El universo sobre mí de Amaral

Sólo queda una vela
Encendida en medio de la tarta
Y se quiere consumir

Ya se van los invitados
Tú y yo nos miramos
Sin saber bien que decir

Nada que descubra lo que siento
Que este dia fue perfecto y parezco feliz
Nada como que hace nucho tiempo
Que me cuesta sonreir

Quiero vivir, quiero gritar
Quiero sentir el universo sobre mi
Quiero correr en libertad
Quiero encontrar mi sitio

Una broma del destino
Una melodía acelerada
En una cancion que nunca acaba

Ya he tenido suficiente
Necesito a alguien que comprenda
Que estoy sola en medio de un monton de gente

Que puedo hacer...

Quiero vivir, quiero gritar
Quiero sentir el universo sobre mi
Quiero correr en libertad
Quiero llorar de felicidad

Quiero vivir
Quiero sentir el universo sobre mi
Como un naufrago en el mar
Quiero encontrar mi sitio
Sólo encontrar mi sitio

Todos los juguetes rotos
Todos los amantes locos
Todos los zapatos de charol

Todas las casitas de muñecas
Donde celebraba fiestas
Donde solo estaba yo

Quiero vivir, quiero gritar
Quiero sentir el universo sobre mi
Quiero correr en libertad
Quiero llorar de felicidad
...

Sountrack on a video posted on Facebook by Virginia Lanzarote Eco on 21-Dec-2011

"La felicidad no está en el dinero, está en vivir". Ainhoa, 6 años.

Posted by Rebeca on Facebook on the 18-Dec-2011

Entrevista con Dios (Interview with God)

"Un día comprendí que el silencio vale más que mil palabras!: Un periodista le hizo una entrevista a Dios, al entrar en la habitación le preguntó: ¿qué es lo que más le sorprende de la humanidad? A lo que Dios respondió: que se aburren de ser niños y quieran crecer rápido, para después desear ser niños otra vez. Que desperdicien la salud para hacer dinero y luego pierdan el dinero para recuperar la salud. Que ansían el futuro y olvidan el presente y así no viven ni el presente ni el futuro. Que vivan como si nunca fuesen a morir y mueran como si nunca hubieran vivido....... Quedé en silencio un rato y le dije: Padre, cuáles son las lecciones de vida que quieres que tus hijos aprendamos? Y con una sonrisa respondió: que aprendan que no pueden hacer que nadie los ame sino dejarse amar, que lo mas valioso en la vida no es lo que tenemos sino a quien tenemos, que una persona rica no es quien tiene más sino quien necesita menos y que el dinero puede comprar todo menos la felicidad, QUE EL FISICO ATRAE PERO LA PERSONALIDAD ENAMORA. Que quien NO VALORA lo que tiene, algún día se lamentará por haberlo perdido y que quien hace mal algún día recibirá su merecido. Si quieres ser feliz haz feliz a alguien, si quieres recibir, da un poco de ti, rodéate de buenas personas y se una de ellas. ¡Recuerda, a veces a quien menos esperas es quien te hará vivir buenas experiencias! Nunca arruines tu presente por un pasado que no tiene futuro. Una persona fuerte sabe cómo mantener en orden su vida. Aun con lágrimas en los ojos, se las arregla para decir con una sonrisa, "estoy bien".

Published by my friend Jenny on Facebook on 01-Dec-2011

The secret of his success

Arnold Schwarzenegger's inspirational speech about his 6 secrets to success:

1. Trust Yourself do whatever makes you happy, what motivates you
2. Break the rules - not the law but the rules,  think outside the box
3. Don't be afraid to fail - to make decissions or your never push yourself
4. Don't listen to the nay-sayers - people who say "it can't be done"
5. Work your butt off - no pain no gain
6. Give something back to the community




Posted by my friend Paul on Facebook on the 1st of Dec, 2011

Happiness as a profession

Posted by Soulspring Empowerment Groups for Women on Facebook, 10-Nov-2011

Al mal tiempo...

Posted by my cousin Olga on Facebook on the 03-Nov-2011

El mejor remedio (the best remedy)

"Lo cura todoooo."
(It cures eeeeeverything)

(Smile, it's pays off to be happy)


Posted by my friend Susana R. on Facebook on the 17-Oct-2011

Happiness is something that you are

"Most people are searching for happiness outside of themselves. That’s a fundamental mistake. Happiness is something that you are, and it comes from the way that you think." Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

On Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's Facebook page, 12-Oct-2011

No te impidas ser feliz

Muere lentamente,
quien no gira el volante cuando está infeliz
con su trabajo,o su amor,
quien no arriesga lo cierto ni lo incierto
para ir detrás de un sueño
... quien no se permite, ni siquiera una vez en su vida,
huir de los consejos sensatos...
¡Vive hoy!
¡No te dejes morir lentamente!
¡NO TE IMPIDAS SER FELIZ! Pablo Neruda

Posted by my friend Mari on Facebook on the 16-Aug-2011

Easier said than done II

"Quiero que seas feliz aunque no sea conmigo"

Posted by my sister on Facebook on 02-Aug-2011

Line from the song "Aunque No Sea Conmigo" from Celso Piña & Cafe Tacuba featured on the movie "Contracorriente".

