With the long weekend coming this August 2011, it is time to formulate our plans. It is always interesting to tune in to the wisdom of the students we have all helped to educate. We can start by looking into a study published in a 2008 in the Journal of Economic Psychology; faith and prayer, regardless of religion satisfies a basic need to feel part of something larger than ourselves – and it turns out that volunteering can have a similar effect, reports Sonja Lyubomirsky , PhD.
People derive a lot of pleasure from helping others,” she continues,. “If prayer and volunteering aren’t for you, one could try meditation, improving the mind through yoga, or other spiritual practices’’. New research shows that spiritual practices such as regular mindfulness, changes brain structure in a way that promotes a sense of well-being. So as part of this weekend set aside some time for prayer or meditation, or volunteer to spend an hour or two at your local animal shelter. It will literally lift your spirit.
Feeling connected and loved are among the biggest predictors of happiness,” says Cassie Mogilner, Ph.D, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School who specializes in happiness research. Socializing encourages us to spend our time and money on experiences which research has shown makes us happier than material objects. In “The How of Happiness,” Dr. Lyubomirsky, further explains how to enjoy these advantages for weeks and months to come.
Thirty years ago, Lloyda Bulford, now one of our residents here at Carrington, started the Downtown Mission where the homeless can come for sustenance and inspiration. Once a month volunteers help prepare sandwiches and decorate bag lunches. They are delivered to the mission along with other gifts.
“The memories we’ll most treasure may not be those of leisure,
But of those we’ve helped along and given their lives a song.” In Touch by Sue Davis
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