You searched for practice | Page 29 of 76

Get Mentally Fit With Grit

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more who join the #HappyActs movement, the more positive impact we'll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! September’s theme is resilience. The ability to bounce back after a setback through grit and determination can help us achieve our goals. This sense of accomplishment can increase joy, connection and well-being. It’s important to understand the “why” of goal setting for it to be successful, says strategist Jan Stanley. “The thing that encourages us to set goals is that we see some gap in our lives,” Jan says. The first key is making sure your goals and values align and then to make step-by-step implementation of that goal part of your daily routine. Following that advice, our September 20 Happy Act is to set a positive goal for yourself, whether it’s preparing for a 5K race or half-marathon, taking on a new challenge at work or finishing that house project that’s been dragging on for months. Meet our Happy Activist of the month, Chris Libby, Live Happy’s magazine and digital editor. “Realizing that the power to achieve is within my control is empowering, something I hope you will realize as well as you set out on your own goal-setting journey,” Chris says. 3 Habits to Boost Resilience According to authors Michaela Haas (Bouncing Forward: Transforming Bad Breaks into Breakthroughs) and Jim Rendon (Upside: The New Science of Post-Traumatic Growth), these three daily habits can help you cultivate courage and resilience in the face of adversity. Meditate Spend 12 minutes every morning and every eveningmeditating. Meditation, Michaela says, trains us in regulating stress and calming fear, the very skills we need to confront and recover from adversity. Appreciate Cultivate apractice of gratitudeand appreciation. Every day, write down three things you are grateful for; jot down the first three things that come to mind. If your default position is to focus on the gifts in your life, you’ll find it easier to keep your spirits uplifted and move on to what needs to be done. Connect Research shows thatconnection with other peopleis a key predictor of growth after a traumatic event, Jim says. Even online communities help trauma survivors of all kinds feel more optimistic, confident and empowered. Additional Resources: Angela Duckworth GoodThink Tom Rath Caroline Adams Miller, MAPP Greater Good Science Center Plasticity Labs

Practice

4 Ways to Grow Kind Kids

Believe it or not, our children are hard-wired to be kind. In fact, we all are because it was essential for our survival as a species. Back in the 19th century, Charles Darwin noted that “those communities which included the greatest number of the most sympathetic members would flourish best and rear the greatest number of offspring.” When we look after each other, we all do better. But, more than that, our brains and bodies have built-in mechanisms to encourage us to be kind. When we are kind to others our brain’s reward centers light up as our bodies release the happy hormone dopamine. This is why people often report experiencing a ‘helper’s high’ after volunteering. Doing good feels good. But that’s not all; it seems that kindness is good for our health, too. When we partake in prosocial behavior our bodies also release the chemical oxytocin. One of the side effects of this happy hormone is that it lowers our blood pressure and even protects our hearts. So doing good does us good, too. Here are four ways to encourage more kindness in your family so that you and your children benefit: Model kindness. It may feel like our children actively do the opposite of what we say and do but, deep down, they are soaking up our example like a sponge. So, if we want our children to behave kindly, that means we need to set a good example. This means speaking kindly (be mindful about moaning and saying unkind things about friends, family, neighbors and partners!) and acting kindly. If your children see you being polite to others, they will start to imitate this behavior. Give to others. Studies show that we get more happiness from spending money on others than on ourselves. And it doesn’t have to be a lot of money—it is the act of giving that gives people a boost, regardless of how much they spend. Why not give your children some money to spend on others? They could choose to donate the money to a charity, or they could buy a friend or family member a gift. This is the best kind of retail therapy! Collect some smiles. One of the kindest things we can do for ourselves and others is to smile more. Smiling is contagious and so if we smile at others, they are very likely to smile back. Why not set up a fun little experiment with your children and head to your local mall and see who can collect the most smiles? You simply have to smile at people, and if they smile back you get a point. The first to 10 smiles could win a prize. Make it fun and spread those smiles! Practice random acts of kindness. It can be tempting to only do kind things for people we know, but it is very powerful to carry out acts of kindness to complete strangers. When we hosted an It’s Cool To Be Kind Week at my school, one boy and his sister baked cupcakes with their dad, and they all went down to the local train station with their treats to greet tired commuters. What a way to end a dreary commute home! Your random act of kindness could be just what that person needs. Check out this site for more kindness ideas: randomactsofkindness.org Kindness is a vital life skill that not only grows children’s emotional intelligence but teaches them the importance of looking after others as well as themselves. Give these ideas a go and grow your family’s kindness.

