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 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
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
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
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
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
Keep Your Mood Sunny When the Weather is Dreary
Most of you know this is my first winter in Northern Virginia after having lived for 8 years in Arizona. Fortunately, it’s been a mild winter so far, but
Tips for Increasing Your Well-being
In their book, Wellbeing, Gallup researchers Tom Rath and Jim Harter explain why we often make decisions that work against our own best interest when it comes to our well-being.
Choose Your Friends Wisely
In a previous blog I mentioned a study by professors Christakis and Fowler that found that kindness is contagious. In their book Connected, they site many other examples of social
Walking for Wellness
Photo by Will Martinez A couple of weeks ago I joined faculty, staff and students at George Mason University for the 4th Annual Happy Heart Walk. We met at noon
Avoid Anxiety by Staying in the Now
I have never seen the link between mindfulness and happiness as clearly as I have this summer. In May we sold our house, packed up our belongings, and sent them
Embrace Simplicity
One of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s many lessons in her book Gift from the Sea is the value of simplicity. She describes a channeled whelk shell as simple, bare and
Appreciating the Ebb and Flow of Life
“Your joy is divine and so is your suffering. There’s so much to be learned from both.” ~ Wayne Dyer Spending a week at the beach inspired me to re-read
Keep Things in Perspective
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty good at making mountains out of molehills. I can spend way more time worrying about making a decision than I
Boost Positivity with Spring Cleaning
Our annual church rummage sale was this weekend and I always look forward to it because it motivates me to do spring cleaning. I go through all our closets and
Make Every Day a Day of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday! A time to spend with friends and family and to reflect on all that we are grateful for. The only problem is that it
Create Positive Routines
Increasing positivity in our lives requires intentional effort. There are many things that we can do in order to experience more positive emotions, but sometimes it is hard to remember
3 Tips for Calming Your Mind
Rick Hanson recently wrote a series of blogs that I found fascinating. In them he explains how we can calm our mind for greater peace and happiness based on an
Discover Your Path to Happiness
Studies have identified many strategies for increasing positivity, yet there is no one true path to happiness. Research shows that different individuals benefit from different strategies. So in order to
Oprah Gets it!
The final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired yesterday. Oprah spent the hour talking about what she has learned over the last 25 years from all of the people
Meditation: Just What the Doctor Ordered!
Last week there was a story featured on ABC World News about the amount of doctors who are now prescribing meditation to their patients. Over 6 million Americans have been
Want to be Happy? Get Off the Couch!
Positive psychology recognizes that it takes work to be happy. Improvements in well-being often require efforts that are not immediately rewarding. Doing something that gives you pleasure can increase the
Spend Time on What Matters
Are you looking for more positivity in your life? A good place to start is to have a clear sense of what is important to you and make sure your
The Benefits of Volunteering
Companies that provide opportunities for their employees to volunteer reap a number of benefits. Giving people the chance to serve the needs of others actually helps to satisfy their own
How to be Happy
Small positive actions can add up to make a big difference in the happiness you feel. Below is a video that covers a whole list of little things that you