learn How would you answer two seemingly simple questions: What do you love about your community? What would you change? Most people agree that their community (which could be your whole city or a part of it, like a team or group) should be at least some of these things: vibrant and culturally rich; safe,...Read More
learn It can be hard to work against your strengths. They are automatic and feel right. So honest people may find it hard to tell a white lie, and forgiving people may let others hurt them over and over. These are examples of overdoing it with a strength. The reverse, underusing a strength, can also...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
Researchers have found that people use four key styles of responding to the good news of another person. Imagine that your child has just told you their coach says they are going to start in the next game, or are invited to a friend’s party. That’s epic! Think about how you could respond to them:...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
You’ve finished all of the work you’re going to do today. You could be like Fred Flintstone shouting “Yabba-dabba-doo!” as you rush away from your task list. But wait, you’ve forgotten something important! Tomorrow. If you just leave your desk at the stopping point of your last task, you will be completely unprepared for the...Read More
You’re waiting to hear back from the college or university of your choice. Your mind is stuck playing the same track: College just is not for me, and the rejections I’ll get are proof. Here’s the truth: There are lots of things that you’ll never know if you are not accepted. To transition into any...Read More
We like to think that we are in charge of our choices. But what if making a choice or decision is actually based on things that we don’t notice? Sometimes we are faced with a task that will require one or more choices. What we choose depends on what we process about the situation. This...Read More
