| 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. Psychological Well Being Issue 12 On our last week talking about psychological wellbeing I would be remiss to mention one of the most important techniques for being more mentally balance: making time for your hobbies. Firstly, any hobby that does not cause harm to another creature or you is a good hobby. There are not hobbies that are “wastes of time” if the hobby brings pleasure while at the same time not causing harm. Hobbies are what we would do if all other responsibilities were taken away. We should focus on these activities as we were meant to enjoy ourselves while we are here. I can already hear the “Yeah, I would love to have a hobby, but who has the time?” argument. The answer really is simple; your time is yours to use as you see fit. You choose how to live and you need to make enjoyment a priority. Enjoyment is a valuable use of time. Make the choice to enjoy a hobby. There are many ways to carve out time, but I say that you should put the relationships with your loved ones and yourself as priority one. Do not let your job be the first thought in the morning or your compelling thoughts in your head as you toss and turn unable to go to sleep. Yes, jobs are important, very much so, but your time is your most precious object you have. Choose to value it. Hobbies allow you to relax or work out some tension by channeling it through a non-life threatening activity. It is okay if the hobby or hobbies frustrate you or make you put in effort because they can be great ways to expel the built up tension from other areas of your life. Funny thing about tension and stress they don’t stay in separate places in our head. Stress from work, home or family life all goes to the same place. The sad thing is that this stress, anger, sadness or tension comes out in unrelated ways unless we can figure out a way to release it. One of the best ways to relive that stress and tension is to do activities that you enjoy. Every hobby is worthwhile as long as it has two main components: it does not cause harm to self or others, and it is active. Watching TV is not a hobby, but starting a TV discussion groups with friends or colleagues can be. Find something or some things that are active, engaging and fun. Try something different, but start small. And always remember that what is a hobby for another person is true to them. Hobbies tell us about a person and what that person values. Never judge a person’s hobby as long as it follows the two rules mentioned earlier. We choose our hobbies and one of the worst ways to insult someone is to insult their hobby. It is hurtful and is one of the easiest ways to kill a relationship. Nathan Jackson Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: www.ted.com This week’s book recommendation is: World Changing: a user’s guide for the 21st Century | Flow Suggests: 5/29-6/4 2011 Education, Community, Environmental http://sustainableseattle.org/calendar/shared Thursday, June 2, 2011 8:30am Companies that prosper in the future will be more sustainable, with new products and processes. This seminar was designed to provide an answer to three questions. “What does being sustainable mean?” “Why does it matter?” “What must we do to become sustainable?” Education, Psychological Well Being, Community, http://lifefocusedcommunication.com Friday, June 3, 2011 12:30-2pm This teleseminar will explore how understanding the role that emotions play in how we connect to each other can help us to have loving, enduring, and meaningful relationships with others, and most especially with our children. | |
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