Flow Issue 10

                                                            

Flow is based on Sustainable Seattle's Happiness Initiative and is inspired by Vinyasa, which means one leading to another. Flow gives small, but important steps that can improve one's contentment amongst all nine domains of happiness. Flow is a weekly jolt of inspiration, pragmatism and a collection of local events that will raise our happiness. This month of May we are taking a look at some simple actions we can take to get our mental health on a better path.  First before we get started, this month is not meant to replace professional psychological advice nor should it be used as a substitute for seeking assistance for serious problems such as depression.  Psychological Well Being Issue 10 Sitting on the bus from Renton to Seattle is an experience that should be, well, experienced.  The total lack of responsibility that is apparent when someone else is driving is freeing and an opportunity to do something without distractions. What is the ultimate motivation of responsibility?  Besides children and loved ones it would have to be material wellbeing.  Almost nothing else causes as much mental stress as money issues.  Let’s look at some simple steps we can take to get more of our material needs met, or to get more out of what we already have. The most important aspect of getting our material needs in order that we can control is to reevaluate what makes us happy.  We need to look at where we got those ideas in the first place.  We constructed our ideas about material goods bringing us happiness due to the massive amounts of advertising we consume both passively and on purpose. Here is an experiment to try sometime.  Turn on the TV and watch a half hour of one show or event.  Make a note of the amount of commercials and the general type of commercials shown.  To make this more scientific you can watch at various times of the day to see different types.  Out of all the commercials you watch how many do you think will say something to the effect of “You are great; your stuff is great; you don’t need to change one thing about your life.”  That will never happen unless you count public service announcements, which do not have the punch or budget to be as flashy as the newest advertising campaign for a new type of exercise chair or “revolutionary” diet plan. We need to create our own measurement of happiness that comes from our own ideas not from manufactured, re-purposed, edited and approved by board members for a for profit organization.  The intent is important and if making you less satisfied with yourself or your life is the goal then you cannot trust that source.  Mindset is the most important part of changing our material security.  We need to make new habits, new motivations and choose to gain pleasure in saving and being frugal.  We can’t buy our way to happiness and it’s time we started to save again.  Choose to be satisfied with your materials.  Choose to build more happiness by focusing on experiences and relationships with your family, friends and colleagues.  Build equity in your heart. Nathan Jackson Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: http://motherjones.com/ This week’s book recommendation is: Young, Fabulous and Broke by Suze Orman Sign up for the weekly newsletter. Support Flow		Flow Suggests: 5/15-5/21 2011 Gordon Lafer: Labor in the House Education, Community, Material http://depts.washington.edu Tuesday, May 17, 2011 3pm Making a case for a Labor Movement revitalization Marc Kaufman:  Extraterrestrial Life Education, Psychological Well Being www.townhallseattle.org Wednesday, May 18, 2011 7-9pm Science re-examines our assumptions about building blocks of life. Carbon Pricing Symposium for Washington State Environmental Friday, May 20, 2011 12pm www.sustainableballard.org A diverse coalition of concerned citizens discussing and planning carbon pricing as a means to slow down greenhouse gas emissions.