I had trouble getting out of bed this morning. Only having a full agenda got me out of bed rather than staying there nurturing my self-pity or anxiety, whatever it is. None of the excuses for avoiding my morning walk were convincing even to the me that didn’t want to walk. So, my morning routine kicked in still mentally struggling with wondering if I am smart enough to be back in school. I only have evidence against that doubt from one class so far. Still waiting to hear on the other exams. And even with that class, the little dragon … Continue reading »
Oct 252009
To kick off the National Unmarried and Single Americans Week, the SF Chronicle published an article bringing together researchers and activists to talk about rights for singles and unmarried people. Bella DePaulo and Nancy Polikoff speak to their research findings from the social psychological and legal backgrounds. Nicky Grist and I talk about the activism. Well, I am just presented as the happy single who is a great example of their findings. One of them is Rachel, a San Francisco risk consultant and bank analyst. The mother of a 17-year-old son, she was married from 1988 to 1992. After a … Continue reading »
Aug 312008
I should do something today. I am just being lazy. The sun is shining and I should go outside for a long hike. Walking around the block wouldn’t be long enough. Just sitting in front of the computer is lazy. Never mind that I went on a hike yesterday. I am getting fat if I am not hyper-active every day. Okay, I am gaining weight. But that’s probably more because of those delicious desserts I’ve been eating than because of lack of activity. Don’t get me wrong: Being active is important. But there’s no evidence that we have to work … Continue reading »
May 042008
In the United States, we almost seem obsessed with finding happiness, which is rather ironic because “it is not something to be sought or pursued, but a result of how we live” (Richard Eckersley. Well & Good. 104). From early on, we are taught that we will find happiness once we’ve found our soul mate. We’ll “live happily ever after.” What gets lost in this matrimania myth is teaching on how we can create a life that invites happiness without demanding that someone else be responsible for it. Eckersley gives us some hints based on his review of what the … Continue reading »
Mar 202008
As I was waking up this morning, in that state of not-quite-awakeness, the name Sisyphus bubbled up. Somehow the idea of dragging myself out of bed to do almost exactly the same thing I had done the day before, felt like a Sisyphean task. Noticing the beginnings of a meaning crisis (an existential depression), I forced the thought away and got up. As I woke up more fully, Sisyphus returned. This time I became intrigued: There certainly is something to our days that is very much like the myth of Sisyphus. Just like Sisyphus rolls a boulder up a hill … Continue reading »
Feb 122008
Your happiness might depend on where you live. The University of Leicester has been studying subjective well-being on a global scale and produced a World Map of Happiness. A self-described grump, Eric Weiner, used this map to travel to happy places. He studied also why these places tend to be happier. Reading the CNN book review, it sounds like one key factor is community: Weiner found that colder places forced people to cooperate more and build stronger relationships, which in turn made people happier. One of the wealthiest places on Earth, Qatar, on the other hand, is marred by distrust … Continue reading »
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