Sleeping And Smiling Your Way To A Great Heart

Researchers recently followed 15,000 people for 14 years. They found that those with a healthy lifestyle (exercise, nutritious diet, moderate alcohol, no smoking) had a 67 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease. But if the also got 7 or more hours of sleep a night, they had an 83 percent lower risk.

Scientists asked a group of people at risk for heart disease to complete a test that measured well-being, optimism, and life satisfaction. After following the participants for 25 years, the researchers found that the happiest and most optimistic people had 1/3 of the heart disease risk of the others.

Much Tastier Than Tree Hugging

"When people hear I'm a vegetarian, they always assume I'm into other kinds of activism. 'Oh, you're a vegetarian. Do you care about the environment?' No. I eat the environment. It's made of vegetables." - Myq Kaplan

United United States Of America

"It's the most important battle of the 21st century, whether what we have in common is more important than their differences." - Bill Clinton

Americans are much more similar than different. We love our freedoms, our resources, our social and career opportunities. We have to manage limited resources. We can do it together. We can do it with respect. We can keep our frustrations private and our teamwork public. We can do this!

Maximum Security Dentist

After cleaning my five-year-old patient's teeth, I accompanied him to the reception area, only to see him struggle with the oak door.

"It's heavy, isn't it?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "Is that so children can't escape?"

- Jennifer Sloetjes

Spending Today

"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe

Any worries on your mind? Anything you can do about them today that moves toward a solution? Is it a big enough worry to actually do those things? Then do them. Rest in the satisfaction that you've done the best you could today. And tonight, sleep with an empty mind.

Giving Thanks By Giving Help

It's one thing to say, "Yeah, thanks, I'm grateful and fortunate," but it's something else entirely to live gratefully. That's what my mom did. Every day she asked, "How can I live with gratitude today? Who can I help today?" - Tressel

I'm in a fortunate position to be able to help young people by coaching, teaching and singing. The freedom, the availability, the talents to be able to do this are amazing blessings. There are so many other little opportunities to help. Walking through the grocery store, someone drops a can of tuna. Pulling up to a stop light, someone else wants to pull into traffic from a side street. Few things match the sensation of taking advantage of an opportunity to help someone in need.

Happiness Equation

"It is impossible to be grateful and unhappy at the same time."

A morning cupful of coffee is nice. A morning mindful of gratitude is better. What simpler equation could there be. Want happiness, be thankful. Cancel out the subtraction of anger with the addition of a good blessings-counting.