I talked, in my last post, about what we learn from science about happiness and suggested three core themes from the happiness literature (the ABCs of happiness). I want to continue this topic by sharing a short video on the topic. Before you watch it, let me just share a bit of the backstory. The […]
I’ve long been interested in understanding happiness and, consequently, have stayed abreast of this body of research over the last several years. Now I want to share what I’ve learned from the science of happiness (as well as share a number of tips to be happy). According to science, our happiness can be attributed to […]
Your brain is a lot like Amazon.com. But instead of books, socks, and vacuum filters (or whatever you buy on Amazon), your brain sells THOUGHTS. Millions of them. And you are the customer. Every day, every minute, inside your mind, you are searching for thoughts, browsing through thoughts, and clicking on the ones you […]
In just a few days we’ll be celebrating one of my favorite holidays—Thanksgiving. I love the holiday for two primary reasons. First, it’s a day to pause and give thanks for the bounty and abundance of our lives. We know from science that people who make gratitude a part of their everyday lives are happier, […]
Happiness in Marriage Did you know that over 96% of all people will marry or come together as a couple during their lifetimes? The fact is, we don’t like being alone. We want to find a partner and settle into a life with someone with whom we can share our life experiences. Furthermore, according to […]
One reason that many marriages flounder or fail is that we enter into them with unrealistic expectations. There are many myths of marriage out there that are not realistic and don’t serve you. Unfortunately, they set you up to be disillusioned and discouraged with your marriage. I believe you’ll be a lot more successful building […]
As I’ve shared before, being grateful is more highly linked to mental health, happiness, and well-being than any other character trait. And the good news is that we can cultivate gratitude through deliberate practice. So, here are a few of my favorite quotes on gratitude: “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” Anonymous “Be thankful […]
I recently read a short essay by Emily Perl Kingsley about her experience of raising a child with Down syndrome. Although the essay is widely shared among parents of special needs children, the message is for all of us. It’s about having your expectations turned upside down. Welcome to Holland When you’re going to have […]
One step in the process of personal empowerment is embracing reality or accepting what is. This statement seems counter-intuitive. It seems like if you’re going to make things happen and live your dreams then you can’t be content or accept the way things are, but work or fight to make them different. Paradoxically, however, it […]