Education

5 Focus and Energy Tips for Students

Developing the right mindset for processing and absorbing information can help you launch and successfully pursue your academic goals for the year. Having spent most of my career helping people gain and sustain better daily energy and focus, I’d like to offer up a few simple techniques and thoughts that will set you on a path to achievement this year. No. 1: Be positive. I put positivity at the top of my list because its opposite, negativity, is a self-defeating mindset and will contaminate all efforts. The results are low energy, weakened performance and memory failure, physical and mental fatigue. Positivity fuels the reverse. It helps your mind flow freely, effortlessly—light and fluid like water. Create a positivity baseline. Catch yourself during a moment or time when you are feeling awesome, at the top of your game. Pay attention to how this feels physically and mentally: stressless, happy, flowing. If it helps, write down how you feel. It’s important to stop yourself and feel this so that you can remember it and measure how you’re feeling at various daily moments. Note what positive things you did that helped you get into this zone so that you will know how to create the mindset when you don’t have it. Make savoring, sustaining and protecting your positivity a priority. No. 2: Use a self-scan before you begin each class. This will immediately improve your focus, and you’ll like the results. At first the scan will take you a little while, but still it’s not much. Don’t worry about speed. You’ll develop that soon enough, and then you’ll just do it automatically. Here’s how. Take a few moments before classes and simply ask yourself: What is the day’s goal for this class and what are my responsibilities? For example, I am listening to a lecture on Edgar Allan Poe and taking notes for a test. How does this goal link to larger goals in my life? Example: I can use the information in another course for a term paper I am writing, and that will make life easier and better; I can ace my English class, qualify for higher level classes I want next year, graduate with honors, get into the college I desire, etc. On the scale of things, how important are these goals to your life? Often it is hard to get motivated unless we see how information matters to us personally and is linked to larger personal concerns. So splurge on your answers. What are the demands of my environment and my teacher’s expectations? Are there distractions? Are my questions and views welcomed and accepted and in what context? If the room is large, can I hear adequately? What have I done in the past to help me achieve these goals? What has interfered? No. 3: Restrict your mind from wandering. Keep participating no matter what.Just like when your coach is telling you, “Don’t stop now—pour it on.”Create words or phrases you can think to yourself during such moments to stay on task, such as:stay with it, be strong, or focus.Give yourself a slow, deep, good breath every now and then and relax your focus before narrowing it again. No. 4: Get a good night’s sleep. Make it a habit to turn lights off at the same time each night. You need sleep for higher-level thinking and to keep your mind flowing. No. 5: Each day, think of something nice to do for someone. Keep it simple. Plan who you will help, compliment or surprise, then do it! I encourage you to start this practice immediately. As your academic interests grow, time will move much faster, and your studies, in general, will become a lot more enjoyable. These skills will help your mind become more flowing, creative, energized, interesting and complex.And just like a “runner’s high,” these characteristics will feel good both mentally and physically.As such, you will feel rewarded. And this pattern of activity will begin to feed upon itself. Grades will come easier.You will feel more secure,confident and happy.The best news is that you will start transferring this mindset over to other areas of your life, deepening those connections as well.

