Runners Will Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

It is absolutely no secret that an active lifestyle leads to a happy lifestyle. We could pull up the scientific studies, show you a mountain of facts, and guilt trip you into joining a running group if we really wanted to.

But we don't, so we won't. Why?

Because the Zombie Apocalypse is leaps and bounds more important than the science behind the endorphins you get when you go for a good run (or do any form of physical activity).  It also provides better motivation to get in shape!  Zombies don't run very fast, or so we're told, so you don't even have to be particularly good at running to survive when the zombies start trying to eat your brains. But keep in mind that other people are training for survival just the same as you. Arianna, one of our Happy People, let us in on her secret for running.

"I try to stay active so that when the apocalypse happens...I'll be able to out run people."

In the event of a Zombie Apocalypse, we are assuming that the remaining survivors will eventually suffer from some form of depression. Just because the world is full of rotting corpses whose sole focus is to feast on your flesh doesn't mean you don't need to devote some time to yourself and your personal happiness! Stick it to the man, and find joy in the journey...that journey being through the rubble of your fallen town as you sprint towards safety, of course.

Melissa, another one of our Happy People, told us what she thinks about when she's practicing for the Zombie Apocalypse.

"Normally I think about how much I don't wanna die.  Or sometimes I think about how I'm gonna have a super hawt body. And that I'm on top of the world. And if I'm upset, I run faster until I've conquered that demon!"

Preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse doesn't just mean running! If running isn't quite your style, you could practice biking away from zombies, jumping over injured zombies, swimming to safety - basically any activity can be turned into a survival skill!

Good luck, and we will see you on the other side.

I'm Not Asleep, But That Doesn't Mean I'm Awake!

No matter how much we resist it, sleep is necessary for a happy life.

But, oh, how we love to resist it!  There are a lot of far more important things to do in life than sleep...like binge watching your favorite show on Netflix or staying up until 3 AM texting that super attractive guy or girl you met in line at Jamba Juice. Oh, and throw in the occasional all-nighter before an exam, and you've got the perfect recipe for a not-so-happy day!

Sometimes, it's worth it to throw in the towel before midnight. A wise woman once said, "The hours before midnight give you the best sleep!" (That wise woman was my mother, mom's know everything.)

Turning in early is difficult though, and our group of college student participants definitely learned that this past month. But despite the difficulty, there were fantastic benefits found in getting a few extra snoozing hours at night!

We asked a few students if getting enough sleep made them noticably happier, and here is what they had to say:

"Yes, of course! Because then I don't have to take naps on my half hour lunch break, haha! I have a clearer head and feel more ready to take on the day." -Marissa

"Getting enough sleep does make me happier. Although most of the time I'm happier when I can sleep until at least 9 AM. Having to wake up any earlier than that makes me hate the world..." -Derek

"If I could get more sleep, I would be 5% happier right now." -Adam

"Enough sleep is like happiness on steroids. Without it, it's weak sauce happiness." -Melissa


Keeping ourselves healthy by maintaining a (semi) regular sleep schedule has definitely proven to make us happier! Do you have any night-time rituals that make it easier for you to hit the hay at a decent hour? Let us know in the comments, we'd love to try out your ideas!

Project Positive

Is it worth it to spend time and effort on making yourself happier?

We here at Project Positive would like to shout from the rooftops the answer to that question,

YES!

We are blessed with so many wonderful things in this world! We have vast amounts of information right at our fingertips, tons of music in Spotify playlists, and wonderful friends to help us along the way. We should be happy all the time, right? 

Then why aren't we?

Sometimes it's easy to, as T-Sweezy would say,"get down and out about all the liars, and the dirty, dirty cheats of this world." Why aren't we gettin' down to the sick beat of happiness blaring through the speakers of life's opportunities? 

My name is Shelley Williams, and I would venture to say that our happiness is dependent upon how much action we take in our lives to recognize the good and strive for the better. 

The goal of Project Positive isn't to bring people out of negativity, but instead to bring people to a realization of the wonderful things already in their life. We aren't going to leave behind our current lives in search of happiness.  We are going to find happiness in our lives today, tomorrow, and always.

Throughout the course of 4 months, several fellow college students and I will be exploring our levels of happiness while we focus on 4 aspects of our lives: Health, Relationships, Education, and Spirituality. This blog will serve as a record of our achievements, failures, awkward moments, and journey to greater joy. 

"Radical happiness projects, such as Henry David Thoreau's move to Walden Pond, can be exhilarating - the fresh start, the total commitment, the leap into the unknown. But you don't have to reject your life in order to be happier." -Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project