Joshua Blog 2

    Hi, my name is Joshua Espinoza and today I am going to be reviewing and critiquing the second group project that was assigned to the class. Group one based their presentation on paying it forward. Paying it forward is an interesting topic because how it can basically make someone’s entire day or possibly their week. I like how the group included what paying it forward can do to the receiver because it can mean the world to them, We never know what anyone goes through therefore, paying it forward can mean so many different things. It could be that the person was a few bucks short and weren’t able to pay, or that they are just unhappy, and the gesture shows how’s there’s still kindness in the world and that there is always something to look forward to. In the presentation I also thoroughly enjoy how it is explained that paying it forward is also great for the person that does it. It helps ease their mind a bit and know that they did a small part to make the world a better place because they might not know it, but their small gesture could have possibly saved someone’s life. The concept of paying it forward is kind of like the domino effect because once it gets going it can make it pretty far on its own. I love how the presentation states that paying it forward is not a concept that is recent. It has been going on for ages but gained a more proper recognition and terminology in the 2000s. 

 

   I was a part of group two, and we touched on the topic of happiness. Happiness can come in different forms such as a pet, spending time with friends, self-care, etc. and I enjoy how this group shares that the feeling of happiness does not stem from one thing and how different things can lead to happiness for so many people. It is also interesting to see how different generations different definitions of happiness have but it makes so much sense. The current generation is usually happy when they are on their cellphone and on the internet, but older generations did not have these devices when they were younger so their expectations for happiness are so much more different than hours. Just like generations different places on Earth have different things that lead to happiness. I know some countries are not as fortunate as us where they may not have much food or get to go to school, and I know that being able to do those things would bring them happiness. In the U.S. those things aren’t as common so going to school doesn’t excite us or sometimes, we are offered food but don’t eat it and throw it away but overlook the fact that so many other people are not as fortunate, so their happiness isn’t the same for us because we are used to it.  In the slides we also learn that happiness is a great emotion to feel because it makes the heart happy. Unlike positive emotions, negative feelings such as anger, hatred, depression, or anxiety are not very good for the heart’s health. These emotions may cause heart attacks. A researcher indicated that people who have led mostly happy lives are 22% less likely to develop heart diseases or have a heart attack than the average person. Lastly, happiness leads to a healthier lifestyle and behaviors. Happiness causes a person to get more sleep, to eat more and cleaner, to not smoke and drink, and to be consistent in physical activities such as exercise. As a result of these things, those individuals are less likely to have issues with their heart health. 

Being happy is a good indication that you are not stressed. Being stressed can be overwhelming and negative. Stress raises the level of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that can cause trouble with sleep, extreme weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Thankfully studies have shown that cortisol levels are low when people are happy! Mindfulness is a practice of being aware and present in the moment. It is a great way to overcome stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed. It is essential to feel comfortable in your skin and with your ability to get things done because this raises the levels of serotonin in the brain which we all know leads to excitement and happiness. Being happy leads to having a positive attitude for everything and a better out look at the quality of life. Feeling happiness means you look forward to each day and every small activity and task that may come along within that day. The activity could be as small as a run at a park or as big as getting a job, but happiness teaches you that there is always something to look forward to in life. It teaches you to embrace your past but to also live in the moments and to feel excitement for all the moments that are to come in the future. There are always positive days in life no matter what.

 

   Last but not least, group 3 focused on such an important topic which was about self-care. I really loved how they focused on self-care FOR MEN because society has taught us that doing our eyebrows or doing facemasks is more feminine and that if we are doing those things, we are less manly. It is not true because men need to take care of themselves and their appearance the same way women do and it’s such a basic need. Female selfcare is also very important but more expected from society. I think it’s important to note that eating healthy and going out for physical activity is a great form of selfcare. It is caring for your body and wanting it to function in every way it is meant to. This was probably my favorite group presentation with all of the visual references they used and how they were able to back up their research with such thorough details and videos.