Lifestyle

10 Best Books for Good Mood Food

Folate in spinach can boost those mood-controlling neurotransmitters in your brain. Yet if Popeye’s fix doesn’t appeal to you, try eating an orange or grapefruit to get the same mood-regulating vitamin B benefits. For a moment of calm, eat a banana for its potassium and serotonin. Grumpy? Shift that mood with some berries. Eating the rainbow is sage advice for a happier you, and no, we don’t mean that bowl of sugary Froot Loops. Healthy, colorful fruits and veggies can make for a healthier brain and a happier you. We rounded up 10 books to help you rock your good mood—with food. Flat Belly 365: The Gut-Friendly Superfood Plan to Shed Pounds, Fight Inflammation, and Feel Great All Year Long by Manuel Villacorta If you’ve ever consumed too many doughnuts in one sitting, you know sugar can make you feel sluggish and tired. Superfoods do the opposite, helping you feel super! Flat Belly 365 offers enticing recipes even if your goal isn’t to have washboard abs. National dietitian Manuel Villacorta shares recipes made with superfoods, anti-inflammatory fats, and prebiotic and probiotic foods to balance your appetite, reduce cravings, regulate blood sugar, fight inflammation and fuel your body for optimal health. Each chapter is organized by the seasons of the year, making shopping and meal planning easy. Seven-day menu plans are included. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Walter Willett, MD and P.J. Skerrett If you want to eat healthy but your head spins from all the food trends, conflicting information and celebrity diets, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy cuts through all the noise. Walter Willett, MD, chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, draws on cutting-edge research to explain what the USDA guidelines have gotten wrong—and how you can eat right. Learn simple principles and meal plans to live better and longer. Discover the research behind the best types of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and the importance of supplements. After not smoking, controlling your weight is the single most important factor for a long, healthy life, the authors contend. The Simple Guide to Natural Health: From Apple Cider Vinegar Tonics to Coconut Oil Body Balm, 150+ Home Remedies for Health and Healing by Melanie St. Ours Use medicinal plants, healing foods and everyday ingredients like coconut oil and apple cider vinegar to help you heal from ailments and thrive. Clinical herbalist Melanie St. Ours offers recipes that promote emotional balance and health. Try her mood-lifting trail mix, happiness syrup or pick-me-up peppermint latte. Make a cup of lavender or chamomile tea to relieve anxiety or depression. The food in your pantry and fridge can support your health and improve your outlook. Rise and Shine: Better Breakfasts for Busy Mornings by Katie Sullivan Morford How you start your day matters. You already know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what if you could make breakfast so appealing it brings your family together around the table each day? Nutritionist and mother of three Katie Sullivan Morford offers tips, recipes and inspiration for making delicious and nutritious breakfasts.Rise and Shineis for parents who don’t want to sacrifice quality time and quality meals on busy mornings. The Happiness Diet: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body by Drew Ramsey, MD and Tyler G. Graham What if the foods responsible for the obesity epidemic are also causing increased levels of depression and anxiety? That’s the premise behind The Happiness Diet. If you want simple solutions to make and eat feel-good foods for your brain and your body, this is the book for you. Learn how to move away from the modern American diet (which the authors call MAD) and get nutrition back in your meals. The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions—Today by Julia Ross Julia Ross’s plan provides a natural cure for your mood based on deficiencies in our neurotransmitters. She believes we can use food to overcome depression, anxiety, irritability, stress and other negative emotional states that take a toll on the quality of our lives. Julia’s plan is based on the use of four mood-building amino acids and nutritional supplements. Enjoy meals that include protein, healthy fat and certain key vegetables. Take her mood-type questionnaire to start feeling better and brighter. Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power by Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D. Lisa Mosconi is a neuroscientist and a certified integrative nutritionist who focuses on the dietary needs of the brain. Lisa provides recommendations for a complete food plan while calling out some popular notions, including: why a paleo diet may not be ideal, why avoiding gluten may be a mistake, and how getting enough water improves alertness.Review lists of what to eat and what to avoid and take a quiz that will tell you where you are on the brain health spectrum. Use your food choices to improve memory, prevent cognitive decline, eliminate brain fog, lift depression or improve mental alertness. At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen: Celebrating the Art of Eating Well by Amy Chaplin and Johnny Miller When your food, kitchen and meals are bright, you will be, too. Delight in the joy of food again in this colorful book full of recipes, menus and whole food tips. “Cook simple meals with organic ingredients. Find a daily practice that helps keep you connected, inspired and grounded. Practice gratitude and do what you love,” writes chef, food stylist and lover of food, Amy Chaplin. Vegans, vegetarians and carnivores will all find recipes to add to their collection and ideas to inspire a beautiful kitchen. The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig The popular The Whole30offers a 30-day meal plan designed to reset your health, habits and relationship with food so you can overcome cravings and addictions. The science behindWhole30is covered in the authors’ first book,It Starts With Food.The plan focuses on the quality of real food and omits processed foods and sugar as well as grains and legumes. You will have to say goodbye to cheese and even hummus (made from legumes), but you can keep your morning coffee if you drink it black or with almond milk. Eat foods for a healthy psychological response, transform your relationship with food, quash cravings and boost your immune system. Keto Comfort Foods: Family Favorite Recipes Made Low-Carb and Healthy by Maria Emmerich Comfort foods…just hearing those two words can make you feel good. We all crave them and they are designed to give us a big helping of comfort and foster well-being. The problem is, most comfort foods aren’t really good for your body—until now. In Keto Comfort Foods, enjoy a healthy spin on some of your favorite comfort foods with a variety of recipes presented with beautiful photography. Each recipe contains nutritional information and rated low, medium or high ketogenic (putting the body into a state of ketosis to burn stored fat). Whip up some beef stew, BBQ chicken lasagna, clam chowder, maple bacon ice cream or Sunday pot roast.

