Take a Chill Pill
Texans could really use a lesson in emotional balance
Texans are among the worst at decompressing and finding their centers, according to a survey examining how “emotionally recharged” each state’s residents have been in the new year. It turns out that Texas is the second least emotionally recharged state in the union behind Utah.
The rankings were put together by Lantern, an online tool for evaluating “mind health.” The totally scientific “emotional balance index” refers to how frequently respondents took action to renew, refresh and recharge their emotional well-being. That could be learning something new; sharing a moment of closeness with a loved one; having a meaningful conversation with a friend; doing a good deed for someone else; or engaging in other activities that helps one truly rest, recharge and unwind.
Only 41 percent of Texans had done something of the sort in the two weeks before they took the survey, which was conducted from December 26 to January 9. We beat Utah only by a percentage point; Alaska, Arizona and South Dakota rounded out the bottom five.
On the other side of the spectrum, New Hampshire (75 percent), Indiana (73 percent) and Louisiana (71 percent) are the three most emotionally recharged states. Even Arkansas made the top five, with 68 percent. Oklahoma was No. 10, with 65 percent of its residents engaging in some sort of recharging behavior.
So it seems that our neighbors can find the time to talk to Grandma or read a book or take a quiet walk through the woods, while Texans are just too preoccupied to take a breather. It’s like, can I just be about me for a minute here?
But this isn’t a very scientific survey, so don’t let it stress you out too much.