Monday, December 6, 2010

Final happiness and health

Happiness helps people to stay healthy

           
An essential component to maintaining good health is being happy. According to studies, people who have positive thinking and are usually happy are less likely than others to develop diseases. Most times happier people may have healthier hearts and cardiovascular systems, possibly cutting their risk of diseases. The mind and negative thoughts are associated also with health problems. In addition, laughter can be one of the best ways to maintain healthy people. Madan Kataria explains that “laughter, would not only improve ones mood, but enhance physical well-being” (Khatchadourian 77). This affirms that laughter is a good choice to keep good health.
Happiness is one of the best ways to prevent and cure diseases. In other words, happier people may have a better quality of life. Richard Mulcaster, a humanist educator, argued that “being happy produced warmth throughout the body, and was good antidote for colds, headaches, and bouts of melancholy” (Khatchadourian 84). Consequently, whether people are happy or less happy in their everyday lives appears to have important effects on health and disease development. To illustrate, according to a new study, people who are usually happy, enthusiastic and content are less likely than others to develop heart illness. Ka­rina Da­vid­son of Co­lum­bia Uni­vers­ity Med­i­cal Cen­ter in New York, who led the new stu­dy, said it sug­gests heart dis­ease might be in some de­gree pre­venta­ble through pos­i­tive emo­tions (Shaoni Bhattacharya). For example, some people often have heart attacks when they enter in a crisis of anger and negative emotions. In fact, many diseases such as heart illness are associated with unhappiness and negative emotions. According to the article Pathologies of Hope “hope, optimism, and a positive attitude are the keys to health and longevity”(Ehrenreich 72). To conclude, prevention and treatment of diseases should take into consideration the emotional state of individuals.
Sometimes your mind and negative thoughts can influence in your health and also affect your life, not only the way you look but also the way you feel and your overall health. In other words, the mind affects the body and the body affects the mind also. It goes both ways, but the main factor is the mind. According to article The Laughing Guru, “the mind influences various functions of the body” (Khatchadourian 84). For instance, if you have a positive attitude in life, if you know you can make any situation better and you have no negative emotions, then the body will survive better. "This is the best data to date that associates positive emotional feelings with good effects on your health," says Carol Shively, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US, "We usually concentrate on things that are either bad or wrong, rather than good or right” (Shaoni Bhattacharya).  To illustrate, Some people tend to worry and get negative thoughts when they have a test or job interview. In consequence, they get sick and their emotional state changes completely. This means that the mind and negative thoughts have such power in our bodies even in simple situations. According to the article Pathologies of hope, “negative thoughts can be harmful to your health and might even shorten your life span””(Ehrenreich 72). . In fact, you have to control your thoughts and try to maintain a positive attitude to have a better quality of life.
Laughter can be one of the best ways to avoid diseases and maintain healthy people. Madan Kataria explains that “laughter alleviates pain, and mitigates Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Patients with multiple sclerosis who laughed regularly had a lot of improvement” (Khatchadourian 84). In other words, laughter can be the best medicine for people. Some people forget how important is to laugh, and as a result it affects not only their emotional state, but also their health. According to the scientist Lee Berk “mirthful laughter increases the production of natural-killer cells, which help the body to fight viral infections and cancerous growths”. He argues also that “laughter can have salutary effects on everything from heart disease to diabetes and allergies” (Khatchadourian 85). For those reasons, one of the best ways to keep healthy is laughing and it is also a good therapy to cure and prevent diseases. To illustrate, Norman Cousins an editor and writer wrote about his experience with laughter and how it helped him to cure his chronic ailment. There he made “the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give him at least two hours of pain-free sleep” (qtd. in Khatchadourian 85). In consequence, we can define laughter as a good choice to improve and prevent illness. To conclude, laughter is an expression of joy and helps you to lift your spirits, revive organ function, and relieve tension in your body.
In conclusion, happiness can be a cure and prevention of diseases. As a result happiness helps people to stay healthy. People who have positive thoughts and correct attitude about life can positively affect their health. The happiest people have less risk of develop disease. So, happy people can live longer. On the other hand, sometimes your mind and negative thoughts can influence in your health and also affect your life, not only the way you look but also the way you feel and your overall health. Laughter is a choice and we can take it to improve and prevent diseases. Laughter helps the body to fight viral infections and cancerous growths. Consequently, laughter and being happy can be the best medicine for people.


