In our last post, we mentioned that being in a generally perkier mood can help you feel more energetic to exercise. But if you understand the SaS Compass, you know that improved exercise is not all that a better mood can do for you. It can also lessen food cravings, reduce insomnia and help you feel more collaborative and creative. Much better side effects than any sleep, energy or appetite-related “magic” pills! 
So – ready for a few mood boosting tips? Here are my favorite 4.
What would be a great indicator that someone is remarkably healthy? Would running a marathon be proof enough? Don’t worry, I’m nowhere near ready for a marathon either, so that’s not where I’m going with this. Assuming running a marathon is a good benchmark, let’s push this idea a little farther. How would running a marathon after age 50 sound? How about after age 60? You get the idea: the older the marathon runner, the more remarkable the individual’s physical shape.
Can you guess the age of the oldest marathon runner in history? And what does that mean for you, regular person for whom running a marathon seems as likely as taking a ride on the back of a flying giraffe?
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“How can I stop snacking in the afternoon?” That’s a question I get asked quite often. If you feel tired, a little sugar or caffeine may seem like an easy way to get that extra oomph you need. But let’s put it this way: with over 2/3 of the adult population being sleep deprived in the US (and if you are in Australia, Canada, France or England, my bet is that your stats are very similar), and with ever-increasing obesity rates everywhere, most of us would benefit more from fitting in a few extra Zzzzs per 24-hour cycle than we would eating a few extra calories.
Napping will not only help boost your energy, but it will also slow down your production of cortisol, the stress hormone that drives you to want more high-sugar, high-fat foods. So what may seem like an over-the-top indulgence may actually keep you away from needless decadence! Ready to give it a try? Here are some basic rules to get the most out of a nap.
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Today’s article is a guest post by my friend and colleague, Jeremy McCarthy.
Questions about the economy have consumed the world media of the past few years. We ask, “what is wrong with the economy?” and “How can it be fixed?” But few people have asked the question we should be asking… “What’s the economy for, anyway?”
This is the question that authors John De Graaf and David K. Batker ask in their new book (aptly titled,) “What’s the Economy For Anyway? Why it’s Time to Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness.”
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Do you run from one activity to the next without much opportunity to recharge your brain and body’s batteries? If so, then I’m sure you wonder how to stop racing through what often turns out to be a second rate version of your own life. But how can you break the cycle, when there is so much to do, and so little time? This session will help you kickstart an upward spiral of healthy habits so you feel refreshed – at last!
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Have you ever taken the time to wonder who is the #1 person to help you celebrate good news? All too often, our spouses are too preoccupied, our family members are too busy, and our colleagues are too envious to give us genuine kudos for a job well done. Worse, some will even turn a good thing bad by responding with nasty little comments. You’ve probably heard things like “Good luck with all the late nights!” after you announced you were promoted to the next echelon at work? Yeah…
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Life is so full of things to do that it sometimes seems impossible to find time to exercise. But what if we thought about exercise a little more expansively — not just as trips to the gym with getting dressed, warming up, working out, cooling down, showering and so on. What if we also thought about getting exercise as finding ways to increase movement during the day WHILE we are doing all those important chores?
Wrinkling your eyebrows? Let me illustrate with something I do every day – making cappuccino for lunch.
I love that clean slate feeling that comes at the beginning of a new year! It helps me turn away from difficulties and face possibilities. It also helps me forgive myself for past mistakes and feel empowered to do better moving forward. And yes, it inspires me to make a resolution of some sort, usually related to health and self-improvement.
But if you’re like me (and pretty much everybody I know for that matter!), you may need a little hand with your resolutions. So before a “same old same old” feeling ruins your positive vibes, here are 3 suggestions to consider.
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Marie-Josée Salvas Shaar received her undergrad at McGill University in Organizational Behavior, followed by a Master of Applied Positive Psychology at University of Pennsylvania. She's certified as a Personal Trainer, and a Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. Her work has led her to travel to many countries, including the US, Canada, France, England, and Australia.
