TA-DAH! Week 5

♫If You Feel Like Singing♫

#5 - Treat Yourself to Pleasure and Passion

I found this rather amazing:  Loretta writes, "In a study of ninety-six volunteers, Arthur Stone, Ph.D., a psychologist from the State University of New York, found that pleasant events such as dinner with friends or a weekend hike in the woods gave a boost to the immune system that lasted for two to three days.  In contrast, a stressful encounter such as an argument with a boss or spouse had a lesser effect, slightly depressing the immune system for just one day."  It seems the absence of ordinary pleasures has a worse effect on us than stress.

When my children were little I was really into playing my guitar.  As you see we'd "jam" sometimes.  Interestingly, the one on the drums went on to play the drums in the middle school band and then switched to the piano in high school and ended up getting a degree in music composition in college.  It is not his career now, but he has a band and so still keeps it a part of his life.  

We all need to find what gives us pleasure and make it a part of our daily lives, if possible.  I took up gardening once my youngest child became more independent at around age 2.  It was something I could nurture and gave me an outlet for my creativity.  Over the years I've found more interests and as I found the time added them to my "play time".  Your assignment this week is to allow yourself at least a few minutes EVERY day doing something you love--even if it's just soaking in the tub for 15 minutes--then let me know what kind of difference it made in your day.