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The Happiness Track with Emma ​Seppälä

Emma Seppälä is Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education as well as the author of The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success. Her areas of research include positive organizational psychology, health psychology, cultural psychology, well-being and resilience. In this episode Live Happy COO, Co-Founder and Editorial Director Deborah Heisz talks with Emma about what happiness is according to science and the ability to bounce back from difficulties in life. What you'll learn in this podcast: The science of happiness The link between resilience and long-term success The importance of self-compassion Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Purchase a copy of The Happiness Track Find Emma on Facebook Follow Emma on Twitter Thank you to our partner - AARP Life Reimagined!
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3 Steps to Keep the Goals You’ve Set

As we continue with the 90 Days to a Happier You challenge, happiness coach Caroline Miller explains how to stick with your goals once you’ve committed to them.  When we attempt to accomplish a goal, adopt a new habit or change a behavior, it is absolutely expected that we will hit some speed bumps along the way. The important thing is not to get discouraged and give up altogether. In fact, researchers have dubbed the third Monday of January “Blue Monday” because it is considered one of the saddest days of the year. Why? Mainly because people have fallen off their New Year’s resolution goals by that point. I have rarely, if ever, worked with someone who set a goal and then accomplished it easily, or who didn’t have occasional self-doubt or discouragement. If you set hard goals outside your comfort zone, it’s inevitable that you will struggle. The definition of grit is “passion and perseverance in pursuit of long-term goals,” and researcher Angela Duckworth, who created The Grit Scale, says that grit means there will be failure, dark nights and a desire to quit during the accomplishment of long-term goals—which is why grit is considered “the secret to success.” So embrace the fact that you will be discouraged from time to time—you’ll be stronger for it!— but use the following tips to help boost your resilience when you fall. 1. Possible obstacle: Willpower fatigue Research tells us that willpower is a limited resource and that it can be depleted if we try to tackle too many self-regulation goals at one time. For example, don’t try to stop drinking, stop smoking and start a vigorous exercise program all at once because all of these things involve will power and delaying gratification, and your will can only take so much at once! Solution: Make sure that you only pursue one or, at most, two self-regulation goals at a time. Chris Libby, the Live Happy editor following my goal-setting program, is a great example. First, Chris found that getting up earlier in the morning drastically reduced last-minute chaos at home. Because of that, he was able to start running again in the morning. Doing both (getting up earlier and running) at once would have been overwhelming, but getting up earlier to get organized, and then adding a run, made it easier to stick with his new habits. 2. Possible obstacle: Unstable social support system Now that you are undertaking a change, if you notice that family members, friends or colleagues are discouraging you either subtly or openly, limit your exposure to them, including phone and email. Research shows that the only one “right” way for a friend to respond to your positive goal or good news is with curiosity and enthusiasm. Solution: Spend more time with people who are pursuing, or who have achieved, the goals that matter to you. You may need to spend time with different people if those around you are not happy, encouraging and curious about what you’re doing. Limit your exposure to their attitudes and words. 3. Possible obstacle: Less-than-ideal environment for success Marketers understand and use the research on “priming” the environment in order to encourage you to think the way they want you to think, or buy what they want you to buy. This is done through clever use of colors, words, songs, aromas and pictures that make you want to eat grilled cheese sandwiches, buy homes that are out of your price range or wear a watch that indicates your success. I always encourage clients to stop being “asleep at the wheel” about how our lives are being shaped by outside forces and instead to prime their own environments to enhance their chances of achieving their goals. Solution: Take a look at whether or not you are filling your day with prompts that are positive and optimistic. If not, think about making a collage of pictures on the front of your refrigerator of a scene that makes you drive harder when you want to quit. Or make your cellphone ringtone a song that makes you feel hopeful and determined. Unsubscribe from every e-newsletter or periodical that causes you to think unwelcome or negative thoughts. Set yourself up for success in your everyday life and you will be a lot less likely to quit at the halfway point. You’ll sail all the way to your final goal. Want more? Listen to Caroline discuss Setting Career Goals on our podcast, Live Happy Now. Caroline Adams Miller, MAPP, is a professional coach, author, speaker and educator. Her book, Creating Your Best Life, is the first evidence-based book to connect the science of happiness with the science of goal-setting. Caroline gave an acclaimed TEDx talk on grit in 2014, a topic she will cover in her upcoming book, Authentic Grit.
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Chair Yoga for Everyone

