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8 Things We’ve Learned in 8 Years with Paula Felps and Chris Libby

This week, we’re celebrating the 8th anniversary of Live Happy, which published its first magazine issue in October 2013. For this episode, Science Editor and Live Happy Now Host Paula Felps strolls down memory lane with Live Happy Editor Chris Libby to talk about 8 important principles we’ve learned over these 8 years. To learn more about what we’re talking about, just follow these links! Kindness Gratitude Laughter Micro moments  Resilience Music Happiness at work Self-compassion Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           
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Discover

Discover Live Happy is serious about happiness. Weaving the science of positive psychology through inspiring features, relatable stories, and sage advice, we help people discover their personal journeys of happiness in life, at work and at home. We break down the latest research on well-being and deliver it in an understandable and easy-to-read format. SELF-CARE Stories about people overcoming real-life obstacles, conquering everyday fears and finding joy even in tragedies help readers learn to look for the positive angle in tough times. RELATIONSHIPS Healthy living advice, family bonding ideas and community service stories motivate people to find their own ways of getting active, connecting and making a difference in the lives of others. LIFESTYLE Live Happy is about people. Interviews with celebrities, experts and other public figures provide insider looks at how prominent people choose to live happy and have fun every day. WORK People who are happy and engaged at the workplace are more likely to feel emotionally attached to their work, have a higher psychological well-being and earn more than those who are not. SCIENCE The science of happiness is grounded in positive psychology, but also includes physiology, neuroscience, as well as education and nutrition. PRACTICE Happy people tend to be healthier, more satisfied with life and their relationships and strive to improve their quality of life through joy, gratitude, meaning and service. TECHNOLOGY An ever-growing presence in our lives, Live Happy brings you the latest information and advice on how to handle technology as it relates to our happiness and well-being. MINDSET Happy people tend to be healthier, more satisfied with life and their relationships and strive to improve their quality of life through joy, gratitude, meaning and service. #HAPPYACTS #HappyActs are small acts of kindness that make a big impact. Explore our ideas to make someone’s day a little brighter and discover Happy Activists, people who, through kind words and intentional actions, strive to make the world a better place.
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A Grumble-Free Life With Amy Parker & Tricia Goyer

As moms, Amy Parker and Tricia Goyer were no stranger to “the grumbles.” As writers, that led them to team up on the children’s book, The Grumbles: A Story About Gratitude. Find out what inspired this book, how it changed their families and how it can help your family learn to live in gratitude. In this episode, you'll learn: How (and why) to identify your “grumble style”. What you can do to adopt a more grateful mindset. Why it’s important to teach children a gratitude practice. Links and Resources To celebrate World Gratitude Day (9/21), we're giving three lucky winners a copy of The Grumbles: A Story About Gratitude and a Live Happy t-shirt of choice on store.livehappy.com. Enter to win on Instagram! Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           
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SNAP Out of Stress With Mindful Self-Compassion

This simple self-care technique can help reboot your brain Many of us don’t take the time to properly care for ourselves. We are so busy working, caring for and raising families, paying bills, and keeping up with the demands of daily life that we may not prioritize self-care. If this sounds like you, I want to share something that can help refresh your mind and spirit in the midst of your often chaotic life: mindful self-compassion through a strategy I call SNAP. SNAP stands for: Soothing Touch Name the Emotion Act Praise Back in 1979, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn coined the acronym STOP as a simple way for people to grasp the concept of mindfulness. STOP stands for stop, take a breath, observe, and proceed. It’s been a wonderful tool that has helped countless people. However, we have learned a lot more about neuroscience and our ability to calm our minds and emotions over the past 40 years. Take soothing (or supportive) touch as an example. Today, we know that if you put your hands on your body with intention and attention, this releases oxytocin and endorphins, providing an effective way to pause, switch into a mindful state, and calm your nervous system. Naming the emotion we feel is also a key part of SNAP. When we name what we are feeling, we put some distance between our emotions and ourselves. We begin to recognize that feelings come and go, but don’t define us. This is not a matter of avoiding difficult feelings but letting them flow through us. Here’s how SNAP works: S: Soothing Touch When you feel stress, place your hands where you find it soothing, which might be your chest, belly, face or arms. Try different locations and see what feels most soothing. This touch releases oxytocin and endorphins to help calm your nervous system. Then when you are experiencing stress, take a moment to see if the stress is causing a tightening in your body? Move your hands and rest them over the area that feels contracted. It might be your chest or your belly. If you feel stress in muscles of your face, try cradling your face in your hands. Some people feel a pain in the back of their head or their temples when stressed. Place your good hands on wherever feels tight and imagine a soothing warm compress softening the area. N: Name the Emotion What are you feeling in the moment? Is it worry? Sadness? Anger? Frustration? Naming what you feel helps calm your body’s stress response. It also gives you time to locate it in your body, dovetailing with a soothing touch so that you move your hands to that location. Naming the emotion also widens the perspective to know that you are not your emotions. A: Act Ask yourself, “What do I need right now?” Then do what you can reasonably do in the moment. For example: While driving: Try controlling your breathing, making your exhale longer than your inhale to lower your blood pressure and slow your heart rate. I often put one hand on the wheel, and the other hand on my heart. When toddler tantrums or teen drama erupt: Try dropping your attention to the soles of your feet as you control your breathing to slow the whole show down. When teen or adult family drama makes you want to flee: Stay focused on your body and your breathing. Breathe in compassion for yourself because it’s so difficult, and breathe out compassion for them because they are suffering (even if their behavior is distressing). This helps calm your nervous system and your emotions. At work: Depending on your work situation, you may have more options for relief in the moment if you have a door you can close (even if it’s in the bathroom stall! Give yourself a few minutes for quiet reflection. Ground yourself by touching a polished stone that you keep on your desk, or focus your attention on the soles of your feet. Take a break at the water cooler and exhale longer than you inhale for a few rounds of breathing. Look out the window, go for a walk, or call a friend. Do whatever you can to shift your attention and your mood. P: Praise  Many people think of praise in relation to religion, but it is not necessary to be religious to cultivate a sense gratitude and all the benefits it brings for your health and happiness. When you give thanks, the gratitude you feel starts an upward spiral of positive emotions. This can help you to be more compassionate with yourself and others and can reinforce your desire to take care of yourself. So the next time you feel anxious, exhausted, depleted, or overwhelmed, remember to practice SNAP. Take the time to care for yourself through mindful self-compassion can help you feel refreshed so you can meet whatever challenges you face with greater calm, ease, and confidence. Julie Potiker is a mindfulness expert with extensive teacher training in a variety of tools and methods, including Mindful Self-Compassion through her Mindful Methods for Life program offerings and her book —Life Falls Apart, but You Don’t Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos—Julie helps others bring more peace and wellness into their lives. For more information, visit MindfulMethodsForLife.com.
