The Picture of Happiness – Knitting

It’s  The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Caroline Moore, she says:

Knitting makes me happy.  I love going to the yarn store and picking out something beautiful from all the gorgeous varieties of wool, synthetics, cotton, alpaca, and bamboo.  I enjoy the feel of it in my fingers and the warmth it creates.  From picking out a pattern to casting on the first stitches to giving a loved one (or myself) a finished product, I love the whole process.  I enjoy solitary knitting or with dear friends in my “craft group” which I have been doing for the last 20 plus years.  Knitting keeps my hands busy and my head clear.

Knitting makes me happy.  I love going to the yarn store and picking out something beautiful from all the gorgeous varieties of wool, synthetics, cotton, alpaca, and bamboo.  I enjoy the feel of it in my fingers and the warmth it creates.  From picking out a pattern to casting on the first stitches to giving a loved one (or myself) a finished product, I love the whole process.  I enjoy solitary knitting or with dear friends in my "craft group" which I have been doing for the last 20 plus years.  Knitting keeps my hands busy and my head clear. I am a wife, mother, and grandmother.  I am a retired occupational therapist who is loving this new stage in my life with the gift of time and health to pursue new interests and old.  Travel, volunteering, exercise, grandchildren and family, reading and crafts fill my days.


Caroline is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She is a retired occupational therapist who is loving this new stage in her life with the gift of time and health to pursue interests, new and old. Travel, volunteering, exercise, grandchildren and family, reading and crafts fill her days.

I am a wife, mother, and grandmother.  I am a retired occupational therapist who is loving this new stage in my life with the gift of time and health to pursue new interests and old.  Travel, volunteering, exercise, grandchildren and family, reading and crafts fill my days.

The Picture of Happiness – Home

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Julie Jungman, she says:

The view from my back deck represents happiness, stability, and peace for me.
 
As I was growing up, my family moved every two years or so.  From ages 0-15, I lived in six states, eight cities, and eleven houses.  I attended four different elementary schools, and started a new school in a new city for 6th grade, 8th grade, and 10th grade.  So, okay, you get it–I moved a lot!
 
For me, buying a home with my husband represented the first time I was able to establish roots of my own.  We have lived at our home in Erie, Colorado since we were first married; this fall will be eleven years.
 
Though lots has changed for us since we bought our home (we’ve become parents to two kids since then!), our deck and view have remained a continued source of happiness for me.

Views + Home + Family = Happiness for Julie Jungman

Views + Home + Family = Happiness for Julie Jungman

Julie Julie is married to a great guy named Chris and is mom to Cora (5) and Colin (2).  She works at a job she loves, providing integrated behavioral health at primary care offices for Boulder Community Health.  Julie likes to bake, read, and watch mindless TV like Top Chef and Project Runway.

Julie is married to a great guy named Chris and is mom to Cora (5) and Colin (2). She works as a licensed clinical social worker, providing integrated behavioral health at primary care offices for Boulder Community Health. Julie likes to bake, read, and watch mindless TV like Top Chef and Project Runway.

The Picture of Happiness – Dance Jam

May is The Picture of Happiness month on Dr. Stephanie.

Today’s guest is Sarah Zook.  She says:

Pure happiness is sweat, laughter, loud music and choreography. I teach a class called Dance Jam three times a week at Life Time Fitness. We have dancers, stay at home moms, working women, men, wallflowers, all ages – all young at heart. Whether or not they think they’re the worst dancer or best dancer, it never matters. We just come to have fun, and burning lots of calories is the added bonus. You can be whoever you want in a Dance Jam. Dance Jam doesn’t care, Dance Jam helps you let down your hair!

Sweat + music + choreography = happiness for trainer Sarah Zook

Sweat + music + choreography = happiness for trainer Sarah Zook

Here's me at at "Wear your wedding dress bunco party" where we didn't play a lick of Bunco. Just more like wear your wedding dress because it's fabulous. I am a group fitness instructor and personal trainer at Life Time Fitness. I've been fitness teaching and training since 1997 and love seeing people get stronger, more fit, become empowered inside their bodies and be able to have a good time while doing it.