Self-Care

3 Inspiring Lessons From the Thai Soccer Team Rescue

For 17 days, the eyes of the world were on Thailand. There, 12 young men, ages 11–16, were trapped in a pitch-black, flooded cave with the very real possibility of never coming out alive. As I reflected on their incredible rescue story, I couldn’t help but hear whisperings of ancient wisdom—wisdom steeped in powerful spiritual and ethical teachings that still ring true today. A sign outside the cave warns visitors not to enter during the months of July through November, the area's monsoon season. Assistant soccer coach Ekkapol (“Ake”) Chantawong had taken his team to the Tham Luang cave earlier in December. This time, a week before July, he took them there after a day’s soccer practice to celebrate one of the boy’s birthday, planning to stay for just an hour. Mother Nature had a different plan, though; a flash rainstorm drove them deeper inside the cave. It was this one seemingly simple act that proved to be an extreme example of how our every action takes place in a dynamic chain of countless reactions and interactions. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once referred to our being bound together in an inescapable network of mutuality. In Thailand, they might call it the network of karma. In a matter of days, a simple visit to a cave mobilized 10,000 people—including 2,000 soldiers, 200 divers and representatives from 100 government agencies. The lesson to be learned? Our lives are not separate; one life can affect tens and hundreds of thousands. Now, let’s take a look at how the parents responded to the coach’s actions. In Western societies, placing blame is often the go-to response. Yet, here, the parents acknowledged the imperfection of the situation, and then went on to express their gratitude to Coach Ake for caring for their sons. This is interesting. Perhaps it’s because Thailand is 95 percent Buddhist. For them, it’s about getting clear about their purpose in life, building an enlightened society together, and attaining liberation from needless suffering rather than becoming attached to outrage, blame and fear. They wanted to get on with their lives, and let Coach Ake begin anew and do the same. As famous radio host Bernard Meltzer once put it, “When you forgive, you in no way change the past, but you sure do change the future.” Compassion and forgiveness can be more invaluable than recrimination and litigation. It’s the third lesson this survival story reveals that is the real keeper for me. Put simply, hope is real. Looking back, there were doubts at first that there’d be survivors. Then, once they were finally located (by smell, in fact), it was determined that the delicate, dangerous maneuver would involve navigating nearly 2 miles underwater. There was even talk of the rescue possibly taking months. And yet, more and more people came together, saying, “No. We have to turn around what you may call Mission Impossible into Mission Possible. Failure is not an option.” To what do we attribute this awesome resolve in the face of dicey, adverse odds? The intention here is clear: “Let’s save the kids.” Whether or not the growing members of the rescue team had kids of their own, they recognized these children as their very own. And as the world watched, they became our children, too. What rallied the Thai people and motivated others to quickly join hands across 15 nations can give all of us hope. I know I personally need that sense of fearless courage, optimistic determination and clear-headed resilience in my life right now. It’s true, too, for many of my friends during these uncertain times. Our hearts know of a better world; we saw confirmation in the Thai cave of how that world is possible. May we all continue to draw from the healing, transformative watershed of courage, hope, resilience and community which the good news in Thailand has nourished in tens of millions of hearts around the world.

