This is a guest post by Morgan Johnson. A couple of years ago, as a result of an unsuccessful marriage and stressful job, I found myself suffering from a prolonged period of feeling very down. Fortunately, after months of self-regret, and living in a house which looked more like a…
I am pleased that a piece I wrote was published this week on one of my favorite sites, Becoming Minimalist. Here's the first part of the piece, with a link to the rest... Last year, I read The Story of Enough: Giving Up (new) Clothes for One Year, a Becoming Minimalist…
My 16-year-old cousin Kyra (aka Kiki) is chronically unique (a term she invented.) Please watch her video and you will understand. It's 15 minutes in length and if at any point you decide to fast forward, make sure you watch the last 3.5 minutes to learn valuable happiness lessons from this amazing…
Having written a book called Six Simple Rules for a Better Life, with a subtitle, “Practical, achievable ways to be happier, healthier, and more…” and a first chapter (the first rule) called, “Be Happy,” happiness—for myself and others—is clearly one of my missions. Late last year, I enjoyed reading A…
During the week after the George Zimmerman verdict, Marcie (my wife) and I were driving in the car and heard a priest say in a radio interview that a primary cause for this tragedy is that Zimmerman didn't see the humanity of Trayvon Martin. We both thought that was very…
Listening well is an important skill in our lives—personally and professionally. In this guest post by Kevin Clarke, we hear about a dad and the hard work of really hearing what his son is saying to him. Kevin is a writer for America Magazine and this piece is reprinted with…
I want to tell you a brief story about something super nice that someone said to me recently. More than 18 years ago, Dan Sullivan, founder of Strategic Coach, told me about four “Referability” habits—behaviors that help you to be referable, as in a person who other people would recommend…
This is a guest post by John Gerhardt. As I’m sure we know, it’s impossible to completely avoid conflict, unfortunate circumstances, or making some tough decisions. Life is not always going to be nice to you, but it’s not healthy, and won't help your happiness, to let that turmoil build…
Early this year, I ran a post called “Make New Friends Monday”. I explained that when my kids were home from college for winter break, the subject of Instagram came up. My daughter Cara said, “You have an Instagram? What’s your name? I want to follow you.” I told her…
This is a guest post by Jane Bongato As a child, I was always a bit of a loner, although not necessarily by choice. I was tall for my age and a bit awkward and uncoordinated when it came to taking part in sports at school. This meant that I…
A couple of years ago, I read a book called The Go-Giver. The book’s lessons are delivered in the form of a parable about a young go-getter who is introduced to an older, wiser man, who teaches him about go-giving—putting others’ interests first and adding value to their lives. It’s…
In a chapter on being grateful in a book I enjoyed reading at the end of 2012, A Spiritual Renegade’s Guide to the Good Life, author Lama Marut suggests going on a weekly “complaining fast,” declaring a moratorium on complaining for one day each week. What will happen if you…