Next time you’re having a Calgon-take-me-away kinda moment, instead of treating yourself to a cupcake (my M.O. lately) visit Gaiam’s Life Meditation Rooms. There’s a choice of “Rooms”, including Space, Winter, Forest, Water, Floral and Zen (the last two are Health & Swellness’s faves). The screen displays calming imagery and plays soothing music for a few minutes before repeating — a few deep breaths inside these virtual rooms might be just what you need when you feel that tension creeping up inside you.
March 16, 2010
Research conducted at Cornell University revealed that one’s satisfaction with “experiential” purchases, say getting a deep-tissue massage or spending a week of R&R in Saint Tropez, starts out at a high level and increases. This is attributed to our selective memories and how our experiences are entirely subjective.
Spend money on material items, though, and your purchase might make you feel good at first, but it tends to taper off, making you feel less happy in the end. Seems that we tend to second-guess our buying decisions: Could we have gotten a better price at another boutique, for example, or is this handbag as to-die-for as the one your friend just bought.
Something to keep in mind the next time you’re shopping for happiness. And say what they will — I’m still heading out now to pick up these shoes at Banana Republic.
March 10, 2010
Photo: Living Etc.
You snooze, you win: A 90-minute midday nap could make you readier to learn later that evening and scoring 10 percent better in a test.
February 24, 2010