Worked cited


Courtesy European Society of Cardiology and staff. “Happiness may protect against heart disease.”21 February, 2010. http://www.world-science.net/othernews/100221_happy.htm. Web.
Ehrenreich, Barbara. “Pathologies of Hope.” ENG101-The Pursuit of Happiness. Ed. E.McCormick. New York: Laguardia Community College.2010.72-76.Print.

Khatchadourian, Raffi. “The Laughing Guru.” ENG101-The Pursuit of Happiness. Ed. E.McCormick. New York: Laguardia Community College.2010.77-88.Print.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Is there any power to positive thinking?

 

“Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours”  (Swedish Proverb quotes).



Is there any power to positive thinking?


            In some cases, our life depends and our thoughts, feelings and what we transmit to the world. The world is an extension of our thoughts and feelings, all our inner experience reflected on the outside. When we have positive thoughts and a good attitude, we create an atmosphere of prosperity and happiness in our lives. For instance, if you have a positive thinking in life, if you know you can make any situation better and you have no negative emotions, then you can have a better quality of life. Our positive thoughts can have a strong connection with everything that happens in our lives. Discovered that changing the thoughts and feelings can be the best opportunity to change what we are observing. For example, our levels of positive thinking can influence positively in our health. In many cases, positive thinking has the power to cure many diseases. In others words, we are what we think. To conclude, People who have positive thoughts and correct attitude about life can have the power to have a better quality of life.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Final draft "happiness and health"

Happiness helps people to stay healthy

           
An essential component to maintaining good health is being happy. According to studies, people who have positive thinking and are usually happy are less likely than others to develop diseases. Most times happier people may have healthier hearts and cardiovascular systems, possibly cutting their risk of diseases. The mind and negative thoughts are associated also with health problems. In addition, laughter can be one of the best ways to maintain healthy people. Madan Kataria affirms that “laughter, would not only improve ones mood, but enhance physical well-being” (Khatchadourian 77).
Happiness is one of the best ways to prevent and cure diseases. In other words, happier people may have a better quality of life. Richard Mulcaster, a humanist educator, argued that “being happy produced warmth throughout the body, and was good antidote for colds, headaches, and bouts of melancholy” (Khatchadourian 84). Consequently, whether people are happy or less happy in their everyday lives appears to have important effects on health and disease development. To illustrate, according to a new study, people who are usually happy, enthusiastic and content are less likely than others to develop heart illness. Ka­rina Da­vid­son of Co­lum­bia Uni­vers­ity Med­i­cal Cen­ter in New York, who led the new stu­dy, said it sug­gests heart dis­ease might be in some de­gree pre­venta­ble through pos­i­tive emo­tions. For example, some people often have heart attacks when they enter in a crisis of anger and negative emotions. In fact, many diseases such as heart illness are associated with unhappiness and negative emotions. According to the article Pathologies of Hope “hope, optimism, and a positive attitude are the keys to health and longevity”(Ehrenreich 72). To conclude, prevention and treatment of diseases should take into consideration the emotional state of individuals.
Sometimes your mind and negative thoughts can influence in your health and also affect your life, not only the way you look but also the way you feel and your overall health. In other words, the mind affects the body and the body affects the mind also. It goes both ways, but the main factor is the mind. According to the earliest scientific “the mind influences various functions of the body” (Khatchadourian 84). For instance, if you have a positive attitude in life, if you know you can make any situation better and you have no negative emotions, then the body will survive better. "This is the best data to date that associates positive emotional feelings with good effects on your health," says Carol Shively, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US. "We usually concentrate on things that are either  bad or wrong, rather than good or right."  Some people tend to worry and get negative thoughts when they have a test or job interview. In consequence, they get sick and their emotional state change completely. This means that the mind and negative thoughts have such power in our bodies even in simple situations. According to the article Pathologies of hope “negative thoughts can be harmful to your health and might even shorten your life span””(Ehrenreich 72). . In fact, you have to control your thoughts and try to maintain a positive attitude to have a better quality of life.
Laughter can be one of the best ways to avoid diseases and maintain healthy people. Madan Kataria explains that “laughter alleviates pain, and mitigates Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Patients with multiple sclerosis who laughed regularly had a lot improvement”(qtd.in Khatchadourian 84). In other words, laughter can be the best medicine for people. Some people forget how important is to laugh and as a result it affects not only their emotional state but also their health. According to the scientist Lee Berk “mirthful laughter increases the production of natural-killer cells, which help the body to fight viral infections and cancerous growths. He argues also that “laughter can have salutary effects on everything from heart disease to diabetes and allergies” (Khatchadourian 85). For those reasons, one of the best ways to keep healthy is laughing and it is also a good therapy to cure and prevent diseases.
In conclusion, people who have positive thinking and are usually happy are less likely than others to develop diseases. Sometimes depression and negative thoughts can affect your overall health. On the other hand, people who have positive thoughts and correct attitude about life can positively affect their health. Laughter is a choice and we can take it to improve and prevent diseases. Consequently, laughter and being happy can be the best medicine for people.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

