Don’t Get S.A.D. Get Hyoo ga!

Here we are again, about to turn our clocks back and return to standard time. It will be dark sooner.  The days are getting shorter anyway and winter is drawing in.

For many of you this means the onset of  Seasonal Affected Disorder – a type of depression that comes and goes according to the seasons.  Also known as winter depression, it is usually at its most severe during December, January and February. i think we could all benefit from using the special daylight lamps and certainly (with professional guidance) from taking Vitamin D which, in this country we seem to be short of all year round.  If you suffer severely from S.A.D. then you must see your GP, they can help. If you want to know more go here 

Just a little SAD?

Most people I know seem to suffer a little bit from S.A.D. They might experience low moods more often, feel less enthusiastic, and struggle to get out of bed in the mornings. They say things like, ‘I always feel like this at this time of year.  To those people I say – let’s try thinking about it differently this year.

If anybody knows about looooong daaaark winters it is the Scandinavians. In Denmark during the winter they often get as little as four hours daylight. They know how to deal with it.  They make hygge

Hygge is pronounced hyoo ga and is very loosely translated as cozy.  I get hygge, especially at wintertime.  For me, right from the onset of autumn, the hygge feeling is heightened by a quickening sense of excitement for the coming of winter.

It’s a warm, contented fuzzy, sentimental, feeling. You know when you have just enjoyed a fabulous meal in great surroundings with people you love, and you take that deep contented sigh?  That’s it. That’s hygge. Or, it’s taking ten minutes to sit by the fire or your own favourite spot to read a good book.

Hygge can be evoked in all kinds of ways.  For the Danes it is a way of being that is embedded in their culture. We can take from it what we like and apply it to our own lives.

Here are some ideas that work for me.

1. Make your home hyggeligt – hyoo ga li (the adjective) You are going to be spending more time at home  during the winter so it needs to feel like a safe haven.  Make it a clean, tidy and clear space, conducive to relaxation, somewhere you want to be.
2. Use candles – lots of them. Nothing creates that lovely feeling of magic and mystery more than candlelight.
3. Create or buy something beautiful. An artwork, a photograph, a sculpture or craftwork and display it prominently. Science has proven that looking at something we perceive to be beautiful raises the spirit.
4. Turn off all technology. If you can, as a family commit to a certain amount of time, even just an hour without computers and, teenagers shriek with horror, turn off your phones!
5. Eat dinner around the table and make it a whole evening event. When my kids were growing up, eating at the table was when we really managed to catch up with each others lives.  It also gave us time to discuss  more important ‘life issues’ in greater depth.
6. The above with friends. Friends and family create hygge.  Apparently, there is a tacit agreement when families come together in Denmark.  Everyone commits to having a good time together. That means putting to one side any disagreements they might have, even if just for the evening. Perhaps not always easy to achieve, but the effort seems to be worth it.
7. Cashmere socks! Or at least, very soft socks. Soft pyjamas or loungewear. This is a great one for me – snuggled underneath a woollen throw watching ‘Borgen’ on TV. Couldn’t resist the Danish connection there, but of course it could be any of your favourite box sets or films.
8. Indulge in a guilty pleasure.  Chocolate cake, for example, and only every now and then, of course.

I could go on but I think you get the message.  Hygge is about creating a warm atmosphere for your self and also for your friends and people you love. Make the ordinary special and always have an event planned for the week ahead that you are looking forward to.

Danish anyone?

So, this year instead of expecting to feel gloomy, have the intention of modelling the Danes. Get hygge.  Given that they consistently  (for the last forty years)  come top in the European commission’s well-being and happiness index, I think they might just have something to teach us. .

 

There are lots of books on Hygge

I bought this one because it includes fun illustrations and I thought it a lovely introduction.

HYGGE THE DANISH ART OF HAPPINESS  by MT Soderberg                    http://amzn.to/2At5V82

 

Hope you enjoy – let me know what you think.

 

images  https://www.flickr.com/photos/snugglepup/3313257064     www.flickr.com/photos/europealacarte/4702209023

What are your Strengths?

 

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

We tend to think that if we are to achieve personal growth, we need to put all our attention on trying to eradicate our weaknesses.  This is not surprising.  Whilst growing up, many of us are made all to aware of our personal weaknesses and encouraged to ‘work’ on them.    This is part of what leads us to being s quick to negatively judge ourselves. In addition, our brains are wired toward the negative.

