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Positive Psychology Articles
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- Lean Into Good On First Waking - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2021 from Rick HansonWaking up is like the sun rising. At first, it's mostly dark, as glimmers of consciousness begin to light the shadows. Emerging into full wakefulness, the fogs and veils dissolve and the whole plain of your mind comes into view. It's quiet: a restiveness in the body, sleepy still, not yet much ...
Views: 4 - See Deep Wants - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2021 from Rick HansonI did my Ph.D. dissertation by videotaping 20 mother-toddler pairs and analyzing what happened when the mom offered an alternative to a problematic want ("not the chainsaw, sweetie, how about this red truck?!"). Hundreds of bleary-eyed hours later, I found that offering alternatives reduced the ...
Views: 9 - See Good Intentions - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2021 from Rick HansonHustling through an airport, I stopped to buy some water. At the shop’s refrigerator, a man bent over, loading bottles into it. I reached past him and pulled out one he’d put in. He looked up, stopped working, got a bottle from another shelf, and held it out to me, saying, “This one is cold.” I ...
Views: 14 - Drop the "Shoulds" - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2021 from Rick HansonOne time I watched a three-year-old at her birthday party. Her friends were there from preschool, and she received lots of presents. The cake came out, she admired the pink frosting rose at its center, and everyone sang. One of the moms cut pieces and, without thinking sliced right through the ...
Views: 17 - Let it R.A.I.N. - by Submitted on Sep 20, 2021 from Rick HansonWhen you're young, the territory of the psyche is like a vast estate, with rolling hills, forests and plains, swamps, and meadows. So many things can be experienced, expressed, wanted, and loved. But as life goes along, most people pull back from major parts of their psyche. Perhaps a swamp ...
Views: 21 - Find Your Own Way - by Submitted on Sep 13, 2021 from Rick HansonThe human body has about 100 trillion cells (plus another ten quadrillion microscopic critters hitching a ride, most of them beneficial or harmless). Each one of your cells has aims - goals, in a sense - controlled by its DNA: cells conduct processes aimed at particular functions, like building ...
Views: 23 - Find the Good News - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2021 from Rick Hanson“Tell the truth.” It’s the foundation of science – and the foundation of healthy relationships, communities, and countries. But the truth of things is complicated. To simplify, there is the good of things that are enjoyable and helpful, the bad of things that are painful and harmful, and the ...
Views: 30 - Today’s Primary Problem: Commonplace Evil - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2021 from William CottringerToday’s Primary Problem: Commonplace Evil By Bill Cottringer “The way in which you define something has a lot to do with how much or how little of the thing you have in hand, both quantity and quality.” ~The Author. Such is the case with the greatly misunderstood term evil. ...
Views: 34 - Change the Channel - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2021 from Rick HansonIn response to a previous JOT – Find Stillness – a wise therapist, Betsy Sansby, reminded me that sometimes a person just can’t find any stillness anywhere. Maybe you have epilepsy or chronic pain or are wildly worried about a child or other loved one, or have been rejected in love or had the ...
Views: 27 - Find Stillness - by Submitted on Aug 23, 2021 from Rick HansonThings keep changing. The clock ticks, the day unfolds, trees grow, leaves turn brown, hair turns gray, children grow up and leave home, attention skitters from this to that, the cookie is delicious but then it’s all gone, you’re mad about something for a while and then get over it, ...
Views: 30 - Benefits & Challenges of Diversity - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2021 from William CottringerBenefits & Callenges of Diversity By Bill Cottringer “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi. The rest of the workforce diversity story is unfolding as every great social change brings sometimes unexpected ...
Views: 39 - Let It Go - by Submitted on Aug 16, 2021 from Rick HansonMost people, me included, are holding onto at least one thing way past its expiration date. It could be a belief, perhaps that your hair is falling out and you are ugly and unlovable as a result, that you can’t say what you really feel in an intimate relationship, or that you must lose ten ...
Views: 33 - Shut down the imposter in you! - by Submitted on Aug 12, 2021 from Sara WilsonI am considerably successful in my career. However, once in a while, a voice in my head says I am faking it all the time. I feel like I don't deserve the accolades that come on my way. I have had this feeling throughout my academic life. It is now following me to my workplace. And it is not ...