This day is what you make it

"for you.

from me.

maybe hang it in your bathroom as a daily to-do list.

or stick it on a cabinet in your cubicle.

or slide it into the front of a binder.

put it wherever you need a little reminder that this day is what you make it."

by Liv Lane on http://www.choosingbeauty.com/ , "Free Artwork To Rock Your Day :: Download Here! {07.22.11}"

Posted by Soulspring Empowerment Groups for Women on Facebook on the 23-July-2011

Read and learn,and not from me

"Me handsome 5 year old son Charlie says the other day"I know my letters and I know my numbers,and I think I should leave school now,it's getting boreing"Then I go to his 5th birthday party with 15 other 5 year olds,and I observe them all laughing going mad,acting the maggot etc.I think to myself,they have no alcohol or any other chemical in them.My son is right,fuck school,it will only send them all on this fcked up road,to what we adults are sure we call life.He has allready got the basics,1.He can spell and work nubers,and 2.he knows not to look down on others,and help anyway he can,and he is happy in that simple life,and we want to educate him?????He is educating us much more then we could ever hope to educate him. Teacher/parents,leave them kids alone,all and all,it's just another brick in the wall............."

Posted by Charlies Bar Lanzarote on Facebook on 16-July-20111

What Makes Us Happy?

By Lisa Farino for MSN Health & Fitness

What Makes Us Happy?

In recent years, researchers have attempted to use a variety of statistics and surveys to answer a question that’s occupied countless generations of philosophers: What makes us truly happy?

While some evidence suggests that happiness may be linked, in part, to relative wealth—how we’re doing compared to those around us—overall the old adage that money doesn't buy happiness seems to hold true.

"We are materially so much better off than we were 50 years ago, but we're not one iota happier," says Chris Peterson, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan.

That's no surprise to happiness expert David Myers, who sees happiness as more closely correlated with people rather than things. "We humans have a deep need to belong—to connect with others in close, supportive, intimate, caring relationships," he says. "People who have such close relationships are more likely to report themselves 'very happy.'"

We've compiled a list of eight factors that influence rates of happiness and depression. Many of these factors vary from city to city and region to region. Here's your chance to see how your city compares.

Happily Married

Is getting married one of the keys to a happy life? A 2006 report from the Pew Research Center suggests so—43 percent of married women and men reported being "very happy," while only 24 percent of unmarried men and women said the same.

Interestingly enough, the happy halo that shines over married couples isn't the result of having kids—those with children were just as likely to be happy as those without.

Rather, there seems to be something about marriage itself that boosts both men’s and women’s feelings of well-being in life.

"Recent research suggests that people become less depressed and less lonely after they get married," says Linda Waite, a sociology professor at the University of Chicago and author of The Case for Marriage.

After all, it's harder to be lonely when you've got a loved one to come home to every night.

According to Waite, men benefit even more than women from having a life-long companion. "Women will talk to everyone," says Waite, "But most men tend to rely on their wives as their main confidant."

In addition, women—typically the social planners in a relationship—ensure that the men stay connected to family and friends, another source of happiness.

And what about all that nagging that wives are so famous for? Turns out it pays off. Men who are married drink less, smoke less, eat better, get more sleep, and engage in less risky behavior than their unmarried peers. The end result: Married men are healthier, and since health is linked to happiness, they're happier too.
(...)

A Reason to Believe

Americans are one of the most religious people in the western world. And with good reason. In the United States, attending religious services at least once a week is a strong predictor of happiness.

A 2006 report by the Pew Research Center found that 43 percent of people who attend church at least once a week reported being "very happy" while only 26 percent of those who attend “seldom or never” said the same.

It doesn’t matter which faith you profess. The key is regular attendance.

Why should being religious bring us so much happiness?

"Religious communities provide people with opportunities to support others in need," says Harold G. Koenig, M.D. professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University. "Contributing to the lives of others provides a deep sense of happiness and joy. If you can relieve someone’s pain or provide for some of their basic needs, it fills you with a feeling that’s hard to replicate."

