Pathway 1 “Pleasure”

When, at 39, I was trying to decide whether to pursue training in positive psychology , I made for myself all the “practical” objections. I was already a successful lawyer,…

“Raindrops on roses and Whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and Warm woolen mittens” Julie Andrews sang about them. Oprah has them. And so I now want to do a…

It’s definitely the time of year to reflect on the nature of gift-giving and what positive psychology has to teach us about it. In broader terms, giving (especially in the…

We can get new ideas for gift selections from the pathways to happiness identified in positive psychology: The Pleasant Life — savoring and basking, The Engaged Life — intense involvement in worthwhile activities, and The Meaningful Life — living in service of something larger than ourselves.

‘Tis the season to give and get. This is the explicit message of the many advertisements that propel us into hypnotic holiday spending. Are your halls decked? Is your closet…

My mother has days when she sleeps more and more, moving in and out of a twilight state of consciousness, as she approaches the end of her physical life. She…

Europeans generally don’t celebrate Thanksgiving; we have important, though quieter harvest festivals, and we wish you North Americans ease.  Sitting between Diwalli (Hindu) and Christmas (pagan in its timing), the…

Positive psychology and EI (“emotional intelligence”) have differing domains of research, though luckily I believe they can contribute to one another. For reference, here are the four branches of EI…

Many psychologists have attempted to describe a skill resembling emotional intelligence. None have gone so far and defined so well the concept of EI (“emotional intelligence”) as has Peter Salovey, professor of psychology at Yale University.

A new report has found that being super-thin is bad for models’ health. But what effect do size zeros have on the rest of us?

There are many facets of work and life in general that we do not control. But we can increase our control over our own responses to them. One way to raise our overall level of well-being even in the face of trouble and stress is to practice and grow stronger at being grateful.

Governments have tried to increase their citizens’ well-being since time immemorial. But when it comes to assessing how they’re doing, they have generally stuck to objective measures such as GDP, as famously criticized by Lord Layard. This changed earlier this summer, when the British Government became the first in the West to track its citizens’ subjective well-being.

Preparing for a workshop I was running last week, I e-mailed the 20 or so participants with briefing notes and added a PS to the warn them that I would be hobbling on crutches as I had “recently broken my leg whilst roller-blading in the Andes with a bunch of Brazilian dancers.”

Two delightful people initially believed my explanation to which I could only say, “I really wish I were the kind of guy that could be true of.” […]

As my experience with the masters program in positive psychology at Penn nears its conclusion, I thought it might be appropriate to spend my time this month writing about adventure.…

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. […]

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”…

Scrapbooking has once again become popular. Many people find that the process of choosing special photos and other memorabilia gives testimony to what matters most. With emergence of the digital age, electronic scrapbooks are finding a place in education for both performance and relational ends.

Positive Psychology is the study of positive emotion, of engagement, and of meaning. Each of these turns out to be measurable with adequate precision and buildable. The central thesis of…