Does this undermine the whole concept of my blog?

I love cracked.com. Great humor, generally great writing, and random-but-interesting topics. When I read  5 Scientific Reasons Your Idea of Happiness is Wrong, I couldn’t help but both laugh and  agree with much of the article. Basically, the article is saying that “happiness” is just a human invention, and don’t bother focusing on it–because the more you try to be happy, the less you’ll be.

If you’re looking for an answer to “How can I be happy?” then the response from the experts is, “You’re asking the wrong question.”–Kimmy Dee, cracked.com

There’s a lot packed into this article, and some really good advice. One of the tips I liked was:  if you’re going to spend money on happiness, spend it on an experience, not on material goods. I definitely do this. Many posts in my blog are about memories, times with friends, or holidays.  The money I do spend is usually going out to eat, catching up over a cup of coffee, going to a concert, or on trips. Experiences last longer in your memory, after all.

But then, my last post is a quote, supposedly from John Lennon, where he says that happiness is the key to life and success. This cracked article completely disagrees with this point, basically saying, hey, it’s not possible to be happy all the time, so living a life trying to be  is not going to be rewarding. First, once you reach a goal, then you must move on to the next hurdle. Second, if it comes a time where you’re not happy, you’re going to feel like a double failure.

So, then, why have this blog, right? Obviously, I’m kind of focused on being happy.

Should we really just forget about the concept altogether? I don’t think happiness really has to be this perfect ideal that we will never reach, and I don’t believe we can always feel it. Maybe it’s more about a peace of the soul–accepting the hardship that comes along with life–but still striving  to overcome the obstacles and working to positive relationships and other goals. And overall, focus on the positive, not the negative. That’s the point of this blog. No, I’m not always happy, but if I look to the moments, people, and things that are positive, I can stick it through even in the tough times.
What do you think? Do you agree with the cracked article? What does happiness really mean?

The Future

Sometimes, things don’t go as planned.
Sometimes, things take a little longer than expected.
Sometimes, you don’t get what you want right away.
Sometimes, it can be hard to be positive when things are more difficult than expected.

Today, a friend of mine posted this quote online: “If you ever feel stuck, look up. the sky is an endless valley of freedom.”

I want to remember this. I still have control over my life. It just takes time.

Alone Time

I have wonderful friends. I have a busy life. I am even connected to those who are far away via Facebook, cellphones and other technology.

But sometimes, you just gotta be alone…

(This video is by filmmaker Andrea Dorfman and poet/singer/songwriter Tanya Davis)

Sleep

Sofija Sleeping by midwestforlife

As a busy student and insomniac, I definitely don’t get enough sleep. But I cherish every moment of the sleep I do get. Some nights it’s a Fight Club-esque insomniac night, and other nights it’s a late homework or stressed induced sleepless night–buuut this semester in particular I’ve been trying to get a decent amount of sleep every night to be attentive for internship, class, and my general well-being.

I found a recent Huffington Post article An Easy Trick for Better Sleep that gives some advice on how to get a good night’s sleep:

The ideal sleep environment soothes all of your body’s senses, easing you into sleep. We’ve talked before about the positive impact that a cool bedroom temperature has on sleep. You can darken your bedroom by using low wattage bulbs (45 watts or less) near your bed and making sure all the lights are off for bedtime.

In this article, there is some pretty interesting advice from Michael J. Breus, Ph.D “The Sleep Doctor,” such as making sure your pillow is comfortable enough to sleep on. You can test the pillow by folding the pillow over your arm and making sure it doesn’t fall flat. According to the article, you should also make your sheets have a fresh, clean scent. It’s a simple idea, but who thinks of spraying fabric freshener on their sheets every night?

There is some other pretty common advice in this article, such as avoiding caffeine, sticking to a regular routine before you go to bed, and making sure you have a comfortable mattress.

Here is some other advice (from an insomniac) on how to cope with insomnia:

• I’ve heard eating before bed is bad. But I can’t go to bed even slightly hungry, so I usually have a snack before I sleep. Make sure it doesn’t have a lot of sugar, though.
• Listen to relaxing music before you sleep.
• To relieve stress or worries before you sleep, try writing in a diary or talking to a friend.
• Don’t think of anything too thought-provoking before you go to bed.
• Take a warm shower.
• Make sure you know the temperature you like your room at, and keep it that way if at all possible.
• Cuddle up with a pillow, soft blanket, or stuffed animal. I get made fun of by my family for still having a “blankie,” but hey, it is comfortable and comforting to have something soft against your head.
• If you can’t sleep, DON’T think of unhappy things. DON’T think of things that stress you out, and DON’T THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN’T SLEEP. Think of something random, like…blue chickens, or a lake off in the middle of nowhere, or square-shaped objects. It sounds weird, but if I start letting my mind think about the strangest things possible, then my mind starts to drift into dreamland. (No wonder I have weird dreams?)

Oh, and to end with, here’s a funny video (a public service message)circa the 1950s:

Life Lessons (Coping with stress)

Article by Jodi Lynn Bryson, Girls' Life Magazine, August/September 2002, page 44

I tore this page out from a magazine called  Girls’ Life, and it is advice from actress Alexis Bledel who played the part  of Rory Gilmore in the TV show Gilmore Girls (my favorite TV show). I have this article in its entirety posted on my wall, and I refer to this article as a reminder of how to cope with stress.  In this article, Bledel responds to various questions on how she would react to a situation, and also how her character, Rory, would react to a situation. Even though the answers to these problems are basic, I find inspiration from them. The character Rory often reminds me of myself: overachieving, soft-spoken, and with the goal of becoming a journalist. Even though she is fictional, I refer to her “advice” because I think we have a lot in common. When I’m stressed, I definitely do go into overdrive mode, and start working really hard.

However, I also focus on things that make me happy when I’m stressed. In my past posts, I’ve written about writing in a journal, music, TV shows, going for walks, and doing fun things with friends. All of these things help ease my mind when I have a lot going on. Which of these things do you do most often when you are stressed? Vote for your best answer in my poll:

DON’T PANIC.

Less than 60 days until I graduate. So much to fit in. But not to worry:

Don't Panic by Fire Monkey Fish

Read the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams for the answer to  life, the universe and everything.