(no subject)

I've been thinking about wanting to go to graduate school again, and thinking about what I want to study, and one of the things I want to think about is the power of happiness. I've discussed that before here, a little bit... when you're happy to be doing something, even hard work seems easier to deal with, because you're engaged, and you're doing what you want to be doing, even if it's only what you want to do to get it over with.

It's one of the problems, I think, with how people approach diet and exercise. In both cases, they're seen as long term pains in the butt (and not in any playful, fun, or erotic manner...) and not as a way of making one's self happier. Exercise that makes you feel good, even if it burns fewer calories, is better than exercise that makes you feel too tired to keep going.

But there are times when a crash diet or a heavy exercise regimen can be helpful, and you can work your way through the difficulty and pain because you know it's a short term thing. Still... you need to be cautious.

The worst thing you can do is think "Hey! This is what dieting and exercise is all about!" because then it turns you off to finding better, healthier ways to eat that make you feel better, or to finding an exercise that's pleasant to do.

Now, say the same things about writing, and NaNoWriMo, and you understand my feelings on that phenomenom. Nothing wrong with it... just be careful that you don't lose the real pleasure (or at least the real *satisfaction*) of writing from devoting yourself to it for a month.

(no subject)

I've been thinking about wanting to go to graduate school again, and thinking about what I want to study, and one of the things I want to think about is the power of happiness. I've discussed that before here, a little bit... when you're happy to be doing something, even hard work seems easier to deal with, because you're engaged, and you're doing what you want to be doing, even if it's only what you want to do to get it over with.

It's one of the problems, I think, with how people approach diet and exercise. In both cases, they're seen as long term pains in the butt (and not in any playful, fun, or erotic manner...) and not as a way of making one's self happier. Exercise that makes you feel good, even if it burns fewer calories, is better than exercise that makes you feel too tired to keep going.

But there are times when a crash diet or a heavy exercise regimen can be helpful, and you can work your way through the difficulty and pain because you know it's a short term thing. Still... you need to be cautious.

The worst thing you can do is think "Hey! This is what dieting and exercise is all about!" because then it turns you off to finding better, healthier ways to eat that make you feel better, or to finding an exercise that's pleasant to do.

Now, say the same things about writing, and NaNoWriMo, and you understand my feelings on that phenomenom. Nothing wrong with it... just be careful that you don't lose the real pleasure (or at least the real *satisfaction*) of writing from devoting yourself to it for a month.