Γιατί το άγχος να καθορίζει τη ζωή μας; (Άρθρο στον Πολίτη)

Επηρεάζει όλους, σε μικρότερο ή μεγαλύτερο βαθμό. Στις προσπάθειές μας για διαχείρισή του δεν πρέπει να ξεχνάμε ότι πρόκειται για μια πολυσύνθετη κατάσταση –διαφορετική για τον καθένα μας- η οποία απαιτεί εξίσου πολύπλευρη και συστηματική αντιμετώπιση.

 

Διάβασε ολόκληρο το άρθρο http://politis.com.cy/article/giati-to-agchos-na-kathorizi-ti-zoi-mas-tropi-diachirisis-tou
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4 surprising reasons why you should smile more!

“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do” Mother Teresa said, and she couldn’t be more right. Although it might be clear by now that smiling is way more than a contraction of muscles in our face, there are some fascinating facts on smiling we overlook.

 

It drastically and instantly makes you feel better!

Smiling releases dopamine and serotonin in the brain, sparking a feeling of happiness. The level of endorphins –the so-called happy hormones- increases when we smile too. Endorphins are the body’s natural pain medication; they alleviate pain, lower stress level, boost up your mood and increase feelings of pleasure.
Interestingly, smiling stimulates the brain’s reward mechanisms. A study conducted in the UK found that a smile can bring the same level of stimulation to our brain as 2,000 bars of chocolate or £16,000!
In short, when you smile your brain feels happy, and when your brain feels happy you feel happy!

 

It benefits your health!

Smiling lowers blood pressure and heart rate. It decreases stress hormones and strengthens our immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells.

 

It boosts your social life!

Social interactions are a vital part of our life, and smiling facilitates those. Research has shown that:
1) We are more willing to engage socially with people who are smiling,
2) People who smile are perceived as more approachable, friendly and attractive, and
3) People who smile are rated as more trustworthy than people with non smiling facial expressions.

 

Fake smiling brings the exact same effects as genuine smiling!

The brain doesn’t differentiate between a real smile and a fake one, as it interprets the positioning of the facial muscles in the same way. Putting a smile on your face, whether genuine or fake, releases the same chemicals in the brain, thus bringing the same benefits. When you force yourself to smile, your brain is tricked into thinking that you’re actually happy. The result is no other than feeling happier! Try smiling next time you’re in a traffic jam, when mad at your kid or when you wake up feeling anxious about your day. Fake it till you make it!
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Hani, Syrian refugee

A beautiful human who represents what living positively is about.

Cyprus, 3 days before Christmas. My car breaks down on my way to work. Many people offer their help. Hani, the man in the picture, is one of them. He doesn't only help at that very moment though; he soon comes back to check whether the roadside service has come and whether I'll get into trouble for being late. As we spend some time talking, I see more than a kind person. It’s not only about his positive energy and tranquility; Hani has this constant smile on his face, the purest and most genuine I've ever seen on a grown-up. I ask him where he is from; "Syria" he replies. I know already that there's a lot more to admire behind this smile.

A couple of weeks later Hani, along with his wife and 4 children, opens his door to me and journalist M.Louvari to share his story, with us and with anyone who would be interested in as much as we were.

Hani is a mosaic maker, following his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. Up until 5 years ago he was a man enjoying his business, family and life. "I loved joy, I loved my friends, I loved my life". Hani saw his whole life changing radically when the war in his country started. Like millions of people, he experienced everything war brings with it: Fear for his own and loved ones’ safety, agony, incarceration, hardships, struggle for survival. The pain was already indescribable when 1.5 years ago Hani faced a devastating loss; a bomb hit the house he had proudly built for all his family to live in, killing about 20 family members. “I don’t know what to tell my children when they ask me where our family is”.

All of what had been considered given was gone. War might have taken almost everything away, but there was one thing Hani kept intact: His hope.

Describing his way to Turkey, as well as the difficulties he faced and the help he received until he managed to come to Cyprus with his family, Hani keeps using one phrase: "Do good and good will come to you." His new life in Cyprus is profoundly different than the life he used to live all these years before the war hit.  However, Hani sees this from a different perspective: Cyprus is his second home, and even though a big part is missing, "I am lucky that I left, I don't live under anxiety anymore". I point out how adjusting to a new country is still not easy and give the example of learning a new language which he has done very well, but Hani says: "We all have strength, there is no one who cannot find strength within them; it all depends on how much you want something".

His children -aged 16, 14, 6 and 2- are gradually adapting to the new environment. It is easier for the younger than it is for the older ones, although his 6-year old girl still gets agitated upon hearing a loud noise. Hani explains she still thinks that loud noises mean that bombs are falling. I can see the concern on his face, but he smiles at her as he tells me: "She is strong. If she got over the nightmares after watching her friends getting killed next to her, I know she will get over this too".

As I look at his sweet, so unique, smile throughout the interview I realize that what’s special about this man is not his strength –he is right, we all have incredible strength within us. It’s rather his positive attitude during all he’s been through that’s so admirable.

What is it that keeps you smiling, Hani?”

As long as my kids are alive and there's food on the table for them I feel like a king. I see what tomorrow brings; I focus on what I have today”.

"I see what tomorrow brings. I focus on what I have today."

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Wishing happy new year?

If I could sum up my own and many of my clients’ experience over the past year, in terms of happiness and what can make a lasting positive impact on life, that would be:

*Trust life, trust the journey.
Let go of the idea of perfect life. Accept and appreciate life for what it is, instead. See the value behind and allow yourself to grow through mistakes made, bad events, bad periods in life. Let life show you why you should be thankful that things did work out the way you planned or wanted to. Let your wrong choices lead you to the right ones and then let yourself be thankful for them.

*Work on loving yourself.
No, it’s not about admiring yourself in the mirror. It’s about valuing yourself for who you are, sticking to your values, attending to your needs, taking care of yourself, and not settling for less than what makes you feel good.

*Dream. Own your dreams.
Realize your dreams, believe you can reach them, follow and work towards them. Be careful not to get caught up in others’ dreams. Your dreams should fill YOU up with passion, make YOU feel alive, make YOU feel fulfilled. It doesn’t matter what these dreams are and how they change over time; just make sure you own them.

Experiencing happiness doesn’t actually have to do with a certain time in life, certain things or certain external conditions. It’s within us, and we’ve got every minute of our life to work on our self, change our perspective and start fresh!

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