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5 Steps to Establishing Clear Boundaries at Work

Live Happy blogger, best-selling author and workplace wellbeing coach MichelleMcQuaid presents this series of interviews entitled "Show Up, Shine and Succeed." This is the last of five insightful, informative posts, each with a differentpositive psychology expert speaking on topics related to happiness, confidence and success in the workplace.Do you have trouble saying “no” to people at work? Many of us find setting boundaries to be a challenge.Yes, I can take on that extra project, although my days are already too full. Yes, I can have that difficult conversation, even though it’s your responsibility and not mine.Yes, I can work over the weekend, even though my family and friends had plans.Sound familiar ?“Learning to set and keep clear boundaries with your boss and colleagues is essential if you want to remain happy and productive at work,” explains best-selling author and productivity coach Valorie Burton.Click here to listen to the full podcast.“Boundaries are a definition. Think of it like owning a house; your property has a specific boundary around that property. Everything inside the boundary is your responsibility, and what’s outside is not,” suggests Valorie.“When we begin to blur those lines, we find ourselves in situations that become very frustrating.”Setting boundaries means learning when to say no. It means asking for the respect we want, and balancing our needs and responsibilities. Valorie recommends trying these five steps to effectively setting boundaries at work:1. Establish your boundariesStart by asking yourself, what are the boundaries you need to protect your own happiness at work. Try to clearly envision what it would be like if these boundaries were respected and gracefully enforced. Ask yourself: “What does that give me? How does it feel when I am operating at my optimal potential?”Then notice the areas where you currently feel frustrated, stressed or overwhelmed, and how, when and by whom these boundaries are being crossed.2. Challenge the stories that hold you backWhen it comes to setting boundaries, we often catastrophize about the consequences of saying ‘no’ to other people at work. It takes a lot of courage to sit down with your boss and say, “I need to do this differently. Can we talk this through?” What if it upsets them, or even puts your job at rish? Ask yourself: “What am I afraid will happen if I do?” Make the space for self-reflection and write out what you need to say this person to help you feel more confident about honoring the boundaries you require to maintain your happiness and success at work.3. Start with one conversationDon't try to set all your boundaries at once. Take it one conversation at a time and practice identifying, asking for and keeping a boundary. Notice what works, adjust what doesn’t and keep moving forward to make these conversations an effective part of the way you work.4. Enforce your boundariesCreate a plan of action for what will happen when your boundaries are crossed. Be sure to compassionately let people know when you feel your boundaries are not being respected (most people will mean no malice, but may be unaware of the impact their behavior is having on you). Communicate clearly what choices you will need to make in order to honor the boundaries you’ve set to ensure you can successfully support yourself, your team and your organization.5. Pay attention to what worksWhen you begin progressing and setting better boundaries, give yourself credit for each step forward. You’ll find, just like a baby learning to walk, from time to time you may stumble. Setting boundaries takes practice so give yourself permission to keep learning and growing knowing that this is a skill vital for your success and happiness.For more ways to approaches to set boundaries successfully at work be sure to visit Valorie’s website at www.valorieburton.com and check out her wonderful books for creating happiness at work and in life.And if you’d like more tested, practical ways to show up, shine and succeed at work visit https://www.showupshineandsucceed.com.

Workplace

Do You Have The Grit To Create Lasting Success?