Think about the last time you were paid a compliment.  Did you dismiss it?  Brush it off as though it were nothing?   The first step towards personal growth is self-awareness.  And, that means also being aware of the positive not, always and only, the negative

Studies have shown that those people who develop their strengths as opposed to those who continue to try to shore up weaknesses are far more successful.  By learning to play to your strengths you will: be more confident, increase your self-esteem, be more likely to achieve your goals, increase your happiness levels – the list goes on.

So, instead of focusing only on your weaknesses and what is wrong with you, let’s look at what is right with you and discover your strengths.   Find out how with us at Happy Stuff and fluff.  Click below to watch the video.

Why Strengths?  

 

Be Positive and Stay Positive

 

 

 

Who would have thought that something so simple could have such a profound effect?

A little exercise that packs an emormous punch –   it will help you to be positive and stay positive.

Three good things.

Try this exercise once a week to begin with.  Look back over the week gone by and make a note of three good things that happened to you.  They don’t have to be big things – anything from, getting a report in on time at work; meeting a friend for dinner, managing to work out five days straight.  Be sure to write it down – if you can, write it in a journal rather than type on computer.  The act of writing itself slows you down and allows you to think more deeply about you are writing. H

That’s it.

It works because, ‘what you focus on expands’.   Each day you will start to look for the good things  and the more you look for good things, the more good things you will find.  You will very quickly expect to find good things.  Once your mindset becomes more positive you will also start to overlook the little negative occurrences that would usually irritate you.  this will increase your sense of wellbeing immeasurably.

Doing the exercise only once a week will ensure it remains a pleasure to do rather than becoming a chore.

Remember, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”  The Dalai lama

This is one small action you can take that could just change your life.

Want to know how to put this exercise to great use with your children or grandchildren?  Head over to Happy Stuff and Fluff on You Tube  here.    (Join the conversation by subscribing)

 

 

The Success Habit

 

Unfortunately,  63% of people who make New Year’s resolutions break them, mostly within a month.  By the time we get to  three months 80% of them  forget they ever made a resolution at all.

No, I am not here to depress you.  I’m here to tell you that if you have already broken your resolutions –  don’t beat yourself up about it –  it’s not really your fault.

It’s all in your brain.

Why is changing our behaviour so difficult  – even painful.  Well, it has a lot to do with your brain.

In order for a behaviour to become a habit,  you have to keep repeating it until it creates a neural path way in your brain. Then it becomes a behavioural pattern.  That pattern creates  circuits in your brain that eventually become hard wired.   You’ve heard the saying  neurons that fire together wire together?   Each time you repeat the behaviour the circuits get stronger and even more hard wired.  You become comfortable with the behaviour – it is a habit.  You are in your comfort zone.  You are happy –  your brain is happy.  All is well with the world.

 Then you try to change the habit.

You start to do things that  break up these circuits and  all of a sudden your brain cells are catapulted into panic. They don’t know what’s going on now.  Something different is happening – something weird and your brain begins to sense threat.

Remember, Your brain   is designed to keep you safe, and  to stop you from making a mistake so that you wont get dead. Because your brain is sensing something unfamiliar it starts to rebel. Your brain sees change as a threat.

Real or imagined danger creates the fight or flight response in your body.  This affects the motivational centres of the brain – motivation  ceases.  You want to get back to your comfort zone where you feel better.

Ahh! The comfort zone

Of course all of this is  unconscious – you just give in to your discomfort and slip back to your previous habit and your comfort zone.  The brain takes a big sigh and says ‘ back to normal, life as usual’. All is well with the world.

Except it isn’t because you want to change the behaviour. 

What to do about It.

You have to convince your brain that the  change you want to make is not dangerous but is essential for your well-being.

First of all get clear about what you want – get very clear:

Be absolutely certain about WHY you want it.  Write it down, write it down, write it down.  No that wasn’t a typo  – you must get these thoughts out of your mind and solidly down on paper.  If it is appropriate include a time frame for achievement.

Now visualize yourself having achieved what you want:

Write down what you are doing now that your goal/new behaviour is achieved.  How has it changed your life, the lives of the people around you.    HOW DO YOU FEEL?                           Visualization, coupled with emotion will help to stimulate the motivational part of your brain.

