Hábitos de la gente feliz ;) #Felizsanjueves #paloconestopodemos

They surround themselves with other happy people.
Joy is contagious. Researchers of the Framingham Heart Study who investigated the spread of happiness over 20 years found that those who are surrounded by happy people “are more likely to become happy in the future.” This is reason enough to dump the Debbie Downers and spend more time with uplifting people.
They smile when they mean it.
Even if you’re not feeling so chipper, cultivating a happy thought -- and then smiling about it -- could up your happiness levels and make you more productive, according to a study published in the Academy of Management Journal. It’s important to be genuine with your grin: The study revealed that faking a smile while experiencing negative emotions could actually worsen your mood.
They cultivate resilience.

According to psychologist Peter Kramer, resilience, not happiness, is the opposite of depression: Happy people know how to bounce back from failure. Resilience is like a padding for the inevitable hardship human beings are bound to face. As the Japanese proverb goes, “Fall seven times and stand up eight.”
They try to be happy.
Yep -- it’s as simple as it sounds: just trying to be happy can boost your emotional well-being, according to two studies recently published in The Journal of Positive Psychology. Those who actively tried to feel happier in the studies reported the highest level of positive moods, making a case for thinking yourself happy.
They are mindful of the good.
It’s important to celebrate great, hard-earned accomplishments, but happy people give attention to their smaller victories, too. “When we take time to notice the things that go right -- it means we’re getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day,” Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D. told The Huffington Post in May. “That can help with our moods.” And, as Frank Ghinassi, Ph.D. explains, being mindful of the things that do go your way (even something as simple as the barista getting your coffee order right) can make you feel a greater sense of accomplishment throughout the day.
They appreciate simple pleasures.

 A meticulously swirled ice cream cone. An boundlessly waggy dog. Happy people take the time to appreciate these easy-to-come-by pleasures. Finding meaning in the little things, and practicing gratitude for all that you do have is associated with a sense of overall gladness.
They devote some of their time to giving.
Even though there are only 24 hours in a day, positive people fill some of that time doing good for others, which in return, does some good for the do-gooders themselves. A long-term research project called Americans’ Changing Lives found a bevy of benefits associated with altruism: “Volunteer work was good for both mental and physical health. People of all ages who volunteered were happier and experienced better physical health and less depression,” reported Peggy Thoits, the leader of one of the studies.
Givers also experience what researchers call “the helper’s high,” a euphoric state experienced by those engaged in charitable acts. “This is probably a literal “high,” similar to a drug-induced high,” writes Christine L. Carter, Ph.D. “The act of making a financial donation triggers the reward center in our brains that is responsible for dopamine-mediated euphoria.”
They let themselves lose track of time. (And sometimes they can’t help it.)

When you’re immersed in an activity that is simultaneously challenging, invigorating and meaningful, you experience a joyful state called “flow.” Happy people seek this sensation of getting “caught up” or “carried away,” which diminishes self-consciousness and promotes the feelings associated with success. As explained by Pursuit-of-happiness.org, “In order for a Flow state to occur, you must see the activity as voluntary, enjoyable (intrinsically motivating), and it must require skill and be challenging (but not too challenging) with clear goals towards success.”
They nix the small talk for deeper conversation.
Nothing wrong with shootin' the you-know-what every now and then, but sitting down to talk about what makes you tick is a prime practice for feeling good about life. A study published in Psychological Science found that those who take part in more substantive conversation and less trivial chit chat experienced more feelings of satisfaction.
"I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings," is one of the top five regrets of the dying -- a sentiment that hints at the fact that people wish they'd spent less time talking about the weather and more time delving into what it is that makes their heart swell.
They spend money on other people.

