Joie de Vivre

The notion of joy in life has inspired philosophers, artists, and other thinkers since Antiquity.

According to the nineteenth century French historian Jules Michelet la joie de vivre is a harmonious state, a peaceful existence within nature. In English, "the joy of living" is associated with all those things that make life worthwhile.

Joie de vivre comes from the full bouquet of emotions found in the human psyche. It can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do.

Cultivating this way of life will help you achieve goals and could even help you live longer. It all comes down to joie de vivre: a deep, almost defiant commitment to appreciating the good things in life.

It has been shown in several studies that optimism is associated with a healthier lipid profile, lower levels of inflammatory markers, higher levels of serum antioxidants, and better immune responsiveness.

There's been a groundswell of reports linking subjective well-being-as marked by a sense of joie de vivre (joy of living), having a positive outlook about the future, and a lack of chronic pessimism-with lower morbidity and greater longevity.

As an example, researchers at Harvard University reported that people who are optimistic and believe that 'good things will happen in the future' tend to live longer than their less-optimistic counterparts.

One of the latest reports linking joie de vivre and longevity from UCL corroborates the findings of the recent study on optimism and longevity conducted by Eric S. Kim and colleagues at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health mentioned earlier. Henceforth, Kim et al. stipulate that a growing evidence has linked positive psychological attributes like optimism to a lower risk of poor health outcomes, especially cardiovascular disease. It has been demonstrated in randomized trials that optimism can be learned. If associations between optimism and broader health outcomes are established, it may lead to novel interventions that improve public health and longevity.

All the scientific data on the benefits of having a positive attitude, enjoying life, and being optimistic is useless if you can't put this empirical evidence into action by increasing your own levels of daily joie de vivre. The good news is that making a conscious decision to see the glass as half-full and looking for a silver lining (even in the worst of times) is usually in the locus of your control.

Here are several steps on how to achieve a style of life characterized by high energy levels and a joie de vivre:

Don't look at the phone until at least an hour after you wake up

Be thankful

Many people find it hard to be grateful for the things they have and tend to focus on what they lack. In time, your joie de vivre will be lost because you will never be satisfied. Try to be aware of what you are grateful for every day. So start a thank you diary and be grateful for all the things in your life, for breathing, for the sunrise, for the water you are drinking and so on.

Do morning stretches

Morning stretching is important for your body to help kick-start your energy levels and to help circulation. Morning stretching can provide you with the best start to the day, as it has the following positive effects on your body.

Live in the moment

Try to enjoy every moment. Living in the present is not just an arbitrary term or a popular phrase-it's a recognized and evidence-backed lifestyle that psychologists are quick to recommend for those struggling with anxiety and stress in their day-to-day life. We are not distracted by ruminations on the past or worries about the future, but centered in the here and now. All of our attention is focused on the present moment. Deep breathing is something you can only do in the present; pay attention to the way your abdomen and chest swell with every inhalation and the stream of warm air through your mouth or nose as you exhale, as well as the pace at which you're breathing.

Just paying attention to your breath brings your conscious mind to the present moment. From there, you can notice other things about your situation and surroundings. And from there, you can also calmly take stock of your own thoughts and emotions, as well as any information from your five senses.

Enjoy good, seasonal food and revel in it

Truly enjoy every bite you eat, and indulge intentionally.

Service to others

Doing things for others - whether small, unplanned acts or regular volunteering - is a powerful way to boost our own happiness as well of those around us. Helping others can also be a powerful form of stress release that could improve your physical health. Research has shown that volunteering for instance can improve health in ways that can length your lifespan; -volunteers show an improved ability to manage stress and stave off disease as well as reduced rates of depression and an increased sense of life satisfaction-when they were performed on a regular basis.

Celebrate life!!!

Joie de vivre, une sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la conscience, that is, a feeling that involves one's whole being.

La Joie de Vivre it is a way of life. Living and enjoying each moment, and finding the beauty in everything around us.

Let's put a little oh la la in our lives!

Love,

Sophie & Ellie x

Sources:

Kim, S. et al. (2016) Optimism and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study. American Journal of Epidemiology.

Sweeny, K. et al (2016) Even Optimists Get the Blues: Inter-Individual Consistency in the Tendency to Brace for the Worst. Journal of Personality

psychologytoday.com; positivepsychology.com; mindjoylife.com;