Browsed by
Tag: Boomers

#1 Longing is a clue to Happiness

#1 Longing is a clue to Happiness

Comments 0 Comment

Do you get the same thought frequently, nagging at you, and that just won’t go away? Do you push it aside and try to ignore it, swatting it away like a pesky fly? But wait, not so fast. It might just be a clue to your Happiness. In many cases it’s a message or clue from God and the Universe about something you enjoy, are good at, and are meant to do with your life. Before you ignore it, stop and consider it as a possibility that you should investigate. Who knows, it could be your next chapter in life. Do what you love and have fun.

Sunset on Oregon Coast
Nature and the Mountains Are Calling

Nature and the Mountains Are Calling

Comments 0 Comment

Nature and the Mountains are Majestic. When your outside nature evokes feelings of grander, wonder and peace. After many years of being away from the ocean and mountains we drove from the High Desert of Utah to the Oregon coast. The closer we got I felt my mood improved. A sense of peace, wonderment, excitement and calm came over me. The same feelingsI get when going to the mountains of Grand Teton, National Park and so many more natural areas. For me it felt like coming home. I feel attached to mountains, coastlines, mountain meadows, peaks, lakes and streams. It’s a great feeling. It’s one I like to share. We should support organizations that work to preserve the natural world.

WWhen you feel stressed unsettled in your every day life go outside and claim your space in the world. Nature is calling you, listen to her call and go find her anywhere she is. Experience the Mountains, Ocean, Lake, Forest, Desert, a park in the city, wherever calls you.

The mountains are calling…(John Muir)

Enjoy and share your time outdoors and in natural.

Provence in Winter

Provence in Winter

Comments 0 Comment

Provence, France in winter gives you lower cost and fewer visitors, which add up to a more relaxing and personal travel experience. In this mild climate a light jacket or maybe a wool sweater is all that’s needed to keep you comfortable. Beauty will surround you 360 degrees. See the vineyards and lavender fields in their winter resting stage of life, hike the local trails, visit museums and Chateaus, take a cooking class at a regional inn or restaurant. So get away from the hectic crowds of summer and experience a more authentic Provence.

For arrangements and private Luxury experiences in Provence and Southern France I use Andy at AndySwannVoyage.com.

(Originally published at NYHabitat.com)

Surprising Winter Holiday in Provence

Provence in Wintertime

The South of France is often associated with summer holidays. While a beach holiday in Southern France can of course be fantastic, areas such as Provence tend to be very crowded in the summer months.

In wintertime, Provence is visited by way less tourists and has an entirely different kind of charm. The climate in Provence stays mild in the winter, so you can still explore the South of France at your leisure. It also doesn’t hurt that the prices usually go down considerably offseason. In this article, we’ll give you an impression of a winter holiday in Provence, and provide you with some insider tips on the best time to go shopping, where to stay in the wintertime, what to eat in Provence, and more!

Winter Holiday Accommodation in Provence

If you’re coming to Provence for a winter holiday, first you have to decide what kind of holiday you prefer: a tranquil and relaxing vacation in one of Provence’s small villages, or a cultural and stimulating holiday in one of Provence’s cities.

A vineyard in Provence during winter

If the first is more to your liking, you can choose a cozy family holiday in the middle of Provence’s beautiful countryside. We have many vacation rentals available in the province of Provence, and in many different villages. The streets of these villages are often very quit during the winter, except for several hours in the morning when markets are taking place on the main road or square of the village. A lot of people know each other in these villages, and if you make the effort to talk to people you can quickly feel like a local and have a very unique experience there. The apartments for rent in these villages almost all come with comfortable living rooms, kitchens where you can prepare your own meals, a bathroom and one or more bedrooms. A vacation rental apartment can be the perfect base to explore the countryside of Provence from. Be sure to stock up on groceries before heading out to your vacation rental, as in the small villages restaurants are sometimes closed for the winter period. Instead of going out to dinner, spend your time cooking Provencal meals in your own apartment, hiking across the golden yellow fields, or by taking a day trip to one of the cities or nearby ski resorts! To find out more about the ski resorts in the Southern French Alps, check out this article about visiting the Southern French Alps in winter.

he city of Avignon and the Pont d’Avignon in the winter

If you like the quiet, but also want to experience living among the locals and going out to town every once in awhile, a city trip may be a bet ter fit. Cities in Provence such as Avignon, Arles, Nimes, Marseille or Aix-en-Provence are great to visit during the wintertime. The dry and sunny winter climate of Provence will inspire you to go out and explore the city. Furthermore, popular tourist attractions such as museums, theaters, the Palais des Papes or the Notre Dame de will be much quieter in wintertime, and you won’t have to stand in line to visit them! For tips on what to see and do in these cities, check out our travel guide to Provence.

