Fun Is A State Of Mind

By Kate Loving Shenk

I was recently drawn to the book: "Merv: Making the Good Life Last."

Aside from the fact that Merv Griffin was a business genius, as one of my Second Life friends recently pointed out, I was struck by how Merv lived his life from a level of pure gut instinct.

My mother loved Merv and watched his show every day. In a sense, I was raised with Merv, Dick Cavett and David Frost.

But Merv and Cavett were her favorites.

I also bought Shirley MacLaine's latest book at the same time I bought Merv's book called: "Saging While Aging."

And was also led to spontaneously order glossy business cards and had a strong inspiration to place an angel on them.

These three events, buying Merv and Shirley's books plus creating these cards and ordering 1000 of them , all at the same time, seemed to be separate acts, having no relationship to the other.

Yet I was experiencing doubt and overwhelm in the New Year. Previously, in the months leading to the end of 2007, I awoke every day and did what I was spontaneously led to do, with a loose weekly to do list that included article and blog writing, creating e-books and new blogs, keeping close to my intuitive hunches and ideas about future product production.

All of this was flowing well until the New Year hit. I suddenly felt a sense of aimlessness and doubt as to my business building strategies, which basically do not exist in any traditional, goal-planning model that most business guru's recommend.

Besides thoroughly enjoying Merv's book, I came across a provocative statement that reinforced my approach to life: "No two days are alike. Just like when I did my show, I get to improvise my life. One day I may get up and say, "I wonder how my race horses are doing?" then I'll go down to the stable and work with the horses for a few hours. The next day, I might think, "How's that marketing plan coming for the hotels?" And I'll get my staff together by phone and start working on that.

"I call it 'Planned Spontaneity.' "

Reading this paragraph brought me great relief. I saw it as a message from the Universe that my planned spontaneity has been working and I would now continue doing exactly what I am doing, with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and joy.

Shirley's book has a chapter devoted to synchronicity or meaningful coincidence. After reading the following paragraph, I saw the connection between Merv and Shirley's book and the purchase of my angel business cards.

"People who continually experience meaningful coincidence and acknowledge them believe that synchronicity in all its forms is a kind of personal guidance--a kind of God-like direction that takes us into the future, and if we choose to follow the guidance, our personal destinies evolve and become clear. Joesph Campbell defined it as "following our truth" regardless of the consequences, making for ourselves the authentic life, then living the hero's journey according to our own values, which share little or nothing with popular values. If we follow our bliss, as Joesph Campbell said, we will be doing what we feel most inwardly qualified and inclined to do, regardless of social and material consequences."

As long as I experience joy and flow and fun with my everyday business and writing pursuits, and stay as far away from what the media or "popular value" tells me to do, I will be happy, as I am now.

As far as the business cards go, instead of asking a fellow traveler if she wants one of my business cards, I instead ask: "Do you want an angel blessing."

And the beautiful card is my gift to them.

So between Merv's insight about "planned spontaneity" and Shirley's insights about synchronicity, and the beautiful angel blessings, I feel as if I am on the right path.

I do not have to turn back.

Just trudge the road of Happy Destiny and allow my five senses awaken and notice all that is good in this life--and beyond.

Kate Loving Shenk is a writer, healer, musician and the creator of the e-book called "Transform Your Nursing Career and Discover Your Calling and Destiny." Click here to find out how to order the e-book: http://www.nursingcareertransformation.com Check Out Kate's Blog: http://www.nursehealers.typepad.com

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Happiness, Depression and Middle Age

By David Mcevoy

Are we more likely to become depressed and unhappy when we hit middle age? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. First of all, we would have to define middle age and take into account all sorts of influential factors before reaching a conclusion. Secondly, depression can occur as a result of life circumstances such as divorce, redundancy, relationship problems, as well as genetics, environment and health, or for no apparent reason at all. Depression can also occur at any age, regardless of background, culture or socio-economic status.

No one knows exactly why some people develop depression and others don't but what is known is that it is a worldwide problem. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 450 million people have a mental health problem. Now, a recent research study has indicated that we are indeed more likely to become depressed during middle age than at any other time of our lives.

The Study - "Is Well-Being U-Shaped over the Life Cycle"

This study, the biggest of its kind ever undertaken, is soon to be published in the highly respected journal 'Social Science and Medicine'. The results have highlighted that we are most likely to be unhappy during middle age. In fact, the most likely age to become depressed in the UK was 44 regardless of gender, whereas in the US there was a gender difference in that it was 50 years of age for men and 40 for women.

The study conducted by researchers from Warwick University in the UK and Dartmouth College in the USA involved more than two million people and included data from 80 different countries. What the results showed was that irrespective of wealth, status or gender, no matter if you had children or not, whether you were divorced, married or single, the pattern was consistently the same.

Our happiness levels peak in our 20's and then dips dramatically during middle age only to rise again in later years. Why this should be the case is not known although the researchers suggest that it is something that happens deep within the human being and touched on possible theories.

For example, perhaps when we are young the world is our oyster so to speak and we feel we can do or be anything we want, whereas in mid life, a sort of reality check takes place where we realise that our life's ambitions may never take place and we have to redefine our goals and aspirations. If we can accept who we are and our own limitations then we will get through it relatively unscathed. Later in life we may well find that we have experienced loved ones and friends dying and are just happy to still be around. Finally, as happier people live longer lives, this could possibly have influenced the results.

Regardless, the results of this study would indicate that during the middle years of life, our feelings of well being and our mental health are not as good as they were or how they might be later in life. So what does this mean when we consider depression? Are people in middle age are more prone to depression? If so the news that it is perfectly normal to feel unhappy during this period may help some people to cope better during mid life. However, we must also be careful not to attribute real depression as something to expect just because we are in our forties or fifties.

Clinical Depression

Clinical depression can be described as persistent low moods and loss of interest in activities that were once pleasurable to the extent that it interferes with our ability to carry out our normal daily routines. This is completely different to the low spirits or feelings of sadness that we can all feel from time to time but which passes after a short period. If you are clinically depressed then the feelings don't just go away.

Diagnosing depression can be problematic too as patients will often arrive at their doctor complaining of other problems such as joint aches and pains, headaches or stomach problems and are reluctant to admit to feeling depressed. Others may choose not to seek help at all. If we feel that life is a struggle when we reach our middle years and we are finding it difficult to cope on a day to day basis, we shouldn't be complacent about it and think it will just go away. Untreated depression can have serious consequences and should never be ignored or passed off as normal. The good news is that with support and professional help, depression is treatable no matter what age you are.

Depression and anxiety are serious conditions that can strike anyone at anytime. For more information about depression and self help come and visit http://www.fightingdepression.co.uk

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