Chair Yoga for Everyone

As a yoga teacher I am privileged to instruct friends and family from time to time. However, when it came to teaching my parents it was a different story. With assistance they were able to make it to the yoga mat, but it just was not comfortable. That motivated me to find something better for them. I decided to get certified in Chair Yoga, which I now teach several times a week! A growing need We have a culture of people sitting more than ever, both at work and home. As the baby boomer generation ages, members seek wellness activities that fit their needs. Chair yoga is a wonderful way to stay healthy, and it can be done anywhere—at work, home, on a bus or even a plane. It can help with many different health issues, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease and many chronic pain issues. Chair yoga is beneficial because it helps to strengthen muscles, increase balance and gain flexibility without causing strain. In addition, it helps with body awareness, mindfulness and relaxation while incorporating gratitude in daily life. Read more: The Healing Power of Restorative Yoga Bringing it all together A variety of exercises and practices used in chair yoga assist the body and mind. Chair yoga incorporates breathing exercises to increase body awareness and oxygen in the blood. Ball therapy enables people to perform self-massage, especially of the feet, which might be hard to reach otherwise. “Brain dancing” uses a sequence of movements that requires mental focus and improves coordination. Laughter meditation and other mindfulness techniques help guide participants to find joy in the present moment. Chair yoga classes tend to create a consistent community (kula) of dedicated people who attend regularly, which further enhances everyone’s happiness. Teaching with gratitude Teaching chair yoga has given me the chance to serve a population for whom yoga on the mat is not an option. After every class I see positive effects. Participants have lessened their anxieties, fears and worries. They leave with smiling faces, eyes full of hope and lightness in their step. Witnessing the change fills me with gratitude for the gift of being present while teaching and learning at the same time. Read more: Yoga on the Go Alka Kaminer is a blogger, photographer and yoga instructor in New York. Find out more about Alka at PresentWisdom.com.
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Ona Bouchie knows about the power of play

Born to Play!

“When things get too small in my world, I remind myself to get outside and play,” says the Boston-area yoga instructor. “When you begin to play with others, there’s this incredible connection. We begin to see each other from the inside out, and all of a sudden we’re more like each other than not. After you play and share fun with others, it’s like you become this big turned-inside-out heart.” The healing power of play Ona, who focuses her yoga instruction on mentally disabled adults and traumatized military veterans, says that the power of play is as healing as any of the physical movements they do in class. “Most of my classes are pretty playful,” she says. “I like to have people try something new and see that it’s OK to fall out of a pose and be able to laugh about it. When people have the opportunity to laugh, it lets go of so much. And when I can laugh at myself, I’m not going to take things so personally.” The science backs it up Science backs her up, too; interest in the benefits of play has increased among psychologists and educators as well as in the business world. In a 2009 report published in the American Journal of Play, Peter Gray, a developmental psychologist at Boston College, suggested that our lack of play is creating a business culture of greed and arrogance rather than cooperation and well-being. Research from the National Institute for Play shows that putting playtime back in their routine can help adults boost creativity, reduce stress, increase brain function and even improve our relationships with others. After years of being on the decline, it appears that play is making a comeback in a big way. Go out and play Ona is such a strong believer in the power of play that when she notices herself feeling negative, she makes it a point to get outside and play. “Being childlike means I can be my most fearless self. It gets me out of my head, which is usually the thing that gets me into [a negative situation],” she says. “Whether that means rolling down a hill or playing on a merry-go-round or climbing a rope—it lets me break down my silly false beliefs and laugh and get in touch with my authentic self. Once you break through those boundaries or constraints of how you’re supposed to behave, it becomes fun.” A playground for grown-ups During a fall visit to Cincinnati to celebrate the life of her favorite aunt, Ona brought her relatives to see the Vibrant Playscape, a park designed as a playground for adults as well as children. She was excited to show them the assortment of king-size slides, swings, cargo nets and rock climbing walls. “I tried to rally my aunts and uncles to play, and they didn’t want to,” she says, “So I decided to just go play by myself.” As they watched, the temptation became too great and, one by one, Ona’s aunts and uncles joined her in playing like children, laughing and losing themselves in the joy of the moment. It changed the entire tone of the day, Ona says. “There’s a piece of us that really craves the childlike experience,” she says. “But we’ve been taught not to play anymore. When we unlearn that, and wake up the child inside us, it really connects us with who we were born to be. That’s a pretty powerful thing.” For a more in-depth look at the power of play, see the feature story in the February 2016 issue of Live Happy magazine. Paula Felps is the science editor for Live Happy.
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33 Ideas on Play

