New Year’s Day is a time when many people make resolutions. If you’ve read my book or my blog posts, you know that I’m a positive person. So, it’s with a bit of difficulty that I put in writing this negative point: If you’re like most people who make New…
When I started to write this post I was going to talk about what I read this year. Then I found myself thinking that I might have read more if I hadn’t watched much more TV than I have in many, many years. That led me to start thinking about…
Steve Mankoff and I met during our freshman year of college, 32 years ago. On and off, for years, I’ve suggested that Steve kick his habit of drinking a huge amount of diet soda. Last year, he finally decided to try. I asked Steve if he wanted to share his…
I listed things that made me smile for several weeks, then things on my gratitude list for three weeks. Now I'm shifting to another happiness strategy: listing accomplishments. Human nature causes us to be more inclined to reflect on negatives than positives. To counter that natural tendency, be sure to…
I’m a big sports fan and have always enjoyed the Olympics. I remember the unbeatable Cuban boxer Teófilo Stevenson, the Russian weightlifter Vasily Alekseyev, and the Michael Phelps of my childhood, U.S.A. swimmer Mark Spitz. (I actually wore the same Speedo bathing suit that Mark Spitz did, with its U.S.A. flag-design.)…
If you've read my book or my "Welcome" post and other blog posts, you know that it takes 21 days to form a habit, and that breaking down large goals into manageable pieces, implemented over 21-day periods, is how to make real, lasting change. In addition to the worksheet for your…
Last week, I was pleased to publish a blog post on the engaging Live Bold & Bloom web site. The post tells of a situation last year when one of our teenaged daughters was very sick and the doctors were not able to confirm a diagnosis. One reader wrote in,…
We recently added this worksheet for you to download. Use it to create two lists: (1) habits you would like to adopt over 21-day periods and (2) habits you have adopted (to celebrate your progress.) There is a link on the home page of this site and at the end…
I talk in the “Be Happy” chapter of my book about letting go of negative thoughts. When things don’t quite go as you planned, one of the strategies I suggest is to remember that in so many situations the experience becomes a story later (often a funny one). Catching ourselves…
About two years ago, when I finished the first draft of my book, I asked my good friend Rob if he would read it. After he said yes, he added, "You wrote a book. Congrats, my friend! That's a terrific thing.” Rob's note is a great reminder of the importance…