74 South Bay Accent
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ANNAROSE MONROE; MIKE KASKEL; SHUTTERSTOCK
GET INSPIRED
Find inspiration in everything from subscribing to
a daily quote to listening to uplifting audio books
on the way to work to reading magazines with exciting
ideas. Plot a Pinterest board that features
motivational memes or follow a nonprofit that
showcases shining examples of people who go
the extra mile to make a difference in the world.
KEEP CALM AND COLOR ON
You may not be able to control your cranky coworkers or all that gridlock
traffic during your daily commute, but you absolutely can tweak your home
to transform it into a mood-boosting sanctuary. Some colors, like certain
shades of blue, are known to be very calming and uplifting and may be the
subtle factor that will help you bounce back after a rough day. Head to your
nearest hardware store to pick out a color and start the transformation
from dreary domicile to happily hued home.
CATCH CONTENTMENT
Happiness is contagious. So say the numbers: We
are 15.3 percent more likely to be happier when we
know another happy person directly (first degree),
followed by 9.8 percent and 5.6 percent for second
and third degrees, respectively. When a friend of
ours who resides within a mile from us becomes
happy, the probability that we are happy increases
by 25 percent. Those findings from a Framingham
Heart Study that followed 4,700 people over 20
years tell us many things, one being our joy quotient
is partially affected by the mood of our social network
(not of the Facebook variety). Cheers to that!
INTERIOR BY CATHERINE
CANFIELD, AUSTIN DESIGN
LOS GATOS BALLET,
NONPROFIT OF THE
YEAR 2017