33 Ideas on Play

People with a healthy amount of play in their lives are more likely to be motivated, optimistic and fulfilled. Plus, we all know what happens when you have all work and no play. Here are 33 things to watch, do, ponder and listen to in order to make your life a little more fun. 1. “Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”—Dr. Seuss 2. Read Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown, M.D. 3. Watch PBS’ The Promise of Play. 4. Listen to “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson. 5. Host a game night. Try Apples to Apples. 6. “Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun.” —Randy Pausch 7. Read Hop, Skip, Jump: 75 Ways to Playfully Manifest a Meaningful Life by Marney K. Makridakis. 8. Watch The Cat in the Hat. 9. Listen to “Ain’t It Fun” by Paramore. 10. Throw a tea party with your kid. 11. “A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.” —Roald Dahl 12. Read Play Matters by Miguel Sicart. 13. Watch The Toy. 14. Listen to anything by The Wiggles. 15. Climb a tree. 16. “If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.” —John Cleese 17. Read SuperBetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient – Powered by the Science of Games by Jane McGonigal. 18. Watch Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days. 19. Listen to “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper. 20. Lie in the grass; dance on the sand. 21. “Be silly. You're allowed to be silly. There's nothing wrong with it.” —Jimmy Fallon 22. Read Play, Playfulness, Creativity and Innovation by Patrick Bateson and Paul Martin. 23. Watch Zorba the Greek. 24. Listen to “Born to Dance” by Alastair Moock. 25. Surround yourself with playful people. 26. “Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” —Kay Redfield Jamison 27. Read Play and the Human Condition by Thomas Henricks. 28. Watch Big. 29. Listen to anything by ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic. 30. Tell a joke or two. 31. “Play is the highest form of research.” —Albert Einstein 32. Chase butterflies. 33. Come back in February for 33 ideas on well-being.
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4 Foods to Build a Better Brain

