Move it! Move it! (And Measure it!)
The research showing the health risks of inactivity has me a bit worried, especially since I spend most of my days writing at my computer. I thought I was fine
Focus on Habits not Goals
Have you made any resolutions for the new year? What goals do you hope to achieve in 2014? Would you like to lose 10 pounds? Move into a new position
Purpose Matters
People and peace of mind increase our day-to-day happiness and reduce our stress, but a truly meaningful life comes from having a sense of purpose. Purpose is about making a
Peace of Mind Matters
Peace of mind matters for your well-being. There are two things you can start doing right now to lower your stress. First is mindfulness, which is simply paying attention to
People Matter
Your relationships are one of the most important factors affecting your happiness. Being around people reduces our stress and increases our joy. People give us help and emotional support. This
You Can’t Have it All! Focus on What Matters
Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, are leaning into their careers. Others, like Anne-Marie Slaughter, have made different choices. She decided to scale back when
Do You Know Your Family Story?
Have you ever watched the TV show “Who do you think you are?” It’s a documentary series that takes celebrities on a journey to trace their family tree. I’
Bad Times Can Bring Out Our Best
I’ve blogged before about how we can increase our happiness by making a point of noticing the good and looking for the silver lining when something bad happens. It
What’s Good About Leaning In
I have to admit that, despite my passion for the issue of women’s careers, I didn’t rush to read Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In when it was
Perseverance Pays Off!
I wrote a blog about Diana Nyad after her fourth attempt to be the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. I thought we could
Do You Have a Dream?
Today is the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. In order to commemorate the anniversary, NBC has launched a campaign asking people to
The Best Ways to Give
Adam Grant is a professor at Wharton whose research I have been interested in for years. He recently wrote a book, Give and Take, where he summarizes much of what
The Long Hours Problem
You’ve probably noticed that I’m a huge advocate of workplace flexibility. Giving employees more choices regarding when and where to do their work can really help them to
Vulnerability: A Leader’s Greatest Strength
We typically think it is important for leaders to show strength and decisiveness, however, it may be equally important for them to show their vulnerability. In my last post I
Embrace Vulnerability
One of my favorite TED Talks is Brené Brown on the power of vulnerability. Clearly I’m not the only one who likes it because it has over a million
Active Constructive Responding Strengthens Relationships
In a previous post I talked about the value of celebrating other people’s good news. The best way to respond when something good happens to someone we care about
What is Well-Being?
In my role as Senior Scholar at the Center for Consciousness and Transformation at George Mason University, I’m participating in a Well-Being University Learning Community. Our purpose is to
The Space Between
I recently read Search Inside Yourself, written by Chade-Meng Tang, Google’s Jolly Good Fellow. Seriously, that’s what it says on his business card. The book describes a mindfulness-based
Celebrate Other People’s Good News
How do you respond when something good happens to someone else? Do you celebrate with them? Or are you more likely to say “that’s great!” and continue on? Actively
How Positivity Leads to Success
There is overwhelming evidence from research in positive psychology that people who are happy are more successful. Positivity is related to higher levels of job performance, supervisory evaluations and perceived
4 Ways to Bring Your Life into Better Balance
Leading a balanced life is extremely important for our well-being, but it is something that many of us struggle with. How balanced is your life? Here are some things to
Strengths-Based Talent Management
People who have the opportunity to do what they do best every day are happier and more successful. A strengths-based approach to managing talent recognizes the value of emphasizing strengths
Celebrating Telework Week
Since this is Telework Week, I thought I’d discuss the critical role that telecommuting plays in creating positive workplaces where employees thrive. I was shocked and extremely disappointed when
Use If-Then Planning to Achieve Your Goals
Do you have a goal that you’re trying to achieve? If so, I have good news for you. There is one easy thing that you can do to significantly
Love is Good for Your Health
Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, I thought I’d dedicate this blog post to the topic of love. Barbara Fredrickson, who first peaked my interest in