happiness and health.

Happiness helps people to stay healthy

          
      An essential component to maintaining healthy is being happy. According to studies, people who have positive thinking and are usually happy are less likely than others to develop diseases. Most times happier people may have healthier hearts and cardiovascular systems, possibly cutting their risk of diseases. Depression and negative thoughts are associated also with health problems. In addition, laughter can be one of the best ways to maintain healthy people. Madan Kataria affirms that “laughter, would not only improve ones mood, but enhance physical well-being” (Khatchadourian 77).
Most times happier people may have healthier hearts and cardiovascular systems, possibly cutting their risk of diseases. In other words, being happy help to improve your health. Richard Mulcaster, a humanist educator, argued that “being happy produced warmth throughout the body, and was good antidote for colds, headaches, and bouts of melancholy” (Khatchadourian 84). Consequently, whether people are happy or less happy in their everyday lives appears to have important effects on health and disease development. To illustrate, according to a new study, people who are usually happy, enthusiastic and content are less likely than others to develop heart illness. Ka­rina Da­vid­son of Co­lum­bia Uni­vers­ity Med­i­cal Cen­ter in New York, who led the new stu­dy, said it sug­gests heart dis­ease might be in some de­gree pre­venta­ble through pos­i­tive emo­tions. To conclude, many diseases such as heart illness are associated with happiness and positive thoughts. Prevention and treatment of diseases should take into consideration the emotional state of individuals.
Sometimes depression and negative thoughts can affect your life, not only the way you look but also the way you feel and your overall health. In other words, the mind affects the body and the body affects the mind also. It goes both ways, but the main factor is the mind. According to the earliest scientific “the mind influences various functions of the body” (Khatchadourian 84). For instance, if you have a positive attitude in life, if you know you can make any situation better and you have no negative emotions, then the body will survive better. "This is the best data to date that associates positive emotional feelings with good effects on your health," says Carol Shively, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US. "We usually concentrate on things that are either bad or wrong, rather than good or right."
 Laughter can be one of the best ways to avoid diseases and maintain healthy people. Madan Kataria explains that “laughter alleviates pain, and mitigates Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Patients with multiple sclerosis who laughed regularly had a lot improvement”(qtd.in Khatchadourian 84). In other words, laughter can be the best medicine for people. Some people forget how important is to laugh and as a result it affects not only their emotional state but also their health. According to the scientist Lee Berk “mirthful laughter increases the production of natural-killer cells, which help the body to fight viral infections and cancerous growths. He argues also that “laughter can have salutary effects on everything from heart disease to diabetes and allergies” (Khatchadourian 85). For those reasons, one of the best ways to keep healthy is laughing and it is also a good therapy to cure and prevent diseases.
In conclusion, people who have positive thinking and are usually happy are less likely than others to develop diseases. Sometimes depression and negative thoughts can affect your overall health. On the other hand, people who have positive thoughts and correct attitude about life can positively affect their health. Laughter is a choice and we can take it to improve and prevent diseases. Consequently, laughter and being happy can be the best medicine for people.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Happiness helps people stay healthy

