5 Thought Friday
5 Thoughts for the week including a podcast on happiness and a 3-day fast:
1. What I am currently reading, viewing, or listening to:
Dr. Brooks distills the 3 main components of happiness: (1) enjoyment (2) satisfaction and (3) life purpose. He further breaks this down into having deep, virtuous relationships with your partner and/or friends.
I listened at 1.5x and starting around minute 26 will eliminate some of the backstory discussion.
2. Gratitude Practice (for improved happiness):
Grateful for the positive energy my body and mind received from my 3-day fast. It is never easy to mentally prepare for the fast but once it’s finished and you’ve garnered all the benefits, you will be glad you did it!
3. Wellness ideas to consider:
Invest in relationships that will assist your journey in the second half of life!
Arthur Brooks, in his book Strength to Strength, notes that individuals striving to continue to succeed later in life may face a rude awakening as they approach retirement. They may have underinvested along the way in the relationships that could assist them in the next phase of life, which is important to finding “enjoyment”.
4. What I’m eating, drinking, buying, or whatever else is on my mind:
Eating - Not much: Did a 3-day zero-calorie fast, which was extremely revitalizing.
5. Quote(s) I am Pondering:
“The truth is that relative income is not directly related to happiness. Data clearly show that the big driver of happiness is earned success: a person's belief that he has created value in his life or the life of others.” Arthur Brooks
Raising amazing children, deep virtuous relationships, feeling joy in experiences and/or giving back to the community far outweigh financial wealth on the happiness scale.
Happy Friday!
Mike
