With the last cold front over, summer is here and school is soon to be done until August. Summer break is a great diversion from the mundane work week. It does get oppressively hot here but there are ways to beat the heat and have some fun. Our beaches are back on track and we can take the time to enjoy the blessings of living on the Gulf Coast. Enjoy the sun and sand with friends and family.

There is much sadness a few hours north of us. As they pick up the pieces of their lives after the destruction of the tornadoes, there is much we can do to help. By each of us helping those in need, we can find joy in our lives and it can contribute to our health and well being.

A leading brain researcher Richard Davidson, PhD of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said “Based on what we know about the plasticity of the brain, we can think of happiness as a skill no different from learning to play a musical instrument. It is possible to train our minds to be happy.”

According to “Healthy Living Magazine,” there are five ways we can find happiness in our life.

Number one: Don’t believe everything you think. We have 60,000 thoughts a day, 95 percent are the same thoughts every day. For the average person the vast majority of these habitual thoughts are negative. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found that having negative thoughts can stimulate the areas of the brain involved in depression and anxiety. But what they say is this: our thoughts aren’t always true!

Number two: Notice happy things in your life; no matter how small. Make a point of noticing everything good that happens to you: what you see, what you feel, what you taste, what you hear, or what you smell that brings pleasure to you. Once you notice something positive, take a few moments to savor it, making a habit of feeding your happiness.

Number three: Choose the happier thought. The next time you’re faced with a challenging situation that gives rise to negative thoughts and bad feelings, find an equally true thought about the situation that makes you feel better and lean into it.

Number four: Tend to your relationships. The best way to keep relationships (with parents, siblings, friends, spouse, co-workers, or children) happy, healthy, and supportive can be summed up in one word: appreciation. According to a recent Gallup Management Journal article, when someone is acknowledged, “dopamine” is released which is a neuro-chemical that’s directly linked to being happy! Think of showing appreciation to others as your personal, daily get-happy drug.

Finally number five: Find passion and purpose. Bringing a sense of passion to mundane activities will boost your happiness, but also taking the time to find your true passions. Incorporate passion into your daily life, whether at home or at work.

So get out to the beach, enjoy the ride of life and don’t worry so much. It’s much better for your health if you find happiness in your life, even with disaster around you.

Loxley resident Valerie J. Steimle is now the author of four books. Her latest, “Dogs, Blogs and Hobbits: Writings from a Widow’s Perspective” is available on Amazon.com. Contact her at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com, visit her website at www.stregthenyourhome.com or check out her blog at www.valeriesteimle.blogspot.com.