My friend and fellow mediator, Brian Frank, was telling me about hearing the U.S. Surgeon General talking about his agenda for the health of Americans: to achieve greater health through being happy. Brian was able to tell me, right off the top of his head, what four practices to cultivate for greater health. There is something helpful about having a simple formula to remember and, hopefully, to practice.
According to Dr. Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General, happiness is not an emotion but a perspective that can be cultivated using four practices:
- gratitude exercises
- meditation
- physical activity
- social connectedness
In a society that doesn’t seem to acknowledge that there is even a connection at all between our emotional well-being and our physical health, how refreshing and exciting to have a Surgeon General advocating for prevention!
Check out this short video of Dr. Murthy sharing his 4-point plan. Simple!
“Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product”
… Eleanor Roosevelt