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This post on the Prevent Child Abuse New York blog just felt GOOD to me as I read it, so thought I would share it with readers here. These are not complicated or impossible things for us to do to improve well-being, as this post says. Enjoy!
May 03, 2011
Five Ways to Well-being
Evidence suggests that a small improvement in well-being can help to decrease some mental health problems and also help people to flourish in many aspects of their lives.
The center for well-being at UK-based NEF (the New Economics Foundation) reviewed the inter-disciplinary work of over 400 scientists from across the world in order to develop “Five ways to well-being” a set of evidence-based actions to improve personal well-being.
- Connect…Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstone of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you everyday.
- Be active…Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercise. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
- Take notice…Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savor the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.
- Keep learning…Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favorite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.
- Give…Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.
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About nef
nef (the New Economics Foundation) is an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being.
We aim to improve quality of life by promoting innovative solutions that challenge mainstream thinking on economic, environment and social issues. We work in partnership and put people and the planet first.
nef was founded in 1986 by the leaders of The Other Economic Summit (TOES) which forced issues such as international debt onto the agenda of the G7 and G8 summits.
We are unique in combining rigorous analysis and policy debate with practical solutions on the ground, often run and designed with the help of local people. We also create new ways of measuring progress towards increased well-being and environmental sustainability.
nef works with all sections of society in the UK and internationally – civil society, government, individuals, businesses and academia – to create more understanding and strategies for change.
Almost every country in the world uses GDP – Gross Domestic Product – to measure its success and social progress. But does GDP really capture what is really important to us? Does it measure what really matters?
Rises in GDP over the last thirty-five years have not resulted in increased human well-being. Once we’ve reached a certain level of material stabilitiy and comfort, increases in income don’t make us any happier. What’s more, by focusing so narrowly on growing GDP, we’ve increased inequality between the rich and poor, and are causing irreparable damage to the natural environment on which we depend. A growing number of academics and politicians have called for a new measure of progress, and nef has responded with the creation of National Accounts of Well-being.
National Accounts of Well-being uses comprehensive data from a survey of 22 European nations examining both personal and social well-being. Personal well-being describes people’s experiences of their positive and negative emotions, satisfaction, vitality, resilience, self-esteem and sense of purpose and meaning. Social well-being is made up of two main components: supportive relationships, and a feeling of trust and belonging. Together they form a picture of what we all really want: a fulfilling and happy life. With National Accounts of Well-being, policymakers have a new compass to guide us.
CHECK OUT THIS LINK!!! Find out more at www.nationalaccountsofwellbeing.org
For all kinds of really cool info — and to take the (free) survey to measure your own level of well-being! No kidding, this might be the best website I have ever encountered – LOVE IT!
About Overall well-being | Indicators | Explore | National Accounts of Well-being
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The New Economics Institute is working to make the new economics, one which supports people and planet, mainstream in the United States. It is a partnership between the E. F. Schumacher Society, the predecessor of the Institute, and nef (the new economics foundation).
The US economic system is failing in its essential purpose: to provide fulfilling and healthy lives for all people while nurturing the social and natural systems on which the economic system depends. The New Economics Institute is helping people imagine the kind of economy that is designed to enhance human well-being and ecological health. To do this, it is forging a narrative and theory of such an economic system, showing how it is possible to get from here to there. It is setting out a new language for economics, which describes the world more effectively, and – using a combination of cutting edge economics and innovative communications – it is explaining how this new economics is already emerging.
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Stop the Storm 