DAY 374- COULD YOU LIVE WITHOUT MONEY?

Day 374

 As I was surfing the net, I stumbled upon an article that spoke about a woman who has been living without money for 16 years. She is not a typical homeless person. She gave up her home; she doesn't own anything, but she says she is carrying a message and a philosophy that denounces materialism. 

She has written two books and a documentary, relating her story, was recently released. 

Heidemar Schwermer was born in Germany. She had a very comfortable lifestyle. As a psychotherapist and a teacher, she was earning a decent living. Before the big move, she had been thinking about giving up all of her belongings for some time. In her midfifties, she took the plunge. She sold everything and started bartering her services (cleaning, gardening, etc.) for food and shelter. What started as a one year experiment turned into a 16-year adventure. 

 She travels Germany all year round, seing her two children and two grandchildren only once a year. She only accepts money to pay for her train tickets. She goes from house to house and feels that, throughout her journey, she has been able to share her vision of life. Many people have criticized her way of living, saying that without people's financial generosity, she wouldn't have been able to survive, so that in fact she has lived with money, indirectly. 

The fact of the matter is not many of us would have the courage to leave behind everything we own to live that kind of life. We are so attached to money and material comfort; we live in a consumer's society and maybe, because of that, we have lost touch with fundamental human values. And maybe her simple lifestyle, which brings her tremendous happiness by the way, can remind us that love, sharing, human connection, etc., should hold a more important place in our lives than THINGS.  

DAY 373 - CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE

Day 373

So we have been living in our new house for a little over a year and a half. I never thought I would say that but I LOVE not living in the middle of the city anymore.  I hadn't realized how,  for 15 years, I had been surrounded by concrete and dirt. Everything around me used to be a different shade of grey (no reference to the novel!!!!!!!!). There weren't many trees and there was a lot of pollution.

Now, when I open up my curtains in the morning and look outside, I see green, red, yellow, purple. I see flowers and trees. The scenery is so apeasing to the eye. I never realized how concrete agressed me in some way. Living in a "suburban-like" neighbourhood is not like living in the country - the nature is somewhat tamed- but there is still lots of animal life. We hear and see different types of birds. There is even a family of hares that visits our backyard once in a while. And, for the first time in my life, I have a vegetable garden. I planted tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, red peppers, string beans, strawberries, raspberries, etc.

My husband and I were so scared of moving. We loved being able to walk everywhere. We enjoyed being close to the action, living a stone throw away from the best coffee shops and restaurants in Montreal.  We definitely left something we loved. But what we got in return is even better... who would have thought?

Change is sometimes unavoidable, sometimes chosen, but no matter if it is imposed or not, it is always an opportunity to evolve, progress, go forward. It is very scary to leave something you love for the unknown. And the truth is, we couldn't really imagine how we would feel living away from the heart of the city. It took us so much time to finally make the move.  But in the end, we are so happy with our decision. As scary as change may seem, it also pushes you to experience life in a different way.  Staying in your comfort zone might be reassuring, but it also tends to keep you from experiencing everything life has to offer.

"Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become."

Reinhold Niebuhr

DAY 372 - EARLY BED, EARLY RISE MAKES A MAN (AND A WOMAN), HEALTHIER, HAPPIER AND WISE

Day 372

Today, I was listening to a radio show.  They were talking about a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto which suggests that early birds are happier and healthier than night owls. The study found that people who preferred the evening were more prone to “social jet lag”, in which a person’s biological clock becomes "out of sync” with social activities.   As a result morning people often felt more awake, more alert, happier and more motivated to tackle challenges.  They also had a stronger immune system.

They also found that as people age, they tend to wake up earlier and so that older people were happier... In fact, researchers found that most become morning people by age 60; by that time, just 7% of people are still night owls. In contrast, only 7% of young adults are early birds.

It is true that since my crazy 20's - actually they weren't that crazy - I have become more of an early bird, and I am definitely happier.  Is it because I wake up earlier, or is it due to the fact that, as you age, you become wiser, you know yourself better and you know what you want - and don't want - out of life?

Happiness is a fascinating topic.  Researchers and philosophers have long been trying to find the one ingredient that would lead to happiness. Unfortunately, the variables are too numerous to be able to determine a 'one-recipe' fits all formula.  Everone and every life experience is unique. For instance, although meditation is said to greatly improve wellbeing, I know many people who are unable to meditate!  It doesn't seem to fit with their personality.  It actually has the opposite effect... It makes them nervous!

I guess that, in the end, the only person who can draw down the list of 'happiness- inducing'  habits is yourself, whether science says waking up early, meditation or yoga lead to more happiness or not. The real challenge, however, is to keep choosing happiness evey day. It is so easy to get distracted and lose focus. It takes determination and discipline... It often means getting rid of behaviours and habits you have had for years, which is not an easy task.   But since we only have one life to live (maybe more, but not with the same name!!!!), isn't worth it to try and make it as happy as we can?

DAY 371 - I BELIEVE!

Day 371

In the past few months, I have reflected a lot on religious belief and faith and its place in leading a meaningful life.  Since I was very young, I've often had sudden moments of blank incomprehension:  "Why are we here?  What does it all mean?  Where do we go after we die?"  Questions many people ask themselves and answer according to their religious beliefs.

Unfortunately, the answers my Catholic upbringing gave never satisfied me entirely.  I would ask

myself: "Why would Catholics be right?  Why would everyone else be wrong? If a guy would walk the streets today claiming he is the son of God, would I believe it?"

