Thin Slices of Joy
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The wedding was at the Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,
This is the organ at the rear of the cathedral.
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Beautiful couple. Gorgeous gown.
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I loved the reception. Drinking champagne while listening to a live trio should be a more frequent activity. Appetizers were delicious.
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The restaurant has a banquet room with a rooftop that opens and trees inside the room.
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Serenity, the pictures of the fireflies and the wedding in the cathedral and the reception are just beautiful. What a marvelous place for a wedding. Thanks for posting all that you do. You really do find the thin slices of joy in a day and you're teaching me to look also. Thank you!!!
Faith (in the future)
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Faith - I'm thrilled to hear that my posts are helping you. It gives me incentive to find things to post. I'm a curmudgeon at heart, but I find myself less surly now unless it's related to work. I haven't gotten my work groove back yet.
I was exhausted all day yesterday. We spent over 12 hours away on Saturday, but I feel better today. Over the past few days, I've been noticing these things:
1) Fresh pineapple was very sweet.
2) My family could not be more supportive.
3) My younger daughter helped so much when she made the carrot cake for Father's Day (without being asked).
4) My husband picked up dinner for us instead of going out because he knew how tired I was.
5) My older daughter took over laundry when my sciatica was really bad. I've let go of my "ways".
6) I can handle the dishwasher. I can open tight lids and put glasses up in the cabinet without triggering nerve pain.
7) My pup snuggling against me makes me smile.
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Serenity - Adding my voice to the thanks for your postings. They always bring a spark of Joy to my day. Would never have guessed you are a curmudgeonly soul!
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Celia - Yes, my husband's first gift to me when we started dating was a little calendar for curmudgeons. And he stuck with me! I am prone to depression, but this exercise in finding joy has been more helpful than I thought possible.
I forgot to mention something about the flower girl. After the ceremony, the wedding party went to a nearby park to take pictures. While waiting, the flower girl started chasing the pigeons. There's nothing better than hearing a child laughing.
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There's joy and healing in expressing gratitude so tonight Serenity I thank you for helping mefind the little joys in every day!
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jcn - Thank you! I hope you had a great time on your vacation! Did you do any forest bathing?
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I first learned of Picasso's Blue Period in 7th grade.
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KB - You're so right!
My neck/shoulders/upper back can get so tight. This helped. It's a little slow, but it's less than 11 minutes. I'll probably write down the exercises and do them without the video at some point.
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Listening to a webinar in my work jammies. Pup is bored.
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They're adorable!
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This is me meditating.
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Scientists finally understand why deep breathing physically reduces stress
Our thoughts and emotions can influence our physical states and vice versa. When we're stressed, we tend to take short, rapid breaths of air. Conversely, mental health professionals often tell patients with anxiety or depression to take deep breaths as a way of calming down, and yoga practitioners know pranayama as the controlled breathing to shut down anxious thoughts during sessions.
But how this mind-body connection works has been something of a black box for brain researchers. On March 30, a group led by scientists at Stanford University Medical Center and the University of California-San Francisco published (paywall) work that illuminates the specific neurons that act as a bridge between mental and physical arousal. Understanding these cells could be used to develop new therapies for mental health conditions.
Breathing is an automated process controlled by a cluster of brain cells that sit on the brainstem. Unlike the neurons in charge of other automatic movement, like our heart's beating, the group of cells that governs our breathing have to accommodate a lot more variety. "There are many distinct types of breaths: regular, excited, sighing, yawning, gasping, sleeping, laughing, sobbing," Mark Krasnow, a biochemist at Stanford University and co-author of the paper, said in a statement. "We wondered if different subtypes of neurons within the respiratory control center might be in charge of generating these different types of breath."
The team decided to break down this control center into distinct parts and attempt to spot the cluster that influence rhythmic breathing specifically. Working in mouse models (for obvious reasons), Krasnow and his team wiped out a patch of 175 neurons they selected based on previous knowledge of mouse genes associated with breathing. Then, they waited to see if their test mice started breathing erratically.
The mice, however, didn't appear bothered at all by their missing neurons. They were fine. Better than fine, even—rather than sniffing and exploring around their containers as mice typically do, they were content to groom themselves and sit peacefully. "They had become chill. Mellow fellows," Krasnow told NPR.