Views: 36 - LIVING "TODAY" FOR A HEALTHY STATE OF MIND - by Submitted on Aug 11, 2021 from Al InfandeHave you ever noticed that some days seem to go faster than others? That you find yourself saying to yourself, “Wow, today went fast.” Well, there may be a reason for that. This is what we will explore in this article. There are three concepts of time. They are the past, the present, and the ...
Views: 33 - See What's Likable - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2021 from Rick HansonLiking feels good, plus it encourages us to approach and engage the world rather than withdraw from it. Your brain continually tracks whether something is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. In essence, is it a carrot, a stick, or safely ignored? Naturally, we like - we enjoy - what's pleasant, ...
Views: 32 - Is Social Media a Danger to Your Self Worth? - by Submitted on Aug 05, 2021 from Janice WaldDid you see the Social Dilemma, the Netflix Documentary? The documentary follows a young girl and a young man in order to show the harmful effects of social media on their individual psyches. The young girl reads positive comments her classmates made about her on social media, and her ...
Views: 38 - What You Focus on Colors Your World: A Timely Life Lesson From "Tammy Faye" - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2021 from Catherine LenardWho IS That? In case you didn't know, Tammy Faye Bakker was an outspoken televangelist who was in her heyday in the 1970's and 1980's along with her husband, Jim Bakker. For entrepreneurs reading this, it's worth mentioning that together (starting in an abandoned furniture store) they ...
Views: 38(1 vote) - Does Rahu indicates 2 marriages? - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2021 from Sri TulasiRahu in the fourth house gives extramarital physical relationship sometimes though, depending on other planets. In the fourth house, it may cause problems for/with the mother. It will decrease the quantum of Sukh(joy and pleasures) in life even if life is successful in all aspects. Rahu will ...
Views: 41 - Be Home - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2021 from Rick HansonThroughout history, people have wondered about human nature. Deep down, are we basically good or bad? When the body is not disturbed by hunger, thirst, pain, or illness, and when the mind is not disturbed by threat, frustration, or rejection, then most people settle into their resting state. ...
Views: 39 - Restaurant Psychology And The Five Senses - by Submitted on Jul 31, 2021 from Aggy ZawadzkaSuccessful restaurants expend tremendous effort continuously improving the quality of their food, but that is merely one-fifth of the equation. A great restaurant has an ambience that not only appeals to the patron’s sense of taste, but also to their senses of smell, touch, sight and ...
Views: 49 - Rest Your Weary Head - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2021 from Rick HansonThe traditional saying that's this week's practice has been sinking in for me lately. Thoughts have been swirling around like a sandstorm about work, things I've been reading, household tasks, finances, concerns about people, a yard that needs mowing, loose ends, projects, etc., etc. The other ...
Views: 35 - Gift Yourself - by Submitted on Jul 20, 2021 from Rick HansonCan you remember a time when you offered a gift to someone? Perhaps a holiday present, or a treat to a child, or taking time for a friend – or anything at all. How did this feel? Researchers have found that giving stimulates the same neural networks that light up when we feel physical pleasure, ...
Views: 32 - How do you keep yourself occupied to keep your mind off things that don't help you think positively? - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2021 from Dada BhagwanOverthinking means thinking about something for too long and making it into a problem.... problem because generally, overthinking happens around negative thoughts, negative emotions, negative imaginations and negative assumptions. Mind is indulged into multiple things that don’t help you think ...
Views: 45 - Enjoy Now - by Submitted on Jul 12, 2021 from Rick HansonThere’s a profound and miraculous mystery right under our noses: this instant of now has no duration at all, yet somehow it contains all the causes from the past that are creating the future. Everything arising to become this moment vanishes beneath our feet as the next moment wells up. Since ...
Views: 36 - Find What's Sacred - by Submitted on Jul 05, 2021 from Rick HansonThe word sacred has two kinds of meanings. First, it can refer to something related to religion or spirituality. Second, more broadly, it can refer to something that one cherishes, that is precious, to which one is respectfully, even reverently, dedicated, such as honesty with one's life ...
