People Who Grow Up Dancing Are Happier, Less Stressed And Smarter

Once you lace up your pointe shoes, there's nothing like the high of becoming one with the music.

Everything else in the world fades away when the music begins.

Your breathing coincides with each graceful movement, as your feet whisk you away across the dance floor.

Like “The Nutcracker,” every dance to a dancer seems like a magical fairytale… and we get to dance it.

Croise devant, demi plié and arabesque may seem like foreign terms to outsiders, but to dancers, these moves are within a beautiful language all their own.

Dance is not just a hobby or passion… it's a lifestyle.

From tiny tutus to the big leagues, we've danced our hearts out on stage in gorgeous leotards and costumes; we've dealt with all sorts of blisters on our feet.

The irreplaceable memories that have gotten us to where we are today show that the battle scars are well worth it.

Within the elegance of being a dancer, it's also an extreme workout.

Any dancer will tell whoever thinks dancing is not a sport that they’re completely wrong and encourage them to try dancing in our shoes for a day.

Professional dancer Shanna LaFleur once said:

It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.

Dancers grew up with each choreographed number being a magnificent work of art — the stage as their palette and each move, a vibrant color.

In addition to harnessing creativity, dance is an outlet to alleviate daily stresses and bring so much happiness to those who embrace it.

It's an incredible escape from reality, where you can lose yourself in the movements.

There's actually research that proves people who grew up as dancers are less stressed and happier.

According to Prevention, Swedish researchers conducted a study involving 112 female teens. Each of the girls was dealing with back and neck pain, anxiety, depression or stress.

Half of the studied teenagers were involved in dance classes each week, while the other half of the girls did not attend classes.

The results were very positive for the teens who incorporated dancing into their weekly routines.

Mental health was improved for these girls, and it was also reported they experienced a mood boost.

In a press release, lead study author Anna Dubert stated, “…dance can result in high adherence and a positive experience for the participants.”

Prevention goes on to say it's never too late to benefit from dancing, and you don't even have to be a prima ballerina to reap its rewards.

Enrolling in ballet, modern or lyrical classes after work/on the weekend is a great way to incorporate dancing into your life.

And soon enough, you'll be twirling down the pathway to happiness.

Psychology Today says dancing makes you happier than simply hitting up the gym or going for a run.

A study conducted at the University of London involved patients dealing with anxiety disorders.

They dedicated time to one of the following therapeutic environments: an exercise class, a modern-dance class, a math class or a music class.

Out of all the settings, the modern-dance class was the one environment that reduced anxiety a significant amount.

Author Vicki Baum once said:

There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.

Another benefit of dancing frequently is that it stimulates the mind and sharpens cognitive skills at every age.

Dancing stimulates different brain activities at the same time, including emotional, rational, kinesthetic and musical.

This increases the way your brain functions in a positive way.

Imagine that, a fun activity with a wealth of health benefits that keeps us in shape, makes us feel good and makes us smarter!

I’m a dancer, and I have done it all: ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, Irish, hip-hop and plain-old rocking it on the dance floor.

I have to say, I agree 100 percent with the conducted research. Dancing has all of these benefits and so much more.

When you’re a dancer, you can’t help but tip-tap under the table.

We have rhythm.

My motto has always been, if it feels right and it feels good, go for it! It's never too late in life to channel your inner dancer.

Happy feet are truly good for the mind, body and soul

Source:  By Alexa Mellardo

http://elitedaily.com/life/people-grow-up-dancing-happier-less-stressed-smarter/1091883/

I agree 100% with all of that - love dancing - and you?

Happier People Healthier Planet

It was a beautiful day and I was enjoying riding my bike along a quiet cycle track, with trees and hedges on either side and birds singing.

Suddenly, a thought came to me: most of the things that really make us feel good are things that don't harm the environment - like cycling, chatting with friends, gardening, getting lost in a book, singing, helping a local charity, sharing a joke.

What an interesting idea to explore, I thought.

The result, was Happier People Healthier Planet: How putting wellbeing first would help sustain life on Earth. And writing it turned into a fascinating journey of discovery of unexpected connections between all sorts of diverse issues.

The more I read about wellbeing research - and also about climate change and other environmental threats - the more I saw a paradox. We are destroying the Earth's ecological systems with our insatiable demand for goods and energy, even though having more and more stuff doesn't really make us happy. 

On one hand it was alarming to realise that almost every product we purchase, however small, contributes to environmental destruction. But on the other it was really heartening to learn how much the foundations of true wellbeing lie in things that can't be bought - like good relationships, learning skills, being creative, feeling part of a community, thinking about the needs of others, and spending time in natural surroundings.


If this was understood more widely and used as the guiding principle of our personal lives and government policies, it could clearly offer us the route away from the abyss of environmental destruction - as well as the means to create a happier world.

It's true that buying new possessions does give us a pleasurable buzz - but that buzz soon passes. The satisfaction from buying stuff doesn't last nearly as long, or mean nearly as much, as the satisfaction of a new friendship made, a picture painted or a shelf put up.


So the core message of Happier People Healthier Planet is that we urgently need to turn our attention away from buying and selling and private profit, towards developing the human qualities, personal skills and social conditions that make for deep-down, long-lasting enjoyment and satisfaction in life.

This message sounds simple, but the relationship between personal well-being and environmental sustainability is actually quite complex.

For example, happier people will, on the whole, be content to consume less. Why? Because what motivates much of our excess consumption is the desire to boost our image in the eyes of others. So huge quantities of clothes, household enhancements, gadgets, cosmetics and so on constantly fly off the shelves. This buying behaviour is much less likely by individuals who are comfortable with themselves as they are - and self-acceptance is a vital aspect of wellbeing.

Another common motivation for shopping is trying to mend or overcome unhappiness. Who knows how many pairs of shoes, glossy magazines, continental weekend breaks, or other "treats" are purchased as retail therapy for unhappy people trying to get away from uncomfortable emotions.

Yet a walk in the park or on the beach, putting on a CD and dancing wildly, or writing a diary might very well lift the spirits just as effectively - and at virtually no cost to the environment.

There are also many positive reasons why greater wellbeing is likely to help people to live more eco-friendly lives: happier people have been found to be more realistic and have greater self-control, so happiness gives some protection from impulse buying. 

And experiencing mostly positive emotions, another important element of wellbeing, enables us to see the bigger picture, while negative emotions tend to narrow our attention. Thus being happy in ourselves makes it easier for us to take on board the bigger, more distant implications of our personal behaviours - such as how our decisions to drive, fly, take the bus or train, or walk, will impact on the wider environment. 

While researching my book I conducted a study of people who actively choose to live lives of relative material modesty. These people show how fulfilment can often arrive unsought, simply from pursuing a range of non-materialistic concerns.

Their stories and insights illustrate just how much connecting with people and with nature, active engagement, living mindfully and purposefully, being physically active and appreciating and enjoying small details really are the very stuff of happiness.

Although it wasn't necessarily easy, these "modest consumers" also had the satisfaction of knowing that they were making responsible choices.

One of them explained to me why he lived the way he did:

"Because 'more' isn't better. Because I hate waste and greed, and [possessions] are weighty and unsatisfying while nature is free, generous, delightful and uplifting. Because consuming only what I find I need reduces my carbon footprint and allows me to feel good about myself and my place in this environment"

Source:  Teresa Belton
http://www.actionforhappiness.org/news/happier-people-healthier-planet