Interrnational Positive Education Network

Self-Care

Summit Kick-Starts Global Positive Education Transformation

Educators, administrators, students and anyone concerned about the inclusion of character and well-being principles in schools traveled from all around the globe to attend The World Positive Education Accelerator (WPEA): Second Festival of Positive Education + Appreciative Inquiry Summit last month in Fort Worth, Texas. Held in the Fort Worth Convention Center, more than 30 countries were represented with roughly 900 like-minded individuals dedicated to integrating more positive education in global educational systems. This conference’s unique approach went beyond topics of learning and achievement in math, science, social studies and language, sharing the latest in research on curricula that boost student well-being, resilience and “grit.” This focus aids the development of individuals who reach their full potential of learning and leading through a positive mindset and critical problem-solving. With a growing number of children struggling today to cope with challenges at school and at home—ranging from technology distractions and innovations to increasing teen depression, bullying and school violence—the need is urgent, participants say. “Essentially we’re redesigning what 21st century global education looks like,” says Sir Anthony Seldon, president of the International Positive Education Network (IPEN), a co-convener of the four-day conference with the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College. “We want educators to walk away empowered with the tools, resources and connections to make real, lasting change.” Advocates for positive education, including Lea Waters, Ph.D., a psychology researcher at the University of Melbourne in Australia, say that when we focus on our children’s strengths and have the right tools to teach character, we can see grades, life satisfaction, self-confidence and positive emotions improve. This gives our children the best chance to cope with the struggles that life may bring. One of things that has got to be in our close future is the creation of inexpensive ways of reliably and validly training many teachers who want to deliver positive education,”-Martin Seligman, Ph.D. Using David Cooperrider’s Appreciative Inquiry method (a whole-system approach to problem-solving), attendees had the opportunity to look for solutions from all angles, including strengths-based parenting, positive psychology practices, faculty and staff training, and lifting up surrounding institutions and communities. “We have this opportunity to create the best educational systems in the world,” David told the eager crowd. “My heart aches for where it is not happening.” Attendee Margarita Tarragona, Ph.D., a psychologist, coach, organizational consultant and author from Mexico, found the conference empowering. “I came for two reasons. I love positive psychology and am very involved in the movement, and I wanted to experience the full Appreciative Inquiry process for the first time,” she says. “It’s so interesting to me to observe the process that can bring so many people together and turn that energy and brain power into something concrete to create real change. “It was particularly moving to hear David Cooperrider say that of all the projects he’s involved in, he believes this is the most important and the most critical to our global future. What a wonderful inspiration to be a part of that,” she says. Keynote speakers included positive psychology powerhouses such as Martin Seligman, Angela Duckworth, Lea and Anthony. David led the summit portion of the conference with Lindsey Godwin, director of the Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College. Attendees from Texas, California, Vermont, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, China, Mexico, Australia and beyond broke into smaller groups according to their strengths and interests to address summit topics such as teacher enrichment and training; what the future of learning will look like for all levels from early education to higher education; new science and research opportunities; national and international policy; and business as a force for positive education. Martin, a founding father of positive psychology, explained to the crowd that teaching character and well-being in schools can buffer against negativity, anger, anxiety and depression. He notes that more accountability and training is needed to help it take hold. “One of things that has got to be in our close future is the creation of inexpensive ways of reliably and validly training many teachers who want to deliver positive education,” he says. Lisa Sansom, an organizational development specialist from Ontario, Canada, shares the desire for more teacher training at all levels. “I would really like to see this flourish and grow and really come to life,” she says. She believes more leaders in the right positions need to make the right decisions. “The one thing we really need is a leadership champion. Someone who is positioned high enough to be able to say, ‘yes this is it, and start making it happen,’ kind of the way Anthony Seldon has in the U.K. ... We need someone to say, ‘this is great, let’s go.’” The global turnout and interest in positive education was encouraging to Lewis Forrest II, associate dean for university life at George Mason University. He believes there would be more interest in well-being and character in schools if more educators had access to the information. “I’ve gotten a few responses on social media from folks who asked, ‘Where are you, what are you doing?’” he says. “These are really excellent dedicated teachers and educators who just don’t know.” As educators and administrators start to see results, there will be more of a positive response, he says. “With anything that you learn, the critical piece is how you share it, explain it to folks and coach them on what is useful.” For more information or to get involved, go to IPEN and David Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College.