In addition, just about every major religion encourages us to take good care of our bodies. For instance, religious people are less likely to drink heavily or smoke, say Koenig.

As a result, religious people are healthier, and health is one of the biggest predictors of happiness.
(...)

Let the Sunshine In

The region of the country you live in can impact your risk of suffering from depression—at least from November through April.

That's because those living in the northern part of the country are more at risk of suffering from seasonal affective disorder, a form of clinical depression brought on in the winter months by the shortening of the days and the later sunrise.

"In the United States, SAD is about five times more prevalent in the northern tier of states than in the far south," says Dr. Michael Terman, Director of the Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at the Columbia University Medical Center.

But SAD is just the tip of the iceberg, explains Terman. "Less severe 'winter doldrums' occur at least three times more frequently than winter depression. Even more people experience one or more symptoms of winter depression—such as overeating or oversleeping—even though their mood stays under control."

Whatever the degree of impairment, symptoms tend to resolve in the spring. "Certainly there is no lack of happiness up north for the six months from May to October," Terman says.
(...)

He Works Hard for His Happiness

Does working make you unhappy or happy? The answer: It depends. Toiling away at a job you hate may eat away at your happiness over time. But overall, being unemployed is worse for your state of mind than being employed—at least, that is, if you’re a guy.

The Pew Research Center found that the percentage of men who said they were "very happy" was significantly lower for unemployed men (16 percent) than for employed men (37 percent). Unemployment had little impact on women’s happiness.

The Pew researchers speculate that this is because more women than men are unemployed by choice, although the study didn’t attempt to tease apart that difference.

Chris Peterson, a happiness researcher at the University of Michigan, suspects there are other factors at play as well. "Other studies have found that if a man loses his job, it can have both short-term and long-term psychological effects, even if he finds another job with equal salary," he says. "For women it’s not unemployment that leads to unhappiness, but divorce."

In addition, Peterson stresses that money matters less than you'd think. "The engaged custodian is more likely to be happy than the independently wealthy, unengaged millionaire," he says. "We didn't evolve to be retired and sit on the couch."
(...)

As Long As You Have Your Health

Perhaps it comes as no surprise to find that healthier people are happier than those who aren’t as healthy. In fact, a 2006 report published by the Pew Research Center found that 48 percent of people who rated their health as "excellent" described themselves as "very happy," while only 15 percent of those who rated their health as "poor" said the same.

After all, it's harder to be happy when living with chronic pain or illness or when faced with a potentially life-threatening condition.

While health is strongly tied to happiness, lack of health is even more strongly correlated with lack of happiness. Of those who rated their health as "poor," a whopping 55 percent described themselves as "not too happy," while only 6 percent of those in "excellent" health said the same.

According to the Pew Research Center, health—along with religion and marriage—were among the strongest predictors of happiness, even when adjusting for a variety of other variables.
(...)

Time for Family, Friends, and Community

In the growing field of happiness research, one thing is overwhelmingly clear. People who are socially engaged are more likely to be happy—and less likely to be depressed—than those who aren’t.

In fact, the 2005 Time Magazine poll found that the four most significant sources of happiness— children (77 percent), friendships (76 percent), contributing to the lives of others (75 percent), and spouse/partner (73 percent)—all involved spending meaningful time with other people.

The problem: "We're so caught up with extraordinary work burdens, we don't have time to enjoy the people we love or contribute to the lives of others," says Post.

That time crunch is quite real, says John de Graaf, president of the public policy organization Take Back Your Time. "Compared to 30 years ago, the average family now spends an extra 500 hours per year working outside the home."

We’re also spending more time getting to work and back.

"Traffic is getting worse and we’re not investing in mass transit," says de Graaf. "Most of the data I’ve seen shows that we’ve doubled our average commute times in the past generation."

Obviously, it depends on where you live—and where you work. Those most impacted: affluent families who chose even larger homes over living closer to work, and younger families who are priced out of homes of any size closer to centers of employment.
(...)

Giving for Your Own Good

This may come as a surprise to the "Me Generation," but happiness doesn’t come from living in a big house, buying the latest techno-gadget, and getting stamps from exotic locales in your passport.

In fact, a 2005 poll by Time Magazine found that helping others was a major source of happiness for 75 percent of Americans.

"Volunteering is an opportunity to be socially engaged and contribute to the lives of others," says Stephen Post, a professor at Case Western Reserve University who co-authored the book Why Good Things Happen to Good People with Jill Neimark. "It's not material goods that make us happy—it's having purpose and meaning in our lives."

In fact, some recent research suggests that we're actually hard-wired for helping. Even thinking about helping others is enough to stimulate the part of our brain associated with feel-good chemicals like oxytocin.