The experiment seemed like a failure to some of the researchers, until they realize what had actually happened. It appears that in knocking out these 175 neurons, the team had cut the connections between arousal and breathing patterns. That had two impacts: First, without communication from other parts of the brain that process sensory input that would normally put mice on alert, their breathing control center never never had a reason to speed up breaths. Conversely, without that rapid breathing, mice never have any reason to be more anxious. So, they lazed around and relaxed.
It's impossible to tell whether the mice were really enjoying their new, anxiety-free life. Primping instead of probing doesn't necessarily scale up to actual emotion, and even if it did, it's not as if the mice could explain to the human researchers how they were feeling about it all. But now that scientists know that this one patch of neurons dramatically impacts the rate of breathing, scientists have a starting point to develop new ways to physically manipulate emotional states in patients who suffer from anxiety or depression.
https://qz.com/947197/how-deep-breathing-reduces-s...
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So...
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Serenity,
Yes we spent lots of time walking in the woods. No TV, cell service, or radio so I read at night. We would get up in the morning look at the sky and say it's not raining right now so let's go! The best hike was to the top of Seneca Rocks. A little scary at the end but worth it.
The next photo is Blackwater Falls. 65' Falls and tea-colored water from the pine needles.
It was great to have a whole week with my son.
KB,
Love the photo of the chicks!
J
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I'm practicing finding joy today by taking a rare Friday off and getting a pedicure with my daughter (rarer still!). While I'm waiting for my nails to dry I read this great article and wanted to share it with all of you joy-seekers:
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jcn - I love these tips! The article even references Google's happiness guru who wrote about finding thin slices of joy. Your hiking pics are beautiful!
Strawberries were delicious today.
I have yet to enjoy a bath as much as this guy.
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jcn - I found that article online! Here it is:
How to Become a More Positive Person in 21 Days
We hear it over and over: It's the little things that count. Turns out the cliché is dead-on. Research shows that one of the most important secrets to a happy life is to relish the many small moments that bring delight—ones you may not even notice. When you start calling attention to them, your mind becomes more inclined toward joy, explains Chade-Meng Tan, a Google engineer turned happiness guru and the author of Joy on Demand. "Over time, joy and happiness become increasingly effortless," he says. The best part? Getting there is ridiculously easy.
Week 1: Take note
Think of sinking your teeth into your favorite dessert or that moment in the shower when the hot water first touches your skin—"any fleeting moments of joy in life that are not super intense," says Tan. This week, start picking up on them. "All you have to do is notice the joy and bring attention to the pleasantness," he explains.
Be here now. Focus on the bite-size pleasures already in your day. "After a number of times, a habit will form," says Tan.
Live out loud. Being vocal when something delights you will help you revel in the moment, says happiness researcher Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project. Let out a "mmm" after your delicious first sip of coffee in the a.m., for instance. "My family makes fun of me because every time I get in bed, I involuntarily make this 'ahhh' noise, but it feels so good to slide between the sheets," says Rubin.
Start a one-sentence journal. Every day, jot down a single cheery thought. "Your sentence can be about anything—something beautiful, hilarious, whatever," says Rubin. "It keeps you accountable without making happiness feel like a chore."
Week 2: Find hidden happy moments
Now you're ready to discover less obvious delights. These rituals will get you going.
Get camera happy. Every day, snap a picture on your smartphone of something that makes you happy. "This way, you're watching out for the things that bring you pleasure; it keeps you in joy-seeking mode," says Rubin.
Brighten up. Choose a color and try to spot it all day (your favorite green sweater, the green pen at your desk). "There is a ton of research linking color and happiness," says Rubin, "and it's so easy to take in color from the world."
Reframe the negative. You know those things that usually sour your mood? Try turning them into treats. Maybe you hate getting up when it's dark out. "You have to wake up either way," says Rubin, "so look for the parts that are nice, like how you love the quiet of your kitchen in the morning when it's just you."
Week 3: Practice joy on command
Little bits of pleasure can give you a lift even when you're feeling seriously down, says Tan: "A bad mood is like being in a dark room, while those little moments of joy are like candles." Make your own light when you need it this week with these strategies.