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What People Are Saying About Live Happy

Home » What People Are Saying About Live Happy Readers weigh in about how Live Happy has affected their lives. Dear Live Happy: I love the article about choosing a word for the year and it being a great alternative to a resolution. It made me think about it and my word for 2017 is “significance.” I’d like everything I do to add significance in someone’s life; it will help me be intentional about the things I do every day to improve myself and add value to others. What a great way to make sure I’m living happy in 2017. —Eeman H. :) I like the article about choosing a word for 2017. I have done this in the past but it was like reading it for the first time, like the blinders were off and the word “focus” stuck out to me. What we FOCUS on is what grows! —Mechelle C. :) Hey there, I was on the hunt for some info about commuting and found your post "Reboot Your Commute." Great stuff! Keep cranking out the great content for livehappy.com. Thanks! —Joshna J. :) I found your fantastic website, and I have been inspired by the amazing stories and podcast. —Andrew B. :) I just picked up your magazine in the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and read it cover to cover by the time we got back to Chicago! I am in love with it. My name is Felecia, which means happiness, so the magazine title was my first attraction, and I am a huge fan of Queen Latifah gracing the cover. Every article wowed me, and I am definitely subscribing! Thank you for this experience! —Felecia G. :) I stopped in an airport lounge to have a little oatmeal and coffee before boarding my flight. It was here that I discovered Live Happy magazine. Oh my! It’s my soulmate in print and I’m in love. Every page leads to happy and joy. —Sandra L. :) My daughter and I talk about being Happy all the time. Most of our happy thoughts are centered around Nature and the outdoors. So when I saw "Live Happy" in the newsstands at the checkout line while in Whole Foods, I thought, Yeesss! It made me think so much of my daughter Nyah. She's always been such a happy girl. BTW, The article on Adult Sleep-Away Camps was awesome. Adults could benefit from getting in touch with their" inner child and finding their 'Happy' "! Thanks, Live Happy! —Ebony J. :) I just wanted to let you know that your magazine is so lovely. It puts a smile on my face when I see it in the mailbox. You will have a subscriber for a long time to come. And, I have already made a gift subscription for a friend’s birthday. Thank you so much. —Sue F. :) I’m not a very good flyer, so the positive reinforcement I get from reading Live Happy makes the flight a little smoother! —Paige S. :) I got to listen to the podcast this morning before the crazy day started. I got lots of good input that I needed for today. It really did help! Thank you Live Happy! —Joan A. :) Your recent podcasts with Amy Blankson and Laurie Berkner (my kids’ favorite singer) taught me so much about tech and parenting. —Evan M. :) Live Happy is amazing! The magazine was a welcomed delight but the podcasts are life-changing. I am able to play them at home and in the car. As a stay-at-home mom of kids that are 2 and 3 years old, I need all the focus, lessons, skills and happy time that I get from Live Happy Now. Plus my little guys listen in, too, so they are soaking up the happiness! —Rebecca P. :) OMG! I have known about Live Happy since its inception and have enjoyed the articles, interviews and ideas...and the podcasts are the best ever! I listen every morning while I’m working out. Sometimes I get lost in the subject, other times I am right there. The beauty is that I am so happy listening to good, happy, positive stuff, rather than the news or 24-hour sports commentary! —Lynda E. :) Thank You! I am 74 years old and am reading Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy. I have read many books in my day, but this book has touched me and motivated me more than I can even explain. I am savoring each page and know I will re-read it many times. I have never sent an email or letter like this, but felt compelled to. Again, thank you. —Faye W. _________________________________________________________ We want to hear from you, too! Contact us at editor@livehappy.com.