Views: 36 - Avoid The Rush - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2021 from Rick HansonAs I was meditating one morning, our cat hopped up onto my lap. It felt sweet to sit there with him. And yet - even though I was feeling fine and had plenty of time, there was this internal pressure to start zipping along with emails and calls and all the other clamoring minutiae of the ...
Views: 39 - Find Your North Star - by Submitted on Jun 21, 2021 from Rick HansonI did a meditation retreat (at Spirit Rock, a wonderful place, including for workshops). One evening as we walked out of the hall after the last sit, I felt rattled and discombobulated. (One of the benefits of a retreat - though it can be uncomfortable - is that it stirs up the sediments of your ...
Views: 42 - Cling Less, Love More - by Submitted on Jun 14, 2021 from Rick HansonAs a rock climber and a parent, I know some physical kinds of clinging are good - like to small holds or small hands! But clinging as a psychological state has a feeling of tension in it, and drivenness, insistence, obsession, or compulsion. As experiences flow through the mind - seeing, ...
Views: 42 - Pay Attention - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2021 from Rick HansonMoment to moment, the flows of thoughts and feelings, sensations and desires, and conscious and unconscious processes sculpt your nervous system like water gradually carving furrows and eventually gullies on a hillside. Your brain is continually changing its structure. The only question is: Is ...
Views: 55 - Leave the Red Zone - by Submitted on May 31, 2021 from Rick HansonThere I was recently, my mind darting in different directions about projects in process, frazzled about little tasks backing up, uneasy about a tax record from 2010 we couldn’t find, feeling irritated about being irritable, hurrying to get to work, body keyed up, internal sense of pressure. Not ...
Views: 63 - Be Benevolent - by Submitted on May 24, 2021 from Rick HansonBenevolence is a fancy word that means something simple: good intentions toward living beings, including oneself. This goodwill is present in warmth, friendliness, compassion, ordinary decency, fair play, kindness, altruism, generosity, and love. The benevolent heart leans toward others; it ...
Views: 54 - Make The Offering - by Submitted on May 17, 2021 from Rick HansonOne of the strangest and most meaningful experiences of my life occurred when I went through Rolfing (ten brilliant sessions of deep-tissue bodywork) in my early 20's. The fifth session works on the stomach area, and I was anticipating (= dreading) the release of buried sadness. Instead, there ...
Views: 57 - Don't Beat Yourself Up - by Submitted on May 10, 2021 from Rick HansonA previous JOT - admit fault and move on - was about our relationship with other people. This JOT applies the same practice to ourselves. Most people know their less than wonderful qualities, such as too much ambition (or too little), a weakness for wine or cookies, something of a temper, or ...
Views: 70 - JUPITER IN PISCES: Dipping, Diving and Dissolving into the Cosmic Ocean of Consciousness - by Submitted on May 03, 2021 from joan pancoeTo activate all links and see all images (recommended): https://joanpancoe.com/2021/04/28/jupiter-in-pisces-dipping-diving-and-dissolving-into-the-cosmic-ocean-of-consciousness/ “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ―Mary Oliver Dear One, I’m ...
Views: 79(1 vote) - Admit Fault and Move On - by Submitted on May 03, 2021 from Rick HansonHave you ever watched two people quarrel, or otherwise be stuck in a conflict with each other? Usually, if either or both of them simply acknowledged one or more things, that would end the fight. Recall a time someone mistreated you, let you down, dropped the ball, made an error, spoke ...
Views: 76 - 10 Life Values That Will Keep Your Vibration High - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2021 from Iona KristinaAll of your thoughts, words, feelings and actions are energy vibrations. The mindset and attitude that you choose to have in your life determine the quality and state of your vibration. The higher the vibration of your mindset and attitude is, the lighter, more joyful and clearer you feel ...
Views: 87 - Your Body - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2021 from Rick HansonAs a kid, I was really out of touch with my body. I hardly noticed it most of the time, and when I did, I prodded it like a mule to do a better job of hauling "me" - the head - around. This approach helped me soldier through some tough times. But there were costs. Many pleasures were numbed, ...