Self-Care

How to Start and Keep a Journal

I’ve kept a journal since I was in third grade. I started with a diary that had a tiny lock and key. Back then I used to grade my days. “Today was terrible. My parents made me eat eggs. Someone at school said I look like Pippi Longstocking. Today is a D.” I moved on to notebooks of all different sizes and designs. For every entry, I filled page after page with my chicken-scratch handwriting until I felt better. Like a genie going back inside her bottle, opening a notebook and writing felt like an escape for me. A journal can be a friend, a secret-keeper, a form of meditation or a therapy session. Science also backs up the therapeutic and health benefits of keeping a journal. James Pennebaker, Ph.D., a psychologist and a leading expert on journaling, says expressive writing—putting words to our painful experiences—can strengthen immunity, decrease anxiety, lessen depression and improve relationships. His research shows that writing about emotional upheavals can even help us heal. I credit journaling combined with talk therapy for overcoming painful moments in my past, and the solace and power of writing has stuck with me as an adult. Now I grab my journal to recharge. I write until I feel a renewed sense of clarity and peace wash over me. Blank pages can unravel challenges and provide comfort. Writing is how I think. Experiencing all the benefits firsthand, I often recommend journaling to others. It’s typically met with, “I want to, but I wouldn’t know what to write.” If journaling doesn’t come naturally to you, but you’d like to reap its benefits, here are some ways to get started. Just Write Write whatever comes to your mind. Turn off the perfectionist and silence the 10th-grade English teacher who lives in your head. Keep it private and tell yourself your notebook is just for you. Then, start putting your thoughts on paper. Stream of consciousness writing can help you connect with who you truly are and what is going on with you at your core. Write to identify or solve a problem. Write to vent. Write to connect with yourself, hear your inner voice and make sure your life is in alignment with your values. Journal to Start a Gratitude Practice Simply writing down three things you are grateful for each day can shift your perspective and make you a happier person. It’s also simple to do. You’ll notice more of what you enjoy because you are training your brain to seek the positive. Your well-being is also likely to improve, as positive psychology founder Martin Seligman, Ph.D., has found in his research. Gratitude has a compound effect. Soon you will have a journal filled with positive thoughts. Write to Heal James encourages people to write about emotionally turbulent experiences because truth-telling heals. There is power in sharing your story. Put words to a painful time or event in your life and watch how the process of sharing your story—even to yourself—can have a transformative effect on your life. Writing can help you think with clarity by filtering out all the noise around you. Let Journaling Evolve With You I don’t plow through journals like I used to anymore. I semi-jokingly tell my husband he’s my journal now. (Poor guy.) With young kids, a husband and a career, I don’t have as much time to journal these days. I use one hardbound journal for an entire calendar year. I may use it for stream-of-consciousness writing when I need to, but now it is more of an everything journal. I use my journal to capture and savor gratitude. I jot down funny things my twin girls say. I use my journal to capture pearls of wisdom from books, experts, podcasts and magazines. I write favorite quotes. I even track my weight and fitness goals. Let your journal work with your life. Let your writing flow in a way that resonates with you. There are numerous ways to keep a journal. Experience how journaling can be life-changing for you.