Next think about any of the obstacles you might face along the way:

What might stop you from achieving what you want. Then brainstorm what you can do about these obstacles.  This way when they happen – and they will –they will not take you by surprise and throw you of course.

Finally, think about how you can break down your goal/new behaviour into SMALL steps:

Remember the brain doesn’t like change so you have to trick it into thinking nothing too strange or unfamiliar is happening.  You do this by achieving your success slowly –  step by step. Celebrate each small achievement.  You are creating success pathways in your brain now.

How lovely to have success as a habit.

Watch out for the new CONCEPT course (February) where we put all of the above into action!

Email me for details.  Christine@conroycoaching.com

 

http://www.christinelconroy.com

http://www.facebook.com/christinelconroy – come on over and like if you like.

Don’t Get S.A.D. Get Hyoo ga!

Here we are again, about to turn our clocks back and return to standard time. It will be dark sooner.  The days are getting shorter anyway and winter is drawing in.

For many of you this means the onset of  Seasonal Affected Disorder – a type of depression that comes and goes according to the seasons.  Also known as winter depression, it is usually at its most severe during December, January and February. i think we could all benefit from using the special daylight lamps and certainly (with professional guidance) from taking Vitamin D which, in this country we seem to be short of all year round.  If you suffer severely from S.A.D. then you must see your GP, they can help. If you want to know more go here 

Just a little SAD?

Most people I know seem to suffer a little bit from S.A.D. They might experience low moods more often, feel less enthusiastic, and struggle to get out of bed in the mornings. They say things like, ‘I always feel like this at this time of year.  To those people I say – let’s try thinking about it differently this year.

If anybody knows about looooong daaaark winters it is the Scandinavians. In Denmark during the winter they often get as little as four hours daylight. They know how to deal with it.  They make hygge

Hygge is pronounced hyoo ga and is very loosely translated as cozy.  I get hygge, especially at wintertime.  For me, right from the onset of autumn, the hygge feeling is heightened by a quickening sense of excitement for the coming of winter.

It’s a warm, contented fuzzy, sentimental, feeling. You know when you have just enjoyed a fabulous meal in great surroundings with people you love, and you take that deep contented sigh?  That’s it. That’s hygge. Or, it’s taking ten minutes to sit by the fire or your own favourite spot to read a good book.

Hygge can be evoked in all kinds of ways.  For the Danes it is a way of being that is embedded in their culture. We can take from it what we like and apply it to our own lives.

Here are some ideas that work for me.

1. Make your home hyggeligt – hyoo ga li (the adjective) You are going to be spending more time at home  during the winter so it needs to feel like a safe haven.  Make it a clean, tidy and clear space, conducive to relaxation, somewhere you want to be.
2. Use candles – lots of them. Nothing creates that lovely feeling of magic and mystery more than candlelight.
3. Create or buy something beautiful. An artwork, a photograph, a sculpture or craftwork and display it prominently. Science has proven that looking at something we perceive to be beautiful raises the spirit.
4. Turn off all technology. If you can, as a family commit to a certain amount of time, even just an hour without computers and, teenagers shriek with horror, turn off your phones!
5. Eat dinner around the table and make it a whole evening event. When my kids were growing up, eating at the table was when we really managed to catch up with each others lives.  It also gave us time to discuss  more important ‘life issues’ in greater depth.
6. The above with friends. Friends and family create hygge.  Apparently, there is a tacit agreement when families come together in Denmark.  Everyone commits to having a good time together. That means putting to one side any disagreements they might have, even if just for the evening. Perhaps not always easy to achieve, but the effort seems to be worth it.
7. Cashmere socks! Or at least, very soft socks. Soft pyjamas or loungewear. This is a great one for me – snuggled underneath a woollen throw watching ‘Borgen’ on TV. Couldn’t resist the Danish connection there, but of course it could be any of your favourite box sets or films.
8. Indulge in a guilty pleasure.  Chocolate cake, for example, and only every now and then, of course.

I could go on but I think you get the message.  Hygge is about creating a warm atmosphere for your self and also for your friends and people you love. Make the ordinary special and always have an event planned for the week ahead that you are looking forward to.

Danish anyone?

So, this year instead of expecting to feel gloomy, have the intention of modelling the Danes. Get hygge.  Given that they consistently  (for the last forty years)  come top in the European commission’s well-being and happiness index, I think they might just have something to teach us. .