Maybe money does buy happiness. A study published in Science found that spending money on other people has a more direct impact on happiness than spending money on oneself.
They make a point to listen.
"When you listen you open up your ability to take in more knowledge versus blocking the world with your words or your distracting thoughts," writes David Mezzapelle, author of Contagious Optimism. "You are also demonstrating confidence and respect for others. Knowledge and confidence is proof that you are secure and positive with yourself thus radiating positive energy." Good listening is a skill that strengthens relationships and leads to more satisfying experiences. A good listener may walk away from a conversation feeling as if their presence served a purpose, an experience that is closely connected with increased well-being.
They uphold in-person connections.
It’s quick and convenient to text, FaceTime and tweet at your buddies. But spending the money on a flight to see your favorite person across the country has weight when it comes to your well-being. "There's a deep need to have a sense of belonging that comes with having personal interactions with friends," says John Cacioppo, Ph.D., the director of the Center of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. Social media, while it keeps us in touch, doesn't allow us to physically touch, which harvests the warm-and-fuzzies and even decreases feelings of anxiety.
They look on the bright side.

Optimism touts plenty of health benefits, including less stress, a better tolerance for pain and, as HuffPost Healthy Living recently reported, longevity among those with heart disease. When you choose to see the silver lining, you're also choosing health and happiness.
Seligman summed up perhaps the greatest characteristic of the optimist in one of his most acclaimed books, Learned Optimism:

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events will last a long time, will undermine everything they do, and are their own fault. The optimists, who are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world, think about misfortune in the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this one case. The optimists believe defeat is not their fault: Circumstances, bad luck, or other people brought it about. Such people are unfazed by defeat. Confronted by a bad situation, they perceive it as a challenge and try harder.

They value a good mixtape.

Music is powerful. So powerful, in fact, that it could match up to the anxiety-reducing effects of massage therapy. Over a three month period, researchers from the Group Health Research Institute found that patients who simply listened to music had the same decreased anxiety symptoms as those who got 10 hour-long massages. Choosing the right tunes could be an important factor, however, as a happy or sad song can also affect the way we perceive the world. In one experiment where researchers asked subjects to identify happy or sad faces while listening to music, the participants were more likely to see the faces that matched the "mood" of the music. Click here for a few of our favorite mood-boosting jams.

They unplug.
Whether by meditating, taking a few deep breaths away from the screen or deliberately disconnecting from electronics, unplugging from our hyper-connected world has proven advantages when it comes to happiness. Talking on your cell could increase your blood pressure and raise your stress levels, while uninterrupted screen time has been linked to depression and fatigue. Technology isn't going away, but partaking in some kind of a digital detox gives your brain the opportunity to recharge and recover, which -- bonus -- could increase your resilience.
They get spiritual.

Studies point to a link between religious and spiritual practice and mirth. For one, happiness habits like expressing gratitude, compassion and charity are generally promoted in most spiritual conventions. And, asking the big questions helps to give our lives context and meaning. A 2009 study found that children who felt their lives had a purpose (which was promoted by a spiritual connection) were happier.
Spirituality offers what the 20th-century sociologist Emile Durkheim referred to as "sacred time," which is a built-in, unplugging ritual that elicits moments of reflection and calm. As Ellen L. Idler, Ph.D., writes in "The Psychological and Physical Benefits of Spiritual/Religious Practices,":

The experience of sacred time provides a time apart from the “profane time” that we live most of our lives in. A daily period of meditation, a weekly practice of lighting Sabbath candles, or attending worship services, or an annual retreat in an isolated, quiet place of solitude all of these are examples of setting time apart from the rush of our everyday lives. Periods of rest and respite from work and the demands of daily life serve to reduce stress, a fundamental cause of chronic diseases that is still the primary causes of death in Western society. Transcendent spiritual and religious experiences have a positive, healing, restorative effect, especially if they are “built in,” so to speak, to one’s daily, weekly, seasonal, and annual cycles of living

They make exercise a priority.
A wise, albeit fictional Harvard Law School student once said, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy." Exercise has been shown to ease symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, thanks to the the various brain chemicals that are released that amplify feelings of happiness and relaxation. Plus, working out makes us appreciate our bodies more. One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that exercise improved how people felt about their bodies -- even if they didn’t lose weight or achieve noticeable improvements.
They go outside.
Want to feel alive? Just a 20-minute dose of fresh air promotes a sense of vitality, according to several studies published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. "Nature is fuel for the soul, " says Richard Ryan, Ph.D, the lead author of the studies. "Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature." And while most of us like our coffee hot, we may prefer our serving of the great outdoors at a more lukewarm temperature: A study on weather and individual happiness unveiled 57 degrees to be the optimal temperature for optimal happiness.
They spend some time on the pillow.