In my work as a physician who focuses on mental health, I get to help people become healthier and happier. By cultivating gratitude, mindfulness, good sleep habits and getting regular exercise, people can build more joyful lives. And increasingly, the evidence shows that what you eat directly impacts how happy—or unhappy—you are. Over the past decade, researchers have repeatedly found that a junk-food diet is strongly correlated with the risk of mental health problems, particularly depression, dementia and attention deficit disorder. The converse is also true. For example, a large study from the University of Navarra in Spain followed healthy university students for more than four years and reported a 42 percent decreased risk of major depression for those who most closely adhered to a Mediterranean diet (rich in seafood, leafy greens and whole grains). Feed your brain This makes a lot of sense. Your food contains the building blocks of brain cells. A brain cell creates electricity and reaches out to connect and communicate with thousands of other cells. Because these cells are the most specialized ones in your body, your brain demands more energy and nutrients than any of your other organs—20 percent of everything you eat! It might sound a bit sensational to say that food can give you a bigger brain, but that is exactly what Australian researchers have found. The area of the brain called the hippocampus, which is involved in learning, memory and emotions was significantly smaller n individuals who ate a “Western diet” (full of processed and fried foods and simple sugars) in the study of 255 individuals ages 60 to 64 who were followed over four years and assessed with MRI brain scans. Read more: 4 Great Ways to Use Your Superfoods Food is the best medicine My favorite foods to prescribe combine to make a little rhyme: seafood, greens, nuts and beans…and of course a little dark chocolate. These foods form the core of the recipes in my new book Eat Complete: 21 Nutrients to Fuel Brain Power, Boost Weight Loss, and Transform Your Health. They contain a key set of nutrients that your brain needs to run optimally: B vitamins, long-chained (complex) omega-3 fats, minerals and phytonutrients (nutrients from plants). Let’s spend a moment thinking about “psychofarmacology” and the benefits of my favorite foods: Kale and other dark, leafy greens exemplify the rule of nutrient density: A cup of raw kale delivers 684 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin K, 206 percent of vitamin A, 134 percent of vitamin C, more iron per calorie than beef and a form of calcium that is more absorbable than that in milk, all for 33 calories. Read more: 3 Steps to Better Eating Mussels and other bivalves (clams, scallops, oysters) illustrate the attributes of seafood, offering an excellent source of long-chained omega-3 fats, vitamin B12, and numerous minerals. Six oysters deliver 509 percent of the RDA for zinc, 272 percent of vitamin B12, and 522 mg of combined omega-3 fats for just 57 calories. They are also high in protein and offer a third of the RDA of iron, selenium and vitamin D. My favorite foods to prescribe combine to make a little rhyme: seafood, greens, nuts and beans…and of course a little dark chocolate." 1. Almonds and nuts show us the importance of “good fats” and healthy snacks. Almonds are the top source of vitamin E, low levels of which are highly correlated with depression—a concerning fact, since 96 percent of Americans don’t meet the recommended daily allowance. 2. Lentils, beans and other legumes offer plant-based sources of protein and add more fiber to our diet—two important ingredients for happiness. One cup of lentils contains 90 percent of your daily need of folate, a B vitamin used to make serotonin and dopamine, two key brain molecules involved in mood, focus and cognition. 3. And now dessert! Dark chocolate possesses some magic molecules. In a recent study from Columbia University, researchers reversed age-related memory decline using extracts of cacao. 4. Go fermented. We are beginning to understand that the bacteria in your gut dictate much about your physical and mental health. So get some fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut into your diet. Plus, swap out simple sugars and refined carbohydrates for complex carbs found in whole foods (an apple versus apple juice). Eating for happiness means voting for brain health with each bite. These tips will help you get more of the brain-essential nutrients you need to feel your best. Dr. Drew Ramsey is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Drew uses the latest findings in brain science to help people live their healthiest, happiest lives. His forthcoming book, due out in April, is Eat Complete: The 21 Nutrients that Fuel Brain Power, Boost Weight Loss, and Transform Your Health.
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Home Loan

Home Loan

A couple of years ago, Ron Sturgeon made a conscious choice to become more generous, but he never expected it would evolve into this. “In 2014, my resolution was to leave a 50 percent tip in restaurants,” says Ron, a once homeless Texas entrepreneur who built a fortune from the auto salvage business. “Most people think I’m crazy, but those people work so hard and don’t make enough money. They get stiffed by other customers, and when they see a big tip like that, it really makes them smile.” Raising the bar on generosity He credits his fiancée, Linda Allen, with encouraging him to be more giving. “It feels good and I don’t practice it enough,” he says. “But I am trying to find ways to be more generous.” In 2016 that generosity took on a whole new meaning, as Ron found himself offering housing to four families left homeless by storms that ripped through the Dallas area one day after Christmas. The high-force EF4 tornado killed 11 people and destroyed hundreds of homes before leaving the area. “I was in Jamaica, looking through Facebook at the pictures of the devastation and the lost dogs, and knew I could do something,” he says. “I knew I could do something” Having recently put his 10,000-square-foot mansion on the market after moving to a condo in Fort Worth, he knew he had an incredible space to offer those who had nothing. He also owns another home—about 8,000 square feet—that he recently put on the market. “I built that second home in 2007, because I was planning on selling my larger home, but then the economy crashed,” he says. “I had a tenant in it for a few years, but it’s been vacant now for a couple of months.” Someone who has been there himself Ron, who was homeless when he was in his late teens and now has a net worth that exceeds $75 million, says he understands that sometimes circumstances put people in desperate situations. He wanted to provide help to some of the people affected by the storms, so he put out a call for applications for families in need who could live in his former homes—each home would house two families, one on each floor. Pets welcome His office was immediately flooded with applications and phone calls. As a landlord with more than 1,000 business and private tenants, he already had systems in place to conduct background checks and process applications. Of course, such luxury doesn’t come free; Ron is charging the tenants a whopping $1 per month rent for three months. No deposit is required, but each does have to sign a lease. Ron will pick up the cost of utilities, so their only expenses will be food and necessities to allow them to focus on their futures. And since Ron is a dog lover and supports animal charities, the families can bring their pets. So far, Ron has chosen the first family and his team is sorting through applications to select the other three. The hardest hit Catherine and Amber Jenkins moved into the smaller home on January 8, along with their bunny, Sylvie, and service dog, Maggie. The family lost their handicap-accessible van as well as their home in the tornado. Amber, a quadriplegic who was paralyzed in a swimming accident eight years ago, also needs her wheelchair replaced. “They still need lots, they truly lost everything,” says Ron, who also has sent out requests for donations for the family to his list of friends and business contacts. “There are a lot of families that need help. Now we’re working on finding the other ones.” Paula Felps is the science editor for Live Happy.
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Michael Breus – Overcoming Chronic Insomnia