Live Happy blogger, best-selling author and wellness coachMichelleMcQuaidpresents a series of interviews entitled "Show Up, Shine and Succeed." This is the third of five insightful posts. Each podcast/interview features a differentpositive psychology expert, all speaking on topics related to happiness, confidence and success in the workplace. Do you have the passion and perseverance necessary to create a successful career?Researchers have found when it comes to successfully achieving our long-term goals, there’s one quality that distinguishes us most: grit. “Gritty individuals approach the journey to mastery like a marathon rather than a sprint, and this fuels their stamina to practice their talents over and over and over again,” explains Angela Duckworth, associate professor of psychology at University of California at Riverside. Click here to listen to the full podcast. Angela defines grit as the tendency to sustain interest in and effort toward longterm goals. It entails working consistently toward challenges and being able to maintain interest and effort over time, despite failures, setbacks and plateaus in progress. Whereas most of us take disappointment or boredom as signals that it might be time to cut our losses, people with grit take these signs as the moment when they need to stick with it and truly show up. Her researchhas established the predictive power of grit to determine successful outcomes. While much is still being learned about the subject, Angela suggests three things you can do to improve your level of grit: 1. Be Meaningfully Interested Make sure your longterm goal is based around something that is interesting and meaningful to you. Professor William Damon at Stanford University has found that when we find something personally interesting, and it’s meaningful to the world beyond ourselves, we are able to connect passion with action. It motivates us, providing a sense of purpose and energy, and preventing burnout. 2. Cultivate a growth mindset In recent research with Professor Carol Dweck from Stanford University, Angela has found that grit is positively correlated with the belief that we can improve our talents and abilities. Having a “growth mindset” is one of the cognitive antecedents that makes you more inclined to be gritty because it cultivates the belief that things can improve, that failure is not permanent and that there is a reason to persist. 3. Ask for support Rely on other people around you who can hold you accountable to your goals and ensure you don’t quit in the face of frustration or discouragement. When you study the trajectories of top performers, you see that there were times when they stumbled and doubted themselves. It wasn’t always easy for them, and in many cases, they relied on others to help them get through the toughest times. As Woody Allen once noted, “Eighty percent of success in life is showing up.”And while the number 80 percent does not come from academic research, Angela does agree that for many endeavors, if you can just persist and keep showing up, you will eventually overcomes many of the obstacles in your path. You can test your levels of grit in Angela’s research lab at sites.sas.upenn.edu/duckworth. And if you’d like more tested, practical ways to show up, shine and succeed at work visit showupshineandsucceed.com.

Workplace

31 Days of Wellness

1. “It is health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” —Mahatma Gandhi2. Go shopping at your local farmers market.3. Read The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living, by Amid Sood, MD4. Read The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone.5. Watch Supersize Me.6. “The part can never be well unless the whole is well.” —Plato7. Run a 5K, 10K or half-marathon.8. Listen to “Eye of the Tiger,” by Survivor.9. Read Wherever You Go, There You Are,by Jon Kabat-Zinn.10. Watch Forks Over Knives.11. “Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.” —Mark Twain12. Try a new kind of exercise, like Zumba or TRX.13. Buy and cook a vegetable you've never eaten before.14. Read The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin.15. Watch Food Inc.16. “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” —Irish Proverb17. Get a massage.18. Buy a bicycle, or get a tune-up on the one you have.19. Read Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, by Rick Hanson.20. Try going meat-free or vegan for one week.21. Get your blood pressure checked.22. Find out your wellbeing score at YourWellbeingScore.com.23. Walk or bike to work.24. Read ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running, by Danny Dreyer.25. Try going to bed an hour earlier.26. “The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” —Abraham Maslow27. Take a break andmeditate.28. Unplug and spend time with friends.29. Read Start Strong, Finish Strong: Prescriptions for a Lifetime of Great Health, by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, M.P.H., and Dr. Tyler Cooper, M.P.H.30.“You're in pretty good shape for the shape you are in.” —Dr. Seuss31.Go trick-or-treating!

Workplace

Michelle Gielan: Be a Happiness Broadcaster

On Thursday, September 25, Live Happy CEO Kym Yancey spoke with happiness researcher and former CBS anchorwoman Michelle Gielan. Here is a brief excerpt from their talk: Starting with good news I was working as a national news anchor for CBS—my dream job—but those were difficult economic times, and thenewscast was a constant barrage of negative stories; it seemed like there was no break from them. So we decided to do a series of interviews on how to foster greater happiness, even in the middle of challenging times: Not waiting helplessly until they’re over, but maintaining the belief that our behavior matters. And we interviewed experts who could tell people how to put the tips and advice into practice. I decided I wanted to investigate positive psychology. What I came to learn is that, even in the midst of challenging times, I believe that my behavior matters. I believe I have the resources and social support system that can help me through it. When we have those things, our brains switch off the fight or flight reaction; switch off the panic button. Tabling it Lately I really like the concept of “Tabling it.” I have a little baby who is seven months old, so there are times when I am literally walking around like a zombie. My brain can get latched onto a negative thought and I start ruminating over and over.And I say to myself, we’ve been through this before; let’s table it. Let’s come back to it after we’ve slept for eight hours. And nine times out of 10, it’s not even an issue in the morning. Or else by then, I have the mental bandwidth to deal with it and find a solution. Become a positivity broadcaster I worked in television news, but what I’ve found is that in life, we are all broadcasters. We broadcast thoughts in our own minds, and we also broadcast while talking to other people. Any of that can be positive or negative. And what we put out there comes back to us.We have the power to shift and redirect the conversation to help others reorient to the positive. Positivity tips: Have the faith, don’t give up, and the changes start to take place. Cultivating an optimistic mindset fuels our success. Sharing with others multiplies the effect. The greatest predictor of happiness is the belief that positive change is possible. What can we do to spread happiness today? I want everyone to be a positive broadcaster today. Send a 2-minute positive email and tell them why you appreciate them. Post a positive Facebook post; social media has a huge impact on people these days. Last, next time someone asks you how are you, say something positive, deep and meaningful to connect you to that person. Neutrality (“I’m fine …”) is a wasted opportunity. Michelle Gielan is a partner atGoodThink, a positive psychology consulting firm, and an expert on the science of positive communication and how to use it to fuel success.She is also is an executive producer ofThe Happiness Advantagespecial on PBS, and formerly served as the anchor of two national newscasts at CBS News, as well as a correspondent forThe Early Show.

