_2 Positive Traits

Are you always the same person?  In some situations, you may feel stressed but strong, moving forward knowing that an adversity is at least partly within your control. In other…

Do right-brained people find it easier to express love than left-brained folks? I have been reflecting on it for the last month during a trip to India with my mother for the dedication of the new building for the Evershine English school for disadvantaged children. My gut tells me that folks who are more right brained have an easier time expressing love because they lead with their hearts over their heads and are more adept in the universal non-verbal language of love.

As a kid, did you love taking a bath every day? I didn’t. Fast forward 25 years later, taking a shower is so ingrained in my habits that I couldn’t possibly fathom the idea of going to work without a prior healthy dose of body wash. …When a man at least ten years older than my Dad raced by me effortlessly in a 3-mile run, I realized that physical activity is an important part of personal hygiene. Why did I resist a practice I know is good for me, and then how did I break out of the resistance?

When did we start calling kids “self-motivated” if they responded to someone or something outside themselves? Doesn’t the word “self” mean that it comes from the individual himself? Is someone truly self-motivated if they are doing something to get a reward from someone else? Teens who are not top students may appear to be unmotivated when we look only at their school performance.

If you met Denni Chipollini before one of his speaking engagements, you’d see his communicative smile and feel his positive attitude. But you’d never guess what the story behind his energy is.

Thomas Hobbes famously described life as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” In contrast, Dacher Keltner describes life as the “survival of the kindest.” His new book, Born to Be…

Think about the leaders you’ve followed in the past. Which one has had the most positive influence in your life? What three words best describe what this person contributes to your life? In a recent study bringing more clarity on this complex topic, Gallup interviewed over 10,000 people and asked them the two questions you’ve just answered.

Did you know that the average American puts on 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas? And how much do you figure the average Holiday shopper has spent per year for the past 10 years? Try $961! We are observing epidemics in obesity, inactivity, and indebtedness. But here’s the good news.

I found this quotation on a billboard in the City Hall Square in Copenhagen while on holiday there last month: “Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity.” Recognizing moments of fear or anxiety is simple enough but entering a state of curiosity is a real challenge for me, probably has something to do with my practical sensibility.

Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel outlines five principles for this new science of mind. In this context, I like to think of character strengths as old good habits–correlating to strong neural networks that can be engaged for new learning and reinforced with practice.

As a leading writer and printer, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat, Ben Franklin attributed his success and happiness to only one thing – developing virtues. Especially so in tough times.

Why did Franklin care about habits and virtues?

Every fiber in my being felt raw and agitated, and I could barely concentrate. That’s when I pulled out the big guns. … I don’t remember how I discovered this most powerful tool, but once I experienced its potency I used it as frequently as I could. My secret weapon was walking (fast) on my treadmill while listening to recordings of inspirational speakers.

It keeps beeping, interrupting even the most focused thoughts and conversations: the call waiting signal.  Do you answer? Hope the sound will go away? Hope that voicemail will pick it…

Gratitude is a bridge to your positive future:  It is your passageway to success. Think about a bridge crossing a river.  It must have strong supporting foundations on both banks. …

Sometimes I feel like I have this life-thing all figured out. The roof leaks: no problem. The dog pees on the Christmas presents: primo-fodder for our holiday letter! But then there are other days … I catch a glimpse of cockroaches scurrying away as I crack open the cabinet doors, and it DOES bother me. I stress about them all day.

As I am sure you have, I recently witnessed a heated argument between two neighbors who disagree over the Presidential campaign. 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.

Films that intrinsically revolve around the study and exploration of character are a terrific medium for a journey through the VIA character strengths. A new book published this summer, Positive Psychology at the Movies by psychologists Ryan M. Niemiec and Danny Wedding perfectly lays the landscape for this wonderful journey of positive psychology in film.

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.

What if research were to show that people can effect enormous positive changes in their lives and in the lives of others using a tool they have with them at…