Wanna be happier? Here’s how!
Researchers have figured out that one sure way to increased happiness is to express gratitude, to be grateful, and to share that.
This video takes that research and tests it out.
Warning: you might need a tissue.
LEO at Burning Man clown nose by Tex Allen
After watching it, I thought what a great service learning and research project this would be for my college students.
It also made me think about how this relates to Burning Man‘s culture of gifting: giving is an expression of gratitude. And when you give, you offer the opportunity for someone to express their gratitude to you.
At Burning Man, with so much gifting going on, there is a great deal of gratitude–and happiness.
Some gifts may small–like Tex Allen’s gifts of small red clown noses which bring with them a gift of laughter–and possibly the gift of a p
ortrait.
Some gifts, like art installations, are large and reach a great number of people, and fill them with gratitude for the art, for the playa, and for all the amazing experiences we have out there.
And many gifts are in between–like our neighbor in Hushville who, through the year, finds playa clothes at thrift stores and garage sales and embroiders them. At 2pm on Friday of the Burn for the past few years, she displays the clothes. Her husband invites people as they pass by to select an item, to try it on, and if it pleases them, to take it. She asks to take a photo of the recipient in the new clothes, but it isn’t a requirement. While we were there, several people dropped off clothes that they were giving her to embroider and gift next year.
I really liked (and wanted!) the vest on the woman above so I asked her for a photo and she obliged. She also got a really cute khaki mini-skirt that matched the vest so she got a whole outfit! Also pictured is my husband wearing a groovy vest he got. He also picked up a black short sleeved coat with gold embroidery that he;s going to fix up with EL wire while I got a black linen skirt and white roses embroidered plus the insignia of the Man in white. Our son got a shirt too!
It was so much fun trying on various garments and admiring them on each other and encouraging each other. What a fabulous gift–and so much gratitude in the air!
So give a little gratitude every day and see how it makes YOU happier!
And please share below your thoughts on gratitude, gifting, happiness and Burning Man!
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Reblogged this on whisper down the write alley and commented:
can you imagine doing this for a service learning or research project?
Thanks for sharing – very interesting video. I really don’t know anything about Burning Man, as I only read about it in your blog…
Well there’s a lot here on the blog about Burning Man written by someone who’s been many times so you know quite a lot now! Glad you’re enjoying it. There’s more in draft stage…
I’ll definitely have to try this sometime, I wasn’t expecting them to have to call the folks they wrote about, but it made me smile. After reading what you have here about Burning Man, it sounds like I need to get myself to that celebration at least once!
great. my url is http://socclaxxpassion.wordpress.com