Workplace

5 Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt

Live Happy blogger, best-selling author and workplace wellbeing coach Michelle McQuaidpresents this series of interviews entitled "Show Up, Shine and Succeed." This is the first of five insightful, informative posts, each featuring a different positive psychology expert.Do you ever find yourself hesitating, holding yourself back at work for fear that you’ll be discovered as an imposter? Do you worry that maybe you’re not really “good enough” to achieve the kind of success you dream of?Everyone experiences self-doubt from time to timeIf you are bothered by self-doubt, you’re not alone. In fact, one study of managers by the European Institute for Leadership and Management revealed that 50% of female managers and 31% of male managers admitted to experiencing self-doubt.“Unfortunately when we’re worried that our abilities are going to be questioned, we lack the confidence to turn our thoughts into actions,” explained Louisa Jewell, a positive psychology expert who has studied self-doubt extensively.Click here to listen to full audio interview.Self-doubt can hinder your performance at work“Self-doubt causes us to engage in self-protective strategies at work, such as procrastination, hesitation and self-handicapping in order to avoid failure,” says Louisa. “While we may start out consciously using these strategies, once we realize they’re working, they often become unconscious habits that limit our potential for growth and success.”While often viewed as internal—something created by the stories we tell inside our own heads—Louisa points out that researchers now believe self-doubt may be socially constructed.“Self-doubt is often generated in your mind because of the social evaluations of others,” she explained. “Human beings are generally sensitive creatures, and the moment someone questions you, challenges you or looks at you in a funny way, you start to question your abilities.”According to Louisa, we can move beyond self-doubt by using the following approaches:1. Be aware of who you surround yourself with.Your social network can either increase or reduce your self-doubt. If you’re embarking on something new, make sure you’ve got supportive people around you who are encouraging you to move forward.2. Focus on your workInstead of wondering, “How does that make me look?” or “What if I fail in front of this person now?” focus instead on what you’re trying to create, who you’re trying to serve and what you’d like to achieve. Try saying: “I’m just working away here and I could care less about what others might think about me.”3. Challenge the negative chatter in your head. Be aware of what you’re saying to yourself. If you find your thoughts are full of negativity and judgment, then challenge what you’re saying by asking: “Is that true?” Rather than having your thoughts irrationally hijacked by self-doubt, rationally look for evidence to take a more objective, balanced point of view.4. Use your strengths. Be aware of the things that you like to do and are good at and use these consciously to fuel your confidence to act. When you draw on your strengths it removes your fear of moving forward and taps into your deep-rooted belief that you can succeed, and that you have the resources and skills to tackle new challenges.5. Practice self-compassion.Be willing to look at your own mistakes and shortcomings with kindness and understanding. Don’t judge yourself harshly or feel the need to defensively focus on all your awesome qualities to protect your ego. Instead, embrace the fact that to err is indeed human. Try to get a realistic sense of your abilities and actions, and then figure out what needs to be done differently next time.You can find out more about Louisa’s research and her upcoming book on self-doubt at https://www.louisajewell.com.And if you’d like more tested, practical ways to show up, shine and succeed at work visit https://www.showupshineandsucceed.com.

