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NEW AUTHORS SHOWCASE
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6M P6 |
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Simply Happy By Eduard Cornet |
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I have written a book called ‘Simply happy’. One of my reasons for writing this book, is that I see a lot of tense people – in stores, in the streets, in trains etcetera. These people are apparently unhappy, while I am feeling quite well. I have come to the conclusion that their unhappiness has to do with stress. Many situations in our community (aggression, drug abuse, vandalism etc.) are caused by stress. Another problem of our time is that most people are in a hurry, because they want too much, or they have too many things to do at the same time. There is, for example, a large increase in the number of ‘ready to eat’ meals. By making the wrong choices, people simply do not have the time for cooking anymore. Unfortunately there are much more examples! The book contains 9 chapters: 1 Home (see below) 2 Sleep 3 Money 4 Food 5 Nature 6 Music 7 Appearance 8 Making choices 9 Time (busy, busy, busy …) I explain in each chapter how people can become happier through simple things. For more details, visit my website: http://www.simplyhappy.
HOME
There is nothing so important as your home. A place where you feel at ease, a place of which you can say: “I am home again”, or “It is good to come home.” (e.g. after a vacation) You can make your home nice and comfortable. First you would be thinking about your living room, but you feel a whole lot better if the other rooms are decorated nicely too (that includes the toilet too!)
Furthermore it is good (for yourself, but others too) when your home is nice and tidy. Apart from the organized spaces looking much more tidy it is much easier for yourself because you don’t have to look for a lot of things. Flowers and plants make your house bloom and give more relaxation (proven !). It is important, though, that they are cared for properly (plants that are not treated well look so sad !). And flowers and plants like fresh air just as much as we do. Therefore it is important to have good air ventilation ( by that I don’t mean artificial, but “real” fresh air, from an open window, for instance).
When I think about a comfortable home I always think about objects on the wall. This can be anything: posters, photo’s, paintings, hanging plants, etcetera. A comfortable home is not only nice for yourself, but also for your visitors. I know then that it is a good thing, if people take their shoes off or stretch their legs on the couch; I know they feel at ease just like they are at home.
What I spoke earlier about is the couch. It plays a very important role. It is where you spend most of your time on (that is, the most of us). If it is for watching television, listening to music, knitting: it has to be comfortable to sit on. Therefore a comfortable couch is always a very good investment !
Even if you don’t really need them, there are still a number of devices that can make your life easier. Earlier I mentioned music and television (and maybe a Digital Video Disc-player (DVD)). Music is very important for me. My stereo set is always playing (except when I am working and need to concentrate). Music mostly has a positive effect on my mood. The same goes for television, although this medium can also have a negative influence. Other appliances like a washing machine, a microwave oven, a deep freezer etcetera are very handy. They win a lot of time for you and also the sound of an operating washing machine gives me a feeling of being ‘at home’.
A good telephone is very handy, too. My telephone can store a lot of numbers (very convenient !) And it has an answering machine, to record incoming calls etcetera. An Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is also very handy, you can use your telephone with a fixed connection and in the same time use the Internet. A good computer is very handy!
And so I wrote this book on my computer, which, with a good text program, will save me a lot of time. Also I use this computer and my Assymetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) - Internet connection for Internet banking which saves a lot of time – time that I can spend doing nice things. And ‘surfing’ on the Internet can be a pleasant way to spend your time.
Light is very important. Light has a positive effect on your mood. However, the amount of light you get inside the house is much less than you get outside. Even on a cloudy day the light outside has a value of 5000 lux. In most living rooms the value is about 300 lux.
The ‘biological clock’ starts functioning from 1000 lux onwards. Therefore people who do not spend enough time outdoors often have problems with their biological clock.
Also very convenient is a programmable thermostat. In that way you can control the temperature, which can be very pleasing when you get up in the morning( and your room is already warm). And a good shower is very nice ! I have got a showerhead with a massage-function (obtainable at the bigger do-it-yourself shops) Apart that a good shower wakes me up, it also stimulates my creativity. But the nicest thing about my home ( I think) is a good dinner. This you can do on your own, but with two or more people it is more pleasant. In the chapter ‘Food’ I will talk about this more extensively, but eating properly and at ease is very important.
You must feel safe in your home! On the inside as well as on the outside. I live on my own, so on the inside I have nothing to fear. However, up to a short time ago I could not go to sleep easy when the washing machine was set to operate (cheaper) at night. I managed to solve this problem by buying an electronic water clock. For the outside of your home you can think about an alarm system or a light with a sensor that reacts on heat. A pet can be very pleasant company. An animal has to be cared for, though.
In short: you have to make your home as comfortable and pleasant as possible. In the end this is where you spend most your time (lovers excluded!). |