Staying Happy

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I think having a positive attitude is a big part of maintaining a wellness lifestyle. I've always been more of an optimist in the big scheme of things. Not that life doesn't throw curve balls to get me down, and raising four active kiddos is no picnic (especially with teens and a preschooler), but overall, staying happy is a wellness choice I get to make every day. And it is a choice; one that can be undone by circumstances and stress and poor reactions to life.


I won't go on a rant about cortisol and its damaging effects on our bodies from stress and over exertion. Suffice it to say that reducing cortisol by working on our happiness and contentment will go a long way toward improving our wellness. And that ties in to the foods we choose to eat. Why do we eat? Solely for nourishment? For the pleasure of new tastes and textures? As a desirable distraction to take our minds off of whatever was spiking our cortisol levels?

The answer to that question helps determine why our bodies are in the state they are in, whether healthy or unhealthy. Being mindful of what gets us stressed out, compared to consciously becoming more grateful and content, can be a big asset in improving our wellness lifestyle. Making healthy choices about why we eat is really valuable to having a good relationship with food.

Have you heard Pharrell Williams song, Happy, yet? A song like this could be a good reset, back to counting blessings and acknowledging contentment. It's just a great tune, very catchy, and I've found that it doesn't get old for me, no matter how many times I've heard it. Maybe you've already heard it as well; the official YouTube video has been seen over 350 million times. That tells me there are a lot of folks desiring a slice of happiness.

The simplest things can influence our wellness lifestyle, and our relationship with food, in valuable ways, and I think the choice to be happy, thankful and content is one of them. Find some time today to count your blessings... add in a favorite song, or a happy, catchy tune, and soak in the knowledge that in the big picture, all is well. Here's to being happy.

By the Way

You can see the 'official' Happy video on YouTube here. Go ahead and check it out; it's worth it. You might even catch some of the celebrity cameos that show up.

Pharrell also produced the world's first 24 hour music video based on his song. See www.24hoursofhappy.com here - happiness goes on and on...