I believe faith and happiness are intrinsically linked - although, some people I know seem content living withe the belief that life ends when you die, that there is nothing more nothing less -  so I have always envied people who were able to adhere to a religion with profound conviction. I was never able to.

Earlier this year, one of my colleagues spoke to me about a guy named Edgar Cayce.  He lived at the beginning of the 20th century in the U.S.  He was called the Virginia Prophet.  I read a lot about his life and work.  He was born in a family of farmers but quickly developed the ability to go into a trance and have access to an incredible amount of information, first about people's ailments, prescribing remedies,  and then about many other issues, including past civilizations, reincarnation, etc.  It was as though he had access to a universal knowledge. Ok, I know, I' m sounding like a real cult victim adhering to some crazy esoteric beliefs!!!!!!  But reading about this guy helped me form my own set of beliefs.   It actually crystallized ideas that had slowly began to form in my mind.  Namely the conviction that the soul lives on...

Maybe faith is not essential for everyone's happiness.  Maybe some people are able to live in the present moment without questioning themselves about the past, the future or the meaning of life.  But it was important for me...

What about you? Do you believe faith is important in order to achieve happiness?

DAY 370 - HAPPY TO BE BACK

Day 370

I have totally been slacking off with my blog since I moved into my new house about a year ago. Writing about happiness in the middle of the move felt like a burden.  And as it is when you get out of any kind of routine, it has been really hard for me to get back into it.  Am I going to write every day, once a week, once a month? I don' t know.  All I do know is that somehow I will reach 500 days! I just don't know how long it will take!

However, you should know that  I haven't stopped thinking about happiness and feeding my soul with thoughts and inspiring readings.  I have also been going through the days trying to apply what I have learned and researched about happiness. What I have found is that it takes dedication, discipline and strength to always be on top of things.  With life's constant hurdles, keeping your head above water is sometimes challenging and it is through daily or even hourly effort (happy hour???!!!) that you can achieve wellbeing. That means fighting laziness, inaction and negative thoughts at all times in order to make the choices that will help you go in the right direction.

This morning, I got up and felt like writing again.  And I must say that as I am writing this post, I feel as though I am reconnecting with a long lost friend! That sounds sappy, doesn't it????  Well sappy or not, I have to say I am happy to be back!!!!

DAY 369 - THE ALKALINE DIET

Day 369

There is a new fashionable diet going around in Hollywood, one that promises, as others do, to make you lose weight and keep you healthy; the alkaline diet.  Jennifer Aniston and Gweneth Paltrow both follow this new diet.

The theory behind is that all the food we eat, after being digested, absorbed, and metabolized, is either alkalinizing or acidifying.   Grains, fish, meat, poultry, cheese, milk, and salt all produce acid while most vegetables and some fruit have an alkinizing effect.

Our blood is slightly alkaline, with a normal pH level of between 7.35 and 7.45. Alkaline proponents believe that our diet should reflect this pH level and be slightly alkaline.   Having a diet high in acid-producing food is believed to disrupt the pH balance and promote the loss of essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium, as the body tries to restore equilibrium.  Eating too many acidifying foods would also deplete the body of energy.

As a matter of fact, a research conducted by the University College of London suggests tha people who ate plenty of alkaline vegetables, fruit and fatty fish actually had a lower risk of depression.  Furthermore. according to Dr. Robert O. Young, Director of Research at the pH Miracle Living Center, "depression is not something you get, it is something you do with your lifestyle and dietary choices. When you choose a raw alkaline diet with daily exercise you remove the dietary and metabolic wastes from your body that can make you sick, tired and depressed."

I'm an advocate of balance in life and I usually don't buy into fads without researching appropriately.  I have to say, however, that this approach seems to make sense.  Anyway, it recommends to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and no oone can deny the importance of such dietary choices.  It might not be easy to respect the 70% alkaline, 30% acidic proportion recommended by the diet, but it's certainly worth trying to make a point of including more alkaline foods in our diet, whether it be for physical health or mental wellbeing.

Here is a list of alkaline versus acidic food:

http://www.acidalkalinediet.com/Alkaline-Foods-Chart.htm

DAY 368- HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Day 368

First of all, I would like to wish all of my readers a happy new year, filled with new challenges, love, health and whatever else makes you happy! 

I love this time of year because it allows me to put things behind and start over. I feel a sense of renewal as though the future holds an immensity of possibilities, of opportunities...

On my first day back at work, I asked my students if they had made resolutions for 2013.  Well, many of them told me that they have had become cynical about resolutions.  Many don't make any because they don't feel they could actually stick to them.  And they are not wrong... statistics show that most people give up on their resolutions before the end of January ...yayks!!!!

And it made me wonder about human nature.  In theory, we all know what's good for us.... exercising, not smoking, eating healthy, being zen, meditating... so why don't we just do all of those things.  Why is it that implementing a change in your life, such as exercising for instance, requires such an effort? Shouldn't it be simple... you just go to the gym or use your home exerciser and do it!  I think it has to do with the element of pleasure.  Immediate pleasure versus long term well-being!  Human beings are conditioned to avoid pain and seek pleasure. Hedonism is what drives us to do those things.  Exercising is not that pleasurable... But, no pain, no gain.

So, the solution, if you want to implement any big change in your life is probably to make it pleasurable, maybe by joining a gym with a friend or registering to a physical activity you enjoy.

I have made plenty of resolutions for 2013 (exercising, eating healthy, investing in my friendships, being creative, etc.).  Some I began in 2012, some are brand new, but no matter if I didn't keep all of my resolutions in 2012, I am still starting the year with the belief that I WILL achieve the ones I have made for 2013. And if I don't, well, there's always 2014!