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Terms Conditions

Terms & Conditions Home » Terms & Conditions The following Terms and Conditions govern your use of the websites or applications provided to you by Live Happy, LLC or one of its subsidiaries, and any content made available from or through these websites or downloadable applications (the “Sites”). By using the Sites, you accept and agree to these Terms and Conditions as applied to your use of the Sites. If you do not agree to these Terms and Conditions, you may not access, visit and/or use the website. Acceptance of Terms Live Happy, LLC (“Live Happy” or “we”, “us”, “our”) provides access to the Live Happy website,located at LiveHappy.com, and the Live Happy magazine website, located at LiveHappy.com, Live Happy Magazine: Digital Edition are subject to your acceptance of this website User Agreement(“Agreement”). BY USING the Sites, YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT, UNDERSTAND IT AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT. When using a particular feature of the Sites, you may also be subject to any posted guidelines,rules, privacy policies, or other contractual provision as noted. Live Happy may update this Agreement from time to time without prior notice to you. We encourage you to review this Agreement periodically for any updates or changes. Account and Password (a) You are solely responsible for all activities within your account under your password and username/email address. Your password should be treated with care and should not be disclosed to anyone. You cannot use your password or anyone else’s password for any unauthorized purpose. You indemnify Live Happy and its staff from all claims and liabilities made by a third party resulting from all activities incurred within your account. (b) In consideration of your use of the website you agree to: (i) provide true, accurate, and current and complete information about yourself as prompted by the website (the “Registration Information”); and (ii) maintain and update the Registration Information to keep it true, accurate, current and complete. If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, or we have reasonable grounds to suspect that such information is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, we may suspend or terminate your account and decline to permit your continued use of the website and future access to the website. (c) You represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and are of sufficient legal age to enter into the binding legal obligations you may incur as a result of creating an account. You agree to be financially responsible for any liability you may incur as a result of using the website. Rights & Trademarks Unless where otherwise indicated and excluding User Content (explained below): Copyright © 2014 Live Happy, LLC. All rights reserved. All content of the Sites (including but not limited to text, copy, articles, photographs,illustrations, graphics, artwork, audio and video), code, data, statistics and all other content,information and materials made available on the Sites are our property. You use of the sites does not grant to you ownership of any content, code, data, information or materials you may access through the sites. All trademarks, logos and service marks displayed on the sites are our property or the property of other third parties. You are not permitted to use the marks without our prior written consent or the consent of such third party which may own the marks. Licenses We grant you a non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use the sites for your personal,non-commercial use. We also grant you a non-transferable, non-exclusive license to install and use the applications we make available for mobile and other devices, solely on your own device and for your personal, non-commercial use. Linking and Framing Policy (a) The sites may contain links to other websites operated by third parties. The linked sites are not underour controlandwe arenot responsible for their content. Such links do not implyour endorsement or guarantee of the products, information, or recommendations provided by any third party site.The third party site may have a privacy policy different fromours and may provide less security thanthis website.We disclaim all liability with regard to your access to such linked websites.We provide links to other sites as a service to users, and access to any other sites linked tothis websiteis at your own risk. (b) Any links to the Sites, when activated by a user, must display the website full-screen and not within a “frame” on the linking website. Further, the appearance, position and other aspects of the link must not be such as to damage or dilute the goodwill associated with the Live Happy name and trademarks or create the false appearance that Live Happy is associated with, approves of, or is a sponsor of, the linking website. Live Happy reserves the right to revoke its consent to any link at any time in its sole discretion. (c) Happiness Ambassador websites (explained below) may only be displayed at the assigned Happiness Ambassador URL (available at username.mylivehappy.com), and not within a “frame” on a URL purchased, licensed, acquired or otherwise used by a Happiness Ambassador. User Registration In the course of your use of the Sites and/or services made available on or through the sites, you may be required to register with the sites, in which case you will provide certain personalized information to us. Our information collection and use policies with respect to the privacy of such user Information are set forth in the sites’ privacy policy which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. You acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for the accuracy, content and confidentiality of your personal information, and we will not be responsible for misuse of your user registration by any third party, whether authorized or not. User Content Any information, creative works, demos, ideas, suggestions, concepts, methods, systems, designs, plans, techniques, photos or other materials submitted or sent to us (including, for example and without limitation, that which you submit or post to our articles, post to the Acts of Happiness wall, survey responses and/or blog, or send to us via email) is User Content. User Content will be deemed not to be confidential or secret, and may be used by us in any manner consistent with the Sites’ Privacy Policy. By providing User Content to us, you represent and warrant that the materials are original to you, that no other party has any rights thereto, and that any “moral rights” have been waived. You also grant us, our affiliates and other users of the Sites a royalty-free, unrestricted,worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive and fully transferable, assignable and sublicensable right and license to use, copy, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, display and incorporate in other works any User Content in any form, media or technology, including for promotional and/or commercial purposes. Public Discussion Areas We do not necessarily endorse, support or agree with the comments, opinions or statements posted,sent or otherwise made available on or through the Sites, including in our social, community and public discussion areas. 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We may also remove or modify User Content, impose limits on certain features of the forums, restrict user’s access to part or all of the social, community and public discussion areas, terminate User Registration and/or report a user to law enforcement authorities if we believe the user is in breach of the guidelines set forth in our Terms and Conditions or applicable law, or for any other reason without notice or liability. Prohibitions on Use Any commercial or promotional distribution, publication or exploitation of the Sites, or any content, data, information or materials on the Sites, is strictly prohibited unless you have received the express prior written consent from us or the applicable rights holder. Other than expressly allowed in these Terms and Conditions, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, change, edit, crop, alter, revise, adapt, translate, enhance, reformat, remix, rearrange, resize, create derivative works of, move, remove, delete, erase, reverse engineer, decipher, decompile, disassemble, store, cache, aggregate, publish, post, display, distribute, broadcast, perform,transmit, rent, sell, share, sublicense, syndicate or otherwise provide to others, or use any content, data, information or materials on the Sites, in whole or in part. If you make other use of the Sites, you may violate copyright and other laws and may be subject to liability for such unauthorized use. 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The notification must be a written communication that includes the following information, pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. sec. 512: A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed; Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site; Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed to access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate such copyrighted work Information reasonable sufficient to permit us to contact you, including an address, telephone numbers and if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted; A statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted work in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed. 