I had the wonderful opportunity to attend and present at the 1st Annual Applied Positive Psychology Conference at The University of Warwick in April. Sponsored by the Centre for Applied Positive Psychology, over 200 delegates representing 24 countries were in attendance. The program, entitled People at their Best in Work, Education and Health, featured a variety of valuable keynotes and instructive and informative workshops and paper presentations. [...]

I’ve become “the license plate lady” to all of my children’s friends, who are now accustomed to riding in a carpool with me and hearing me suddenly yelp as I spot a terrific vanity plate, “Get a picture of that license plate!” Anyone with a good view of my target now knows to zoom in, get a few snaps, and show it to everyone for approval so that I can use it as a teaching tool about the power of words in shaping our moods. [...]

The Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, launched a nationwide health promotion and disease prevention initiative called Healthy People 2010. One of the focus areas from this initiative is to increase the amount of physical activity in the largely sedentary population, in hopes of supporting physical health and reducing the staggering number of preventable deaths. For example, in the year 2000, of 2,391,399 deaths, 1,159,000 (48%) were from preventable causes. Furthermore and estimated 400,000 of those deaths were due to poor diet and physical inactivity. [...]

What can we do individually and in groups to turn our work into sources of great satisfaction, meaning, and engagement? Many people are unhappy at work. Some feel under-appreciated and overworked. Some feel that …

I was recently invited to speak at a support facility for adults recovering from the prolonged effects of psychiatric illness in Bridgeport, CT. The Bridge House offers a number of services including a …

Institutions have many strengths. For one thing, they’ve been around awhile.  For another, they are usually tied to our values and even reinforce them.  But an institution can become “institutionalized” which we equate with stagnation …

What do you do if you’re running a news radio station, and suddenly your new management which has heavy ties to the government comes in to tell you that you now must report at …

“Think! Think harder. Come on! Think.” How often have you said that to yourself? If you just think harder and faster, you’ll figure it out.

Science is saying, “Wait a minute.” Literally, the message is, “Wait a minute.” Your most creative ideas do not come to you after you squint and make a thinking sound, “mmmmm.” Research is pointing to a better way to get the best answers: It’s through your unconscious mind. [...]