Unrehearsed Captions

Beauty to the Eyes

Sunset at the outskirt of OR Tambo ,Johannesburg



University of South Africa ( UNISA) Pretoria



A view of the OR Tambo airport landing site from the luxurios Protea Hotel OR Tambo.

7 Secrets of Happy People

What is the formula of lasting joy? Experts uncover the true source of emotional wholeness.

1. Hang out with joyful people

 

Psychologist John Gottman says that in order to consider a relationship a positive one, we need five positive interactions for every negative one. The point: Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, and give a wide berth to those who criticise and deplete you.

 

Being around happy and cheerful people will automatically give you the same feeling as them.
With my classmates from Journalism School in September 2011, Camps Bay Beach Cape Town.
Photo: Katlego Legodi

 2. Move consistently towards your goals

 

Achieving your goals is the best feeling in human life. Not only do you prove the outside world wrong but you have fulfilled your own request to self. First official meeting with the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform with Communication interns April 2013, Pretoria.
Photo: Dorethea Samaai

Make commitments ­and then make a point of keeping your word. “The greatest dreams will not be accomplished without discipline and daily effort – ­and that process brings joy,” says the Reverend A.R. Bernard, pastor of New York’s Christian Cultural Center. “It’s about doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

 

 

3. Meditate on your blessings

End each day by recalling three moments that made you feel truly grateful: anything from a gorgeous sunrise to the smile of a loved one. Practise sitting in quiet contemplation or. Then keep track of your blessings in a gratitude journal.

 

4. Be good to yourself

 

Eat nourishing food and get six to eight hours of sleep every night. And exercise regularly – ­the endorphin boost adds to your feeling of well being and may help prevent diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses. Harvard lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD, adds: “Research shows that exercising at least three times a week for 30 minutes each session has the same effect as some of our most powerful anti-depressant medication.” And give yourself permission to be human. “When we accept emotions such as fear, sadness and anxiety as natural, we are more able to overcome them,” says Ben-Shahar.

 

 

 

5. Connect with others

 

Be intentional about building strong bonds with other people. “Your social relationships are a powerful predictor of happiness, much more so than money,” writes Daniel Gilbert in his book Stumbling on Happiness. Indeed, a 2002 University of Illinois study showed that participants who reported the highest level of happiness also reported the strongest ties to friends and family.

 

 

 

 

 

6. Go to church – ­ any church

 

A 2006 Pew Research report revealed that those who attend weekly services – ­ of any faith –­ indicate that they feel much happier than those who attend once a month or less.

 

7. Give and forgive

 

 

Holding on to resentment and anger is an emotional weight that robs you of your joy. Just let it go. “Happiness is spiritual peace ­ with God, with yourself and with others,” explains Bernard. And while you’re handing out pardons, give away a few other things, too: Generosity makes us feel as though we¹re making a difference by creating an environment of connection and love.

 

Remember your spirit here...

By Michelle Burford.

Date of Publication: April 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

http://www.oprahmag.co.za/view/369/7-secrets-of-happy-people

 

 

This article is taken from The Oprah Magazine. No copyright ownership

Published Work of Mine

 

Since 2011 Ive written stories about the Soshanguve community - a township north of Pretoria. It is a vibrant and cultured place for anyone to be in. Soshanguve has a population of over half-a-million, and according to the Tshwane Investment Projection, in 2006, the township constituted 24, 4 percent of the total population of Tshwane. The gender distribution is 51, 1 % female and 48, 9 % male.The people of Soshanguve speak predominantly Setswana. IsiZulu, IsiNdebele, XiTsonga, Sesotho, TshiVenda and Sepedi are also spoken in this township. And as of lately, Shona is also becoming a widely used language. This is as a result of the influx of Shona-speaking Zimbabwean nationals.

 

 

My time spent on researching, sourcing out stories was a lesson indeed. The people Ive met, the friends I made and the moments vreated shall be cherished in my heart forever.Here is a few of my published articles:
 

 

 

My first big story on a correction of naming a widely used main road in Soshanguve.

 This story was on a talent search competition story in a Mabopane shopping centre. Watching all the participants was fun.

The Dance school was such an inspiration to many of the children in Soshanguve Block H. It was great to see a graduate helping out local kids.

Nyaope smoking is one of the most common abused drug in the Tshwane area. Communities, organisations have implemented projects and created awareness yet the drug abuse is still increasing. It was good to know that people are aware of it and want to fight it.

 

Covering online stories is the most easiest part in Journalism yet the tricky part comes when one has to write a big story in 200 words. I really wanted to to do with the story yet not always can one do so.

The Best advice on Happiness

While going through a homepage on the pc I was given when I started here 9 days back. I came across one of the most internationally read magazine's website. Tryed a few pages but the one that most caught my eye was about HAPPINESS.

Written by Kimberly Dawn Neumann an article in the Body and Soul section captured Me. I found myself looking really deep into what happiness is. It is really not that hard. All that we have to do is take a oment and reflect back on our blessings. Like come on not everyone globally has access to the internet. Thats a blessing. You are probally in the latest fashion clothing and in an office of a comfortable lab. Those are blessings enough.

Not to bore you with my cranky examples.... Here is a few of the advice on HAPPINESS.

The Simple Secret To Happiness

Photo from WWW

 

Studies have shown that no matter how much people already possess, they still focus primarily on what they want next, explains Gilbert. It's a trap researchers call the hedonic treadmill. You know: You finally get your dream couch, then immediately decide you 'need' a new lamp. Or that promotion comes through, but now you're gunning for a snazzier title.