Provence’s January Winter Sales

In the cities, restaurants and shops will mostly also remain open for the entire winter period. As for shopping, you’ll be able to get great deals as January in France always means sale period! Stores in France are only allowed to hold sales twice a year: once in July, when tourists fight for the best deals, and once in January- when you’ll have much less competition from fellow bargain-hunters!

In between the cultural activities and shopping, don’t forget to hop inside a café every once in awhile to drink the local specialty vin chaud, which means hot wine. This is a great drink when it’s cold and windy outside. However, for the most part Provence has a very mild climate in the winter (the average temperature in Provence in December is 14 degrees Celsius or 57 degrees Fahrenheit!), so you’ll probably also be able to try a local rosé wine sitting outside a café in the sun.

Culinary Winter Endeavors in Provence

A wild game winter dish in Provence

In Provence’s cities, you’ll be able to visit some of the best restaurants in the region without having to book weeks in advance or having to wait outside until a table is free. In the wintertime, restaurants often offer mouthwatering dishes with wild game, truffle and many herbs. Visit an “auberge” to enjoy a cozy dinner at a wooden table beside a real fireplace. Alternatively, you can also cook your own Provencal meal in your apartment. Even the city apartments almost always provide a fully equipped kitchen where you can enjoy exploring the local ingredients, which you can pick up at farmer’s markets. For inspiration on what to prepare, check out this article on Provence’s food culture.

To get an idea of accommodation in one of Provence’s bustling cities, have a look at our vacation rentals in Aix-en-Provence. Also don’t forget to experiment with fresh herbs in the kitchen. Provence is famous for its lavender fields, which are often harvested during summer. However dry lavender is available year round everywhere in the region! Pick up some lavender at a local market and hang it in your vacation rental, so the whole apartment will smell great.

Trips to Provence’s Seaside in the Winter

Although the Mediterranean will be too cold to swim in, Provence’s seaside is still definitely worth a visit in wintertime.

The calanques are very impressive during winter in Provence

The calanques, which are steep-walled inlets of the sea, are especially beautiful in the winter months, and are a great destination for an adventurous hike. You can also take a long stroll on the beach and warm up after in one of the seaside village’s cafes or restaurants.

If you pick a local sea restaurant, be sure to try the local soupe de poisson, or fish stew. Two seaside towns that are great to visit in winter are Aigues Mortes and Saintes Maries de la Mer. Lastly, the seaside park Camargue is a popular birding destination, and in wintertime you’ll be able to spot a diverse population of hibernating birds, as well as real wild horses! You can also go horseback riding yourself in the park, which is a great way to take in the beautiful surroundings.

4 Traits of Boomers Who Travel

4 Traits of Boomers Who Travel

Comments 0 Comment

Here’s a short article about 4 Traits of Boomers Who Travel from AARP.  Is this You?

Boomers: Confident Travelers

by AARP | July 12, 2016

Suitcase Stuffed With Cash, Money Report On Travel Insurance

According to a new AARP research study, boomers are less likely to be stressed before a flight.

Dan Saelinger/Trunk Archive

Boomer air travelers are more confident and less stressed than their younger counterparts, according to new released this week.

Contributing to boomers’ overall positive travel experiences: They arrive at airports early, use airport amenities such as restaurants and shops, and .

Though they report less stress than Generation X and millennial travelers, boomers say that clearing security, flight delays at the departure airport and lack of legroom in flight are their primary travel headaches.

One key difference, Miles says, “is that boomers actually take advantage of airport amenities — unlike their younger counterparts, who often arrive for flights just in time to board.”Other highlights from the survey of travelers 18 and older who reported taking at least one leisure trip in the previous 12 months:

Technology: Boomers love their smartphones and free Wi-Fi. More than 90 percent of boomers travel with some type of electronic device, primarily a smartphone, and 56 percent of boomers say they use airport Wi-Fi if it’s free.