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We reserve the Right to change or make corrections to any of the information provided on the sites at any time And without any prior warning. We neither endorse or are responsible for the accuracy or Reliability of any opinion, advice or statement on the sites, nor for any offensive, defamatory,Obscene, indecent, unlawful or infringing posting made thereon by anyone other than our authorized Employee spokespersons while acting in their official capacities (including, without limitation, other users of the sites). The content available on or through this service is in no way intended to and shall not be Construed to: (a) constitute professional medical, health, legal, tax or financial advice; (b) Recommend, endorse, or advise regarding any financial instrument or investment strategy; or (c) Diagnose, cure or treat anymedical, health or other condition. Always seek the advice of a Qualified professional. For example, seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health Provider prior to starting any new diet and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a Medical condition. Without limitation of the above in this section, we and our affiliates, licensors, vendors and/or Service providers make no warranties or representations regarding any products or services ordered Or provided via the sites, and hereby disclaim, and you hereby waive, any and all warranties and Representations made in product or services literature, frequently asked questions documents and Otherwise on the sites or in correspondence with us or our agents. Any products and services Ordered or provided via the sites are provided by us “as is,” except to the extent, if at all, Otherwise set forth in a license or sale agreement separately entered into in writing between you And us or our licensor, vendor or provider. Limitation of Liability In no event, including but not limited to negligence, shall we, our affiliates, or any of our Directors, officers, employees, agents or content or services providers be liable for any direct,Indirect, special, incidental, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages artising from, or Directly or indirectly related to, the use of, or the inability to use, the sites or the content,Materials and functions related thereto, your provision of the information via the sites, lost Business or lost sales, even if such protected entity has been advised of the possibility of such Damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental Or consequential damages so some of the above limitations may not apply to certain users. In no Event shall the protected entities be liable for or in connection with any content posted,Transmitted, exchanged or received by or on behalf of any user or other person on or through the Sites. In no event shall the total aggregate liability of the protected entities to you for all Damages, losses and causes of action (whether in contract or tort, including, but not limited to,Negligence or otherwise) arising from the terms and conditions or your use of the sites exceed, in The aggregate, the amount, if any, paid by you for your use of the sites or purchase of products Via the sites. Applicable Laws We control and operate the Sites from our offices in the United States of America. We do not represent that materials on the Sites are appropriate or available for us in other locations.Persons who choose to access the Sites from other locations do so on their own initiative, and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable. All parties to these terms and conditions waive their respective rights to a trial by jury. 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Contact Us If you have any concerns about the website or these Terms, please send an e-mail to customerservice@livehappy.com.We will make every reasonable effort to address your concerns and remedy any problems you bring to our attention. Happiness Ambassador Account The Happiness Ambassador Account a person who “joins the movement”. There are no costs or fees involved with creating a Happiness Ambassador Account. Happiness Ambassador Accounts may be accessed by logging in at LiveHappy.com. Happiness Ambassador Account Closures A Happiness Ambassador Account may be closed at our discretion if no Points are accrued during an 18-month period. Happiness Ambassador Account Activity We reserve the right to revoke, cancel or suspend any Happiness Ambassador Account, Reward and/or take other action at our discretion, at any time with immediate effect and without written notice,if we believe a Happiness Ambassador has (1) violated any of the Program Rules, (2) failed to pay any bills or accounts due to us, (3) acted in a manner inconsistent with applicable law,regulations or ordinances, (4) engaged in any misconduct or wrongdoing in connection with the Program, including without limitation, (5) violated any of the Terms and Conditions herein. Last revised on October 28, 2015
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A child holding a school book.

How Positive Education Can Help Students Flourish

When young people are given to the tools to find happiness within themselves as well as others, everyone wins Walt Disney used the noun “plus” as a verb, meaning to improve something that you are working on or already doing. I think that is what we have to do with education in all sectors. We need to “plus” it. We are living in some of the best times of humanity, as Steven Pinker has claimed in his recent book, Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress.“We live longer, healthier, safer, wealthier, freer, more peaceful and more stimulating lives than those who came before us,” Steven says in a recent New York Times interview. “And by ‘we’ I don’t just mean we in the West. This progress is encompassing the world.”At the same time, we live in volatile times: The future is uncertain, and the state of some of our institutions, our cities and movements is threatened globally. How do we work to ensure that we pass the baton to future generations with the best possible hope of continuing that progress? Talking to Martin E.P. Seligman, Ph.D.—a founder of positive psychology and positive education—a few years ago, he said, “We just need a time machine....” We were talking about how one could possibly engineer the “good life,” a life filled with meaning and purpose. How could one prospect one’s future? If you could have a time machine, you would be able to see the various moves and strategies you employed, the serendipitous path you lit out upon to thrive in later life. This is the question that educators, schools, colleges, universities, parents, students, policymakers and governments face. How do we engineer thriving, positive lives? If we could do that, we would indeed be able to change the world for the good. Positive psychology—its founding and expansion to fields such as economics, politics, neuroscience, cognitive science, sociology, anthropology and beyond—has begged the question, “Why are our institutions not positive?” This is most poignant when we think of our young people and their education. The various tragedies in U.S. schools and universities has brought this to the particular attention of our nation and the world: Why are schools not shaped with positivity, thriving and well-being at the core? Wouldn’t learning and results on standardized assessments be improved if all of our schools, public, charter and independent, focused with priority on the well-being of our students? Wouldn’t our children be safer and better prepared for their futures? The Promise of Positive Education Positive education proposes that at the center of institutions of learning are a set of interrelated components, PERMA, that have to be addressed as a matter of extreme priority in order to have educational organizations that help students thrive. PERMA stands for: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishments. Seligman suggests that if we could suffuse these elements more convincingly and intentionally in all of our educational organizations, not only would we have better learning outcomes, but more importantly, we would have better life outcomes for everyone leading to a better society. “But our schools and universities are doing a great job,” educators around the world claim. And it is true that on some metrics, schools around the world show student improvement on standardized assessments, but at what cost? Obviously, it depends on what you are measuring. At the same time, there is a massive increase in global mental health problems and opioid abuse across all ages in the United States. Even our social media platforms that claim to “do good” or “connect people” are correlated with users’ increased depression, flawed critical thinking and decreased well-being. Something seems terribly wrong. It is as though at some point we took a wrong turn that made it appropriate to define our value as human beings via a grade, a score or the number of followers we have. We have also come to believe that learning is just hard and is a game, rather than a lifelong endeavor of self-improvement and, although by necessity is “desirably difficult” at times, is