To stop and take stock:
• Flip your brain: Instead of comparing yourself to people based on what you don't have (a friend's awesome job, J.Lo's body), turn around and look at what you do have that someone else might want, says Gilbert. You'll realise just how envy-worthy your life is.
• Start this bedtime ritual: Every night while brushing your teeth, think of three reasons your life is great right now, no matter how simple ('Cute guy smiled at me'). Okay, okay, it sounds dorky, but it will work - research has shown that consciously noting happy moments makes you feel more contented overall, says Schwartz.

 

Don't think: Name the happiest you've been in the last year. You probably didn't say 'Looking at my great shoes,' even if they're your most prized possession. 'Research has found that once people's basic needs are met, having more stuff doesn't increase happiness,' says psychologist Dr Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness (Vintage). Cut down on clutter and you'll have more room to enjoy yourself.


Try this:
• Buy memories instead of things: When deciding whether to spend your cash on an item or an experience - say, a new designer dress versus a weekend trip with friends - go with the experience, says Gilbert. Most people think the outfit is the better choice because a getaway ends. But the trip will always stay perfect in your mind, while the item (suit, shoes, whatever) will eventually lose its lustre and be taken for granted.

• Live fast: Spend less time getting ready for your life and more time living it by using 'item rotation,' says psychologist Dr Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less (Harper Perennial). If you have 10 work skirts, hide five of them so you have fewer choices to stress about each day. Once a month, swap them, and get rid of any you didn't miss while they were hidden.

 

• Do a digital detox: Being hooked to your BB, iPad and computer means constant pressure to stay in contact… without any face-to-face time. So, go on an occasional tech fast. Don't message people, turn off your cell when you're with someone, and only reply to urgent e-mails. 'You'll connect more with the people around you and feel more a part of your life,' says life coach, Dr Timothy J Moore.

Now that like Me you felt an edge to practice the methods to reach the highest level of HAPPINESS  do take that time tonight when brushing your teeth to reflect.

To read the rest friends you will have to visit their site

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.za/bodysoul/MindHealth/the-simple-secret-to-happiness-pg1

http://www.houseatlarge.net/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=123:the-free-state-sensation&Itemid=96

Rekord Noweto Practicals

Spring Love protection!

            

It’s not just the sun that can burn you this season. This is an article on how to safeguard your heart when it comes to hooking up and breaking up in spring.

Mary-Jane Mabula

I

t’s not just the weather that gets hot in spring. Boy-girl stuff does too. There is no doubt that the new season (spring) has a big influence on our romantic lives especially us students. There are so many more opportunities for hooking up and partly it’s because we feel better when it’s warmer. Not that it’s all dating, flirting, one- night stands and romance – were more likely to break up in spring too.

Either way, we need to shield ourselves from more than UV rays. Here are a few dating SPF’s to consider so you don’t get burnt while you trying out a spring relationship.

FUN IN THE SUN

Women tend to shed those extra winter kilos and be more active in summer, so they are generally more confident and feel sexier. Everybody just seems to be in greater spirits during this time, wearing those attention grabbing miniskirts and there’s more to do out and about, so your chances of meeting someone are much higher.

DON’T KID YOURSELF

Seasonal romances are often just that uncomplicated fun. There’s nothing wrong with that, unless you start believing it’s something more serious than it is.

 It’s very easy to get swept away by the excitement of a seasonal romance and mistake it for love. Because the two of you are getting on well and enjoying each other’s company so much, you must be right for each other in the longer term.

You need to realise that the “holiday you” and “holiday him” may be very different from who you are in your normal day to day lives. Just like the different you when you go back home these upcoming school holidays.

What seems cool and free spirited at campus may just seem immature in the real world. Another danger is feeling fabulous but not understanding the real reasons. We might fool ourselves into thinking it’s because of the new man in our life that we are suddenly carefree and relaxed.

Bear in mind the excitement might be influencing your behaviour as well as his; you have a better chance of avoiding a broken heart. Try to keep in mind that a fling should just be.

LOVE LIMITED

Sometimes a fling does turn out to be the real thing! It’s not that you should abandon any hope of finding long term love just because its spring. You just need to be sure and not make decisions based on the way he treated you at the party last night. If then it feels right and you ready to take a risk, you need to be honest with him about that.

If you know you’re looking for something serious, he has a right to know too. Once you’ve voiced your expectations he can decide whether he wants to stick around or not. Always be aware, though, that even if he will be in it for the long run. Brenda Shoshanna, US psychologist and author of relationship books such as Why Men Leave (Perigee), suggests you take it slow. “Put dreams for the future on the back burner and discover who you’ve actually met and what they are looking for,” she says.

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

When it comes to sex, you need to be more realistic. Apart from protecting yourself from HIV and STI’s you also need to guard against getting your feelings hurt or your self-confidence shaken. Don’t fool yourself into thinking emotions aren’t relevant when it’s just a fling. As Shoshanna says, “All relationships have consequences.” Will you really be okay with it if he shows no further interest in you after a night of hot sex? You could end up feeling rejected.

Be honest with yourself. If you know it’s really casual sex with no further comitteements. Face that fact. Just like an ordinary 20 year old student I too know it’s hard for us women to have sex with no emotional attachment. If you don’t think you can handle it, don’t do it.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

In conclusion it’s much better to be dumped in summer than in winter. With winter break-ups you tend to stay inside and pile on weight. I’m saying this from experience because a week ago I got dumped after a four month “winter relationship”. In summer there’s more to do, you can be outdoors, you can really get out there and do something for yourself and meet new people like I have (gone on 4 dates already) and have fun with friends. Plus in spring we are much more active than in winter. There is always something to do.

Of course a break up is never pleasant, no matter what time of the year it is but I’m just saying it’s easier in now. If he left you because its warmer and he want to be with a slimmer woman, we’ll let him be. You are better off. Embrace being you and find a hobby that will cheer you up.