Domesticity: are popular among boomer travelers. More than 75 percent of boomers say they took their last trip domestically.

Preparation: Boomers arrive at airports at least two hours before a flight, earlier than their younger counterparts. Nearly 50 percent of boomers say they bought food and drinks or sat down at a restaurant in the airport before their flight.

Flight: Younger generations report higher levels of travel stress and nerves about flying than boomers do. More millennials say they are stressed while on the plane; boomers are the most relaxed in flight.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you come back soon, thanks, John

2 Life Empowering Mantras

2 Life Empowering Mantras

Comments 0 Comment

DSCN0479

Mantras or quotes, or affirmations or memes can have a very power effect on your throughts and in turn the life you live.

Baby Boomer Grandpas usually re-evaluate life after retirement.  Sometimes, retirement can upset your whole mental apple cart.  We can use a little help to go where we want to go.  Our minds, thoughts, and words are key to this creatation.

Recently, I watched a re-run of a TV show I like, The Finder.  Sadly, one of the lead characters played by Michael Clarke Duncan died and the show went with him.  In the last episode the says two powerful statements that seem appropriate here.

“Reality is merely and illusion”

and

“We are who we think we are”

So, what is your reality and who do you  think you are?  Are they up to you?  If not, it’s in our power to change both.

Thanks for stopping by,

Live Life Well, Thanks, John

 

5 Steps to Building a Tree House – Step 3, part 1

5 Steps to Building a Tree House – Step 3, part 1

Comments 0 Comment

 

No Grand kids allowed, yet.
No Grand kids allowed, yet.

Welcome back to our tree house building “documentary” Step 3, Part 1.

The Layout
The Layout

We’ve done all the planning and measuring, now it’s time to begin the work.  First, you want to layout the basic shape to the measurements you made.  We put the pier blocks where the corners are to be and temporarily laid the wood frame.

Pier Blocks
Pier Blocks

We set the pier blocks in sand and leveled them then screwed on our 4×4 s.

Support Posts
Support Posts

This is how we attached the 4x4s for to hold up the floor.

The Frame in Place
The Frame is in Place

Here’s a view looking down on the entire frame for the floor.

The next post will be about installing the floors, then the walls, then the steps or ladder.

Thanks for stopping by, Enjoy, John

5 Steps to Building a Tree House – Step 1

5 Steps to Building a Tree House – Step 1

Comments 0 Comment

Family Maple Tree - Winter
Family Maple Tree – Winter

A great activity for vintage Baby Boomers and Boomer Grandpas is to design and build a Tree House with your kids, grand kids and other family members.  It’s a awesome bonding and teaching experience.  I plan on having the little kids do the painting and accessories when it’s time.  That way everyone can be involved.  When it’s finished we’ll have something for the family to use and have fun with for a lifetime.  Here’s my story, sort of a documentation of how we are building it.  Each stage will be a separate post.

Our family is blessed with a beautiful Maple tree in our back yard.  It’s part of our kids’ heritage and memories from growing up around it.  There have been hundreds of picnics, barbecues, tea parties, games of tag, birthday parties, and celebrations under our tree and in its cooling shade in the hot summers.  It shares it’s beauty in each season.  Summer is big green leaves and lots of comforting shade.  Fall is the only season when our tree requires our work or maintenance.  As fall progresses the big green leaves turn orange and then yellow, finally dropping from the branches, landing on the grass.  Here’s where the work comes in, someone, as in Me or our Kids.  I choose the kids for this job as they need to learn to work and care for what we are blessed with, right?  Hear that kids?

You see our tree above after the last snowfall of this winter.

All the snow has melted now and it’s time to build a Tree House

Step 1 Choosing your tree –  In our case we have only one tree to choose from.  By tree house standards this is a small tree which won’t really support much of a structure up in the tree.  So, we decided to build around the tree rather than in the tree.  You’ll need to choose a good strong tree, the right tree, then build the right tree house in or around it.  The formation or structure of the tree will determine the size and elements you will be able to have in your tree house.

That’s Stage 1.  Hope it gives you some ideas to build your own tree house.  Stay tuned for the next stage, Planning Your Tree House coming soon.