Self-Care

Change the World, Be a Mentor

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more who join the #HappyActs movement, the more positive impact we'll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! July’s theme is connection.Studies suggesteach positive interaction you have bolsters your cardiovascular, neuro-endocrine and immune systems, so the more connections you make over time, the better you function. Our July 20 Happy Act is to be a mentor to someone. Meet our Happy Activist of the month, Megan Knoebel, who is a Big Sister as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Texas. 3 Steps on How to Prepare for a Happy Act: Researchwhat charitable opportunities are near you. Contactthe organization and discuss how you can help. Plana time to go volunteer and/or determine what you can donate. Learn more: 33 Ideas on Leadership. We love No. 13! Volunteer as a mentor in your area of professional expertise. Many universities or civic organizations can help pair you up. Empower the Next Generation. Victor Palomares, known to many as the Kindergarten CEO, uses humor to inspire and empower teens to make smart decisions. “Stop trying to impress your friends. They aren’t thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves,” Victor says. Give Back According to Your Strengths. Are you a savvy businessperson or entrepreneur? Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of theChicken Soup for the Soulseries, came up with a twist on tithing: Instead of giving away 10 percent of your money, he suggests giving 10 percent of your fantasticbusiness ideasto nonprofits. Inspire Family Members: Harry Connick Jr. learned to be authentic and to always help others in need from his parents. What lessons do you want to share with your children and grandchildren? The Slight Edge to Happiness: Listen to our podcast with author Jeff Olson on Live Happy Now. 6 Tools To Help Children Develop Coping Skills: Your mind flows when sparked by high-quality energy and personal motivation. The two go hand-in-hand. When they do, you feel “lit.” Connect Better With Co-Workers Professor Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D, from the University of North Carolina, has discovered it takes just a micro-moment of connection to create an upward spiral of mutual care and companionate love between colleagues. Her research suggests three simple steps. First, share positive emotions, like interest, joy, amusement, awe or pride. Secondly, synchronize your biochemistry and behaviors through shared eye contact with the person or matching your body gestures or vocal tone to create a moment of positivity resonance. This causes both brains to light up like a mirror of each other. And finally, invest in a reflective motive to invest in each other’s well-being that brings about mutual care. Additional resources: Big Brothers Big Sisters Love 2.0: Finding Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation Momentous Institute Profit from the Positive