Happiness helps people stay healthy
Thesis:
According to studies, people who have positive thinking and are usually happy are less likely than others to develop diseases.

Previous studies have shown that depression is associated with health problems compared to average emotional states. But few studies have looked at the effects of positive moods on health. Now, researchers at University College London, UK, have linked everyday happiness with healthier levels of important body chemicals, such as the stress hormone cortisol. "This study showed that whether people are happy or less happy in their everyday lives appears to have important effects on the markers of biological function known to be associated with disease," says clinical psychologist Jane Wardle, one of the research team. "Perhaps laughter is the best medicine," she adds.
Works Cited:


Sunday, November 14, 2010

I am grateful for.....

I am grateful for:

          I believe that gratitude is a virtue by which a person recognizes everything that has received. Essentially, gratitude is an interior disposition, a grateful heart, some people try to express in words and in deeds for which they received.

          I am very grateful with my parents. They gave me a good education, taught me many values such as respect and honesty. I owe my life and what I am to my parents. I have many beautiful memories of my childhood with them. My mother took care of me all night when I was sick. She was always there when I needed something; she was like a friend to me. I remember that my father worked very hard for my mother and me.  They were and are excellent parents.

          I am also grateful with God for all the beautiful things I have received in my life. For example, I am grateful for my health, because without it there I couldn’t enjoy the wonders of the world. Right now, I am grateful for my baby and my husband. They are now the happiness of my life. I really feel happy and grateful for all the blessings that God has given me.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

cultivate happier relationships.

Cultivate happier relationships.