Helping others doesn't just make us happier, there’s also evidence it makes us healthier too. "Recent research out of England shows that cities with higher rates of volunteerism had the lower rates of depression and heart disease," says Post.

Don't have a lot of free time? No worries. People who volunteer just two hours per week (100 hours per year) enjoy lower rates of depression and better physical health.
(...)

Good Urban Design

What does urban design have to do with happiness? More than you might think.

"The data strongly suggests that real community and real friendships are important keys to happiness," says Post. "Some cities make that possible in ways that others don't."

Post explains how urban design can facilitate social interaction—or work against it.

"Forty years ago, neighborhoods had sidewalks, front porches, and parks—geographical opportunities for people to be socially engaged," he says. "In many communities today, we are lacking these things. We don't know our neighbors anymore. We just get into our car pods and never see anyone. We no longer have the opportunity to stumble upon happiness by being good neighbors in our communities."

Good urban design and effective mass transportation can also determine how much time we spend commuting to work, and how much time we spend behind the wheel of a car running errands—both of which ultimately impact the amount of time we have for joyfully engaging with friends, family, and community.



For the full original article, click here.

Posted by Soulspring Empowerment Groups for Women on Facebook on 14-July-2011

Choose joy everyday

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day." ~Henri Nouwen

Posted by Soulspring Empowerment Groups for Women on Facebook on 06-July-2011

Your happiness starts now

Published by "L'ofici de viure" on facebook on 16-June-2011

Being wrong but happy

"I no longer try to be right, I choose to be happy"



Posted on Facebook by my friend Giorgia on 05-June-2011

Heaven on Earth

"...by choosing to be happy, rather than trying to be good, we can create our own heaven on earth. :)"

and

"I'm sure we can, yes! :P But I've learned nobody can make anybody else's "truly" happy (or unhappy). I believe we are the only one responsible for our own happiness. ...but of course once we've found it we can only share it with others and that results in giving love, unconditional love... deal?!? :)"

posted by my friend Freddy on Facebook on 03-June-2011

The best invitation ever!

"You are cordially invited to..."

Posted by Jason Mraz on Facebook on the 28-Apr-2011

El dinero no hace la felicidad... pero ayuda (Money doesn't bring happiness... but it helps)

"Todo parece indicar que Florence Foster Jenkins murió con el mismo feliz y convencido sentido de plenitud que prevaleció durante toda su vida artística."

From Wikipedia.



Video posted by my friend Oscar on Facebook, 07-Apr-2011

Happily Ever Now

by Jason Mraz on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 10:33pm

Do not despair. Do not be disappointed if you see that you cannot accomplish all the good which you would like to accomplish. If you fail, try to stand up; try to overcome the obstacle before you. Get to the heart of the matter, to the essence of things.

-Thank You Marcus Aurelius

It is a CONSTANT practice to not make myself WRONG for nearly everything I do. For oversleeping, for not speaking up, for wasting water, for buying gas… which reminds me. My friend Bushwalla bought gas for 1.39 the other day! Whoa really?! Where? …Taco Bell he said.

I miss the days of ignorance, before I’d seen any documentary about fuel, famine, flood, war, or food (farmed, packaged, or of the mystery meat variety.) I miss the blissful touring around before having peered at glimpses of an exhausted planet. I miss the view of life I used to have before making up new possibilities for sustainability. It is due to these new hopeful views that I make myself wrong for anything that isn’t in alignment with… I shant say 'saving the world.' Instead I’ll use, “prolonging our experience on earth.” It is suffice to say, the earth will outlive its inhabitants. So, do we do for each other, or do we do for the whole?

I type this today with hands still smathered in matte medium, a kind of paste/acrylic sealer I use when getting crafty. Below is the collage I made last night during the The Makepeace Brothers with Matt & Avasa Love show. I danced near the side of the stage pulling images from Life and National Geographic magazines and pasted them together to create a cosmic landscape complete with celestial amphitheatre called, Happily Ever Now. We auctioned it off to the sold-out crowd for $800 - all of which went to SuperFoodDrive for the healthy feeding of 4000 people! 

 

My decision to cut back on flushing finds me peeing down the shower drain. If he can't take it outside, invite your man to do the same. ...But where does it stop? Human compostable toilets work great too. Sigh.

I leave you with a Haiku.

We harvest the sun

And we harvest the rainfall

This makes me happy

I drive a hybrid

But prefer to ride my bike

This too makes me gay

When I wake up late

I guess I'm saving the world

By not wasting more

I am that I am

I am love AND the problem

Happily Ever

Now. 

P.S. - Go see the documentary - I AM - In select theatres NOW.