566931_54.html

Bring On The Early Spring!

Check out Phil's 2011 prediction from Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney

Unconditional Love is Meditation

Did you know that unconditional love and meditation are one and the same?

Unconditional love is an all-encompassing and detached type of love. It is an expanding love that seeks to understand. It does not seek to categorize things just to make the universe feel a little bit simpler. When you are engaged in unconditional love, you become deeply present with the object of love in the most detached way without judging how he/she/it makes you feel. 

In the same way, meditation is the art of detached presence. Meditation techniques usually begin with an object of focus. An object of focus can be a word or phrase, a visualized image, your own breath, a line of an inspiring song, sensations in your body and many other things. It is generally something that you can easily “fall in love with”. 

There is a merging process when you are meditating on a chosen object. Lovers of Jesus or Krishna pray to their Beloved and even say that they take on some of his qualities. This is meditation. Lovers tend to merge with one another. It is as true in meditation as it is in relationships. 

The art of merging and being present with an object of focus is called concentration meditation. You become more and more present with the object of focus on deeper and deeper levels without judging any of its qualities or labeling it in any way. 

Some meditation practitioners stop at this point. In such a case, anything other than the object of focus is a distraction. Every time the mind wanders, the attention goes back to the object of focus.

There is another element to meditation called Mindfulness or Vipassana. “Vipassana” is a Sanskrit word which means “seeing things as they really are”. The mind naturally wanders in cycles. When the mind wanders from its chosen object during meditation, the Mindfulness practitioner takes note that thought is occurring in the present moment. If emotions come up, he/she takes note that emotions are occurring. These processes are allowed to be. Then, the mind goes right back to the object of focus. 

The cultivation of mindfulness trains the mind for unconditional love. When experiences occur, the meditation practitioner learns how to be deeply present with these moment-to-moment experiences in the most detached way and without judgment. Instead of labeling, he/she just observes what is and gets to know life more deeply. 

The ego is trained for conditional love. It pushes away and buries uncomfortable experience, often through breath restriction and other processes. It also clings to comfortable and exciting experience. This process creates all of our stress. It tangles up the mind and distorts the ability to perceive life clearly. Is this unconditional love? 

Meditation is the antidote to the processes of the overactive ego. When you are deeply present with experiences without condition, you are practicing unconditional love. 

When you practice unconditional love through meditation, you receive many rewards. Things that bother you now will not bother you so much after long term meditation training. Your health will improve. You will also gain deep insight into the causes of suffering and happiness. The root of happiness is the cultivation of unconditional love. Meditation will help you get to this place where happiness and love is the norm.

Tom Von Deck is an international corporate employee meditation trainer, stress management speaker and author of Oceanic Mind – The Deeper Meditation Training Course. Tom specializes in “absolutely foolproof meditation for busy people” and making meditation a much easier and more customized process for people of all religions, temperaments and hectic time schedules. His website is www.DeeperMeditation.Net.