Some people think that a good relationship is when they find the right person, but really all depends on how you cultivate and know your partner. It is important to maintain a good relationship participated in activities that are significant or enjoyable to ourselves as well as to our partner. Spending time together, build a base that can weather predictable storms and express gratitude and sacrifices are important factors to cultivate happier relationships.
Spending time with your romantic partner and participating in activities that are important to ourselves as well as to our partner are essential factors to cultivate happier relationship. According to the article happiness in relationship, Tal Ben-Shahar explains “spending meaningful time with friends, family or romantic partner is necessary for happiness (111). Personally, I feel happy when I spend time and share precious moments with my husband. After my parents he is the most important and valuable person in my life. In the article Happiness in relationship, Tal Ben-Shahar explains “the most important and challenging component of a happy relationship is not finding the one right person but rather cultivating the one chose relationship” (120).  To illustrate, some people think that a good relationship is when they find the right person, but really all depends on how you cultivate and know your partner. Couples should be motivated by something that makes them happy. In my case, my husband and I try to do different activities that are meaningful and enjoyable for us. For example, we both like to go to the movies and surprises. I feel happy when my husband prepares a surprise to make me feel good. In addition, routine makes a relationship ends or helps to decreases happiness. That’s why people have to find ways to avoid this problem doing meaningful and pleasurable things for the relationship.
Other way to cultivate happier relationships is building a solid foundation that can withstand predictable storms in the relationship. Knowing our partner deeply is one of the best techniques to achieve a solid foundation in the couple. According to the article happiness in relationship, Tal Ben-Shahar explains “As we get to know one another and spend time together engaged in activities that we care about most, we build a foundation that can weather inevitable storms” (121). In other words, to create a firm relationship we should know more about our partner. Tal Ben- Shahar also introduces the way “We cultivate intimacy by knowing and being known” (121). Knowing our partner makes us feel more confident and secure about how to act in a specific situation in the relationship. For example, sometimes economic problems affect relationships, but when you have a solid foundation with your partner is easier to solve and find solutions that will bring an atmosphere of prosperity. On the other hand, most time people who don’t have a firm relationship tend to despair and make mistakes when they have any problem. Consequently they don’t find ways to solve or find solution to create a better environment in the relationship.
 Express gratitude and make sacrifices help to build a stronger and beautiful relationship. For instance, when you first met your partner, came to be a mutual affection because of certain things you had in common. Maybe it was because you met in a way that seems to indicate that had the same interest and goals as you. However, after time passes you have to make some sacrifices and show gratitude to cultivate happier relationship. In the article Happiness in relationship, Tal Ben-Shahar explains "it is important to note that standing by one’s partner in a time of need is not sacrificed; when we love someone, we often feel that helping that person is helping ourselves" (117). I totally agree that when we love someone we have to think not only in our welfare but also on the welfare of our partner. In my own experience, I had to sacrifice a lot of things like my friends, my own interest and stop thinking selfishly since I got married. My husband and I knew from that first moment that everything would change. Any decision to make would affect us both. As Nathaniel Branden notes, “This is the great complement of love: that our self-interest expands to encompass our partner” (117). On the other hand, gratitude is very important in romantic relationship. When we express appreciation to our partner, we are cultivating happier relationships. You make feel your partner comfortable and happy when you appreciate everything that you partner does to increases happiness in the relationship. .
In conclusion, to cultivate happier relationships we must find ways to motivate our romantic relationship and try to maintain an atmosphere of prosperity. We have many ways to find happiness in the relationship such as spending time together, build a base that can weather predictable storms and express gratitude and sacrifices. In addition, sometimes the dynamism and richness of social participation will depend on what we are able to provide and know others deeply.       

Sunday, October 31, 2010

blog 5

Spending More Time with Loved Ones

Satisfying social relationships is important in contributing to a good emotional state. “Spending meaningful time with friends, family, or romantic partners is necessary for happiness” (111).  Personally, I fell happy when I spend time with my family and share important things like eating together. They are the most important and valuable in my life. I am also proud of the family that God has given me. My loved ones give me the strength to keep going when I feel defeated. This means that without their care and support would be more difficult to cope with daily problems. For these and many other reasons I love to share with my loved ones and I would like to have more time to see them.

Sacrifice vs. Sharing

In the article Happiness in relationship, Tal Ben-Shahar explains that it is important to note that standing by one’s partner in a time of need is not sacrificed; when we love someone, we often feel that helping that person is helping ourselves (117). I totally agree that when we love someone we have to think not only in our welfare but also on the welfare of our partner. In my own experience, I had to sacrifice a lot of things like my friends, my own interest and stop thinking selfishly when I got married. My husband and I knew from that first moment that everything would change. Any decision to make would affect us both.

Cultivating vs Finding

In the article Happiness in relationship, Tal Ben-Shahar explains that the most important and challenging component of a happy relationship is not finding the one right person but rather cultivating the one chose relationship (120). Personally, any relationship should be encouraged every day. “We cultivate intimacy by knowing and being known”(121). In my case, my husband and I try to do different activities like going to the movies, sharing time in what we really like to avoid falling into the routine. It is important for us know one another, spend time together and do activities that make us happy.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

work 4

Work and happiness
        

Most times we see how people complain about their jobs. We identified job as an activity or obligation that requires a physical or mental effort or as a trade or profession that will give us a salary to live comfortably. Consequently, we never feel pleasure and happiness at work. What would be best to get up every day and go to work happy and content? I think that study what I like can help me to feel happy at work.
If we study what we really like, we will be happy not only at school but also in our job. In other words if we don’t enjoy what we are studying we probably won’t be happy at work. I can’t imagine myself in a job where I am going to expend almost all my life unhappy. For that reason I am trying to identify what major can be perfect for me in accordance to what I really like to do. For example, helping people, solving problems and reading about mental process and behavior make me happy. In fact, I think that I will enjoy being a psychologist and helping people.  
In conclusion, study what we really like are the base to be happy at work. In my case, I found that work as a psychologist can be perfect. I like to share with people, solve problems, and know about human behavior and mental process. I really feel comfortable and happy when I am doing this sort of things and more when I am helping somebody.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Happiness in education 2