Practice

A Day of Rest

In the Jewish tradition, the 24-hour period from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday is known as Shabbat, or the Sabbath—the holiest part of the week. During that time, observant Jews do not use electricity, take photographs, drive a car or do many other things, as mandated in the Torah. On Friday nights, families eat a special dinner together, light candles, say prayers and eat challah bread to celebrate this time of rest and reflection.But you don't need to be Jewish—or religious at all—to find the benefit of incorporating a “day of rest” into your own busy life, or to be inspired by some of these ancient traditions.Taking a time-out from technologyRebecca Reice, a rabbi-educator at the Reform Jewish Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, was worried that taking a day off from answering work emails and doing housework can seem impossible and even counterproductive in our hyper-busy world. Reice wanted her congregation to try it, but wasn’t sure they were ready to give up their modern conveniences, so she challenged herself to try unplugging first. "Years ago, I came to the realization that I am a time-obsessed person,” she says. “I’m always checking my watch or phone, checking my calendar to stay on track and pack everything into overfilled days." By taking off her watch on Friday evenings and living in the moment instead of worrying about what she needed to do next, Rebecca found deeper connections with her friends and community. Her congregants then picked up the challenge themselves.Shabbat, minus the religion partRebecca isn’t the only one reconfiguring what the idea of Shabbat means outside of religious practice. Marilyn Paul, author of the self-help/personal-organizing bookIt's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys, is currently working on a book about how Jews and non-Jews alike can incorporate rest, relaxation and renewal into their weekly routines.According to Paul, many people find that, as much as they would like to embrace the concept of Shabbat, they find it incompatible with modern working life. For some, it takes something serious, such as a major illness or injury, to force them to rethink their true priorities and how they spend their time.Paul suggests people stop looking at Shabbat as a list of things you can’t do and see Shabbat as a list of things you can, such as read a book, take a nap and spend meaningful time with your family.“Think through what is actually restful and nourishing and renewing for you,” she says. “One question is, what really satisfies you? Ask what would really feed your soul and feel great. Renewing and de-stressing are a practice.”Take time to rest and reconnectHer sentiment is echoed by Rabbi Jessica Minnen, the director of content and training for StartUp Shabbat, a New York-based initiative that encourages people to think about Shabbat as an opportunity for increased mindfulness.“It is a day to break from the work you usually do, but it is also a day to do things you don't usually get to,” she points out. “Read a novel. Bake a cake. Play outside. Sleep!”Says Jessica, “Think of Shabbat as a day of recharging. For me, that might mean yoga class or group meditation. For you, that might mean Friday night dinner with friends or a concert in the park with your family.”This weekly downtime can also be a time to think about the less fortunate, realize how grateful you are for the people around you, and think of ways to give back.According to Minnen, when you have a day of mindfulness, “Time becomes more valuable, you feel more present in the space you occupy, your spiritual life develops and your relationships grow.”Lilit Marcus is a New York City-based writer and tea addict. Her first book,Save the Assistants: A Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Workplace, was published by Hyperion. You can also look for her work in theWall Street Journal,Teen Vogue, and Elle.com. Her sister says she dresses like a librarian.@lilitmarcus

