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I attended this library program in person, and it was great! It was chock full of information about mental health and the benefits of being happy. We even did a few minutes of laughter yoga together! Did you know that the brain can’t tell the difference between real and forced laughter? So the “laughing” we did during yoga actually helped improve our moods!

The Benefits of Laughter

• Reduces stress
• Boosts immune system
• Improves mood
• Promotes relaxation
• Enhances social connections

The presenter spoke about positivity and happiness and the ancient people who studied it – Buddha, Confucius, Socrates and Aristotle. She then mentioned Abraham Maslow who took a look at happiness and fulfillment through positive psychology in 1954.

Martin Seligman is a modern psychologist who says to “stop trying to undo the negative, and just focus on the positive,” and came up with the 5 foundations of wellbeing: positive emotions, engagement, meaning, positive relationships and accomplishments.

The presenter said that 40% of your happiness comes from your own efforts! Positive emotions improve heart health, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and boosts immune the system.

Little Steps to Bigger Joy

• Connect With Nature
  • Sit outside
  • Take a walk
  • Get houseplants
• Establish Complaint-Free Zones
  • With certain people
  • At certain meals
• Reflect on Joyful Memories
  • Focus on the moments that bring us joy – who was there, what did you learn etc.
  • Do soemthing nice for no reason – helps them and helps us, too!
• Maintain Positive Relationships
  • People with strong, meaningful relationships are happier & healthier
• Explore Your Spiritual Side
  • Reduces stress etc.
• Choose Joy
  • Put your mind to it!
• Learn Something New
  • Learn a new skill, or go to programs at the library!
• Listen to Beautiful Music
  • Great for the nervous system
• Exercise
  • Treats symptoms of so many health issues and it’s a mood booster
• Practice Gratitude
  • Count your blessings!
• Make Art
  • 30 minutes two times a week gives your cognitive benefits, mood boost
  • Examples: reading or adult coloring
• Feed Your Mood
  • Eat what increases joy – chicken, tuna, oatmeal, fruit, nuts, yogurt, salmon, tryptophan.

Resources

• Visitfinland.com – Finland is the happiest place on Earth!
• Actionforhappiness.org
• Psychology & the Good Life – online course to take through Yale

Reflection:
I loved this program and I loved that we got to take home the two-week gratitude journal. I’ve been doing it, and I think it’s wonderful! I think I’ll continue in a journal after the two weeks are up.

A Taste of Korea

This two-hour long program was hosted by Korean women who made us a home-cooked Korean meal. First, they gave a presentation about the health benefits of Korean food, and demonstrated how to make two dishes. They also showed a short film on the culture and history of Korea. We ate a ton of delicious traditional Korean food in the traditional bowls they used. They also gave out free books and recipes of Korean food. I really enjoyed this program!

Sushi Making Workshop

A sushi chef from one of the local restaurants brought all cooked ingredients to make sushi. We got to use all the food, and made five different types of sushi rolls. Mine kind of looks like a mess, and I forgot to take a photo of it after he cut it up for me into little pieces. But, I tried my best! It still tasted amazing and look at all that free sushi!

Reflections
I have to admit, whenever there’s a program with food, I’m there. Especially when I get to learn about cultures and histories other than my own. I highly enjoyed these programs!

I attended this library program with two of my friends. We sat at tables together and the presenter spoke, and then we broke into small groups to do an activity. The presenter asked us to go around the room and share one thing about our health that we’re struggling with and one thing we feel good about.

We talked about common health concerns for women:

• Stress
• Weight
• Hormones
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Autoimmune
• Chronic fatigue

Then we spoke about causes of women’s health issues:

• Emotional/mental
• Societal
• Physical

For physical, our mini group spoke about sleep and how we don’t get enough of it. Because of this, we don’t feel energized, we’re more prone to sickness and inflammation. We also suffer from doing too many things, and having difficulty managing our time.

For emotional and mental, another group discussed the app “Meet Up” where you can socialize, find people with similar interests and find support groups. You can also do this on Facebook or at the library. They said it’s a good idea to take up meditation or a hobby, and to set a timer for using apps on your phone, like scrolling social media.

And last, for societal, the group mentioned family members taking advantage and not having good communication.

Some ideas to help you are to:

• Pray or have a gratitude journal
• Set boundaries or say no
• Negotiate
• Make decisions about what you will or won’t do
• Surround yourself with positive influences
• Prioritize self-care, sleep and protein!
• Stacking habit – start a new habit when you’re already doing an old habit

Reflections:
I’m glad I went to this program because I learned a lot of good health tips for people in general, and I plan on using them for myself in the near future. I love going to programs like this because they really provide great free information on health!