Happiness in education


We spend almost half our lives studying and going to school. But, sometimes this looks like a boring routine. We have to do something to motivate ourselves and help to see education not as a routine or obligation, but as something pleasurable that will bring benefits. I have been asking myself, how I can increase my happiness level when it comes to my education and I finally got many ideas. Which are getting positive and optimistic thinking, studying what I really like, defeat some challenges such as fears and stress.

Positive and optimistic thinking are really important not only to increase happiness in education but also to be successful in everything we do. When I get negative thinking, like I can’t finish this homework or I can’t pass the test, I notice that actually I can’t do it. Consequently, these negative feelings make me fell bad and decrease my motivation. For those reasons I think that being positive is one of the best ways to increase happiness in education. For example, I remember that weeks before taking the ACT test I was very scared and sad because I did not fell very confident with my knowledge. I come to the United States 2 years ago and English has been difficult for me to learn. Even I had all these obstacles I started to think positively and I passed the test. It means that my positives thoughts like I can do it motivate me to study hard and present the test.

            Studying what I really like is another way that can help me to increase my happiness in education. In other words when you study something that you like or makes you happy it is wonderful because that means you are enjoying what you are doing. In Ken Robinson’s speech he introduced how people move us away from the things we like with the argument that we will never find a job doing it. For instance, don’t study art or music because you will not be successful. Many talented, brilliant and creative people drop out what they like to study something that will keep them unhappy. In my own experience, people tell me “study something that makes you rich” or “don’t study that because you will not find a job”. I don't care about what will make me rich. I am looking for a major that really interest me because I don’t imagined myself in a class that I am not going to enjoying. For those reasons I fell that studying what I really like will help me to be happy and maintain a good emotional state.

I want also defeat some challenges such as fears to increases my happiness in education. One of my fears is that I am not confident with the English language. It becomes a feeling of insecurity and fear. For example, often I don’t feel good or safe in some classes like psychology, because it has a lot of vocabulary that I can’t recognize. Consequently, it brings me unhappiness and frustration when I get out of class. Sometimes, I think in the possibility to come back to my country and studying there, but in the end I realize that I have more opportunities here. In fact, I’m looking for a way to not feel this fear and make solutions such as reading what the teacher will explain in class before the psychology’s class start, this means that I have the opportunity to find and understand unfamiliar words and feel more confident in class. In addition, I want this fear to become a motivation for me to studying hard and never surrender. If I can overcome this fear my happiness in education would increase.

Other challenge to defeat is my stress when it comes from my education. I have so much information to carry in my mind and this makes my stress intolerable. Sometimes I feel that education becomes a routine, for example, every week I get up at 6:00 am to start my class schedule, I finish at 2:00 pm with my classes, then I do all my homework, and finally I go to bed when I finish with them . In the end of the day I am stressed and tired. Other thing that increases my stress is when I predict about something. As Daniel Gilbert says “we falter when we imagine how we will feel about something in the future”.  When I think that I am no able to do something as a test or homework I get a lot of stress and consequently this affects my emotional states. To increase my happiness level when it comes to my education I have to find a way to reduce my stress in education. For those reasons I’m thinking about the possibility of doing something different to distract my mind like relaxing at home and then continue studying, I can also distribute my time better to not have many things to do at the same time. And finally, I have to stop predicting what will happen with my education if I want to maintain a good emotional state.

