{"id":814,"date":"2016-01-04T13:58:59","date_gmt":"2016-01-04T13:58:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/anthrohealth.net\/blog\/?p=814"},"modified":"2016-01-04T13:58:59","modified_gmt":"2016-01-04T13:58:59","slug":"hobbit-based-resolutions-for-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anthrohealth.net\/blog\/hobbit-based-resolutions-for-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Hobbit-Based Resolutions for 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each year, I read dozens of books. \u00a0The Wisdom of the Shire: A Short Guide to a Long and Happy Life <\/a>by Noble Smith was\u00a0the final\u00a0book I read in 2015. \u00a0As it happens, Hobbit wisdom provides us with advice which makes for great resolutions for 2016 and every year beyond.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Wisdom of the Shire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Smith first read Tolkien as a child and adored the books so intensely\u00a0that he re-read them all many, many times. \u00a0Therefore, it shouldn’t be any surprise that he took life advice from the Hobbits who seemed generally\u00a0happy and content. \u00a0While living a Hobbit lifestyle\u00a0may seem odd, Smith does a great job of detailing how\u00a0Hobbits take pleasure in life and what this can mean for us non-Hobbits if we follow their advice.<\/p>\n

Since\u00a0I want you to read the book, \u00a0I will \u00a0present just a smidgen of the Shire\u00a0 Wisdom\u00a0here.<\/p>\n

The first step to contentment is that your\u00a0home must be a ‘snug’ place. \u00a0If your home does not feel warm and welcoming when you open the door, it is difficult to be happy there. *<\/p>\n

Eat well of a wide variety of good food when you are hungry while\u00a0also\u00a0taking\u00a0pleasure in your meals. \u00a0It is hard to feel content or to think clearly when you are hungry.<\/p>\n

Get plenty of exercise, especially by walking everywhere you can. \u00a0Walking a wooded trail is a great source of contentment.<\/p>\n

Grow a vegetable garden. \u00a0This provides you with good food along with\u00a0exercise. \u00a0Pulling weeds can be quite meditative.<\/p>\n

Sleep is vital to well-being. \u00a0After hard work, it is necessary to sleep long, dream-filled hours in order to process the day (through dreams) and recuperate and refresh your spirit along with your body.<\/p>\n

Be open to new ideas and great adventures. \u00a0As my grandmother used to say when we were lost or something unexpected happened, “We are having an adventure!” \u00a0This puts a positive spin to life’s events.<\/p>\n

In addition to his advice, Smith also includes in each chapter relevant tidbits from the Tolkien lore. \u00a0He concludes\u00a0the book with a ‘quiz’ to determine how much of a Hobbit you are. \u00a0This quiz is really \u00a0for the deep-dyed Hobbit and LOTR fans who’ve read the books multiple times and seen the movies over and over. \u00a0 I’ve seen the movies (once) and read the books (once, when I was 14), so I do not qualify. \u00a0But we can all use the Wisdom of the Shire to make 2016 a\u00a0year of happiness and contentment.<\/p>\n

*Advice in another book I read recently will help increase contentment in your home: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up<\/a>.<\/p>\n