The different aspects of happiness

There are many different things that help influence the happiness we feel in our lives. But there is something in particular that stands out and that is friendship. Friendship helps make people feel positive, and it makes their lives happier through the different connections. The 3 types of friendship that I am going to focus on are:

1. How the friendship between family and friends influence happiness.
2. How friendship with animals help influence happiness
3. How the friendship in a relationship and falling in love influences happiness


Family & Friends
The people in your family have been there from the start. They are the people you have grown up with and have helped influence you into the person you are today. There is an obvious friendship that has happened during this time and a bond. There are many similarities and differences between family members, but at the end of the day there is an unspoken fact that you all love each other. 
With friends, there is a more obvious friendship. You can pick your friends! And most of the time you pick someone who has similar interests to you .

In the picture as you can see it is a group of friends making silly poses at the gym, obviously doing a workout.  

This is proving that you can maintain a healthy lifestyle, while also having fun with your loved ones. There is a quote “a good mood is just a workout away”, and it is very true. Although they might be tiring, you are working out your muscles and getting your endorphins flowing (which makes you happier!). Working out may not be for everyone, but there are so many variations of it, that everyone has one exercise that they don't mind. Plus it is so much easier when you can share the experience with a loved one. It is bonding time and you can motivate each other. From my experience I always like the group exercise classes because they are fun, and you can make friends within it. But if I am going to do a workout at the gym, I go with my friend or one of my cousins, because they keep me inspired! We have a common interest, so we share it and help each other.

This is just one of the examples of the many common interests that you can share with your loved ones. It could be writing, watching movies, scrap booking, music etc. Working out has a more obvious affect on your health, but just spending time with someone you care about can help boost your mood and make you happier.

 In this picture, all that is seen is the silhouettes of the people, but it is obvious that they are very happy. Each subjects body language is open and in almost a victorious pose. They all are standing in a group and the setting is sunset at the beach. Since each of them is standing close to each other it means there is a trust and comfort with one another. Being with friends can make one forget their troubles because it is a support system. Whether the friendship is between friends or family members. Having people to trust and have fun with is a definite factor for influencing one’s happiness. People and communication are needed to stay happy. Days where you can enjoy yourself at the beach, and be silly posing for pictures, are breaks that are needed. A day off with people you care about helps boost and maintain happiness

 Animals

There are so many different things that can help influence your happiness. Positive people in your life is a big one. But sometimes you don't need a person, but an animal. There is a special bond and friendship between a dog and its owner that cannot be replaced. A dog will love you unconditionally, and only see you for your good. I have a dog named Hudson and he is like a big polar bear. He just loves, love. A dog changes our behaviour and makes us act in a more positive way. My Dad, who likes to think he is all tough, becomes a softy when he sees my dog.

It is a fact that pet owners have so many health benefits. It can help them live longer, help with depression, and make you smile more. I know I sure do! There is no better feeling than coming home to such a happy face to greet you at the door. Knowing they have missed you every minute you were gone. Pets just want to love and be loved.

In the image you just how happy the woman is. Its not one of those posed photos, she is genuinely happy and it is because of her dog. There is a mutual trust between the 2 of them because of their closeness, and the dog has its tongue out, showing it just wants to show the owner that it loves her.

In the second image you can see a soldier coming home to his best friend: his dog. The dog is clinging onto him, obviously showing that he has missed him and does not want to let go. This shows that knowing someone loves you and missed you can greatly increase your happiness because of the friendship between the two.
It does not have to be a dog either. Having any kind of animal can help relieve stress and put your mind at ease. So overall the friendship you have between an animal can help you live a happier life.

 Falling In love

There are many different kinds of friendships as you can see. The ones between friends, family members, animals, and then there is also a type of friendship when falling in love. The new beginnings of a relationship are an exciting time when you’re just starting to get to know the person. But the relationships that last are the ones that develop a friendship, while maintaining a relationship. After a while of building this trust and connection with the person, you might find yourself falling in love. Some interesting and natural things happen to your brain when this is happening. Higher levels of chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters produce dopamine, phenylethylamine and oxytocin. All these are feel good chemicals that act similar to the high you get from drugs. So not only does falling in love make you just feel happy, there are actual things happening to your brain that help boost your happiness!

As a couple, again you share common interests. There are so many, but I'm going to focus on travelling for example.

From my own experience, my family loves to travel. It's wonderful seeing a new place and getting a change of atmosphere (and weather!). It can really improve your happiness level. Travelling is a break from your everyday problems and you can focus on new things. When travelling with someone, you can share that experience, which is a great way to bring 2 people closer. An example of a cool travelling experience for couples is Pont de l'Archevêché in Paris.

 It is a bridge where people who are in love will lock up their love, onto that bridge, and throw the key into the water so that it is everlasting. As you can see I picked this picture because the big red heart stands out in the middle. A heart is a symbol for love so I think it symbolizes what makes this bridge unique. Another is the different shapes of the locks. It shows how no 2 relationships are the same, just like the locks, they are all unique.

Overall, falling in love has a great effects on your health. Hopefully if in a happy relationship, you will be smiling a lot which keeps your mood up. The friendship between a couple helps them stay in love, so it is needed for the relationship to last.   

Overall there are many different aspects to improving your happiness. But I feel the main one is through friendship. Friendship through Family, Friends, Couples and even animals! All these things and more can create a happier and more positive life for you. Whether it's the psychological effect, the health benefits or just by smiling and laughing until your stomach hurts. Friendship is well needed to maintain and improve your happiness.

Citations:
Becky. "Fun Workout Ideas for My Friends." Utah Sweet Savings. N.p., n.d. Web. 
     23 Mar. 2014. <http://www.utahsweetsavings.com/2014/03/ 
     fun-workout-ideas-friends-100-albion-fit-giveaway/>. 

"Friends at the beach." Pix Good. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015. 
     <http://pixgood.com/friends-at-the-beach.html>. 

"Psychological Benefits of Dog Ownership: Dog Owners Are Happier People." 
     Worldtruth.tv. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2014. 
     <http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2014/07/ 
     psychological-benefits-of-dog-ownership-dog-owners-are-happier-people-3001206.html>. 

"Welcome Home, Dad." The Meta Picture. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2012. 
     <http://themetapicture.com/welcome-home-dad/>. 

"LoCk Up YoUr LoVe." Red Diamond Rentals. N.p., 4 Jan. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 
     <http://blog.reddiamondrentals.com/?p=113>. 

The Rez Sisters: Should it stay or should it go?

My opinion on The Rez Sisters changed progressively as we continued reading it in class. When we first started the play, I found it difficult to understand, weird, and I wondered why the heck we were studying such a strange play. But as we got more in depth to the storyline it made sense why this play in particular was chosen. The play focuses on many issues that are not usually talked about in class. The main focus of the book is learning about First Nations people (women in particular) and the issues they face on the reserve. Not only did the play teach us about First Nations people, but it was taught in a humorous and enjoyable way. The women in the play have very diverse personalities which keeps it interesting to continue reading. It strikes discussion with others about the material inside. The play also uses a lot of profanity which makes the people in the play seem more realistic and relatable. I really enjoyed that you can find hidden symbols and metaphors repetitively through out the book (if you look hard enough for them).  For all of those reasons I enjoyed the play very much.
Before we started reading the play I did not know a lot about First Nations people, but now after I have read it I have a much better idea of the rough conditions they have to deal with in their daily lives.
I think The Rez Sisters is not a play that would be peoples first choice to read when picking out a new book, but after reading you would not regret it. You will learn a lot and gain a new perspective on how First Nations people are treated.