Bouncing Back From Difficult Times Everyone goes through tough times in life. But many things can help you survive—and even thrive—during stressful periods. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Learning healthy ways to cope and how to draw from resources in your community can help you build resilience. “Resilience is the extent to which we can bounce…
Category: Positive Psychology
When you are physically active your brain releases a neurotransmitter hormone called nor-epinephrine, “the happiness and contentedness hormone”. This is part of how the brain regulates its own moods. We were designed to live an active vigorous life, and when we do, we feel better, sleep better, have more energy, and scientists are finding that…
Join us as Dr. Richard J. Davidson examines recent scientific research on the neuroscience of positive psychology and the effect of mindful meditation practices that strengthen the positive aspects of human psychology. Comparisons of different types of meditation practices have been shown to have various effects on the health of both mind and body. Dr….
Mental health problems are common. Did you know that about one in four adults has a mental health problem in any given year? The most common problems are anxiety and mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder. Some mind and body practices may be helpful for mental health problems. For example: Relaxation techniques and music may help…
From mask-wearing to getting a vaccine to losing weight, 2021 will very much become whatever we make it. So much of the last year was out of our control that 2020 by far goes down as one of the worst years in history. 2021 will be a year of doubling down on precautions and if…
“However long the night, the dawn will break.” ~African Proverb We spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about the future. Our hopes for creating a better future for ourselves and our loved ones goes a long way towards our sense of quality of life. When the future is uncertain as it is in the…
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” comes from an aphorism of the 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Scientists have shown that this idea is indeed built right into our biology. When you stress a bicep muscle by exercising it and then let it rest it grows stronger. Stress a bone properly and it…
Life is Good!
An old saying from the tai-chi classics runs, Winning by fighting is the worst way; winning without fighting is better; winning hearts is best. We are currently living in the most peaceful, non-violent times in all of human history and almost nobody knows about it. Suffering from historical amnesia and media-driven myopia, most people today…
It is all too easy to fall into the idea that our happiness, our enjoyment is dependent upon forces outside of ourselves – dependent upon our families, dependent upon our incomes, dependent upon our geographical location or the circumstances of our health. Meanwhile, scientists are finding what our ancestors knew: enjoyment comes from within the…