I am so sorry that I haven't posted a blog in a long time!! I have been busy with interviews, going home to see family, and babysitting. It's not a bad reason to be away I guess, but I did miss talking with you guys every day. Here is an update on what is going on with me (if you care!)
1) I hear today if I got a job at a place called Lockton. It is an insurance brokerage company that helps corporations with their insurance benefits and risk management. I would be working in the risk management department which handles their largest accounts (I'm talkin' Budweiser big). I am really hoping to get that job, but if I don't I have an interview on Monday for a local bank.
2) I am selling my car!! I was a little concerned about this at first because I love that car. However, it will be better to get rid of it now so someone else can appreciate it more than I could. They only made the Monte Carlo Supercharged for 1 year, so it's pretty rare. (Let me know if you're interested....I am selling it for a really good price just to get rid of it!)
3) I am running a marathon in October. My training is going well, but my fundraising..not so much. I have to raise a minimum of $1,400 by the race just to run with my team and so far I only have $275 raised. I am selling Macy's coupons for $5 and doing a bake sale soon. Hopefully those will help. Here is my fundraising page if you are interested: http://pages.teamintraining.
Anyway, that's enough about me...let's get back to the good stuff. Summer is a good time to talk about being happy because it seems as though everyone is a little more chipper from June to August. The number one reason: the sun. My mom told me one time that they often tell depressed patients to go outside for at least 30 minutes a day. It makes sense. Vitamin D is essential to our overall health...and especially important for our happiness. Since it lighter for longer in the summer, it is no wonder why everyone is so happy! I don't know about you, but I am more willing to go out with friends during the summer months. There is so much more to do when the weather is nice, and we can hang out in that good weather all day instead of having to hibernate by 5pm like we do in the winter months.
That got me thinking...do I have enough friends? In the past couple of years I have been working on making as many friends as possible, and to get out of my comfort zone. I have been doing okay, but I also could be doing a lot better. The thing is, close personal relationships are the key to being happy. Seriously, the science proves it! According to an article written by Gretchen Rubin, writer for Good Housekeeping, "Studies show that if you have five or more close friends with whom to discuss an important matter, you're far more likely to describe yourself as 'very happy'". Not only can having close friends make you happier, it can lengthen your life, decrease your risk for depression, and boost immunity. This makes perfect sense to me because I am strong believer that if you are happy, your body will naturally balance itself out.
So, what does that mean for us? Well, stop and think for a second. How many close friends do you have? If something is going on in your life, who do you talk to? If that number is less than 5, you're not necessarily unhappy, but you're not as happy as you could be. To be perfectly honest, my number is less than 5, but I have the power to change that and so do you. I think the biggest problem here is that we (especially me) don't like to bother people with our own lives because we feel we are intruding. But, how do you feel when your friends share something personal with you? Pretty good right? So, that number can be easily increased by simply sharing more with our friends. Now, this doesn't have to be our deepest darkest secrets, and it is more than saying "I went to the grocery store today." Truly make an effort to share. You'll find it is easier than you think. And best of all, you will feel better :)
Also, make an effort to show up. If one of your friends invites you to a BBQ, out for drinks, or out for lunch, SAY YES! This increases your relationship bond because that friend realizes that you are willing to put your busy life aside to meet up with her/him. Plus, what's the worst that could happen? You have good conversation? Trust me, it's worth it. This is something I will be working on in the next month, and I hope you will too.
Visit http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/emotional/five-secrets-to-lifelong-friends to read the entire article by Gretchen Rubin. She gives great advice on how to make new friends and maintain good relationships. It is a very short article and worth the read!
Thanks for visiting. Please feel free to comment below or send me an e-mail. Have a happy day :)
P.S. The Sparkling Grapevine was inspired by the phrase "I heard it through the grapevine". We often associate this with gossip, but that's not what I am here to do. I am here to spread happiness, and I hope to do that "through the grapevine." When something sparkles, it is beautiful, bubbly, pure, and full of light. It is not dark, manipulative, or shameful. So, I am hoping to spread the beautiful, pure nature that happiness is. Hence, The Sparkling Grapevine.
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