This is Sarah Zook at at “Wear Your Wedding Dress Bunco Party” where she didn’t play a lick of Bunco – but looked fabulous.  She’s a group fitness instructor and personal trainer at Life Time Fitness. She’s been teaching fitness and training since 1997 and loves seeing people get stronger, more fit, and more empowered about their bodies -  and to be able to have a good time while doing it.

The Picture of Happiness – Photo Therapy

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month!

Today’s guest is Dr. Deborah Serani.  She says:

I love using photos to help give a lift to my mood. In fact, I call the experience “Antidepressant Photo Therapy.” I have hundreds collected that make me happy, but here’s the one I keep as a screensaver.  This beautiful black kitty makes me smile because he totally kicks ordinary curbside dwelling up a notch with his top hat.

Cat + Top Hat + Good Photographer = Happiness for Dr. Deb Serani

Cat + Top Hat + Good Photographer = Happiness for Dr. Deb Serani

 

Dr. Deborah Serani is an award winning author and psychologist. She spends her time writing about depression and trauma and has made finding positivity in life her motto.

Dr. Deborah Serani is an award winning author and psychologist. She spends her time writing about depression and trauma and has made finding positivity in life her motto.

The Picture of Happiness – My Apple Tree

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month here on Dr. Stephanie.

Today’s guest is Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel.  She says:

Our apple tree blooming in spring is a sweet reminder of my daughter’s birth and of the fruits yet to come.

 

For Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel, Springtime + Apple Trees = Happiness

For Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel, Springtime + Apple Trees = Happiness

 

Dr Kaycie Rosen Grigel owns the Golden Naturopathic Clinic, LLC in Golden, Colorado.  She specializes in hormone balancing, digestive disorders, immunity, and head and neck pain.  She loves gardening and cooking and can often be found having outdoor adventures with her husband, two daughters, and dog Sultana.

Dr Kaycie Rosen Grigel owns the Golden Naturopathic Clinic, LLC in Golden, Colorado. She specializes in hormone balancing, digestive disorders, immunity, and head and neck pain. She loves gardening and cooking and can often be found having outdoor adventures with her husband, two daughters, and dog Sultana.

Thrift Shops and Mental Health

Hello Dr. Stephanie readers! I apologize for being absent for the the last few days.  I am prepping for an exciting event this afternoon! I will be sure to post details after it has happened (and is published!).

My posts so far this year have been pretty serious, so I thought I would keep it lighthearted today – it is Friday after all!  For those DIY’ers out there, you may already be familiar with the blog Young House Love.  It’s a blog written by a young couple as they tackle home projects including construction, decorating, yardwork, etc.  It’s fun to read with lots of cool photos.  Even if you are not a DIY’er it is worth checking out.  Anyway, they posted a thrift shop challenge last week inspired by this song by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (note: this is the clean version, so may be OK to share with the kiddos in your house):

I am going to forgo my urge to write about the merits of this song (because it encourages originality in dress and thinking, promotes inter-generational understanding, and challenges our materialistic culture that makes us feel as though we need to spend $50 on a t-shirt to be cool).  I am also going to resist writing about the pitfalls of this song (trashy language galore).  Instead I am going to focus on the FUN of it!  It simply makes me smile.

I had a professor in graduate school who frequently warned that “happiness is not a hot dog.”  I’m still – 10+ years later! – trying to figure out what that means, but I think it has something to do with not expecting happiness in things, food, or anything else external.  True happiness comes from within.  That may be, but sometimes silly, funny, and charming things do the trick in the short term.  Those are important pieces of mental health too.

I’m signing off now and keeping the rest of my psychology-heavy thoughts to myself.  Have fun listening, watching and thrifting!