The Science of Happiness - An Experiment in Gratitude

Gratitude

Gratitude:

Browsing online, as I usually do at night for a little inspiration, I came across this short video produced by soulpancake.com's "Happiness Laboratory"

ABOVE!!

Watching it will emphasize the post I'm making, but if you choose not to... it is essentially a group of people who are put on the spot to express their gratitude to a person that they believe had the greatest impact in their lives.

You can't help but to imagine the person you would have chosen yourself when they begin reading aloud to their chosen friend or family member.

The "scientist" character hosting the tests then gives each subject a test like the one before the calls were made to test their happiness. The level of happiness in each person rose anywhere from 2-19%!!!

There seems to be this illusion in our culture of receiving. As though to understand happiness one has to receive something from another, whether it be emotional or physical.

Our friendships/relationships are too often rated by what we get out of them, not what we put into them. There is something really beautiful about being told thank you. To have gratitude poured over you. But, to show gratitude to another can offer similar results.

Beginnings

Something I always loved about the show "Wilfred" was the way each episode was based on one-word subjects. Look it up. It's a bit strange, but always had a valuable lesson in the end. Netflix, baby!

I suppose this is my way of doing something similar to that.

Appropriately, I have chosen the first word to be "beginnings".


Beginnings:

As of May 4th 2013 I was no longer a student. A convenient title to claim when someone is asking what your doing with your life. 15 years, and it was over. I was suddenly a full-fledged "adult". I could do what I want, go wherever I choose and be with whoever I want. One would expect the post-grad life would be exciting; boasting over exciting job opportunities, traveling without boundaries... one of the real "Eat Pray Love" journeys, if you get what I mean. But I didn't find that.

I am blessed. I have an apartment. I have a full-time job were I was recently promoted. Loving friends 5-10 minutes away at a moments notice. It's pleasant. Pleasant.....   Pleasant. My life is a pleasantry. Can I be blamed for desiring more than pleasant?

I don't care to find myself back-packing across Scotland or touring Europe drinking fine wines. I want a beginning that is fulfilling, enriching, exotic from where I stand.

I want to love another person uncontrollably, see the world differently each day and take in all that my twenties promised me. Recently, my greatest daily successes consist of finding a way to  split a $5 pizza from Little Caesars with a friend.

I'm ready to begin. I want to start taking my life and pulling it forward. I want to do something bold, crazy and unexpected.

For the first time since I graduated I had my breath taken away recently. I want that everyday. I want experiences that grab me by the chest and toss me into everything God has built this amazing life for.

I'm ready to begin.