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Activity #1 - "Elevator Ride"
Positive Psychology Patricia Sims
Activity Paper - #1 01/26/08
“Elevator Ride” – Self-Regulation
I heard recently that holding and petting a dog for fifteen minutes has the same physiological benefits as having sex (I assume they mean good sex). The following article says that sex is better than money in creating happiness. (What kind of lottery do you want to win now?)
Sex Better Than Money for Happiness.‘More Money Doesn't Mean More Sex, but More Sex Can Make You Feel Richer”
By Sid Kirchheimer
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
“After analyzing data on the self-reported levels of sexual activity and happiness of 16,000 people, Dartmouth College economist David Blachflower and Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick in England report that sex "enters so strongly (and) positively in happiness equations" that they estimate increasing intercourse from once a month to once a week is equivalent to the amount of happiness generated by getting an additional $50,000 in income for the average American.”
www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/quide/20061101
Compton states; “A number of studies have found that pets can enhance health in many ways, including lowering blood pressure, reducing rates of angina, and increasing longevity (Keil, 1988; Siegal, 1990). (p 113) I haven’t seen the stats on physical data after receiving $50,000.
At the risk of sounding pessimistic, I choose petting my dog for fifteen minutes to lift my mood and reduce stress. The main reason I’m going to stick with my dog is that she has no expectation of personal gain. She doesn’t wait around for reciprocation or get grumpy if it isn’t forthcoming. And, she certainly has no apparent desire for sex or money, so the back-rub is right up there at the top of her needs. Petting the dog is a win-win situation. My mood is lifted, her mood is lifted and we both think it’s funny. Because her sense of humor is right up there with mine.
My next strategy for mood elevation is to call my BFF – Rose. We have known each other for almost thirty years now. She’s knows how I’m doing before I even open my mouth and vice-versa. There’s not much b.s. that gets in the way of our conversations anymore. We can usually go straight to laughter within a couple of minutes. There is no way to measure the gift of a true friend or the benefits they bring.Rose pretty much sees the glass half-full, while I tend to notice the half-empty portion most quickly and for many folks this would block the relationship but Rose’s curiosity keeps her coming back; as does my cleverness with the written and spoken word. I also think my sense of humor makes my depression more palatable.
For limiting rumination, the incessant, self-talk” that feels like it will drive you to the brink of madness, my first choice is music – LOUD – and mood specific. Right after I left my alcoholic, abusive husband, one of my favorite songs to play - as loud as I could get it to go was “Goodbye Earl” by the Dixie Chicks:
“Well it wasn’t two weeks
After she got married that
Wanda started gettin abused
She put on dark glasses and long sleeved blouses
And make-up to cover a bruise
Well she finally got the nerve to file for divorce
She let the law take it from there
But earl walked right through that restraining order
And put her in intensive care
Right away mary anne flew in from atlanta
On a red eye midnight flight
She held wanda's hand as they
Worked out a plan
And it didn’t take long to decided
That earl had to die”
So, for me, the best way back from a bad mood is to grab my poodle, call my girlfriend, and belt out a mood-appropriate song – not necessarily in that order.
Last, but by no means least, is exercise. In order to “reduce physiological arousal” one first has to jack it up. It sounds counterintuitive, but the more I exercise – especially walk – the lower my blood pressure stays. As much as I hate to do it, it has to be done. Right now I am fairly limited in what I can do both physically and financially but fortunately there is one thing that works and is cheap – walking. I can include my dog, my girlfriend, and music – so it’s all good.