Practice

About the Wake Up Happy guest speakers

Don't miss the May Wake Up Happy series!Dani DiPirro is an author, blogger, and designer living in a suburb of Washington, DC. In 2009, she launched the websitePositivelyPresent.comwith the intention of sharing her insights about living a positive and present life (something that didn’t always come easy to her!).Anything and everything focused on positive personal development has a home on Positively Present including: tips for being more positive; advice for living in the moment; articles on how positivity can improve you; information on positive personal development; insights on how to share positivity with others; and resources and inspiration for being positively present.In 2012, Dani left her full-time job in Marketing to pursue a career with Positively Present. Since then, she has self-publishedStay Positive: Daily Reminders from Positively Present(learn more atStayPositive365.com) and publishedThe Positively Present Guide to Lifewith Watkins Publishing. Dani has also created e-books on specific topics such as self-love, holiday planning, and organization. She is currently working on her next book.Dani and her work have been featured in a variety of websites and print media, includingGlamour,The Washington Post Express,Forbes,The Huffington Post,The Globe and Mail, andThe Happiness Project. In 2015, Dani was featured byELLE Magazineas a Coach of the Month, writing weekly articles for the publication on mindfulness.While expanding her career as an author and blogger, Dani also began learning about graphic design and illustration. In 2012 she took her firstNicole’s Classescourse online and fell in love with creating illustrations, typography, and design. She has since launched a design studio,Twenty3,in which she creates downloadable content onEtsy, designs products forSociety 6, and works withindividuals and businessesto help create modern, uplifting illustrations and designs.When she’s not designing, blogging, or writing, Dani can be found with her head in a book (check out what she’s reading onGoodReads), creating images for Instagram (follow her on@positivelypresent), or pinning like a madwoman (take a peek at herPinterestboards).Arthur Woods is an entrepreneur, speaker and writer on the future of work. He is the co-founder and COO ofImperative, the first professional platform to help people manage a fulfilling career. Arthur's deep expertise engaging the millennial generation has enabled him to lead both the conversation and innovation around the next generation of work. His efforts have been featuredin Forbes,Fast Company, Huffington Post, Washington Post and ABC7’s Washington Business Tonight.Arthur previously led operations forYouTube EDUatGooglewhere he oversaw operations ofYouTube for Schools,managed the development of YouTube’s first guide for education and co-organized YouTube’s inaugural Education Summit.He previously co-founded theCompass Fellowship, the world's largest collegiatesocial enterprise training program, inover 18 universities worldwide. He also co-foundedOut in Tech, the largesttechnology meet-up for New York's LGBT community.Arthur studied Operations and information Management at Georgetown University and Project Management at Stanford University. He is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and sits on the Boards of the Sierra Institute, Georgetown TechnologyAlliance and Compass Partners.Mitchel Adler, Psy.D., CGP is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, Certified Group Psychotherapist and the creator of MindBody Intelligence™ (MBI). He has served on the faculty of the UC Davis School of Medicine andis co-author of the book,Promoting Emotional Intelligence in Organizations(ASTD press) and other research articles.As a professional speaker and consultant, Dr. Adler has worked with numerous organizations including the USDA Forest Service, the City of Sacramento, The UC Davis, Graduate School of Management, The Monitor Group, the Organizational Development Network of Sacramento, and Calgene, Inc. As a member of the steering committee of California’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award Program, Dr. Adler participated in reviewing and selecting organizations that supported their employees in outstanding ways. He also has a private psychotherapy practice in Davis, California where he works with individuals and facilitates psychotherapy groups.As a staff psychologist at the University of California at Davis, Dr. Adler co-developed the university’s mind-body wellness program and established the inter-departmental mind-body wellness task force. He also created and facilitated mind-body workshops, seminars, and groups, as well as trained psychologists, social workers, physicians, and nurses in mind-body theory and interventions.Dr. Adler has a doctoral degree in clinical psychology fromthe Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers Universitywhere he was the recipient of the GSAPP Scholar’s Award, the Graduate Scholar’s Award, and the GSAPP Alumni Scholarship. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where he graduated with Distinction and was a James B. Angell Scholar.Thomas Bradbury is a Professor of Clinical Psychology. After earning his PhD in Clinical Psychology in 1990 from the University of Illinois, he moved to Los Angeles to start the Marriage and Family Development Laboratory at UCLA. Since then, Bradbury and his team have conducted several longitudinal studies that help explain how marriages change and how couples can keep their relationship healthy and strong. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the John Templeton Foundation, Bradbury and his collaborators have published more than 100 research articles and three edited books, including The Psychology of Marriage.Recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award from the UCLA Psychology Department, Bradbury has also been honored with several awards for his research on marriage and intimate relationships, including the Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Achievements from the American Psychological Association. Bradbury is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board at eHarmony.com, and he is an affiliated professor at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He speaks regularly at universities and conferences in the US, and he has presented his research findings in London, Cambridge, Tel Aviv, Milan, Heidelberg, Zurich, Geneva, Wellington, Christchurch, Toronto, and Vancouver.

Lifestyle

Clear Your Desk, and Your Mind Will Follow

A neatly organized workspace telegraphs to others that you are serious about your work, whatever it may be. If your workspace is cluttered, it can be distracting and unsettling, decreasing your productivity. When we are less productive, we are less happy. If you can find papers and emails when you need them, you’ll get more done throughout the day.1. Go paperlessPaper constantly comes into our lives from all directions. Identify where these unwanted documents are coming from, and put a stop to it. Sign up for the do-not-mail list, cancel unwanted catalogs, and start paying bills online. (You are not only getting rid of clutter, you’re also helping save the planet.)2. Practice ShauchaShaucha is a yoga principle that can be applied to everyday life. The philosophy suggests that through a clear and clean environment, we can achieve a higher understanding of ourselves, and the world around us. When our space is clear, our mind is clear. When our mind is clear, we can focus and find time for the things we want to do. We all have goals to achieve, and if you’re constantly dealing with the mundane, you will never have the time to reach your higher aspirations. 3. Scan what you canScanning is a great way to store documents, without taking up much space. Find a scanner that’s easy to use, and make a time to scan least once a month. Keep a “to-scan” bin nearby so you have a single location to put items that need scanning.4. Be mindfulWe race through our days, and we very often don’t take the time to simply stop and think about what we are doing. Being mindful and present not only helps you feel less stressed, it can also help you improve your workspace organization. Stop and think before you toss something down on your desk. It takes virtually the same amount of time to file something properly as it does to just throw it on the desk.5. Set aside timeMake organizing your workspace part of your weekly schedule. That way, things won't pile up over months, making the prospect of clearing it even more daunting.6. Pay attention to the small thingsMake the right decisions about the little things over and over again, and it will pay dividends in the long run with a more productive and organized life.How do you like to keep your workspace—messy and loose, or neat and tightly organized? And does it increase your sense of wellbeing? Let us know in the comments, below.

