Baby Wants - But Maybe Doesn’t Need - New Shoes! (Or ‘The Psychology Of New Shoes’)

No woman in her right mind would turn down a chance to go shopping for new shoes. Whether she has 1 pair or a 100, the lure of shopping for shoes is over powering. There just is no question about it, shoes are FUN! That is not to even mention the infinite outfit combinations we have even more FUN putting together as a result of new shoes! Shoes must both look right and feel right for the occasion. Therefore, options are needed and the more you have, the absolute better.

 

Styles change and so do women’s tastes. Whether high heels or platforms, square, rounded or pointed toes, flip flops or athletic, the lure of shopping for shoes is irresistible. There are just so many kinds of shoes all serving different purposes. Hours are spent in shoe departments all over the world shopping for shoes. From $5 flip flops to $500 designer name shoes there are so many things to consider. One thing is generally certain: If a woman REALLY likes a pair of shoes, whether she needs them or not, she will most likely buy them, regardless of price.

 

I know a couple and the wife has hundreds of pairs of shoes. The husband has but two pair, one black and one brown. BORING and oh, so WAY not enough options. What about style? And does he have dress shoes or are these two pair of the athletic variety or what? That, of course, does not include his golf shoes. Most men have at least two of those if they are like my Father and Brother, both avid golfers.  Any way, he said ‘That’s all I need and I always have plenty of money to go golfing every weekend.’  She said ‘You take the golfing (and your boring shoes) and I will take all the therapeutic effects of the shopping. It also is such good exercise, both mentally and physically!’

 

Being practical about buying shoes is so out dated.. The more shoes, the more choices. Life is good if it is all about choices, not about being practical. Practicality was for my mother, and the days of practical shopping are gone forever. Now plastic rules (along with beautiful shoes) and somehow the credit card bill will get paid. I mean if we only live once, we should certainly be spending like it. Life is way too short to not have the cutest and best shoes possible.  We can find other ways to be thrifty but please do not be so when it comes to shoes. The days of the ‘have mores’ are here to rule and the days of the ‘have nots’ (shoes, that is) are long gone forever.

 

Another couple I know try to go shopping together (BIG mistake). Inevitably and much to her husband’s dismay and irritation, the wife ends up in the shoe department trying on shoes, one pair after another. A beautiful thing to see, right? She finds a pair she likes and says to her husband ‘I want these shoes!’ Her husband replies ‘Do you need them?’ She says ‘No, but they will go great with my pink dress that I bought six months ago and have never worn because I have never had just the perfect shoes to go with it. Besides, I did put back several pair that I also liked very much, but not quite as much as these. They are so ‘choice’, ‘sweet’ and absolutely the ‘most divine’ shoes I have, to date, ever seen!!!’  The husband gives in, all the while thinking about the bills that are coming due.

 

Let a woman give you husbands a few tips about shopping:

It’s a losing battle.

1. Don’t go shopping with your wife - It ruins her shopping trip. Would you want us to go golfing with you? I didn’t think so. It would ruin your day.
2. When your wife goes shopping - Expect a marathon and don’t expect her home before the stores close. Should she arrive home early, it will be a pleasant surprise. If she doesn’t--Fix your own dinner!
3. Never call her on her cell phone and ask ‘Where are you?’ or ‘When are you going be home?’ Big ‘NO NO’ and grave interruption to her ‘therapy’. She does not want to be in touch with reality while shopping. Trust me on this one.

 

Girls: Enjoy a most pleasant shopping experience! Happy shopping! 

Husbands: Heed my warnings and all will be well! And happy golfing or whatever other pastime compensates for your serious lack of options!

 

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A Visit To A Jewellery Store

I think that one of the most exciting times in a little girl’s life is her first visit to a jewellery store. Then again, I think that a lot of women never grow out of that feeling of excitement either! There is something magical about looking at all of the sparkling pieces glittering in the jewellery store window, even if you cannot afford to buy everything that you see.

 

My youngest daughter’s face lit up when she saw all of the lovely children’s items when I first took her to a jewellery store. When we went inside she felt like a princess being able to try on all of the bracelets and necklaces with cute designs and the jewellery store workers seemed to enjoy the experience of watching her almost as much. When we left the jewellery store with her new bracelet safely wrapped up she was clinging onto the bag as if it was the most precious thing in the world. She still has that bracelet even now, although it has long since gotten too small for her to wear, and it reminds me of that first trip we took to the jewellery store together.