 

There are lots of books on Hygge

I bought this one because it includes fun illustrations and I thought it a lovely introduction.

HYGGE THE DANISH ART OF HAPPINESS  by MT Soderberg                    http://amzn.to/2At5V82

 

Hope you enjoy – let me know what you think.

 

images  https://www.flickr.com/photos/snugglepup/3313257064     www.flickr.com/photos/europealacarte/4702209023

Finding satisfaction at work

This month saw the publication of a little e-book I co-wrote under the name of Christine Holt. (which is why I am tardy to the party with my blog!)

As you know my family business is  kitchen and bedroom furniture and has been for over forty years.  As such, it is not just a business, but a way of life.  So, although I moved away to pursue personal development writing and public speaking I am still very much a part of the furniture business.

Kitchens: The Insiders’ View.  How to buy your dream kitchen without making expensive mistakes,  shot to the number one best seller in the homes and gardens category on Amazon Kindle and is now also available in print.  More information here.   It is a niche market, but if you, or anyone you know is in the market for a new kitchen, reading this book is a must.

So, what do kitchen furniture and happiness and well-being have in common?  Well, our environment has a huge role to play in creating our sense of well-being, that’s for sure. And, in all honesty, for me there is no division.  Everything I do, I see as a way to help people, help themselves to happiness.  Helping people to improve their lives, drives all of my work.  I feel lucky that I have the opportunity to do that in different ways. And, make no mistake, the absolute pleasure and satisfaction I feel on hearing that a kitchen (or bedroom) client is overjoyed by what we have done for them,  is immense. It is quite equal to the enormous satisfaction gained from helping to transform someone’s life in my capacity as a coach.

Sadly, I speak to many people who don’t  feel they derive that kind of satisfaction from their job. Sometimes far from it. They often feel that their work is meaningless and it makes them feel empty. I have even had this conversation with housewives who stay home to bring up children.  Of course, I understand that changing nappies and doing the laundry can be tedious – I have three kids and I have been a stay at home mum.

However, I strongly believe that the biggest single important contribution a parent can make to the greater good, is to bring their children up to be good citizens.  Remember to  keep your eye on the bigger picture when you are undertaking the more mundane tasks.  And that goes for whatever work you do.

Sometimes, it is simply a case of a shift in thinking.

If you do go out to work and really don’t  like your job or, if you feel you cannot fit in with the culture of your institution, as has happened to me –  look for other work.  In the meantime, try to see your work differently.  Instead of going to work thinking ‘I hate this job’.  look at what you do get out of doing the job.  ‘It pays the bills’ is a start; better still, it funds your weekend hobbies, or you have some great colleagues etc.  Think about the parts of the job you do enjoy and remain focussed on them.

it is a choice.  You can go to work feeling and staying miserable or you can make a concerted effort to approach your days more positively.  A good way to start the day  for me was to play loud upbeat music in the car on my journey.  It might sound simple but it always put a spring in my step.  Have the intention to be and look for the positive.  Try it for just one day – it makes such a difference.

Strengths to the rescue

If you took the strengths test a few blogs ago, reflect deeply on how you can use your top five strengths at work.  There is always a way:

If love of learning or curiosity is a strength, can you apply for training of some kind which will allow you to use your strengths and also get you out of the workplace for a while?

Gratitude – Find things or people at work to be thankful for.   Look especially for the small things.

Teamwork – perhaps you could instigate  a team project or find a way to contribute more to the team effort?

Judgement or perspective – look for problems to solve that will make your life and others easier in the workplace.

If there are other strengths you would like to develop use your job to find ways of doing that.

People who use their strengths at work are more productive, resilient, confident, energetic and happy.

Approaching your working day in this way you might find that there are meaningful aspects to your work, after all.  If not, at least you will be achieving some measure of personal growth whilst you are applying for your ideal job.

As I mentioned in ‘Silver Linings’ I believe that everyone contributes to the greater good in their own way.  That goes for the person keeping our streets clean to the person running the country.

It just takes a shift in thinking.

My passions include art, design, happiness and well-being, personal growth and teaching.  I am always looking for ways to incorporate these things into my daily working life in order to help others help themselves to happiness.  Kitchens: The Insiders’ view is one way I have found to do that.