also joyous. We have become distracted from seeking a capacity for a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives and have become obsessed with credentialing and capitalistic gains rather than humanistic success. Innovation to Stand the Test of Time So, how do we resolve this? I think the answer is simple. We recalibrate our entire system of education globally through positive education. This is already happening in many places all over the world. However, these are small sparks, prompted by individuals and institutions interested in how to translate valid cognitive science and social science research into everyday practices in schools and universities. For positive education to work it needs to become the norm; it needs to be just good education. Too much of what happens in our learning centers is through an ever-accelerating cycle of trends that crash upon schools like waves crashing against the shore. These “waves” have an effect, and then the effect disappears to be followed by yet another new set of waves of innovation. Positive education needs to be the norm. It needs to be a matter of a shift of assumptions and beliefs that permeate all school and university environments. We have to believe that to learn well, we need to tend more effectively to the social and emotional well-being of our young people. If we could put that at the center of what we do in all of our educational institutions, we would have better learning, better citizens, better corporations, better countries and a better world. Why is this so difficult? It is because the older generations, people like myself, in my fifties and in charge of schools and school systems, still believe that well-being is secondary to learning rather than a means to it. In order to change that view, we need to assure the elements of PERMA have primacy in the culture of all of our educational organizations. We need to prize the development of character strengths and ethical decision-making as equally important as the development of literacy and quantitative understanding. We need to ensure that our teachers and professors model the very social and emotional capacities and maturity we seek to develop in our students. We need to figure out more effective ways to provide good formative feedback to our students about the development of their moral and character development just as much as we provide feedback on their intellectual and academic development. In the past, I have felt that these issues and a global call for a positive education movement were more of a call to educators and to our students. More and more, I think that this is a matter of broader justice. It is a matter that is pertinent to all of us as global citizens. It is a way to save a world that is perhaps on an errant path. We need to work on increasing the potential of our youth in every country, which would be a worthwhile thing to do as we have seen through the young people in Parkland, in Malala Yousafzai who is fighting for girls’ education worldwide and in the activist voices of young people globally who are fighting oppression while seeking both justice and opportunity. Instead of being focused on GDP or even global happiness, we should be focused on a PERMA index with parents, governments, schools and universities seeking to work in concerted and collaborative ways to increase the PERMA in their own country and others. This is something that need not be debated infinitely since it is pragmatic, backed by science, and, I believe, within grasp for every individual and organization that has enough wherewithal to look positively to the future and ensure the thriving of our young people. We need to “plus” education, thereby “plussing” our countries and the world. We all need positive education. This article originally appeared in the October 2018 edition of Live Happy magazine. Dominic Randolph is the sixth Head of School at the Riverdale Country School, a Pre-K–12 independent school in New York City, and a founder of the Character Lab and Plussed+
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Live Happy's Positive Lessons from the Pandemic

Positive Lessons From the Pandemic

Although much has been researched and written about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected mental and emotional well-being around the globe, most of that research has looked at its negative effects. During the International Positive Psychology Association’s (IPPA) Seventh World Congress last week, held virtually for the first time, some of the world’s leading positive psychology experts shared the lesser-known ways the pandemic has had positive outcomes for individuals and for society.Dr. Antonella Delle Fave, professor of psychology at the University of Milano in Italy, offered the keynote presentation, “Eudaimonia: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic,” providing insight into some of the lesser-publicized effects of the pandemic. Her research looked at how factors such as resilience and social support affected individuals.The studies clearly show the importance of good mental health, she said.“Mental health was shown to play a protective role against PTSD,” she reported, referencing a study that indicated 33% of people considered themselves to be flourishing during the pandemic, while 9% landed in the “languishing” category. The rest of the survey respondents fell somewhere in between those two extremes.“People who were languishing were at higher risk of developing PTSD during the pandemic. Positive mental health was a predictor of less severe symptoms.” Building Resilience Individual resilience showed a direct correlation to such things as depression, anxiety and stress in countries around the globe. But those who practiced healthy, resilience-building skills fared far better than those who did not. For example, studies from Norway and the U.S. showed that people who participated in physical activity were less susceptible to depression and anxiety. Other factors found to bolster resilience included support from family and friends, proper sleep habits and prayer or meditation. “Resilience seems to be one of the primary resources across nations and populations,” Delle Fave noted. “Studies around the world are in agreement about the positive role of resilience in well-being and the negative correlation between low resilience and anxiety.” Discovering Happiness Based on Delle Fave’s research, the people who were able to thrive and flourish during lockdowns looked at the pandemic through a different lens. That not only allowed them to feel more at ease in the moment but often created lasting change in their lives, such as: Many people reevaluated what was important in life, such as being healthy and having social support. They also reevaluated how they spent their time and what was valuable to them. This led to rediscovering lost interests, changing their relationship with work and becoming more self-aware. A large number of people strengthened relationships with their family and friends. “People who increased their social connections saw higher levels of wellbeing in all countries,” Delle Fave said. “What this showed us was that interaction with family and friends mattered. Social support was an important contributor to wellbeing.” Steps to Well-being Other researchers looked at specific ways people maintained their well-being and built resilience during the pandemic. A study headed by Lea Waters of the Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne in Australia identified several interventions that were shown to be successful in managing the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic. They included: Finding meaning. Having meaning in life helps buffer the effects of adversity and has both physical and psychological advantages, Waters’ report shows: “People who report higher levels of meaning in life also are happier, express more frequent and strong positive emotions, endorse and use their character strengths more, have more satisfying relationships and are viewed as more desirable potential friends, help others more, feel better subjective health, report fewer health symptoms [and] have better functioning immune systems.” Practicing self-compassion. Treating oneself with kindness is an effective way to cope with high-stress situations, and that proved true during the pandemic. People who practiced self-compassion during the pandemic reported less fear and a greater sense of emotional safety. Creating a gratitude practice. One study conducted during the pandemic showed that many people were grateful even during the pandemic. Over 56% of respondents reported being grateful, which ranked higher than any other positive emotion, such as happiness or hope. And it was a strong predictor of happiness after the pandemic. “The more grateful people were, the more they reported positive self-changes. This is important because people can increase their levels of gratitude with simple practices such as journaling.” Implementing such practices can have a significant effect on how well an individual manages such adverse conditions as, say, a global pandemic, and Waters said she hoped the research would provide a path forward to help individuals increase their resilience and wellbeing in a post-pandemic world. “[We] hope that the cultivation of these outcomes continues beyond this crisis and leads to sustained positive outcomes,” she said.
