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Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! We sure did, which if you weren’t able to read about, you can see our weekend mud run recap here.

I mentioned in the recap that Dan and I spend most of Saturday on our couch, watching movies. Though the first two were nothing to write home about (Apartment 143 & Prometheus), the last was…and because I have a blog, I get to!

We decided that after not so happy movies we wanted to end the night on a positive note. We apropriately settled on a documentary entitled: Happy. 

Creative, right?

I know that I write about fitness and nutrition but let’s face it… if we’re not happy then we don’t give a flying-you-know-what about those things and taking care of ourselves.

So let’s spend today focused on being: H-A-P-P-Y!! Tomorrow, Lifting Revolution will be back to all things fitness and food!

If you’re looking for a great, uplifting movie definitely check it out! Dan and I each give it 2 thumbs up.

The video brought up some really important thoughts that I want to share. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts and opinions on any of them.

The Hard Truths On Happiness:

• Years of research has been done one “depression” but why not “happiness”? Aren’t they both states of mind and psychological issues? It was because of this very thought that over the past decade, more research has been focused on happiness.
• Happiness isn’t just a state of mind, like depression or anxiety, it’s genetic. Some people are genetically more happy then others. This is likely due to the fact they are able to handle bad situations and move on.
• The most unhappy country is Japan, because of their work morals. After WWII, the country was on a mission to rebuild itself through hard work. Work over took everything else in their lives (family, fun, hobbies) and happiness. So much so that the stresses of day to day live has been contributed to young deaths.. called Karōshi. Translated it means “death from overwork.” America is the 23rd most happy country in the world, in the movie Denmark is #1. But as of 2012, Costa Ricans have overtaken that spot.
• The most happy people aren’t the ones with the most money, nicest houses, or most solid jobs. So who are the happiest people and why?

The Secret To Happiness

So what makes one country/person happier than another?

One thing seems to be key: Relationships.

All the happy places in the world have a tight, supportive community and family is center to life. No matter how tough live is, with love around, people claim to be happy.

Here are 2 examples from the movie:

In the slums of Kolkata, India, a rickshaw driver named Manoj Singh considers himself a happy and fortunate man despite the fact he barely makes enough money to feed his family.

In Namibia’s Kalahari Desert, Belic found joy on a grand scale and admits he became fearful that happiness was out of reach for those of us leading modern lifestyles. But when he asked the Bushmen what made them happy, they said it was doing things together, whether that was building a hut or hunting game.

In our society, it is easy to get wrapped up into the idea of the American dream: make money, live in a huge house, and work your way up the “ladder”. That also means that it’s easier to forget what really makes us happy: family, friends, hobbies, etc.

Ask Bill Gates the secret to happiness and I am certain he won’t say having a billion dollars. While money is important so that we don’t worry about paying the bills and giving your kids what they want, it’s not and should never be what defines happiness.

What Defines My Happiness

One of the big take home message I got was that you can’t rely on others to make you happy. Your attitude, your ability to accept change and troubles all influence your ability to be happy.

During the movie and even after, I sat around for a while thinking about what it is that makes me happy? Not just what I enjoy, but what brings peace, happiness and love into my life? What makes me a better person?

This very handsome guy: 

These very adorable “little” girls:

I can’t believe how small Nike is! I found this picture on the camera this morning and couldn’t resist using it.

The fitness businesses and blog. Yes this is work, but it’s my work. It is something I have decided to spend my time each day doing. I answer to myself and if at any time it didn’t make me happy, I am able to walk away.

My family… how can I ever resist this little face?

This is my niece (18 mos old) and my brother. <3 them! 

My friends. I am terrible about putting aside “friend” time, but when I do I am reminded why they are so important and I am instantly happy.

Running/Working Out. My time. My break from thinking. It’s just me and the road, and to me that’s peace. Hopefully I’ll say that after next week’s 1/2 marathon

Cooking in my kitchen. Just like running, this is my sactuary. I turn on Whitney Houston on Pandora and I go to chopping, baking, and cooking away. I love the sense of creating something that is not only good but it healthy.

There are so many other things in my life that makes me happy. But because I don’t often ask myself “what is it that makes me smile” I forget. It’s as I sit typing this right now that I am smiling from ear to ear just thinking about all the happiness I have in my life. I think I could go on and on with this list, but I won’t for your sake.

So now I ask you… what makes you happy? 

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