Now, before I go any further I must say that I am not a dietician. I don’t even play a dietician on TV. But I do know a thing or two about Happiness. I can tell you that most people eat their food mindlessly, not truly tasting their food. I can also tell you that studies have shown that your enjoyment between your first and second bite of food plummets significantly (Martin Seligman, Authentic Happiness). By the time you get to bites three and four, your mind is probably drifting to the day ahead or the day behind. So you are consuming a lot of food (and calories) with minimal pleasure. Why not try the Happiness Diet? I suppose we could also call it the Mindfulness Diet. Before you partake, look at your food. Notice the details, the contours, the difference from one side of the food to the other. If you won’t be breaking any major laws of protocol, touch your food. Close your eyes. “Listen” with your fingers. Once you have thoroughly examined your cuisine, take a bite of food and savor it. What is its texture on your tongue? Is your tongue having different experiences on the tip vs. the top vs. the sides? Though I am not a doctor either, it is widely known that different parts of the tongue experience food in different ways (see this article on Thinkquest on taste). Is there a smell that wafts from your food? Be sure to savor the aroma as well. You get the idea. There are five senses – use them. Experience the food. Simply by being mindful, you could experience more flavor in one bite than you could otherwise enjoy in an entire meal.

Savoring life experiences is just one of twelve Happiness Habits dished up by Sonja Lyubomirsky in her book, The How of Happiness. Buy it here and/or read my review here. Join us for Happiness 101 to learn how to enjoy life more with a fraction of the effort.

Frank Clayton
Licensed Professional Counselor

I will be teaching about Happiness for all four hours!  Each hour of the Happiness class will be different from the last and will cost $20 per hour.  I’ll teach for 40 minutes, give twenty minutes for some one-on-one then back at it again at the top of the hour.  Each hour will be different.  I’ll talk about the myths of happiness, the happiness set-point and perhaps most importantly WHY even when things are good, people don’t feel as happy as they think they should.  Cost for the Happiness class is $20 per person per hour.  Again, all proceeds go to the Center for Spiritual Living.  Feel free to visit their website at www.spirituallyfree.com

This is THE place to be this Saturday, July 18th from noon to 4pm.  The location is 870 East North Union Avenue, that’s right off of Fort Union and 9th East, tucked behind Hoppers.  See you there!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPWliGffekw&rel=0]

I will be there teaching about Happiness including: 

      What Happiness is (and is not)

      Myths of Happiness

      Happiness Set-Point

      Happiness Boost

      Why you are not as Happy as you think you should be

      Happiness Robbers

      How you are not in direct control of your feelings and what to do about it

      Replacing negative habits

Cost to get in: purchase of $5 in tickets which may be used on any of the services listed above.  All proceeds go the building fund for the Center for Spiritual Living.

I learned SO much about Happiness in those two minutes.  Or should I say she REMINDED me so much about Happiness.  A colleague of mine recently asserted that we are born Happy, then “learn” how to be unhappy.  I do not know if I categorically agree with the statement but I have yet to find anything yet to contradict it.  The quickly passing storm of Happiness, would definately be evidence in favor of my friend’s theory.  When is the last time you jumped into the air (even just a little hop?) just because you CAN.  Are you concerned about what you did, said or ate this morning, yesterday or last year?  Or are you living in the present?  When is the last time you took 30 seconds to just be completely in the moment and allow yourself to feel wonder or awe about the miracles happening all around you?  When is the last time rang out your battle cry of Happiness?  How about even a really enthusiastic hug?  Adults laugh 15 times a day.  Children laugh 400 times a day. We have a lot of catching up to do.  This is the reason I teach Happiness 101 and the “Happy Hour” - to help clear away the clutter and the “shoulds”.  To help you remember.  Remember how to be Happy.

Why did I quit sugar after 7pm?  Well, I’m sure you’ve heard of the “sugar high” and the inevitable crash that comes after.  I’ve had my eye on quitting sugar since I quit caffeine but I know if I try to do too many things at once, I’ll be setting myself up to fail.  So, it is all in the interest of HAPPINESS. Eating sugar and drinking caffeine tend to impact my mood.  So, I’m working on it. 

By the way, I did falter in my efforts to stay caffeine free – but that’s another story for another day.

~Frank