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Circle of coworkers bonding.

Listening With Your Heart

Healing the world—and building your own happiness—one conversation, one breath at a time. When Vermont music teacher Sue Detweiler and her pastor husband Larry were looking for a new house, a key concern was that it have extra bedrooms. Sue, who believes in radical hospitality, wanted to make sure they had enough room to throw open their doors when people arrived on their doorstep in need. They found the house, bought it and before they’d even unpacked, a family of four filled the extra bedrooms. And just as that family got back on its feet and was ready to leave, an abused woman and her small child arrived. Sue’s house hasn’t been empty since.And when Toni Dudley, a South Carolina woman who had worked on an assembly line at the local Honda plant, discovered that a former co-worker had advanced cancer and no one to care for him, she rolled up her sleeves, cleaned his house, brought him food. Then, as he got worse, she moved into his home and cared for him every moment of every day for the rest of his life.What drives us to selflessly care for others? Plain and simple, it all comes down to compassion, that inward emotion that leads to outward acts of kindness. It’s what moves us to help one another and heal the breaches between us. And it’s key to our survival—as people, as nations, as a planet. “Despite what people think, ‘survival of the fittest’ is not something Darwin ever said,” says Emma Seppala, Ph.D., associate director of the Stanford University Center for Compassion & Altruism Research and Education in California. “Darwin’s message was more ‘survival of the kindest.’ ” We survive not because we’re the biggest, strongest or most intelligent beings on the planet, but because we live in a community of people who reach out to us in times of trouble. We are amazing, compassionate creatures. It’s what makes rescuing stray dogs on the streets of Los Angeles a passion, stuffing neighborhood food cupboards in Maine a commitment, and sending Doctors without Borders to the victims of hurricanes in the Philippines and Haiti a reality. What makes us do it? It’s part of who we are. Empathy in Action While we use the word “compassion” freely, we may be hard-pressed to come up with an actual definition. In its literal form, the translation of “compassion” is “to suffer together.” What it means in our daily lives is that we are compelled to relieve the suffering of others. The Dalai Lama is among those who say compassion is essential to overall wellbeing; he calls love and compassion necessities in life, not luxuries.  But compassion is more than just kindness to others—he says it is the sensitivity to the suffering of others, combined with a commitment to do something about it. In other words, it is empathy in action. Rev. Molly F. James, Ph.D., and an ordained Episcopal minister, understands the action side of compassion: “When I was a hospital chaplain, we referred to it as ‘getting in the boat.’ It’s being where the person in pain is, doing whatever it takes to become a companion for them and letting them know that they’re not alone. It’s letting people tell you their story and concentrating on their words, rather than thinking of your solution to their problems.” “You don’t have to be a minister to do this,” Molly says, “It’s about care and compassion—we are all born with a capacity for both.” Compassion is also a commonality among numerous religions. “Compassion is a shared value and virtue across many faith traditions,” the adjunct professor says. “It’s probably one of the strongest correlations between them.” Witnessing others in the act of compassion can have long-term, positive effects on us. When Molly needs to gather strength in her life, she calls one particular example to mind. It took place as she was helping organize a prayer service and funeral for a victim of the Newtown, Conn., shooting. Adding to the unthinkable grief and despair of the time was a troubling rumor: Picketers would try to disrupt the funeral procession. “I have a powerful image of the day,” Molly says. “When we reached the church, we saw a wall of people around it.” In the human circle she remembers Boy Scouts at attention—in their shirtsleeves even in the cold December weather. “There were boys not much older than the one who was killed. People formed this human wall around the church, and they stayed there the entire time. I saw the community do a beautiful, good, compassionate thing in light of the horrific tragedy of that dark week when so many hearts were broken.” “Sometimes compassion is about being kind and understanding,” says Monica Hanson, a senior teacher for Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. “But when it’s combined in someone with a longing to make a difference in people’s lives, it becomes a fierce compassion that can change the world.” Wired for Compassion Today, many psychologists embrace the notion that compassion is an instinct, a natural trait that has evolved over time and helped ensure our survival. Its benefits are both physical and mental, and some believe it can speed up recovery from disease and even lengthen our life. That’s because compassion provides us with pleasure. National Institutes of Health neuroscientist Jordan Grafman headed up a brain-imaging study proving the “pleasure centers” in our brain are activated by charitable acts. His research shows the great feeling that comes from enjoying dessert, spending time with friends or by spending money on ourselves can also be experienced by offering charitable acts to others The benefits, however, go beyond simply feeling good. A study from the University at Buffalo says people who practice compassion tend to be less affected by stress, while other studies have shown that compassion is directly linked to stronger social connections and improved physical and psychological health. There’s actually an underlying biological response to seeing someone in need, explains Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D., science director for the University of California at Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. “We are exquisitely built to be sensitive to other people,” she says. “When you encounter someone in trouble, your chest and the back of your neck tighten, your forehead rises, and you mirror the feelings of the person who’s in need,” Emiliana says. Then the brain’s circuitry triggers other neuronal networks that appraise the situation and toss in their 2 cents about what’s going on. Dacher Keltner, also of the Greater Good Science Center and author of Born to Be Good, says we are wired for compassion. He points to studies conducted at Princeton University showing that certain areas of the brain light up when subjects were asked to contemplate harm being done to others. Study authors Joshua