“Dear Santa, How are you? I hope the reindeer are being nice to Rudolph. For Christmas what I really want is superpowers. Oh, and an iPod.” I have spent the last 20 minutes scalding my arm over a kettle, steaming open my daughter’s carefully sealed letter....
What does it mean to ‘go home’? I recently had the opportunity to visit the town where I grew up. I haven’t lived there in decades, yet, I visited two weekends in a row. One weekend was reconnecting with the past—my high school reunion. The following weekend was spent...
Shared Decision-Making and Positive Psychology I’ve recently heard a talented researcher speak about the topic of shared decision-making, stating that no one can hope to know exactly how another person feels or what works best for them and their circumstances, that...
Shifting into Positive Emotions is Easy Learning to shift into uplifting emotional states that reverse the energy drain caused by stress is easy and empowering. With just a bit of practice it can become like shifting gears while driving. It’s crucial because...
I have always harmonized with the idea that authentic or genuine lessons are often those lessons not taught in schools but realized from watching a true master craft their skills in everyday life. I would like to share a story about “Grandma Jennie” that is not only a...
They are happening all around us but we are too “busy” to notice I could have been in the Olympics. Oh I know what you’re thinking; scanning my muffin-topped physique, but this girl has got some serious track and field training behind her. I am a gold winner at racing...
Although it is commonly believed that there are 100 billion neurons in the human brain, we still don’t know the exact number. Many of the most important chemicals in our body are produced by those neurons. In fact there are chemicals associated with every emotional...
Well-Being – more than a passing fad? Polly Vernon recently wrote an upbeat article about 2015 fads she has openly embraced – Pilates, Uber, summer cocktails, sobriety, Instagram and Almond milk to name a few! As a style journalist, trends are kind of her bread...
Stress: not as bad as you think? Stanford psychologist Dr Kelly McGonigal has written a very interesting book called “The Upside of Stress. Why stress is good for you (and how to get good at it)” (2015, Penguin Random House, London). You may, like me, be...
Happy?: confessions of a Chief Happiness Officer (CHO) Question: Is being happy the same as doing happy? I would argue that it is not. Doing happy is what I do at the office. As a CHO I focus on other people’s happiness at work and how to improve it to...