I was talking with my sister not too long ago, and we soon found ourselves discussing a variety of problems in the world. Sometimes it seems like there are so many things going wrong today, it’s hard not to get overwhelmed. How can one person possibly make things better? Luckily, my sister was able to [...]
You have a superpower that you’re probably not aware of: your presence. Thinking back on your encounters with particularly angry or peaceful people, you might have noticed how their emotions seemed to rub off on you. Turns out, that’s a real thing. Research has shown that people unconsciously and automatically mimic the emotional expressions of [...]
Chances are, you’d rather be doing something else right now. Whether it’s traveling, having drinks with friends, or doing crafts, we all have pastimes or hobbies that help us unwind. These interests can be healthy for reducing stress and adding to the quality of life. Unfortunately, it’s possible to have too much of a good [...]
Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday of the year. It’s a day for lovers, and I truly love everyone. Obviously, there is some commercialism tied to Valentine’s Day, as with all of our holidays, but gifts don’t have to be flowers, or diamonds, anything expensive or expected. Gifts can be a simple expression of how [...]
I love being around young children as they are learning and honing their speaking skills. Even though infants and small children are able to communicate quite effectively without words, most quickly start vocalizing to better express their wants and ideas. As we get older, we become more skilled at using our words in speech and [...]
Listening is something we all do every day, sometimes effectively and sometimes not. When we are “listening” to other people while multitasking, looking at something else, or thinking about what we are going to do later, the quality of the interaction is diminished. Leadership expert and author Susan Scott says that people often think the [...]
Having been a proponent of mindfulness for many years, I am often asked questions about my beliefs, such as: “If you are living in the present moment, how do you plan or have ambition for the future? How do you get stuff done? Doesn’t living in the moment mean you just go through life letting [...]
I have compassion for cigarette smokers. It’s a habit—just like mindfulness. I don’t smoke, but I teach the “healthy habit” of mindfulness. While researching this blog topic, I learned that about 80% of all deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are caused by smoking. We know smoking kills. In fact, cigarette smoking is the leading [...]
Practicing mindfulness is a great way to reduce stress, gain clarity on what’s most important, and experience more fulfilment in daily life. That’s why the new frontier of practicing mindfulness is becoming popularized with both individual people and organizations. In fact, many notable companies have already introduced mindfulness training into their culture. They have recruited [...]
Jon Kabat Zinn, founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, defines mindfulness as: “The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.” Therefore, if you’re not paying attention to whatever it is you are [...]