Greene and Jonathan Cohen concluded, based on the brain activity, humans are designed to respond compassionately to others’ suffering. “When we feel compassion, our heart rate slows down, we secrete the bonding hormone oxytocin and regions of the brain linked to empathy, caregiving and feelings of pleasure light up, which often results in our wanting to approach and care for other people,” the Greater Good Science Center says on their website. While compassion is as old as humanity, Dacher notes that scientific studies into how it affects us—and what triggers it—are relatively new. However, recent research has looked at the role of oxytocin, called “the cuddle hormone” or “the love hormone,” as a factor in compassion. In fact, studies into oxytocin indicate that our base level of compassion may be genetic. Oxytocin has four types of nucleotides—A, T, C and G—and each of us receive one copy of this nucleotide from each parent. A study published in the November 2011 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says the level of compassion an individual possesses varies based on the combination of genes, with A genes creating the least amount of empathy and compassion and G genes providing a greater amount of compassion. There are numerous combinations, but the study showed that individuals with the GG combination had a much higher level of compassion than all other subjects. However, Dr. Heike Tost of the Central Institute of Mental Health in Germany points out that even though an individual may be genetically wired to be less compassionate, empathy is “a complicated behavior regulated by more than one factor.” Another factor is the vagus nerve. Starting at the top of the spinal cord, the vagus nerve runs throughout the body and is interconnected with the oxytocin network. The vagus nerve has been associated with a stronger immune system and can regulate inflammation throughout the body, help regulate the activity between our breathing and heart rate, support our communication and, because of its connection with oxytocin, help us empathize and feel compassion. In a 2012 presentation, Dacher called it “the caretaking nerve” because it reacts to both tragic and inspiring news. He found that when people indicate they are feeling compassion, the vagus nerve has a stronger response, meaning everything in the body—from our heart and breathing rates to immune activity—are affected. “In that state of having a strong vagus nerve response, [we] feel common humanity with many different groups,” he says. “These deep ethical intuitions of common humanity are tracking a physiological practice.” Individuals with a stronger vagus nerve response have been shown to possess increased positive emotions overall, are more resilient, more sympathetic, have stronger social networks and tend to be trusted more by strangers. In children, he says, this often shows up as “the kids who intervene when [another] kid is being bullied” or will donate time at recess to help other children with their homework. What this proves, Dacher concludes, is that while we tend to think of compassion as a core emotional component, “it really is part of our nervous system as well.” He adds that a higher vagus nerve response can be cultivated by actively practicing compassion and through mindful acts, such as meditation and deliberate acts of kindness. So even if compassion is, at certain levels, a genetic and biological factor, it can be enhanced and further developed through self-awareness and practice. Creating a Compassionate Brain Even those who don’t feel they have a naturally compassionate brain can fine-tune it to become more compassionate. “If you take a deep breath and exhale slowly—breathing out longer than you breathe in—you can trigger the vagus nerve that runs from the brain to nearly every part of your body,” says Berkeley’s Emiliana. “It will immediately lower your heart rate, help you relax and give your brain’s caregiving and reward circuits the opportunity to come online. It will flood you with the feel-good chemicals oxytocin and dopamine—and the warm glow of heroism, motivated by compassion, will negate those feelings of discomfort.” You’ll hear yourself say, at the deepest level, “That person is just like me.” Few of us can remember to breathe deeply on the fly without training, so in the past few years, a bevy of researchers from Stanford and Berkeley to the University of Wisconsin and Emory have investigated whether or not we can be trained to do so—and whether or not doing so would, in fact, encourage us to become more compassionate. At each institution, researchers turned toward meditation techniques that focus on deep breathing. In a recent study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for example, researchers Richie Davidson, Ph.D., and Helen Weng found that two weeks of training seemed to double study participants’ inclination to behave in a compassionate manner toward others—to reach out and help someone, even when they had to spend their own dollars to do so. What’s more, when Richie and Helen scanned study participants’ brains, they found neural changes that supported the behavioral changes, suggesting that not only are we wired for compassion, but that we can actually change our brain’s biology to increase compassion and the acts of kindness it triggers. A second study, this one from Stanford University’s Center for Compassion, Altruism and Education Research, found that the benefits of a daily compassion meditation emphasizing deep breathing over a nine-week period enabled participants to strengthen their awareness of others’ suffering and increase their compassion. What’s more, study participants also increased a sense of self-compassion—and reported a substantial increase in happiness. Sharing the Love One of the many wonderful things about compassion is that it is contagious, meaning your simple act of kindness could have a greater effect than you will ever know. James Fowler, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Diego, and Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a medical sociologist at Harvard University, conducted a research project in which participants could receive large sums of money—and found that those recipients, in turn, rewarded others with generous gifts. It’s something we’ve seen over and over: Small acts of compassion, such as paying for the coffee of the person in line behind you can start a “pay it forward” chain reaction that lasts for several hours. Beyond the physical gift it provides, there’s an uplifting psychological benefit that lets us simultaneously enjoy happiness and give it to others. And, as we see the happiness of those who receive our compassion, we become happier. And the best part is, it doesn’t take a large act of compassion to make a difference; it just takes a little action. With additional reporting by Paula Felps.
