Good News Can Keep Us Positive
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  1. Good News Can Keep Us Positive

     

    ‘Good News’ Can Help Us Stay Positive

    Keeping a positive mindset is vital to overall wellbeing, even in tough times — maybe especially in tough times.

    So, let’s take a moment to share a few silver linings to the coronavirus crisis. Positive news can bring perspective without diminishing the severity and challenges of the day.

    As actor John Krasinski put it on his “Some Good News” YouTube series, “No matter how hard things get, there is always good in the world.”

    1. Focusing on family and friends. Under social distancing, countless people have rediscovered the importance of our deepest social bonds. And thanks to Zoom and other technology, we’ve been able to stay in touch, at least virtually.
    2. Tele-this and tele-that. More employers are letting employees telework from home, just like healthcare providers are using video conferencing for checkups.
    3. Air pollution is down. Cities and industrial areas around the world are seeing drops in nitrogen dioxide levels.
    4. Communities coming together. Neighbors are supporting each other in heartfelt ways, like groups singing from balconies to support medical workers.
    5. Time to think. Many are using this time to consider what’s important, how to be better citizens, making adjustments to their careers or businesses – and focusing on gratitude and service.

    More “good news” is just a click away at Good News Network. Recent coverage has included charitable giving; the installation of portable sinks for homeless people; and the early release of Broadway’s “Hamilton” on a streaming service.

    Looks like John Krasinski was right.

  2. What’s So Funny

     

    What’s So Funny? Laughter Really Is Good for You, Even If You’re Faking It

    We could all use something to laugh about these days, right?

    Well, we don’t need anything funny to get the health benefits of laughing.

    Like everything else in health and fitness, we just need to do it.

    Laughter brings physical health benefits to active adults. Laughing is great for the cardiovascular system, muscular development – and it even releases endorphins often described as a “runner’s high.”

    Research also shows that simulated laughter is just as good as laughing at a good joke or comedy show. You can fake it and still take all the same benefits.

    Master trainer Celeste Green started LaughActive to teach exercise coaches in assisted living facilities on how to bring these benefits to their residents.

    “Simulated laughter may be ideal for older adults with functional or cognitive impairments,” she says. “The mental stimulus required for humor takes a high mental function, like paying attention and having a quick memory. But with self-initiated laughter, people don’t have to ‘get the joke’ to reap the benefits of laughter.”

    How do you fake it till you make it? Just mimic the physical motions of laughing – a good, hardy belly laugh. You might feel a little silly at first but go with it.

    And if you need some classic comedy stimulation, here’s the American Film Institute’s Top 10 comedies of all time, easily found on cable or streaming services.

    1. Some Like It Hot
    2. Tootsie
    3. Strangelove
    4. Annie Hall
    5. Duck Soup
    6. Blazing Saddles
    7. M*A*S*H
    8. It Happened One Night
    9. The Graduate
    10. Airplane!
  3. Fitness Makes You Feel Good

    C’Mon, Get Happy: Fitness Makes You Feel Good

    Being fit and being happy have a lot in common.

    Or maybe it’s better to say they have a lot to do with each other.

    We know that exercise improves our mood, fights depression, and gives us purpose – along with, you know, making our bodies move, feel and look better.

    But fitness and happiness share another trait: We all have to take action to get them and keep them. And we’ve found a novel way to keep this top of mind. Exercise ranks in the Top 10 activities necessary for happiness, at any age, according to the book “10 Keys to Happier Living” by Vanessa King, a UK expert on positive psychology available on ActionForHappiness.org.

    Here’s a handy reminder of the 10, GREAT DREAM:

    1. Giving
    2. Relating
    3. Exercising
    4. Awareness
    5. Trying Out
    1. Direction
    2. Resilience
    3. Emotions
    4. Acceptance
    5. Meaning

    Reams of research back it up: Exercise is a key to maintaining a high quality of life. Particularly after 50, it’s essential to keep us independent, healthy, happy and out of the doldrums that can overtake so many people later in life.

    In addition to important research, we also like the simple, direct approach of people like Sue, who told us at age 68: “Exercise makes me feel good. It puts me with positive people. I do it because it’s fun.”

    So, like The Partridge Family told us on TV so many years ago, “Come on, get happy!”

  4. HABITS can give you EVERYTHING

     

    Want proof that the habits you keep can make all of the difference?

    Confucius said, “Men’s natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them.”

    John Dryden famously said, “We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.”

    And Aristotle noticed that “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.”

    It’s pretty clear that the habits you adopt will shape who you are.

    What are your habits?

    Do you eat the same thing for lunch, go through the same exercise routine, and fall into bed at the same time each night?

    Or maybe you’ve made a habit out of eating something sweet before bed, avoiding the gym, and staying up as late as possible.

    When it comes to your fitness, the two habits that define you are your eating and exercise habits. Everyone that you know who is in great shape has dialed in these two important habits.

    If you aren’t happy with your health or your body, then adjust your eating and exercise habits.

    Here’s how to adopt a habit:

    1. Decide on the ONE new pattern of behavior that you would like to develop. It’s tempting to pick up 3 or 4 healthy habits, but choosing just one new practice is realistic and doable.

    Here are some healthy habit ideas:

    • Do not eat after 7 pm each night.
    • Bring your lunch to work instead of eating fast food.
    • Exercise 4 times a week after work for 45 minutes each time.
    • Only eat fruits and veggies as your afternoon snack.
    • Get up early and exercise for an hour each morning.
    • Come workout with us three times a week or find a Certified Functional Aging Specialist near you. 

    2. Write your new habit down on paper. Also, include your three primary motivators for developing a new practice, the obstacles you’ll face, and your strategies for overcoming these obstacles.

    Here’s an example:

    • My new habit is to work with a personal trainer three times each week.
    • My three primary motivators are 1) to feel confident in my sleeveless summer clothing, 2) to have more energy and 3) to fit into my smaller sized clothes.
    • The obstacles I will face are 1) not having the energy to go to my session after work, 2) not having enough money to pay for the workouts, and 3) not having my partner’s support.
    • I will overcome these obstacles by 1) doing my workouts before work instead of after work, so I have more energy, 2) cutting down on frivolous spending to ensure that I can afford it, and 3) asking my partner to join me so we can get in shape together.

    3. Commit fully to your new habit in a public way. This commitment could mean posting it on social media, or simply announcing it at the dinner table. Put yourself in a position where you’ll be empowered to keep up with your new habit.

    4. Keep track of your progress. You could keep a detailed journal or make a check mark on each calendar day that you successfully exercise your new habit.

    Once your new habit becomes second nature, usually in about 30 days, feel free to add a second habit to practice by going through the same steps.


Your Personal Best Location
Your Personal Best Training Studio
Doddridge Plaza
3765 S. Alameda, Ste 102
Corpus Christi, TX 78411
(361) 857-5087 info@ypbtrainingstudio.com