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed isn't just a myth. When you're running low on zzs, you're prone to experience lack of clarity, bad moods and poor judgment. "A good night's sleep can really help a moody person decrease their anxiety," Dr. Raymonde Jean, director of sleep medicine and associate director of critical care at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center told Health.com. "You get more emotional stability with good sleep."
They LOL.
You've heard it before: Laughter is the best medicine. In the case of The Blues, this may hold some truth. A good, old-fashioned chuckle releases happy brain chemicals that, other than providing the exuberant buzz we seek, make humans better equipped to tolerate both pain and stress.
And you might be able to get away with counting a joke-swapping session as a workout (maybe). "The body's response to repetitive laughter is similar to the effect of repetitive exercise," explained Dr. Lee Berk, the lead researcher of a 2010 study focused on laughter's effects on the body. The same study found that some of the benefits associated with working out, like a healthy immune system, controlled appetite and improved cholesterol can also be achieved through laughter.

They walk the walk.

Ever notice your joyful friends have a certain spring in the step? It's all about the stride, according to research conducted by Sara Snodgrass, a psychologist from Florida Atlantic University.
In the experiment, Snodgrass asked participants to take a three-minute walk. Half of the walkers were told to take long strides while swinging their arms and holding their heads high. These walkers reported feeling happier after the stroll than the other group, who took short, shuffled steps as they watched their feet.

¿Qué es el éxito? Palo lo sabe de sobra, y esta definición lo corrobora.

                                              ¿Qué es el éxito? Por Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Reir a menudo y mucho; ganar el respeto de gente inteligente y el cariño de los niños, conseguir el aprecio de críticos honestos y aguantar la traición de falsos amigos; apreciar la belleza; encontrar lo mejor de los demás; dejar el mundo un poco mejor, sea con los niños que educas, con una huerta o ayudando a resolver una injusticia social; saber que por lo menos una vida ha respirado mejor porque tú has vivido. Eso es tener ÉXITO."

Hapiness is a Choice.... Hoy en inglés la maravillosa historia de Enzo, empleado de Coca Cola en Atlanta

On the morning of May 18, 2010, Enzo Piscopo’s alarm clock went off, signaling the start of another work day. Moments later, excruciating pain shot through his back.

“I screamed so loud that I probably woke up the whole neighborhood,” he recalls.

That scream marked the end of one chapter in Enzo’s life and the beginning of another. A herniated disc had ruptured and become encrusted in his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors said he’d likely never walk again.

Going through physical therapy in Atlanta.

The last three years have been a challenging, but equally rewarding, journey for Enzo, a Coca-Cola employee since 1996.

He has gone through intense physical therapy and rehabilitation, relearning everyday tasks he previously took for granted and acclimating to life in a wheelchair.

That scream, Enzo adds, also marked the beginning of a life full of intensities. Intense pain. Intense emotion. Intense love and friendship. Intense gratitude. Intense strength and inspiration.

And, above all, intense learning about what it means to be happy.

“These lessons have opened my heart in a way that have made me the happiest I’ve ever been,” the 46-year-old says. “I’ve learned that happiness is not a standard feeling. It has many colors and many shapes. You can’t force happiness... you have to mold it yourself.”

Nearly every day, someone asks Enzo how he can be so optimistic, so cheerful, after such a life-altering injury. It’s a question, he admits, he’s asked himself more than a few times.

With his wife and twin daughters.

One particular conversation changed Enzo’s outlook, he explains. A few weeks after his injury, he was talking to his wife in his hospital room. He was just beginning to process what had happened. Instead of focusing on what he had, he zero-ed in on what he thought he’d lost.

“Feelings of depression were starting to invade every corner of my heart,” he adds.