Thanks for stopping by, John

 

 

Elders, Wisedom of The Ages

Elders, Wisedom of The Ages

Comments 0 Comment

IMG_0854_2

We, the Boomers, have lived full lives.  We’ve “seen it all”.  It’s been a great ride.  But, be assured, it’s not over yet.  We are now continuing our life’s journey and learning every more everyday, and enjoying it.

Being the “Elders” and blessed with this vast knowledge, we have a responsibility to share it with our children and grandchildren.

Author Jack Canfield has helped a lot of people, I enjoy reading his encouraging words.  You might know him from Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Let’s share our wealth of wisdom with others.  This article is a great start.  Share Your Wisdom With Others!

Enjoy, John

7 Steps for Creating the Life YOU Want

January 16, 2013 by 28 Comments

7 Steps to creating the life you wantWe all aspire to do, be and have great things. Yet most of us simply aren’t creating the results we want. We complain that we don’t have enough money, romance, success or joy in our lives.

We point fingers and blame outside problems that “happen” to us and make life more difficult. But what we need to understand and keep at the forefront of our minds is that greatness exists in all of us. It is simply up to us to pull it out of ourselves. Regardless of personal circumstances, economic climates, and access to resources, it helps to maintain faith in the fact we each are more powerful than we think.

We all have the ability to create the life we want. We just need to learn how to do it. Is there an exact “formula”? No, but there are certain common features that successful people exhibit and that anyone can practice. They are what can jumpstart your success and attract what you want in life. You’d be hard pressed to find any high achiever who doesn’t live by the following 7 tips:

1. Take No Less than 100% Responsibility for Your Life

One of the greatest myths that is pervasive in our culture today is that you are entitled to a great life and that somehow, somewhere, someone is responsible for filling our lives with continual happiness, exciting career options, nurturing family time and blissful personal relationships simply because we exist. But the real truth is that there is only one person responsible for the quality of the life you live. That person is you.

Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing. Income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors. That person who reflects back at you in the mirror is the chief conductor in your life. Say hello!

I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but the mind can play games, tricking plenty of people into thinking external factors are the source of failure, disappointment, and unhappiness. But the truth of the matter is that external factors don’t determine how you live. You are in complete control of the quality of your life.

Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don’t waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.

2. Be Clear Why You’re Here

I believe each of us is born with a life purpose. Identifying, acknowledging and honoring this purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take. They take the time to understand what they’re here to do, and then they pursue that with passion and enthusiasm.

If you don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing, then just tune in to the signals around you. Looking toward others for help and guidance is helpful, but don’t forget to stay tuned in to yourself—your behavior, attitude, likes and dislikes, and life experiences. Identify what’s working and what isn’t. If you need to, write it all down. You might be surprised by what you discover.

3. Decide What You Want

It sounds so simple, but here’s the problem: I see plenty of people who are overly-busy yet who feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. They are physically tired, spiritually drained, and far from where they’d like to be—as if they’ve been running on a treadmill going nowhere fast. Why? Because they haven’t clearly mapped out what they want and then taken the steps to get there. Rather than identifying specific goals, milestones, and dreams (and I’m talking BIG dreams and goals here), they go through the motions day in and day out tackling unimportant tasks. They end up…you guessed it…going in circles and wasting lots of energy. In the meanwhile, they grow increasingly uninspired and out of touch with their authentic selves. This, of course, sets anyone up to living a life out of balance.

One of the main reasons why most people don’t get what they want is they haven’t decided what they want. They haven’t defined their desires in clear and compelling detail. What does success look like to you? Not everybody’s definition of success is the same, nor should it be.

Don’t let your inner devil’s advocate (or that incessant but unimportant To Do list) inhibit you from dreaming big. As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, but they also compel others to want to play big, too.

4. Believe It Is Possible

Scientists used to believe that humans responded to information flowing into the brain from the outside world. But today, they’re learning that instead we respond to what the brain, based on previous experience, expects to happen next. In fact, the mind is such a powerful instrument; it can deliver literally everything you want. But you have to believe that what you want is possible.

As you commit to believing in yourself, also make a commitment to toning down the complaint department. Look at what you are complaining about. I’m fat. I’m tired. I can’t get out of debt. I won’t ever get a better job. I can’t stand the relationship I have with my father. I’ll never find a soulmate in life. Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.

