This article was featured on Positive Psychology News Daily. Consider these scenarios from Barry Schwartz’s book, Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing: 1. A judge is forced to sentence a first-time offender to five years in prison, even though her judgment tells her that the punishment is not justified by the crime. […]
Photo Credit: a n i. Y. via Compfight April is “Stress Awareness Month” as sponsored by the “Health Resource Network” and April 16th specifically (the day after Tax Day) is “National Stress Awareness Day” in the United States. When I first heard about these “holidays,” I thought it was pretty ridiculous. I think it’s safe […]
Photo Credit: Viewminder via Compfight Tomorrow is “World Happiness Day,” an official holiday recognized by the United Nations to honor “a fundamental human goal,” the pursuit of happiness. Thanks to the burgeoning field of positive psychology, there has been a deluge of new books and information on the secrets to human happiness: Authentic Happiness, The […]
I started my career in hospitality over twenty years ago with a part-time job as a lifeguard at the swimming pool at the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort in Santa Barbara. I was a triathlete at the time, and the job was a convenient option because it allowed me to swim at work. But my summer […]
Photo Credit: DonDré via Compfight I have many childhood memories of my mother coming to my rescue when I was sick. She was always there with one remedy or another: vitamin C, chicken soup (Jewish penicillin,) a cool washcloth on my feverish forehead or a hot saltwater gargle to soothe my sore throat. Most of […]
Photo Credit: Carolyn Sewell via Compfight This is the way we have learned to talk about ourselves: “I want to quit smoking, but I can’t.” “I want to stop fighting with my kids every day, but they won’t let me.” “If only she would go out with me, then I will be happy.” “If only […]
The world of business is changing fast. And it seems to be changing in two distinct directions. The first is going more mass. As businesses get larger, they are able to invest more in ways that drive prices down and make using them easier and easier. Think of Target, Walmart, Verizon, CVS and Amazon. If […]
I fell in love with my wife in Barbara Fredrickson’s class as a part of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at the University of Pennsylvania. This might not sound that unusual to you—I’m sure people fall in love in university classrooms all the time—but what makes this somewhat unique is that my wife […]
Photo Credit: Gonzalo Merat via Compfight Every parent in the world is familiar with the crying baby problem. How should you respond when a baby cries? Should you rush to his or her aid, in a demonstration of love and nurturing? Or should you try to ignore it in an attempt to foster greater independence […]
Photo Credit: Hartwig HKD via Compfight Some of those who work in positive psychology were surprised by a recent research study by Roy Baumeister showing that stress and anxiety was linked to less happiness but more meaningfulness in life. Why would a meaningful life be more stressful and less happy? Aren’t we always reading about […]
