self-determination theory

I frequently write songs as gifts for others. The best example is a lullaby I wrote for my baby niece. It makes me feel more connected and that I matter. This construct of mattering seems very similar to the feeling that we are a part of something greater than ourselves. Taken together, the research described here suggests that a sense of meaning might be embedded in the basic need of relatedness, which both contributes to and results from prosocial behaviors.

One of the things that most of us look for in life is a feeling of energy. We tend to steer clear of people who drain or deplete us. The sense of vitality is important to us. It lets us know that something is right. But what exactly gives us vigor?

I sympathize if you’re one of the estimated 35% of people who have already fallen off the wagon and given up on your New Year’s Resolutions, but help is at hand. Positive psychology coaching offers some useful insights into setting goals and sticking with them that might help just help you see them through.

I watched in amazement as Grace, a friend’s granddaughter, who was petrified of going near the sea a year before, walked fearlessly into tumbling waves. She is now in love with the ocean and has adopted her grandmother’s passion for the sea. Edward Deci could have used Grace as a powerful example of internalizing extrinsic motivation in his keynote talk on Self-Determination Theory at the IPPA World Congress.