In this special podcast series we have partnered with top well-being experts to help coach five members of our Live Happy team on how to make better choices and build habits that lead to more fulfilling lives. Through this series we'll tackle topics like improving communication with others, managing negative thinking, overcoming chronic insomnia, setting life goals and learning to unplug from work. In this episode Live Happy magazine Science Editor Paula Felps talks with Michael Breus, Ph.D., a Clinical Psychologist as well as aDiplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. As the subject of sleep continues to gain momentum in our sleep-deprived society, Michael has become a widely recognized leader in this ever-evolving field and serves on the clinical advisory board of The Dr. Oz Show. Dedicated to raising awareness of both medically diagnosed sleep disorders and the importance of quality sleep for all, Michael is on a mission to develop innovative education and communication programs. What you'll learn in this podcast: The problem with technology How sleep affects your personal health The simple equation to find out if you have insomnia How to get the best night's sleep Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Download afree sketch noteof this episode Download thefree e-book 10 Things Great Sleepers Do Download the free e-book At Least 3 Sleep Challenges Women Face Find outmore about the90 Days to a Happier Youproject Readabout Shelley Levittand her journey to better sleep Visit SleepCenters.org to find a sleep facility near you Thank you to our partner -AARP LifeReimagined! Thanks for listening! Thank you so much for joining us this week on Live Happy Now. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Also,please leave an honest review for theLive Happy Now Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and helps others to find the podcast; we greatly appreciate it! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them. Special thanks to Michael Breus, Ph.D., for joining us this week. Related articles: 5 Secrets to a Happy Morning Want Peace of Mind? 5 Essential Tips for Getting a Great Nap
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Managing Negative Thinking with Karen Cassiday

In this special podcast series, we have partnered with top well-being experts to help coach five members of our Live Happy team on how to make better choices and build habits that lead to more fulfilling lives. Through this series, we'll tackle topics like improving communication with others, managing negative thinking, overcoming chronic insomnia, setting life goals and learning to unplug from work. Karen Cassiday is the president of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America as well as owner of the Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Chicago—the first private clinic in the Chicago area to offer exposure-based treatment for anxiety disorders. Karen has multiple published articles in the area of anxiety disorders, and she is an internationally recognized expert on the treatment of anxiety and related disorders in children through adults. In this episode, Live Happy magazine Science Editor Paula Felps talks with Karen about the causes and difficulties with worry and how to overcome it. What you'll learn in this podcast: How the intolerance of uncertainty sets people up for worry What makes worry worse Why misperceiving worry can mask your true concerns A simple exercise to ease your anxiety Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Find out more about the 90 Days to a Happier You project Read about Kim Baker and her journey to less worry Find out more about the Anxiety and Depression Association of America Download Self-help for Anxiety Management in the Apple App Store and Google Play Thank you to our partner—AARP Life Reimagined!
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Top 10 Happiness Books You Don’t Want To Miss in 2016

