The Secrets to Happiness: Secret #1

We here at the Happiness Notebook try to keep the sarcasm limited because we are prone to exceed safe limits. We have been accused of being downright caustic and this is not conducive to happiness in general.

So what is the deal with the sarcastic title of this post? Well, it is true that we deplore such crude methods for selling books and programs, but we assume that the method is used because it is effective. So, we made the decision to start a new irregular feature known as The Secrets to Happiness.

The best part, though, is that these secrets are completely FREE. The downside is, well, they're not so secret. This is stuff you already know. I'll demonstrate with the first secret.

Drink plenty of water.

How much? It depends. Minimum seems to be 8 or 9 glasses a day, assuming an 8 oz glass. Our bodies are well over 50% water and we lose the fluid everyday in our trips to the bathroom and by simply breathing. If it's hot outside or we're exerting ourselves then we lose water through perspiration. The bigger we are, the more we need, too.

It won't make us fat, either. It is the true zero calories diet drink. If anything drinking water helps keep our metabolism up. When we start dehydrating our body slows down to preserve water.

The biggest reason I can think of for drinking lots of water is the way it makes me feel. When I am hydrated, I don't have headaches or bodyaches. I think more clearly, my memory is better, and I feel more creative. I always have a glass of water next to me when I am writing.

I know that city water and some well can really taste bad, like drinking from a swimming pool or a swamp. And I know that bottled water is ridiculously expensive. We use filters. Whether it is a filter in a pitcher that we refill or an inline filter on the tap or the supply line, it makes the water taste so much better.

Read this article from the CNN/Health library for more info.

And for those of you who want to take your water love beyond survival and happiness, there is a connoiseur's site that you should enjoy perusing.

So, our first secret has been revealed. Not quite the revelation you were hoping for, I understand. But water is pretty important. There is no happily ever after without it.

Next up: the importance of air. I don't want to give too much away, though, or you won't come back.