In Praise of Pride
Pride is one of the seven deadly sins, but is it really that bad? Pride is a positive emotion and there is a lot of research showing the benefits of
Positive Emotions Facilitate Positive Change
Have you been trying to start any new habits lately? Maybe something that will help to boost your immune system, like exercising or eating more plant-based meals? Or something that
Focus on the Positive to Build Your Well-Being
I gave a TEDx talk at George Mason University yesterday. The title of my talk was “How Focus Builds Well-Being”. I’ve been studying well-being for many years now, and
Protect Your Telomeres to Live Longer
I recently attended the World Congress on Positive Psychology in Montreal, Canada. It was exciting to hear about the latest research being done in the field. I was especially intrigued
How Positivity Can Help Save the Earth
The Smithsonian Earth Optimism Summit was held in Washington DC last weekend. The goal of the summit was to convene researchers and environmentalists to share solutions for preserving biodiversity, protecting
Calling for a Media Revolution
I’m done. I can’t take so much negativity! The 2016 presidential campaign has been so divisive it makes it hard for anyone to stay positive. That’s why
A Sense of Wonder May Do Wonders for Your Health
On a recent trip to Philadelphia, I visited the Barnes Foundation, which has an impressive collection of Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings. I was awed by the wonderful paintings I
How Positivity Helped Build the Panama Canal
At a dinner I attended this week, Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough spoke about the building of the Panama Canal, the topic of his book, The Path Between the Seas.
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
The Power of Positive Reinforcement
Our new puppy is giving me lots of opportunities to practice positive reinforcement. And believe me it is quite challenging at times! As a psychologist I know that the very
Happy Leaders Have Successful Teams
Research shows that our happiness influences our own success, but what about the impact of a leader’s happiness on the success of his or her followers? Studies have, in
We Learn Best From Success not Failure
I think it is important to learn from our mistakes. And I think it is extremely important for organizations to create climates in which people are not punished for their
Being Positive Can Bring You Good Luck
Would you like to be lucky? It turns out that you can create your own luck. Research by Dr. Richard Wiseman, author of The Luck Factor, shows that “lucky” people
Want to Succeed? Work on Being Happy
Most people believe that success will make them happy. They work long hours, sacrificing time with family and friends, because they are convinced that they will find happiness when they
Improve Your Odds of Survival by 50%
According to a recent study done by professors at BYU, “social connections – friends, family, neighbors or colleagues – improve our odds of survival by 50 percent.” And actually the odds are
Evidence that Work Sucks
Scientists at Harvard and Northeastern Universities used the social networking cite twitter to study moods. The researchers coded words that were linked to positive, negative, and neutral moods and tracked
Positivity Boosts Resilience
According to Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory, positive emotions serve to broaden our mind’s focus and to help us build valuable resources over time. I have already discussed how
Positivity Increases Employee Engagement
Positive employees are engaged in their work and their organizations. When people experience positive emotions they are energetic, confident, and optimistic. As a result, they are internally motivated to pursue
Positivity Leads to Higher Levels of Performance
Positivity is good for your health and good for your relationships. But the benefits of positivity don’t stop there. Positivity is also related to successful performance in many different
Positivity is Good for your Health
Many of the most popular New Year’s resolutions have to do with our health. Some people resolve to eat healthier, others to exercise more, to reduce stress, or to
Positivity is Good for Relationships
Most of us are fortunate enough to spend the holidays with friends and family. I feel blessed to be writing this blog from my parent’s home! Since many of
Welcome to the World of Organizational Positivity
Positive psychology In 1998 when Martin Seligman was the president of the American Psychological Association he pointed out that the field of psychology was overly focused on human problems and