His wife grabbed him and told him the things that mattered most to them were still intact, and that they would continue to follow their dreams and do everything they love to do, including traveling.

“That conversation has been the pillar of me succeeding in this journey,” he says. “I was reminded that I have the most wonderful wife. I have four beautiful and healthy kids. I have the love of my parents, sisters, friends and co-workers. I live in a great country. I work for the best company in the world. And the list goes on.”

Enzo, who returned to work at Coke three months after his injury, insists that happiness is a choice.

Here are five key lessons he has learned over the last few years:

1)      Be Choiceful. “You can find millions of reasons to either be happy or unhappy in your life. The choice is yours. Many people who seemingly have everything are miserable. By the same token, some of the poorest people in the world are deeply happy. The key is prioritizing the things that really matter. You have to stop and smell the roses. Today I make a conscious effort to digest and enjoy all the ‘little things’ that make me happy – such as singing and laughing with my kids. Before my injury, I had a perfect life, but took many things for granted. I constantly challenged myself and looked for the next best thing… a better job, a better house, a stronger relationship with my wife. I still want to improve and grow as a person in all aspects of my life, but I’m now much more focused on enjoying the abundance I already have.”

With Noah, a young softball player he coaches.

2)      Be Patient. “My disability has made me a much more patient person. For example, getting ready in the morning takes much longer than it did before – up to 90 minutes from the time I wake up until I leave the house. And I now use a wheelchair lift to reach our second-floor bedroom. It goes back to making choices: I can either be bitter and complain, or take a deep breath, enjoy the ride and refuse to let impatience poison my day.”

3)      Be Empathetic. “My ‘new’ life has opened my eyes and inspired me to coach a softball team for disabled kids. My kids also have learned to accept – not judge – people for their differences. They are more sensitive and open to people from all walks of life. Each of my four kids has responded differently to my disability. My oldest daughter, for example, has not cut me any slack on my responsibilities as a dad. To her, my wheelchair is irrelevant. And that has been great for helping me realize I’m not disabled... I’m just unable to walk. I’m still able to be a responsible dad and husband, and an effective and efficient employee.”

“I’ve learned that happiness is not a standard feeling,' Enzo says. 'It has many colors and many shapes.'

4)      Be Brave. “When I got out of Shepherd, I had to muster the courage to do the things I’ve always loved to do. At the top of that list was traveling. Soon after returning to work at Coke, I took a project assignment in Dubai. Taking a 15-hour flight without being able to get up to use the bathroom and visiting an unfamiliar country was a big deal! But I asked myself, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?' I love traveling and my job, so I decided the potential reward far outweighed the risk. I went, and it was great. Since then, I’ve traveled to Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela – where I’m from – for business and pleasure. And I’m getting ready to leave for Japan and China in a few weeks."

5)      Be Generous. “When I look around at everything I have, I have no right to complain. In fact, I have a responsibility to give back. I learned this first-hand at the Shepherd Center, where I met Father Thomas, a priest from Uganda. He’s in a wheelchair due to an injury similar to mine. After a motorcycle accident, he did not go through rehab and spent two years in bed. He couldn’t work. He didn’t have an appropriate wheelchair and lived in a place that was not wheelchair accessible. Thanks to the immense heart of an angel named Mary and many others, mountains were moved to bring Father Thomas to Shepherd. And in just a few weeks, he learned all the basic skills needed to return home and not only live life with dignity, but also to become a productive human being again. Meeting Father Thomas and realizing how fortunate I am triggered an uncontrollable urge to pay it forward. My wife and I started a nonprofit organization called The Happiness is a Choice Foundation to help victims of spinal cord injuries in the underprivileged world integrate into their communities and become productive again.

And earlier this year, I came up with the idea to help everyone reap the benefits of giving through simple acts of kindness – anything from volunteering at a local soup kitchen to handing a gift card to a person in need. I organized the International Day of Paying it Forward and set the date for tomorrow, October 8^th. So far, 160 people have accepted my invitation on Facebook… that’s 160 acts of kindness we would not have had before. I invite everyone who reads this to join us!”