Please leave your comments and tell us if you have shifted your thinking about your working life

http://www.christinelconroy.com

Gratitude

The Power of Gratitude 

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness is now well known and we continue to see people challenged to log daily practices on Facebook pages. Long-term studies suggest that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success at work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, and a higher level of happiness and well-being. Practicing gratitude will help you to build resistance and breakthrough adversity faster.

Although we acknowledge the many benefits of gratitude, it can still be difficult to maintain. We are trained to notice what is lacking or going wrong in our lives. If you are to receive the full healing potential of appreciation in your life it needs to become more of a way of life. That means making it a habit.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of focussing on what we lack, we open ourselves up to further opportunities.

I am not suggesting you should take a ‘blindly optimistic’ approach and just ignore the bad things in life – It’s more a matter of where you put your focus and attention.  Of course, pain and injustice exist in this world, but if your focus is mostly on the gifts of life, you will gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.

You can always find something to be grateful for:  colourful autumn leaves, legs that work, eyes that see,  friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm jackets, tomatoes,  roses,  health, butterflies. It is the small things that matter the most on any given day. What’s on your list?

Keeping a gratitude journal is a great idea. Just list the things you are grateful for. If on a particular bad day you think there was nothing to be grateful for – take it back to basics. Legs that work, eyes that see – but really give that some thought and you will realize those things are not the basics. Those things are truly worth being grateful for.

If you keep the journal somewhere you can see it if before leaving for work or starting your day, just seeing it will remind you to think in gratitude. And, if you do have a really bad day when you return home,  open your journal and remind yourself of the things you have been grateful for in days gone by.

If you become conscious about feeling grateful and showing appreciation you will sense an inner shift where you will begin to feel more content and hopeful. You will enjoy that sense of fulfilment and want more of it. So you will be grateful and before you know it, it will have become a habit. Gratitude has now become second nature to you.

See the chapter on Forgiveness and Appreciation in Stitch Your own Silver Linings.

(photo credit  https://www.flickr.com/photos/limevelyn/4310645750)

Do you sleep like a baby?

No? Don’t worry about it. In Stitch Your own Silver Linings, and also in the Help Yourself to Happiness workbook, I mention the fact that I have always struggled to achieve eight hours of sleep each night.  Well, it turns out that I may not need so much sleep after all. That figure of eight hours is an average figure. There is no perfect amount of sleep for everyone. In fact, the quality and amount of sleep needed varies enormously.

Babies can sleep for over 15 hours. Young people need lots of sleep too.  Don’t be too hard on your teenagers if they insist on sleeping over 11 hours a night, they probably need it. Most adults need between seven and eight and a half hours. As we get older that drops down to around six hours. However, some people can happily survive on four hours of sleep, although it is unusual. How much you sleep is also ‘in the family’. Check with your folks or your brothers and sisters to see how much they sleep.  All these factors need to be considered.

If you do suffer from sleepless nights, read this free report to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep. (no sign up necessary) Also, I have recently discovered a method of getting to sleep quickly that seems to be working for me.   I have tried the following for the last few nights with success each time. Now, I know that isn’t very scientific but I am aware that some of you do struggle with a lack of sleep so I wanted you to try it as soon possible. I hope it works for you. Please let me know.

The 4-7-8 is a breathing exercise devised by Dr Andrew Weil.  Weil is a best-selling author on holistic health, and the founder of the Arizona Centre for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.  (More information here)

If you have breathing problems of any kind you should, perhaps, give this particular exercise a miss.  Otherwise, relax your tongue and rest it just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there.

1. Exhale completely through your mouth,
2. Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose to a mental count of 1,2,3,4
3. Hold your breath for a count of 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
4. Breathe out through your mouth for a count of 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
5. Breathe in again and  repeat the cycle four times.

I understand how difficult it is to give attention to your happiness levels when you are exhausted. I  am hoping that the combination of tips found in  the above free report, and the 4,7,8 breathing exercise will help you to put your battle with sleep to bed.

 

Strengths Training

Most of us think that if we are to achieve personal growth, we need to put all our attention on trying to eradicate our weaknesses.  This is not surprising.  Whilst growing up, many of us are made all to aware of our personal weaknesses and encouraged to ‘work’ on them.

If I were to ask you to write five things down that you are not good at I think you would be able to do it quite quickly.  If I were to ask you to write down five things you don’t like about yourself, I suspect you would have no problem with that either.  Yet,  If I asked you to tell me five of your strengths and/or five things you like about yourself, that would probably take you considerably longer to do.  If, indeed you could do it at all.  Often we don’t even have the language to do it.