 

Of course, a jewellery store can also be an extremely romantic place. Sound strange? Well, think about it. How many couples go to a jewellery store together to pick out their wedding rings? I know how electrifying it felt when my fiancé and I went to choose our wedding rings and finally found a jewellery store that had the perfect ones in their window. When we went inside we both had a feeling that this was going to symbolize the start of our new life together and the jewellery store played an important part in that.

 

I guess it doesn’t matter what you buy in a jewellery store they always seem to have an air of something special about them. It might be the fact that there are a lot of expensive items around and everything is shimmering with that newly-cleaned look that only jewellery store workers seem to be able to achieve!

 

Sometimes it is easy to feel a little underdressed, especially when you enter some of the more exclusive types of jewellery store that you have to ring a bell to be let into but I love them all the same. I must admit that I am not a big jewellery wearer but I do like to have a couple of nice pieces for special occasions and often take a look around the local jewellery store when I need cheering up. It might sound silly but maybe you should try it too - all that brightness around me certainly seems to rub off and raise my spirits.

 

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Embrace the Fun - How Hugs and Laughter Help Reduce Stress

In one of my previous posts about reducing stress, I briefly mentioned the benefits of hugging and laughter to help reduce stress. They are such fun, easy, and powerful techniques that anyone can do just about anywhere, I thought it was time to dive a little deeper and look at why they work and how we can actively start using them to reduce the negative effects of chronic stress. 

 

Let’s start by talking about hugs. Have you ever noticed how a good hug will make you feel better? It calms you and changes your entire outlook on the world and whatever it is that’s been upsetting or stressing you out. Turns out there’s some science behind hugs and a reason we start to feel better. 

 

There are measurable effects on your heart and on the stress-level of your brain activity when you hug and those benefits will ramp up significantly around the twenty second mark. As an added bonus, your body will release oxytocin, a feel-good hormone. It’s no wonder your whole outlook starts to change after a good hug. 

 

Start to hug your loved ones or your favorite pet more often and when you do, try to hold the hug for at least twenty seconds. Don’t be creepy about it, but if you’re comfortable - and you should be if you’re sharing a long hug - tell the other person about the benefits of these longer hugs. Before long it will become second nature and you’ll both continue to reap the rewards. 

 

When hugging isn’t an option, or if you don’t enjoy them, give laughing a try. It relieves tension and reduces stress. As an added benefit, you’re drawing more air into your lungs, resulting in more oxygen being delivered to your heart, brain, and other important organs. Laughing often can even improve your immune system. 

 

Put on a funny movie, watch a TV sitcom, read some funny cartoons, call a friend who makes you laugh, or just start laughing and fake it until you start to feel it.  Laughter, it turns out, really is great medicine and great for both body and mind. 

 

Fun fact for you. There’s even an entire sub niche of yoga practitioners who do laughter yoga as a stress busting technique. Can you see yourself taking a class where you go through various yoga exercises while also making a conscious effort to laugh out loud? 

How Laughter Can Improve Your Overall Health

Laughter can be infectious. When you hear the sound of laughter, you can’t help but laugh yourself. When laughter is shared among others, it causes a binding between people and increases both intimacy and happiness. 

 

It is well known that laughter triggers healthy bodily changes and healthy changes in the mind. Laughter can increase your energy level, lessen pain, strengthen the immune system, and protect you from stress. Laughter is the best medicine because it is free, fun, and easy.  

 

Laughter is Strong Medicine

 

Laughter can be a strong antidote to conflict, pain, and stress. There is nothing else that works more dependably or quicker to bring your body and mind into balance than laughter. The use of humor can lighten your burdens, connect you to others, inspire your hope, and keep you focused, alert, and grounded.  

 

With this ability to renew your health and heal you, laughter can be a great resource for whatever problems you may have. It can also strengthen your relationships, and can support your emotional and physical health and wellbeing. 

 

How Is Laughter Good For Your Health?

 

Laughter can do many things for your health. These include the following:

 

• Laughter can increase your immune system. It can decrease the level of stress hormones within the body and increase the number of immune cells and antibodies you have, which will help you become more resistant to disease.

• Laughter is relaxing. A wonderful laugh can relieve you of stress and physical tension so that your muscles can be relaxed for up to 45 minutes following laughing.