Porque lo mejor está por llegar...

#paloconestopodemos

De luchadoras a luchadora! Hoy el campeonato de España de Rugby femenino sabe que #Paloconestopodemos

Gracias Amaia por acordarte de Palo y gracias a tu equipazo, selección femenina de rugby de nuestra tierra que participó en la foto!!!! Para nosotros sois las ganadoras.

Feliz martes!

"NUNCA DEJÉIS DE CREER EN VOSOTROS MISMOS Y NO PERMITAIS NUNCA QUE ALGUIEN OS DIGA, QUE NO SOIS CAPACES DE HACER CUALQUIER COSA QUE OS PROPONGÁIS. NUNCA DEJÉIS DE SOÑAR´´

Un precioso ejemplo que nos envía Manuel Arroyo:


Queridos amigos, 
Quería dedicaros estos dos vídeos. 
Todos nos encontramos retos a diario. A veces, hasta las cosas mas pequeñas, las barreras mas mínimas se nos hacen montañas. Pero hay veces que tenemos la suerte de encontrar a alguien que nos ayuda a poner la perspectiva adecuada. 

Ramón es un enfermo de esclerosis múltiple al que la enfermedad le sorprendió con apenas 30 años de edad. Todo un futuro truncado ya que esta enfermedad degenerativa y sin cura puede acabar en una vejez relativamente normal o muchas veces paralizado completamente a los 40 años. Una de las pocas certidumbres de esta enfermedad es que poco después de cada episodio (infartos cerebrales) al comprobar que hay una nueva zona del cuerpo que no obedece a las ordenes de tu cerebro, tras una fase de las clásicas preguntas de "por que yo, por que a mí?", suelen caer en profundas fases de depresión.

La historia de Ramón arranco un sábado  otro sábado triste y aburrido frente al televisor, sin ganas de hacer nada ni de estar con nadie, ya que, por otra parte, sus 105 kilos ya no le permitían poner en problemas a la mitad del equipo nacional de ski tal y como hizo solo 10 años antes.
Ese sábado  Borja, su hijo mayor de 4 años, cansado de las negativas, le dijo a su padre: "Papa, porque estas siempre triste? Es que no te diviertes jugando conmigo? Esas palabras tuvieron el efecto de un electro-shock. Ese dia Ramon decidió levantarse del sofa y ponerse a correr....sin parar.... Todo el mundo le dijo que no debía ...incluyendo ese medico que predijo que no seria capaz ni de correr 200 metros. Excepto Inma, la misma que a los pocos meses de haber empezado el noviazgo con Ramon cuando supo del diagnostico de la enfermedad, decidió casarse con Ramon a pesar de saber que tendría una alta probabilidad de acabar cuidando de un minusvalido el resto de su vida. 

 La historia de Ramon es una historia de coraje, de raza, de corazon y de liderazgo, pero sobre todo de generosidad. Lo que empezo como un reto egoista para demostrarle a un medico de cuerpos pero un cancer de motivaciones que estaba completamente equivocado, acabo en una proeza con el único fin de sacar a esos cientos de miles de "Ramones" que no hay tiempo que perder y que con optimismo, determinación y trabajo duro se puede conseguir cualquier cosa, te diga quien te diga que no es posible. 

Ramon Arroyo es mi hermano menor. Y un ejemplo "mayor" para mi y para toda nuestra familia que siempre nos iluminara para conseguir lo que nos propongamos poniendo mucha relatividad a lo que nos parecen en el dia a dia "problemas" o "dificultades". 
 Espero que os guste el video (y para los "Coca-Cola) solo aclararos que el sponsorship de Powerade lo financio al 100% su hermano Manolo que se encargo de comprarle el cambio electronico de la bicicleta. 




GRACIAS MANUEL POR EL MARAVILLOSO TESTIMONIO, Y DESDE AQUÍ NUESTRA ADMIRACIÓN A TU HERMANO RAMÓN, GENTE COMO ÉL NOS INSPIRA PARA SEGUIR LUCHANDO.



Informe Robinson de ramon