Top 10 Books That Will Change Your Life in 2016

Our preview of 10 carefully selected books will help you craft a happier life filled with small moments of meaning and the occasional flash of triumph. Step out of your comfort zone and make 2016 a year to thrive. 1. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges By Amy Cuddy Try standing in the Superwoman pose. Feeling more confident already? Harvard professor Amy Cuddy, known for her TED talk on power poses, says we can tackle things that once terrified us with small changes in our body language and mindset. Read real stories of people who have flourished by harnessing the power of their own presence. 2. The Happiness Equation: Want Nothing + Do Anything = Have Everything By Neil Pasricha Best-selling author of The Book of Awesome, Neil Pasricha sets out to change how you think about your time, career, family and your happiness in this latest book. He explores the nine secrets to happiness, including the belief that retirement is a broken theory, success doesn’t lead to happiness, and multitasking is a myth. 3. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person By Shonda Rhimes Shonda Rhimes, creator of TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder, is an introvert and workaholic who dreads public appearances. When her sister tells her that she “never says yes to anything,” she takes up the challenge. Year of Yes is a heartfelt and funny look at the terrifying and sometimes embarrassing moments of saying yes and overcoming some of her greatest fears, from public speaking to appearing on late-night TV. 4. Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness: A Beginner's Guide to Finding Joy in Unexpected Places By Sam Chase True happiness can be simpler than we ever thought possible with the help of yoga. Why yoga? This ancient practice helps overcome discontent by quieting the mind and aligning our actions with our purpose. Yoga, this book implores, helps you realize that small, everyday moments infused with meaning, and not grand gestures, ultimately lead to happiness. 5. Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy By Deborah Heisz Live Happy Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder Deborah Heisz, along with the editors of Live Happy magazine, bring you the latest research on the practices and actions that contribute to a happy life through deeply meaningful stories from everyday people and celebrities alike. Alanis Morissette, Shawn Achor, Gretchen Rubin and Jason Mraz are just a few of the people who reveal how small tweaks in your attitude and behavior can greatly enhance your daily joy. 6. The Here and Now Habit: How Mindfulness Can Help You Break Unhealthy Habits Once and for All By Hugh G. Byrne This thoughtful tome shows us how to break bad habits like constantly checking email and emotional over-eating by learning how to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness, the author claims, means creating healthier habits so you can stop living on autopilot and start living in the present. 7. Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children By Angela J. Hanscom Unstructured freedom of movement and outdoor play are vital for children’s cognitive development and growth, according to Angela J. Hanscom, pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook, an international nature-based program. Kids need rough-and-tumble outdoor play to develop their sensory, motor and executive functions, according to Angela. Instead, many lead sedentary lifestyles that can lead to health and cognitive difficulties. This book shows parents how to help their children thrive—even in an urban environment. 8. The Best Place To Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace By Ron Friedman, Ph.D. In this book, award-winning psychologist Ron Friedman explains how to create a better workplace that will increase productivity and meaning at work. He shares his findings in the fields of motivation, creativity, behavioral economics and neuroscience. Filled with best practices, Ron shows how to boost creativity so that workers can make better decisions and generally feel more alive at work. 9. The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success By Emma Seppala, Ph.D. The latest findings in cognitive psychology and neuroscience reveal that our happiness has a profound effect on our professional lives by increasing our productivity as well as our emotional and social intelligence. Stanford researcher Emma Seppala explains that our outdated notion of equating success with living in a stressed-out, overdrive mode prevents sustainable happiness. Put yourself on the path to success with her practical steps. 10. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance By Angela Duckworth Renowned positive psychologist Angela Duckworth shows us that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent, but a focused persistence called grit. Identifying your passion and following through on your commitments are factors that contribute more to success than talent alone. In her first book, she explains and expounds on her groundbreaking research on grit, which shows that it may be more indicative of success than factors such as IQ or genetics. Read more: 10 Life-Changing Books That Will Stay With You Forever Sandra Bienkowski is a regular contributor to Live Happy and the founder and CEO of TheMediaConcierge.net.
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