Self-Care

The Power of Silence

In an increasingly loud and stressful world, more people are discovering the benefits and power of silence. Quiet pauses throughout the day can connect us, ease our minds and put us in touch with ourselves. Experts agree that we need to choose to make silence a part of our lives. Maybe it’s by taking a moment to remember a loved one, waking up before the sun rises or replacing a noisy time of day with a calming break. “Silence can benefit us if we use it wisely,” says Julie Potiker, a mindfulness expert and author of the new book, Life Falls Apart, But You Don’t Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos. “If we allow the quiet to slow us down and open us up to what is there in our environment—a dog barking, a bird chirping—it means focusing attention on what you are hearing, which can stop your mind from ruminating and worrying.” Give Your Brain a Break Too much stimulation and noise coming at us without a break can be overwhelming. Make a conscious choice to put your phone down and decide how you will use the silence, Julie says. “It’s hard to make the time to enjoy quiet. We need to carve out quiet time for our mental health. Use the quiet to allow your mind to slow down,” Julie says. “If you are using the quiet time to worry and ruminate—which is what the primate brain is wired to do when we are not engaged in a task—that’s not helpful and it will make things worse.” Choose something positive to direct your attention and stop any negative loop, she suggests. Julie recommends trying a technology blackout for an hour or two on a specific day of the weekend. “See how it feels and if you love it—and I bet you will—you can extend the time until you eventually have a day without technology.” For parents with small kids, Julie suggests taking some quiet time when the kids are asleep. She also recommends guided meditation. While it’s not silence, a guided meditation is especially helpful for those who struggle with negative monkey mind. “Pop in the earbuds and follow the voice for a beautiful break for your brain.” Sukey and Elizabeth Novogratz, authors of the book Just Sit: A Meditation Guide for People Who Know They Should But Don’t, encourage people to take time each day for reflection. Silence isn’t just about the absence of noise, it’s about getting yourself to slow down. “We know the world would be a kinder place if we all slowed down and sat each day, and everyone on this planet could benefit from meditation,” Elizabeth says. Meditation doesn’t have to be a complicated practice, and their book gives straightforward tips to make it easy for everyone. Five Benefits of Silence It helps us live consciously. According to psychologists and philosophers alike, silence can wake us up and provide meaningful answers in our lives. Silence can give us a gentle nudge to let us know if something doesn’t feel right by putting us in touch with our body and our emotions. The psychological benefits of experiencing silence—even when it makes us uncomfortable—can mean more purposeful living. Silence can increase self-awareness, self-compassion and improve decision-making skills with improved mental clarity. Use it to become more mindful and self-compassionate. “Mindfulness is the first step in emotional healing,” Julie says. “It’s being able to turn toward and acknowledge our difficult thoughts and feelings—such as inadequacy, sadness, anger or confusion—with a spirit of openness and curiosity. Self-compassion involves responding to these difficult thoughts and feelings with kindness, sympathy and understanding so that we soothe and comfort ourselves when we’re hurting. Research has shown that self-compassion greatly enhances emotional well-being. It boosts happiness, reduces anxiety and depression, and can even help maintain healthy lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise. Being both mindful and compassionate leads to greater ease and well-being in our daily lives.” It can enhance conversations. By choosing silence, you will naturally listen more and others have the opportunity to share more—enhancing your relationships. It’s a tool for increased emotional regulation. Silence can be the space between a feeling and a response. Take a silent pause and choose your response calmly and wisely. It gets better with practice. If silence is something you rarely get or even fear it a little—lean toward activities that help you practice. Try a yoga class. Listen to nature radio. Drive with the radio off. Sit on your deck or porch in the morning and take in the quiet and stillness. When you go to bed, use the silence to get calm or listen to it raining outside. Let silence help you wander through happy memories or list what you are grateful for in your life right now. Buy some noise-canceling headphones. Ask your family to support you with a 15-minute break for silence. Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Silence is a source of great strength.” Taking the time for silence sends yourself the message that you are worth hearing. Honor your life by practicing silence regularly.

Self-Care

Nine Signs You May Be a Positive Deviant

It’s easy to spot the office cynic, but can you recognize a positive deviant when you see one? More than a decade ago Margaret and our University of Pennsylvania Master of Applied Positive Psychology colleague Dana Arakawa conducted a research study to see if there was a connection between manager optimism and team performance. Guess what?There is! Negativity Bias It’s a lot easier to find fault and criticize. Psychologists call this negativity bias. It takes practice and courage to be positive when you are surrounded by people who are constantly focusing on what’s wrong. How do you know if you’re a positive deviant? Here are nine clues we have found in coaching hundreds of leaders. You know you’re a positive deviant when you: 1. Say what’s right about a new idea after a co-worker shoots it down, rather than remaining silent. 2. Speak up when you hear someone speaking down to another. 3. Interrupt a colleague who is ruminating over a mistake and tell her to celebrate her mistake because she learned something new. 4. Don’t assume when a friend loses his job that it’s a bad thing. 5. Spend more time giving kudos than criticism. 6. Take time off from work to become even more productive. 7. Focus more on your strengths than your weaknesses. 8. Listen to your intuition and hire the employee with the right attitude rather than the right skill set. 9. Ask people what they aspire to be, not just what they want to do. We’ve only scratched the surface Let’s keep adding to this list. What comes to mind when you hear the term positive deviant? Please visit Live Happy and Profit from the Positive on Facebook to share your ideas!

Get Mentally Fit With Grit

4 Ways to Grow Kind Kids

5 Focus and Energy Tips for Students

10 Best Books for Good Mood Food

3 Inspiring Lessons From the Thai Soccer Team Rescue

Summit Kick-Starts Global Positive Education Transformation

How to Start and Keep a Journal

Change the World, Be a Mentor

The Power of Silence

Nine Signs You May Be a Positive Deviant

Store

Articles

Quick Links