Taking Action

While we cannot change our biology, we can still make progress toward our goals by developing a deeper awareness of what drives us, accepting what can and cannot be changed, and taking action to change what we can. This can be iterative process that moves us toward actually doing what we know is good for us.

Jaime’s idea of practical self-reliance serves up a welcome, encouraging balm for my weary heart. Jaime gives us hope and inspiration to celebrate the simple and good. In the spirit of thanksgiving wherever you are, I’m happy to share some resources to help you boost your practical self-reliance.

While feeling stressed may be an appropriate reaction to the pandemic, fight for racial justice, and contentious election, the fact that we have powerful inner resources called character strengths can help us cope with these adversity. Here are three constructive actions your strengths can help us do in the face of today’s challenges. Strengths can be a source of hope.

In the face of the sadness and worry of the coronavirus pandemic, I encourage you to create a digital Positive Portfolio on your smartphone: This is a folder attached to your home screen where you consciously assemble artifacts, such as photos, videos, and music, that evoke memories of special positive valence.

Instead of trying to maintain a beautiful veneer and optimize our performance under the current circumstances, I would like to recommend to open-minded readers something entirely different: cultivate a stance of self-compassion. We don´t need to pretend we have everything under control. We don´t have to be perfect.

Exploring and applying character strengths can help us improve relationships, buffer against negative feelings, and manage problems as well as enhance our well-being during this challenging time. We offer some simple suggestions for activating different character strengths while dealing with this international pandemic.

This is the second part of an interview of Henry Edwards about his book, The Daily Better. Today we dig a little deeper. We talk about better ways of making decisions than being driven by fear. We also discuss the impact he has had on the world views of his high school students and explore his plans for a future book targeted for them and their age peers.

In 2019, Henry Edwards published The Daily Better: 365 Reasons for Optimism. I interviewed him on December 12 about why he wrote the book. I learned that he personally changed his world view to be more open and hopeful and that he hopes his book will help others do the same.

The three studies by Crum, Salovey, and Achor suggest that our stress mindset is malleable, and that adopting a stress-is-enhancing mindset can help us handle the pressures that come our way.

What really stays with me is that this book – and “book” seems like such an impoverished word for this treasure – is really a love letter to all women everywhere. It is uplifting, inspiring, empowering, and energizing. It speaks of hope and possibility and the creation of a wonderful future for everyone through the recognition and appreciation of women.

Jane Strunk Anderson’s book, 30 Days of Character Strengths: A Guided Practice to Ignite Your Best lays out a month-long series of practices to help people intentionally develop their own character strengths. I did the 30-day practice with a group of friends. We realized that the book also allowed each of us to customize strengths practices to our own personalities.

There was much in this book that caused me to be more reflective and introspective. When you’re in a life-long relationship with someone else, that’s probably a good practice. Since it takes two to tango, couples may want to buy two copies of this book, one for each to read, make notes in, and reflect on. Then they might want to do a few date book club nights to share their ideas and move forward together.

How does positive psychology bring together ecopsychology and transpersonal psychology? What can we do to use this convergence to enhance well-being and connection?

Mud and Dreams is a book to be savored completely and often. In this day and age, it is a welcome reminder that not only are we “hybrid creatures, both mud and dreams,” but also that our dual nature is something to celebrate and rejoice in, as it is our very gift of humanity that lets us fall deeply in love with life and all it has to offer.

Why do people stay in their comfort zones and stick to old beliefs and behaviors, even when those patterns do not serve them anymore? Why do they continue trying to…

This article continues the answer to the question, “How does a relationship with our natural environment help us develop a life of meaning?” The actions in this article are involved with deeper self-discovery and expression.

How does a relationship with our natural environment help us develop a life of meaning? 13 actions to explore this question. Come back tomorrow for an additional 13 actions.

We interviewed Carin Rockind on our most recent PPND Webinar on October 17th, 2018. Carin Rockind is the leading happiness expert and the founder of PurposeGirl, a movement to empower purpose-driven living.…

Wendy Toh was one of my favorite bosses. She did not assume that I could read her mind about what was important to her. Wendy taught me to have Big Rocks conversations as a way to negotiate priorities. Here’s how one of these discussions might go.

Let’s take a moment to look at the ownership of your time. Some of it is yours. If you are employed, some of it belongs to your employer. But how much?