In conclusion, education is one of the most important things in life. We have to do something to motivate ourselves and help to see education not as a routine, but as something pleasurable that will bring benefits. I found that keep a positive thinking, studying what I really like and defeat some challenges such as fears and stress can help me to increase my happiness level when it comes to my education.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Happiness in education

Happiness in education


          We spend almost half our lives studying and going to school. But, sometimes this looks like a boring routine. We have to do something to motivate ourselves and help to see education not as a routine or obligation, but as something pleasurable that will bring benefits. I have been asking myself this week, how I can increase my happiness level when it comes to my education and I finally got two ideas. Which are getting positive and optimistic thinking and studying what I really like.

          Positive and optimistic thinking are really important not only to increase happiness in education but also to be successful in everything we do. When I get negative thinking, like I can’t finish this homework or I can’t pass the test, I notice that actually I can’t do it. Consequently, these negative feelings make me fell bad and decrease my motivation. For those reasons I think that being positive is one of the best ways to increase happiness in education. For example, I remember that weeks before taking the ACT test I was very scared and sad because I did not fell very confident with my knowledge. I come to the United States 2 years ago and English has been difficult for me to learn. Even I had all these obstacles I started to think positively and I passed the test. It means that my positives thoughts like I can do it motivate me to study hard and present the test.

          Studying what I really like is another way that can help me to increase my happiness in education. In other words when you study something that you like or makes you happy it is wonderful because that means you are enjoying what you are doing. In Ken Robinson’s speech he introduced how people move us away from the things we like with the argument that we will never find a job doing it. For instance, don’t study art or music because you will not be successful. Consequently, many talented, brilliant and creative people drop out what they like to study something that will keep them unhappy. In my own experience, people tell me “study something that makes you rich” or “don’t study that because you will not find a job”. I don't care about what will make me rich. I am looking for a major that really interest me because I don’t imagined myself in a class that I am not going to enjoying. For those reasons I fell that studying what I really like will help me to be happy and maintain a good emotional state.

          In conclusion, education is one of the most important things for many people. We have to do something to motivate ourselves and help to see education not as a routine, but as something pleasurable that will bring benefits. I found that keep a positive thinking and studying what I really like can help me to increase my happiness level when it comes to my education.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

"IMPACT BIAS"

“IMPACT BIAS”


A professor in Harvard’s department of psychology Daniel Gilbert and the psychologist Tim Wilson has taken the lead in studying a particular type of emotional and behavioral prediction. They call the difference between what we predict and what we finally experience the “impact bias”. We can see how people forecast their future and desire about something, but in real life it all changes or just stops being special and becomes ordinary. In my case, I thought I was going to find happiness coming to the United States and I also predicted that my first job was going to give me happiness and pleasure as well.

Daniel Gilbert and Tim Wilson explain how we falter when we visualize how we fell about something in the future. They call the difference between what we predict and what we finally experience the “impact bias”. How they explain “impact” meaning the errors we make in guessing both the intensity and duration of our emotions and “bias” meaning our propensity to err. According to this study almost all actions, for example, buying a new car or having children are based on our predictions of the emotional consequences of these events.

I imagined  I was going to find happiness coming to the United States. Like many people, I thought I would find more opportunities and better quality of life. When I arrived, I noticed that I was not completely happy as I thought. I miss my country, my family and friends. In consequence, what I expected for my life and what I finally experience affected my emotional state.

When I was 15 years old, I was eager to get a job. I thought that a job could give me freedom. But, when I finally got my first job, I noticed that it was not like I had imagined. For example, I didn’t get freedom, now that I had to obey other rules and be more responsible. That was frustrating for me, but helped me to understand that sometimes we err when we imagine how will feel about something in the future.

Impact bias is the difference between what we predict and what we ultimately experience. Sometimes we err when we imagine how we will feel about something in the future. Furthermore, our predictions affect our emotional states. Finally, it is important to wonder at the least if we are making mistakes when we thought about life choices and about happiness.