5. Believe in Yourself

If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. Whether you call it self-esteem, self-confidence or self-assurance, it is a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes; the abilities, inner resources, talents and skills to create your desired results.

Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to believe that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. Sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.

6. Become an Inverse Paranoid

This one is straightforward: Imagine how much easier it would be to succeed in life if you were constantly expecting the world to support you and bring you opportunity. Successful people do just that.

7. Unleash the Power of Goal Setting

Experts on the science of success know the brain is a goal-seeking organism. Whatever goal you give to your subconscious mind, it will work day and night to achieve. To engage you subconscious mind, a goal has to be measurable. When there aren’t any criteria for measurement, it is simply something you want, a wish, a preference, or a good idea.

Sometimes we need to make just one initial goal to get started, and that’s okay. At least it comes with a few actions to achieve. A first step simply can be making an immediate change in a single area in your life. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable and overwhelming for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it, or makes you feel bad about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain? You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.

Bear in mind that you have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you’ve already taken an initial step in the right direction, now’s the time to plan more steps to keep moving you forward faster.

Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?

So if you need just one thing to do different today than you did yesterday, make it this: Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you’ll discover it is much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com 

====================================================================

Thanks for reading my blogs, John

Visit my online portal at Shop.com/JohnMcFadden and save time and earn Cashback.

It’s free to sign up!

Dreams and Greatness

Dreams and Greatness

Comments 0 Comment

IMG_1005                                                                     Sweet Dreams

Your Are Great!

Every one of us has dreams for our lives.  Some only dream and some take action, some give up and some keep going until our dream becomes our reality.

I found this quote, don’t know who wrote it, but I think it gives us hope.

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and the thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself”.

Pretty good advice if you ask me. Add this to your Vision Board and read it everyday.  You’ll be surprised at what happens.

“A dream not written down is merely a wish”.  Make your Dream a Goal!

Have a great day, John

Depression, Even Boomers Suffer From It

Depression, Even Boomers Suffer From It

Comments 0 Comment

As we goes through life our circumstances such as job, friends, death of someone close, family and relationships gradually change.  All these can cause Depression.  Most often depression effects us physically and well as emotionally.  Usually, it’s so subtle we don’t even notice it.  Then one day we find it getting harder and harder to even get out of bed. Some Boomers feel like they don’t know where they fit into the working world, their role in their family and society, and they worry about the future, retirement, and health.  They are entering into a time of life very different that anything they’ve ever experienced.  It’s difficult to have your body age and not being able to do things that used to be so easy.  If you think about it, your 50th birthday is truly the mark of middle age.  You have your life or less to live.

When it gets to that level, it’s time to do some soul searching and re-evaluating of your life.   Make sure you’re living life by your standards and expectations not someone else’s.  Ask yourself are you investing time in your relationships, and things that you enjoy, such as photography, music, hiking, running or exploring the world.

Depression, according to Merriam-Webster is, “a state of feeling sad : dejection (2) : a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies.”

So, what causes us to feel this way?  Webmd.com says, “Depression is an extremely complex disease. It occurs for a variety of reasons. Some people experience depression during a serious medical illness. Others may have depression with life changes such as a move or the death of a loved one. Still others have a family history of depression. Those who do may experience depression and feel overwhelmed with sadness and loneliness for no known reason.”

So, what do we do about these feelings?  Depending how severe it is, definitely see your doctor.  There are a wide variety of medications that can you you feel yourself again.  In addition, there are simple steps to help you start feeling better.

One of the most important things you can do, and it can be hard but well worth it, is to pull the Positive Thinking and Talking to Yourself card.  I can’t stress enough how important this is.  It’s up to you how you react to situations, what you believe in, what you believe you are and what you say to yourself and to others.  One of the most powerful quotes I’ve heard, and I use everyday is that “Thoughts Become Things”.  Our brains are Creating Machines, and WE decide what we Create with our Thoughts and Words.   Admittedly, this can be hard, especially if your depression is in your family genetics or a chemical imbalance.  That’s no reason to give up and not try to help yourself feel better!

Your quality of life is in your “hands” (brain, thoughts, words).  You are creating your Tomorrow with the thoughts and words you have Today!  Make your thoughts work For you rather than Against you.

