For me, a lifelong subscription to National Geographic has kept me enthralled. The pictures are always stunning, and now they are publishing books as well. Dan Buettner’s “The Blue Zones of Happiness” referred to in the November issue, details countries where happiness is the most prevalent. The United States has one of the highest rates of anxiety and depression in the world.
Are you feeling that “life satisfaction”? Do you find passion in your life? Does your lifestyle suit your personality?Let’s look at
- Your job- burnout?
- Your home life- “blah”?
- Your health- sick of being sick a lot?
- Your finances- panic?
- Downtime- (what downtime?)
A good counselor can help you clarify and balance your priorities. Since this country is one of the most stressed in the world, maybe you could do with a tune-up. Folks who are stressed and anxious generally don’t allow themselves much pleasure or ‘down time’; many have let go of hobbies or friends because they have prioritized work. Yes, all of us do thrive on a sense of purpose or “right livelihood”, but many of us may feel hopeless about finding this. It might be time to revisit your ‘aptitudes’ especially if you are reinventing yourself in middle age. I can help you with this; creativity is needed, not a midlife crisis!
“The World Happiness Report” finds that “three-quarters of human happiness is driven by six factors: strong economic growth, healthy life expectancy, quality social relationships, generosity, trust and freedom to live the life that’s right for you” ( quoted from the National Geo article). When you come to see me for an assessment, I am looking at those factors that may need adjusting for you.
The practice of Mindfulness (see my training in Events” on my website) is also helpful in learning about how you see the world and how your mind works. If there is a lot of judgment distorting your view of yourself or your spouse or others, then happiness will escape you. Getting back into your body is also very important; this is my specialty.
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills of Radical Acceptance and Emotion Regulation are very valuable in moving out of anxiety and depressive states; I am always reminded that the Serenity Prayer has really that same focus as this form of Behavior Therapy: to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Come and learn some skills to have the happiness you deserve. Contact me, jilba@lifemovescounseling.com
Leave A Comment