Views: 66 - Back to Basics - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2021 from Rick HansonIn middle school, I thought it would be cool to play a musical instrument and picked the clarinet. My wise parents rented one rather than buying it, and I started practicing. (In the garage because it sounded pretty screechy.) After a week or two of doing scales, I got bored and picked my way ...
Views: 68 - Know You're a Good Person - by Submitted on Apr 12, 2021 from Rick HansonFor many of us, perhaps the hardest thing of all is to believe that "I am a good person." We can climb mountains, work hard, acquire many skills, act ethically - but truly feel that one is good deep down? Nah! We end up not feeling like a good person in a number of ways. For example, I once ...
Views: 92 - Feed the Wolf of Love - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2021 from Rick HansonI once heard a teaching story in which an elder, a grandmother, was asked what she had done to become so happy, so wise, so loved and respected. She replied: "It's because I know that there are two wolves in my heart, a wolf of love and a wolf of hate. And I know that everything depends on which ...
Views: 99 - Looking for Support During Lockdown? Find a Self-Care Book for Every Feeling - by Submitted on Mar 31, 2021 from Caitlin Purvisf there's ever been a time that has demanded a surge of self-care, it's now. Throughout the past year, the trend for self-care has rocketed. People everywhere have been using the lockdowns as an opportunity not only for self-improvement but for self-love. That could mean taking time for yourself ...
Views: 133 - How to Improve Your Mental Health and Stay Positive - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2021 from Shadrack KorirMental health refers to our state of psychological, social, and emotional well-being. As we cope with life, mental health plays an important role in shaping how we handle our stresses of life, how we relate with others in the society, and our productivity among other benefits that come with ...
Views: 131 - Drop Tart Tone - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2021 from Rick HansonTone matters. I remember times I felt frazzled or aggravated and then said something with an edge to it that just wasn't necessary or useful. Sometimes it was the words themselves: such as absolutes like "never" or always," or over-the-top phrases like "you're such a flake" or "that was ...
Views: 103 - 5 Ways to Boost Positive Thinking - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2021 from Amanda ChristianA recent study published in the journal Nature Communications has suggested that an average person has 62,000 thoughts per day. The challenging part, though, is that an astounding 80 percent of these thoughts are negative. Even worse, negative thoughts have a greater impact than positive ones. ...
Views: 139(2 votes) - An Overview of Lippage - Lip Nude Treatment - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2021 from Shubham SardaLIPS - Lip fillers are the modern answer to those who are desperate to have fuller, sexier lips. They do not require the surgery as other cosmetic enhancements do, and they are much less likely to cause adverse reactions. The first thing to realize about lip filling is that it should be done for ...
Views: 180 - Lower The Pressure - by Submitted on Mar 22, 2021 from Rick HansonThings come at us with so much urgency and demand these days. Phones ring, texts buzz, emails pile up, new balls have to be juggled, work days lengthen and move into evenings and weekends, traffic gets denser, financial demands feel like a knife at the neck, ads and news clamor for attention, ...
Views: 116 - See Beings, Not Bodies - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2021 from Rick HansonWhen we encounter someone, usually the mind automatically slots the person into a category: older, younger, your friend Tom, the kid next door, etc. Watch this happen in your own mind as you meet or talk with a co-worker, salesclerk, or family member. In effect, the mind summarizes and ...
Views: 116 - Can You Make Yourself Happy? - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2021 from Rabbi Simon JacobsonWhen you feel disillusioned or depressed, it can seem impossible to change your mood. Happiness can seem like a prize that other people were given and you were cheated out of. It may appear that the circumstances of your life are preventing you from being happy, while someone else’s ...
Views: 219 - Step Into The Cloud - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2021 from Rick HansonI had a lightbulb moment recently: I was feeling stressed about all the stuff I had to do (you probably know the feeling). After this went on for a while, I stepped back and kind of watched my mind, and could see that I was thinking of these various tasks as things, like big rocks that were ...
Views: 122 - Love the World - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2021 from Rick HansonTo simplify and summarize, our brain has three primary motivational systems – Avoiding harms, Approaching rewards, and Attaching to “us” – that draw on many neural networks to accomplish their goals. Lately, I’ve started to realize that a fourth fundamental human motivational system could be ...
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