We are so quick to negatively judge ourselves. Our brains are wired toward the negative. Even when we are told something good about ourselves we tend to ignore it.  Think about the last time you were paid a compliment. Did you dismiss it? Brush it off as though it were nothing?

I believe the first step to personal growth is self-awareness.  And that means also being aware of the positive not, always and only, the negative.  So, instead of focussing on your weaknesses and what is wrong with you, let’s look at what is right with you and discover your strengths.

You could start by asking your friends and family what they think your strengths are.  That could be an interesting exercise to see how others view you.  See if you agree with them.  A more scientific way would be to use a strength assessment tool.  There are many of these available to take online, I prefer the VIA inventory of strengths or the VIA survey as it is sometimes called. It is scientifically validated and it doesn’t just assess those strengths related to the workplace but, instead, is relevant to all areas of life.  Take it here.  It is a positive test – you will learn about your strengths, in particular your top five or signature strengths.  These are the ones to try to use every day.  Just like our weight trainer above you need to practise strength training regularly in order to grow.

Studies have shown that those people who develop their strengths as opposed to those who continue to try to shore up weaknesses are far more successful.  By learning to play to your strengths you will: be more confident, increase your self-esteem, be more likely to achieve your goals, increase your happiness levels – the list goes on.  (For more on Strengths see Stitch Your own Silver Linings)

The next time someone asks you to tell them your strengths – you will have no hesitation!

Picture credit: http://www.viacharacter.org

Stitch Your own Silver Linings available at Amazon.co.uk  and at Amazon.com and all good bookstores

The ART of Happiness and Well-being

Picture credit: Summer in Cumberland 1925 James Durden 1878-1964 Manchester art gallery.

According to recent research spending just half an hour in an art gallery can reduce your stress levels up to ten times quicker than under normal circumstances.

The stress levels of London City workers were studied before and after a 30 minutes visit to an art gallery.  The hormone cortisol was used as an indicator. They found that, in that time, the level of cortisol dropped to a level that would normally take about five hours to do. (1) 

There are other studies by medical and public health researchers showing that even just regularly attending a museum or art gallery can increase longevity. I don’t know about that, but I can personally vouch for the fact that spending time in an art gallery decreases your stress levels.   

                                                                                                                                                                                    In my view, the reason for this has to do with ‘Living in the Now‘ . This is one of the stages of the Conroy Concept of Happiness and well-being as I detail in the book Stitch your own Silver Linings. Developing the practice of being in the Now or living more in the present moment is one of the  keys to helping yourself to happiness.

  When  looking at an artwork – at least for a few minutes, you are in the moment focussing solely on the work in front of you.  This means you are neither fretting about the  past or concerned  about the future. Concentrating on the image or sculpture gives your racing mind and very often negative thoughts a rest. As you stand/sit still and silent your body rests and your breathing slows down.  Your stress levels fall.  A wonderful result of this is that when you return to your normal activity you are rested, your mind is clearer and you become  more effective at dealing with your life. What I love about this is that It is an easy, enjoyable, way of quickly de-stressing. it is available to everyone and,  more often than not, free of charge. 

Ways of Looking

Art in Mind – looking at paintings to de-stress

Unless you are that way inclined, you don’t need to know anything scholarly or academic about art,  but you do need to know how to look. That simply involves slowing down. You need to give yourself more time in front of a painting, for example, to see if it resonates with you in some way.  Don’t feel that you need to rush around a gallery in order to see as many paintings as possible.  That , in itself, can be stressful and some works need more than a cursory glance to get the true measure of them.  When you find something of interest ask yourself questions about why it strikes you – question or challenge the subject matter. For our purposes, there are no right or wrong answers. What you see and feel is up to you.

Check out your local art gallery , I  know this will be an effective de-stress exercise for you. My interest now lies not only how to use art to de-stress but how to use it to further  increase your happiness levels.  Watch this space.

 

Website http://www.christinelconroy.com  Come over to http://www.facebook.com/christinelconroy

 

(1) Clow A & Fredhoi C (2006) Journal of Holistic Healthcare 3 (2) 29–32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Clow A & Fredhoi C (2006) Journal of Holistic Healthcare 3 (2) 29–32