2008
How can our children develop these sort of empathic bonds with others if their interactions are with a screen rather than real-life, flesh-and-blood people? At an age when my son needs to be learning how to connect with others, and how to navigate the difficult moments that do occur in human relations, technology adds still more hurdles. Photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand had an idea. While stranded in Mali in the 1980’s, Arthus-Bertrand spent an evening listening to another man’s life story. […]
Topics: All, Awe, Communication, Gratitude, Hope, Humor, Interview, Love, Media, Optimism, Pathway 3 "Meaning", Positive Feelings, _1 Positive Experiences
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
As an ex-financial controller, I can imagine the furious activity taking place in the finance departments of businesses as they try to put together realistic budgets for the coming year, after a month of unprecedented stock market falls, and talk of bail-out and bankruptcies hitting the headlines every day. It’s accepted that uncertainty is one of the hardest things for us to deal with but is the sure knowledge that you’re about to nose-dive into a recession any better? […]
At first glance there seems to be little in divorce that is sparkling and fragrant. Hopes and dreams are crashing and burning, the financial future is uncertain, and angry words are often flung in an effort to protect tender hearts. But if you can only lift your eyes above the immediacy of the moment, you might be able to recognize that the brushfire that is currently destroying many aspects of your life is clearing the path for new growth.
We form habits of thought around stories, and each time we retell them the old way, we reinforce the habit. Today I actually stopped a client cold in the middle of a story. We were talking about his being single and to illustrate in his mind the “why” of this reality, he began to tell me a story about a past relationship—about one that had failed. His story was about blame and fault. It was entirely focused on what was wrong, nothing about what was right. But what if he told a different story? […]
As I am sure you have, I recently witnessed a heated argument between two neighbors who disagree over the Presidential campaign. Perhaps you found yourself in this very same situation? If your relations with people supporting the opposing view have been more difficult as of late, please pay attention! … Studies of everyday reasoning show that people tend to make their decisions instinctively and then try to find evidence to support their point of view.
Fear and Panic are making headlines these days, as though they were members of a godly pantheon come down to Earth, crushing economies, sowing chaos and seducing the most virtuous among our women. But fear and panic are not great external forces; they are powerful internal ones, generated deep in the brain. … George Valliant notes, “negative emotions are often crucial for survival—but only in time present. The positive emotions are more expansive and help us to broaden and build.” […]
Ever fantasize about duplicating yourself? Imagine a world where there is not one, not two, but trillions of you! Welcome to your body! According to Dr. Bruce Lipton, “you are a cooperative community of approximately 50 trillion single-celled citizens.” Yes, the genes in your cell nuclei have a role in your happiness. But what other parts of the cell affect smiling? […]
I live in New York City. Perhaps because it is the financial capital of the world, anxiety about the economy is everywhere. In Starbucks people sit grimly reading the Wall Street Journal and the patois overheard is about Lehman Brothers, AIG and bailouts. With every lurching move of the Dow, you can feel the collective panic or collective sighs of relief. In this environment how can positive psychology help?
Following last year’s great success in Australia, the 2nd Conference on Happiness & Its Causes was held in London, UK, October 9-10, 2008. The conference aimed to probe into the underlying causes of happiness and well-being for us as individuals, at our workplaces, and in our community as a whole. As suggested by the motto of the conference, Tools & Techniques for a Happier Life, the conference shed some light on how to travel there.