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Portrait Of Smiling Young Friends Walking Outdoors Together

What is Positive Psychology—and What Does it Do for Us?

When Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., became president of the American Psychological Association in 1998, he chose a theme that would change the course of modern psychology. Until that point, psychology had focused on studying and correcting abnormal behaviors and mental illness; in essence, it was about fixing what was “wrong.” Martin introduced a radical new concept: to focus instead on happiness and positivity to encourage what was right and nurture our best assets. This approach spawned a movement and area of study that today is known as positive psychology. Martin, flanked by psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ph.D., and Christopher Peterson, Ph.D., is viewed as a founding father and chief architect of this new mindset, presenting a broad range of solutions for discovering personal happiness. Martin’s theory of PERMA, Mihaly’s theory of flow and Chris and Martin’s groundbreaking work on character strengths and virtues all were major contributions to the foundation of positive psychology. This combination of feeling well and functioning on a higher level quickly resonated with both practitioners and the general public. Positive psychology offered many paths to nurturing that well-being, including character strengths, meaning and purpose, flow and mindfulness, hope and optimism—and more. “Once every 500 years an idea comes along that sweeps away the religious and political doctrines of the time and creates entirely new structure,” Martin said at the Fifth World Congress on Positive Psychology in 2017. “I believe that idea is human flourishing and well-being…the building of human flourishing and the building of well-being.” Moving Into the Mainstream Martin defines positive psychology as “the study of what constitutes the pleasant life, the engaged life and the meaningful life.” His goal—to shift the psychology mindset from a disease-focused model to one that searches for the conditions that lead to flourishing—has taken root over the past two decades. Since 2000, according to University of Cambridge’s Felicia A. Huppert, initiatives and interventions have been adopted by schools, colleges and universities, giving rise to the growing practice of positive education. Today, the applications of positive psychology go far beyond the classrooms, reaching into corporations and governments. “The most impactful steps are those taken by the big players, like national governments and the United Nations,” says Anneke Buffone, lead research scientist for the World Well-Being Project at the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “They have understood the importance of well-being and have begun to act. Governments today understand that a nation’s growth and success is about so much more than the [Gross Domestic Product]. The effects of this will be profound.” Already, it has changed the way some governments measure success. In 2011, the Kingdom of Bhutan, which has built policy around the Gross National Happiness Index rather than the GDP, introduced a resolution to the U.N. General Assembly. The measure, which the U.N. adopted, called for a global emphasis on happiness and well-being. Today, the United Arab Emirates even has a ministry of happiness, whose role is to develop strategies for promoting well-being among its citizens. Many governments have adopted a happiness focus and strategically implemented changes that lead citizens toward greater well-being, Anneke says. Projects like the annual World Happiness Report, a survey of global happiness published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, help raise awareness about happiness around the world and the conditions that support it as well as those that undermine it. Taking Positive Psychology to Work Much of our lives are spent working, and Anneke says the workplace is one area where positive psychology’s influence is most evident. “Countless workplaces now have well-being initiatives and there are more discussions than ever about policies that support better work-life balance,” she says. “Millennials demand jobs that fulfill them and allow them to strategically use character strengths, which is a direct result of positive psychology principles that have been disseminated in our society.” That may be the reason for the mindset shift reflected in Gallup’s State of the American Workplace 2017 report. Today, 53 percent of Americans say they would rather have a job that contributes to their personal well-being than one that pays well. They’re looking for greater work-life balance and consider well-being to be “very important” in their job choices. And, Anneke says, industry is taking note. “More and more companies aspire to be positive businesses, companies that value making the world a better place, companies that want to create value for customers, employees and the company as a whole.” For example, concepts like Mihaly’s theory of flow—which is a mental state of marked energized focus and engagement—have been adopted by forward-thinking workplaces that see the benefit both for the employee and the company. Additionally, many organizations—including Goldman Sachs and IBM—have created resilience programs to help employees better manage the unique stresses of their jobs. Bringing It Home Positive psychology is also being welcomed as a tool for parenting and improving relationships. Practices that are integral to positive psychology, such as gratitude, compassion, savoring and optimism all provide pathways to stronger relationships at home. Courses and books on topics like mindful parenting and strengths-based parenting have helped shift the focus to emphasizing what works, what needs to be encouraged and how to bring out the best in a child. Like the science in which it is rooted, positive parenting is about identifying and using one’s potential and abilities to create a happy and meaningful life. And, with the “R” in PERMA standing for positive relationships, it’s no surprise that positive psychology tenets play a major factor in how our closest and most important relationships play out. Learning how to improve those bonds with positive psychology practices, both as a giver and as a recipient, increases the strength of our relationships. That, in turn, contributes to what is called the “upward spiral” of happiness. Today, Anneke says scientists see more integration of positive psychology and technology. “I believe this space will become more impactful, especially as data empowers people to manage their own well-being,” she says. “Positive psychology principles can be guiding principles of transformation, which will have an unbelievably positive impact on current and future generations."
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