Well-Being

10 Happy Tips to Boost Your Wellbeing Today

1.Choose hope. Hope isn’t the same thing as optimism. Hope is believing the future will be better than the present, and working to make it so. Pick a goal you are excited about, and write down two things you can do to make it happen.2. Look for your child’s spark. Connect with your children on a deep emotional level by looking for their essence. What are your kids’ positive qualities? What is your child really interested and invested in? Make a list.3. Take your sweat session outside. The great outdoors and exercise have something in common—both improve your mood and reduce stress. Now you can reap all the benefits to your mental and physical well-being by working out in nature.4. Write a To-Do list that boosts your productivity. Overwhelmed by your To-Do list? Break down bigger projects into steps that feel the opposite of overwhelming. Don’t stop until your list turns into a “gladly do” list.5. Name your mood to improve it. Just by saying “I’m worried” or “I’m anxious” to friends or family can dissipate those negative emotions according to researchers. Share away.6. Read happy. Surround yourself with the positive influences and associations and read a book from our Live Happy book list.7. Cultivate compassion. Acknowledge your mistakes and remind yourself that mistakes are something you share with every other human on the planet. When you are compassionate with yourself, you can be more compassionate toward others.8. Eat happiness-boosting foods.Eggs, seafood, nuts and leafy greens all contain happiness-boosting nutrients. Not sure what to do with these ingredients? Here are some easy, delicious recipes that will point you in the right direction.9. Find your flow. Positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term flow—being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. Finding yours can make you happier. When do you lose track of time or feel totally in the zone? That’s your flow activity. Make sure it’s on your calendar.10. Give back. Give a compliment. Tell a joke. Put an extra dollar in the tip jar. Need more ideas to get into giving mode? We’ve got 30!

Positive Psychology

Happiness 101

You probably learned a number of useful things in school: reading, writing, arithmetic. But no matter how fantastic your teacher, it’s doubtful that “How to be happy” was included in the lesson plan.Luckily, it’s never too late. September marks the inaugural run of The Science of Happiness, a free online class for happiness seekers worldwide.Teaching happinessThis “massive open online course” (MOOC) is the first of its kind devoted exclusively to positive psychology. Instructors Dacher Keltner, Ph.D., and Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D., will teach students science-based skills for greater happiness and wellbeing.“We’re going to dig into what we think are the most direct paths to happiness and health,” says Dacher, who is also the founding faculty director of University of California at Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center.Connections, compassion, kindnessDacher says the 10-week course will zero in on scientifically proven methods for greater happiness, from building strong social connections with friends and family to the power of compassion and kindness.Students can also expect to learn a bit about their own brain, as well as practical applications for happiness. “We’re taking great care to have reflective practices that our students can engage in, like writing a gratitude diary, learning different techniques to be mindful, how to read people’s emotions more effectively—the tested practices that people can start to integrate,” Dacher says.Visiting scholarsJoining in the discussions will be noted experts from the field of positive psychology, including neuropsychologist Rick Hanson, Ph.D.; The Myths of Happinessbest-selling author Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D.; and mindful meditation teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.So, can students really boost their happiness in just two months? Absolutely, Dacher says. “Even more important, [students will] have a sense of what they can work on to get happier. I think it’ll give them a little purpose—a little extra meaning in life.”“The Science of Happiness” launches Sept. 9. Register at either GreaterGood.Berkeley.edu or EdX.org, or opt in at any time to audit the course.

5 Steps to Establishing Clear Boundaries at Work

Do You Have The Grit To Create Lasting Success?

31 Days of Wellness

Michelle Gielan: Be a Happiness Broadcaster

5 Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt

A Day of Rest

About the Wake Up Happy guest speakers

Clear Your Desk, and Your Mind Will Follow

10 Happy Tips to Boost Your Wellbeing Today

Happiness 101

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