What are you doing for self-help during this crazy time? Maybe it’s eating healthier, finding regular sleep rhythms or getting outside more. Brene Brown challenges us to “Dare greatly.” Elizabeth Gilbert entreats us to: “Be the weirdo who dares to enjoy.” But it doesn’t have to be weird or dangerous to have fun, and it...Read More
When I was growing up, dinner was my least favorite time of day. First, there were the five very explicit rules. You will be in your seat, quiet and ready to eat at 5 pm. You will not complain or ask for something else. No dessert if you are not done when the adults are....Read More
When our son was in first grade, he wanted to take guitar lessons. We asked around and found a professional musician-teacher who was highly recommended by his school and by other parents. We bought a beginner’s guitar for a child’s small hands. We found a time that worked for the teacher and for us. We...Read More
You have lots of control over whether or not you will become happier. According to happiness researchers, it helps to think of a pie chart. I prefer a pizza as my metaphor. Three-and-a-half slices worth. That’s how much life satisfaction you can directly control. If the pizza has eight slices, it’s four slices of heredity...Read More
Let’s set the scene. Like many super-involved parents, you’ve been checking the school portal, keeping up with your child’s daily performance. There it is. You’ve been waiting for this moment. On the page before you is proof that your kid can be a high achiever. It’s a big jump in the English grade! You may be...Read More
Do you ever wish you were more creative? Research has shown that adults can be primed to become more creative simply by being asked to think like children. There are many kinds of creativity, including flexible thinking, elaboration of existing ideas, fluency of ideas, and originality. For the purposes of the study, college students were...Read More
People often count on random positive events to help get them through the day. But close to half of our well-being can be affected by intentional activities, like setting goals, making choices, and developing self-regulation. So does this mean that good things in your life are not all random? Well, as a matter of fact,...Read More
The goal of education is to produce lifelong learners. In an age of globalization, outsourcing and job creation and elimination, this is quite a task. Moreover, changes we make to education today may take years to manifest in the world of adult workers. To become future-proofed, educators must guide students to: synthesize information by learning...Read More
If you’re like me, when faced with the ill-defined obstacle of “all of the stuff that needs to get done,” it’s very tempting to immediately launch into action. But any sports team knows better than to attack blindly; you need a savvy strategy to succeed. A champion squad would never enter the arena without a...Read More
You’ve heard of soft skills. They are part of the hidden curriculum that includes interpersonal communication abilities like showing empathy, compassion, and conflict resolution skills, as well as demonstrating emotional self-awareness, self-regulation, perseverance, and creative, independent problem-solving. At school, work and life, we depend on soft skills. I’ve spent my career working with people who have tried and struggled to build self-regulation and...Read More