Play your psych-up song. One of the quickest ways to boost your mood is to listen to upbeat music, research has shown. "It's like dialing happiness 911," says Rubin.
Jump around. Do explosive movements for a few seconds. "I always tell people who need a pick-me-up to do 10 jumping jacks," says Rubin. "It's childish, it's playful, and it gets you pumped up right away."
Spread some cheer. On a crappy day, randomly select a few people walking by and secretly send positive vibes. "Just think, 'I wish for that person to be happy,'" says Tan. "Being on the giving end of a kind thought is rewarding. You'll be happier than you were five seconds ago."
http://www.health.com/mind-body/positivity-challen...
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I need to exercise more often!
Can a single exercise session benefit your brain?
Even a single bout of physical activity can have significant positive effects on people's mood and cognitive functions, according to a new study in Brain Plasticity
Amsterdam, NL, June 12, 2017 -In a new review of the effects of acute exercise published in Brain Plasticity, researchers not only summarize the behavioral and cognitive effects of a single bout of exercise, but also summarize data from a large number of neurophysiological and neurochemical studies in both humans and animals showing the wide range of brain changes that result from a single session of physical exercise (i.e., acute exercise).
There is currently enormous interest in the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on a wide range of brain functions including mood, memory, attention, motor/reaction times, and even creativity. Understanding the immediate effects of a single bout of exercise is the first step to understanding how the positive effects of exercise may accrue over time to cause long-lasting changes in select brain circuits.
According to principal investigator Wendy A. Suzuki, PhD, Professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science, New York University, "Exercise interventions are currently being used to help address everything from cognitive impairments in normal aging, minimal cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease to motor deficits in Parkinson's disease and mood states in depression. Our review highlights the neural mechanisms and pathways by which exercise might produce these clinically relevant effects."
The investigators summarized a large and growing body of research examining the changes that occur at the cognitive/behavioral, neurophysiological, and neurochemical levels after a single bout of physical exercise in both humans and animals. They reviewed brain imaging and electrophysiological studies, including electroencephalography (EEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). They then turned to neurochemical studies, including lactate, glutamate and glutamine metabolism, effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis through cortisol secretion, and neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Neurotransmitter studies of monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine), acetylcholine, glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were reviewed, as well as neuromodulators such as endogenous opioids and endocannabinoids.
This extensive review resulted in three main observations. First, the most consistent behavioral effects of acute exercise are improved executive function, enhanced mood, and decreased stress levels. Second, neurophysiological and neurochemical changes that have been reported after acute exercise show that widespread brain areas and brain systems are activated. Third, one of the biggest open questions in this area is the relationship between the central neurochemical changes following acute exercise, that have mainly been described in rodents, and the behavioral changes seen after acute exercise reported in humans. Bridging this gap will be an important area of future study.
Co-author Julia C. Basso, PhD, post-doctoral research fellow, Center for Neural Science at New York University, commented, "The studies presented in this review clearly demonstrate that acute exercise has profound effects on brain chemistry and physiology, which has important implications for cognitive enhancements in healthy populations and symptom remediation in clinical populations."
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/ip...
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Serenity,
I especially like the idea of searching for a favorite color throughout the day. That's a great one!
Also like the article on excercise. Can always count on exercise to clear my brain fog and improve my mood. 😀
J
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jcn - I love blue and will look for it!
I was in the Seated Twist. My pup was on the floor next to me, and she put her paw on top of my big toe. It was distractingly sweet. Also love that I can do this pose when for years I couldn't due to sciatica. Nerve flossing works!
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Incredible photos, but sad to read about the dangerous levels of mercury in bears.
http://www.biographic.com/posts/sto/the-big-pictur...
These whales are napping.
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Today is the first Monday that I've awakened feeling mostly human. Instead of Classical Stretch, I put on music from my youth and danced. Here's one:
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Serenity that's fantastic news, I'm so happy that you are feeling good, long may it continue, it took a while, but you made it! Perseverance brings success, as they say in China! X
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Thanks, ScotBird! I sometimes can't believe the difference. I feel like a kid saying "Look what I can do!"
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Serenity, glad to hear that you feel so much better
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