How to Experience More Meaning in Life
Are you searching for the meaning of life? Have you found your one true purpose? For most of us, the answer is no. These questions treat meaning and purpose as
Learning to Shift Your Emotions
In his book, Shift, Ethan Kross addresses what he considers “one of the greatest challenges we face as a species: how to manage our emotional lives.” While this is a
Realizing Your Potential to Achieve Success
Adam Grant wants us to redefine success as how far we’ve come rather than how well we are doing in comparison to others. “The true measure of success is
Caring for Your Future Self
Many of the things we should do to be happier and healthier in the future require sacrifices today. In his book, Your Future Self, Hal Hershfield identifies several reasons why
How Minimalism Enhances Well-Being
I’ve written blogs in the past about the positive impact reducing clutter, embracing simplicity, and living with less have on your well-being. So, I wasn’t surprised when an
Becoming a Better Learner
Jim Kwik’s latest book, Limitless, teaches us how to upgrade our brain and learn faster. In it, he shares strategies for improving focus, memory, reading speed, and study habits.
How to Use Time to Boost Your Well-Being
“It’s not about being time rich, it’s about making the time that we have rich.” In her book, Happier Hour, UCLA professor Cassie Holmes argues that time is
To Keep Your New Year’s Resolution, Make it Positive
Many people set goals for the new year. This makes sense because January 1 is a “temporal landmark,” a day that stands out from other days. This offers us a
How I Work to be Well
Your happiness and health are determined to a great extent by lifestyle choices. Nearly half of all premature deaths in the U.S. are due to behaviors that can be
Using Regret for Good
In his latest book, The Power of Regret, Daniel Pink argues that regrets can be used to make us better. Instead of ignoring our regrets or ruminating about them, we
It’s Not You, It’s Your Environment
Dan Buettner wants you to know that if you’re struggling with health problems or your weight, it’s probably not your fault. In his latest book, The Blue Zones
Cultivating Curiosity
Several years ago, I started choosing a word each January that I wanted to focus on for the coming year. I chose mindfulness one year, gratitude another, and compassion. The
Life is Short; Make Good Choices
Your time on earth is limited. You might not be here tomorrow. If you’re lucky enough to live to 90, you’ll have almost 4,700 weeks. That’s
How to Spend More Time on Meaningful Activities
Two types of activities contribute to our well-being: 1) activities we like to do because they bring us immediate pleasure and 2) activities we want to do because they give
Embracing Lifequakes
A recent article in the Washington Post reported a survey showing that 66% of people returning to work after the pandemic are considering changing fields. This is not as surprising
Bouncing Back Better
“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” ~Sir Winston Churchill As we emerge from the pandemic, let’s think about how we can bounce back better. Returning to work
Your Personal Highlight Reel
Our need to make sense of the world causes our brains to create a narrative that explains our experiences. The resulting story shapes our personal identity or what we believe
Two More Rules of Habit Formation
In my last post I discussed the first two rules for creating good habits from James Clear’s book Atomic Habits, 1) make it obvious and 2) make it attractive.
Two Rules of Habit Formation
Last year I wrote a blog about how making behaviors easy and using cues as reminders can help you create habits for positive change. These ideas are based on the
Do it for Your Future Self
Most of us know what we need to do to be happier and healthier. We know things like eating healthy food, exercising, and getting enough sleep will boost our mental
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
To Be Resilient Take Control
Resilient individuals use active coping skills to get through difficult times. They identify what they have control over and focus on what they can do about the things within their
Creating Habits for Positive Change
The hardest part of change isn’t knowing what you should do, it’s doing it. The two things that have helped me include more well-being practices in my life
A New Decade, A New Approach
This is the first decade of my adult life that I have begun without having major life goals. I graduated from college in 1990 and dedicated the next 10 years
Trusting that Change is Good
I’m writing this as I sit on my porch, trying to stay out of the way of the movers who are loading our belongings onto a truck. My husband