• Laughter releases endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s feel-good hormones. When your endogenous endorphins are released, you feel a sense of well-being and a reduction in the sensation of pain. 

• Laughter can help the heart. Laughter can increase the ability of the blood vessels to nourish all parts of the body. It can increase your blood flow, which in turn can help prevent heart attacks and other types of heart diseases. 

 

The Overall Benefits Of Laughter

 

Laughter is known to have many health benefits, including physical, emotional, and social benefits. Some of these include the following:

 

• Decreases your stress levels
• Increases your immunity
• Relaxes your muscles
•  Protects your heart
• Lessens pain
• Lessens fear and anxiety
• Relieves stress
• Adds joy to your life
• Enhances your mood
• Improves your resilience
• Attracts other people to us
• Promotes the bonding among group members
• Improves teamwork
• Strengthens relationships

 

Laughter Can Help Your Emotional Health

 

Laughter simply makes a person feel good. This good feeling persists even when you are done laughing. Laughter helps you maintain an optimistic, positive outlook so you can better get through situations of loss, disappointments, and other difficult situations. 

 

Laughter is more than just a protection against pain and sadness. It gives you the strength and courage to find other sources of hope and meaning. Even when you find yourself in the most difficult of times, laughter or even a smile can take you far when it comes to feeling better. Laugher really is a bit contagious. When you hear someone else laugh, it primes your brain and sets you up to join that person in laughing, too.  

 

Laughter And Mental Health

 

Laughter is associated with better mental health. Some things laughter can do to improve your mental health include the following:

 

• Laughter allows you to relax. A good laugh can lessen stress and increase your energy levels so that you can remain focused and get more things accomplished.

• Laughter can lessen distress. It is hard to feel sad, anxious, or angry when you are instead laughing. 

• Laughter shifts your perspective. It allows you to see things in a less threatening and more realistic light. Being humorous helps create a psychological distance between you and stressful events so that you don’t feel so overwhelmed. 

 

Laughter Has Social Benefits

 

When you use humor and engage in playful communication with others, your relationships become stronger and you trigger positive emotions and an emotional connection with those you are laughing with. A positive bond develops—one that can act as a powerful buffer against disappointment, disagreements, and stress. When you laugh with others, this is a more powerful thing than when you laugh alone. 

 

How To Create More Opportunities To Laugh

 

There are things you can do to increase your chances of laughing. Here are some you might try:

 

• Attend a comedy club
• Watch something funny on television
• Watch videos of funny animals there are tons on YouTube, or just add the search term “funny” into the YouTube search bar
• Read the comics in the newspaper
• Be with people who are funny
• Share a funny story or joke with another
• Read a funny book
• Sponsor a game night with your friends
• Play with your pet
• Play with children
• Do something you think is silly
• Engage in activities you consider fun 

Laugher can do a lot to help you feel better on a physical, emotional, and cognitive level. Don’t be afraid to share a good laugh with others for all around better health. 

Life With Woody: 10 Inspirational Quotes That Can Improve Yourself

It might take a little coffee or probably a few rounds of beer or any other booze you could get your hands on when it comes to relaxing after a hard day's work. Well, yeah I'm guilty about that one as well, unless I'm caught dead wearing a lampshade over my head after a few rounds of vodka half-naked! Okay, bad example and I apologize to everyone reading this after getting nightmares about me in that state of drunken stupor.

 

Just don't ask how it happened, please.

 

But what's really interesting is that how do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this 'mind-over-matter' thing.

 

Humour is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what's been happening, and to those who has gone through the ordeal, it's better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favourite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he's bound to mock the subject and you'll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

 

Woody Allen has this to say:

 

1. "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn't have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

 

2. "I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government." Enough said.

 

3. "There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life's little problems isn't all that bad, until 'he' shows up.

 

Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you're talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

 

4. "Love is the answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions." And if you want more, just keep on asking!

 

5. "A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said 'no'." It sounds, 'practical', I think.

 

And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn't involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

 

6. "Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats." I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

 

7. "I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens." If it rains, it pours.

 

8. "I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." It could get worse when you're guzzling on beer or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

 

9. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." At least he doesn't smite us with lightning, and I'm thankful for that.

 

And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can't seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we're religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.

 

And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

 

10. "The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have."

 

Ciao!