Prevent Depression

I’ve been thinking a lot about how we pay attention — and how we often miss what’s best in our kids because we have our attention trained on what we think they should be doing. Now don’t start blaming yourself… our whole approach to education teaches us to believe our kids should be other than […]

Book Cover Photo

What would you guess are the four strengths found in people with the highest life satisfaction?  One is enthusiasm, according to research by Chris Peterson and Marty Seligman, and colleagues. This was inspiring news to me because “Enthusiasm Makes the Difference” is the book I read at 17 that sparked my lifelong passion for positive psychology.  With all the hype and stress about […]

Photo of yellow lab, nose up sniffing and savoring the air

Is there anything easier to love than an adorable animal or favorite pet? What do you love most in your favorite animal? What song helps you savor your love for him or her? Share your answers (and mine) on Facebook!

Today I’m basking in love and appreciation for wonderful friends. What love note or quote would most inspire you today? What love song would you choose for your friends? What do you love most in your friends? Share your answers (and mine) on Facebook!

Photo of teddy bear and quote "You don't have to do anything to be adored. You only have to be."

Yesterday, we talked about the fact that most people strive to get others to love them. Happier people know it feels even better to give love than to receive — for them, every day can be a Valentine’s Day. Love Week is all about finding reasons to flow love to others — even if you […]

Image for "You control what you think"

There are times when it doesn’t feel as if I have control of my thoughts– it’s more like my thoughts are the inmates running the asylum. That’s when I remind myself that the only thing that imprisons us is our own thinking. And when I remember that I control what matters most — my own […]

Even though I know better, it’s easy to forget that where I put my attention is a choice. My choice. Sometimes I get caught in the trap of feeling stressed and I keep thinking about the stressful thing… I may even talk about it, which keeps it front and center…. and it’s like a whirlpool, […]

Now, it seems that “how to be happier” is everywhere. And here’s the irony: it dawned on me today that now when I read about happiness, I sometimes think, “Am I happy enough? Are my kids happy enough? Are my clients happy enough? Am I doing enough of the right things to make us as happy as we should be?”

Suddenly, I get it. I see why people can feel worse when they see and hear all this happy talk. [Click title to read full post].

Joy Photo

How often do you do something for the joy of it?  Because you love what you’re doing?  In “Flow,” I kept trying (and crashing) because I loved the idea of it.  The 100-mile runners in  Born to Run race for the love of it, says Christopher McDougall.  And if you’ve ever loved the feel of […]

Remember when you so loved the idea of something– your next job… a new project… your future wife– that nothing could stop you from pursuing it (her… him)?  The best motivation is when you love the idea of it so much that you don’t really care how you’re doing at this moment: you’re having so […]