Here is a great article from psychcentral.com to help you get started.  A better life awaits you!  Thanks for reading, John

After trying 23 medication combinations, 7 psychiatrists, two hospitalization programs, and every form of alternative therapy available–from homeopathic remedies to yoga, I assumed I was one of those unfortunate statistics with treatment-resistant depression, a Humpty-Dumpty type that would never recover from the fall of a nervous breakdown.

There was no magic that happened between then and now, the month my book about my recovery hits the shelves. I just kept on getting out of bed. Even on the days where my thoughts were cemented in the black stuff, in negativity and toxic emotions, I tried to pick up one foot and place it in front on the next.

Here are the tools I picked up along the way, the basic lessons that help me in my mission to stay Beyond Blue, or at least out of black for as long as possible.

1. Laugh.

From my 12 years of therapy I have learned at least one thing: I use sarcasm as a defense mechanism. But I’m keeping the jokes and the acerbic tone because Abe Lincoln and Art Buchwald, two of my mental health heroes, said wit was essential to sanity, that comedy can keep a person out of the psych ward (not really). And if you’re laughing, you’re not crying … even though the two look similar from 10 feet away.

2. Sweat.

As a recovering addict, I love any buzz I can get. Working out–any exercise that gets my heart rate over 140 beats per minute (into the cardiovascular zone) does the job. And in a safe way, so I don’t have to cheat on my sobriety. I’m probably as addicted to exercise as I was to booze, but this is one mood-altering activity that doesn’t deteriorate my marriage and my other relationships.

The right kind of exercise actually acts like an antidepressant: increasing the activity of serotonin and/or norepinephrine in your brain and releasing those coveted endorphins and other hormones that reduce pain, induce euphoria, have a calming effect, and combat stress.

3. Eat the right stuff.

The more I investigate–both through research and nonscientific experiments with body–the more I realize how my diet affects my mood.

Here are the bad boys: nicotine, caffeine (it’s a drug, which is why I’m addicted to it), alcohol, white flour and processed food (what you live on when you have kids who won’t touch tofu and spinach); and sugar … that’s a whole other blog post.

Here are the good guys: protein (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish, chicken, seeds, nuts); complex starches (whole grains, beans, potatoes); vegetables (broccoli, spinach, squash); vitamins (vitamin B-complex, vitamins E and C, and a multivitamin); minerals (magnesium, calcium, and zinc); and omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Sleep!

Sleep is crucial to sanity. Let me repeat: Sleep is crucial to sanity.

Because sleep disturbances can contribute to, aggravate, and even cause mood disorders and a host of other illnesses. You see, if you’re not sleeping, your brain doesn’t have an opportunity to do all the stuff it needs to do without the constant interruption of your thoughts. The brain works night shifts. And when it doesn’t get all the work it needs to do done … well, it gets a tad irritable, like you do when you can’t get your work done. And it takes it out on you.

According to one recent study, sleep deprivation can cause a decline in cognitive performance similar to the intoxicated brain. That’s right! Drunks can reason and judge better than you if you’ve gone too long without getting some zzzzs.

5. Light up.

Have you ever noticed all the crabby behavior in November and December?

Changes in the amounts of daylight a person gets alters circadian rhythms, the internal biological clock which governs fluctuation in body temperature and the secretion of several hormones, including the evil one, Cortisol. When a person gets less daylight than she needs, her circadian rhythm starts to act like a high-maintenance houseguest – getting all flustered over small stuff (i.e. the wrong kind of soap). That’s why light treatment is so effective for fragile human beings like me. If I can’t get outside for at least a half hour a day, I try to sit under my mammoth HappyLite, a lamp with 10,000 lux, and think happy thoughts.

6. Rely on friends.

I used to be a loyal support-group kind of girl. But since I’ve had kids, getting to meetings is much more difficult. So I’ve found my support in other ways–in phone calls and e-mails and visits to friends and relatives who also suffer from depression or bipolar disorder. That lifeline kept me alive during my suicidal days, and continues to empower me every single day.

During the darker days of my depression, I walked around with six phone numbers in my pocket. Because I didn’t want to wear out any one friend or relative, I’d call two people a day, and rotate the numbers. I spent hours on the phone and writing e-mails and visiting friends because I needed constant support.

(from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/01/25/6-steps-toward-freedom-from-depression/)