None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Author: Christine Carter
Podcast: Happiness is Contagious
Want to contribute to the greater good of society? Rona and I talk about why starting with yourself is a solid strategy for increasing other people’s well-being.
(Looking for the pledge that we refer to? It is here.)
Please check out my podcast with Rona Renner either here on the Greater Good website, or here on iTunes. Happy listening!
Cross posted from the Greater Good Science Center.
Stop Stalling.
We all do it sometimes, but procrastination is not a happiness habit. Often we know what we need to do, but we just don’t feel like doing it, and so we delay getting started until we feel stress.
Which means that to reduce stress in our lives, we sometimes need to reduce procrastination. Here’s how:
1) Lower the bar. Since the key to ending procrastination is to just get started, telling yourself that you only need to work on a dreaded project for 20 minutes (vs. two hours) will make it easier to overcome your desire to stall.
2) Just get started. As the addage goes, “a task begun is a task half done!”
3) Eliminate your go-to stall-tactics. For example, I often delay getting started on big projects by checking my email, which leads to Facebook, which…you know how it is. I now write from a desk away from my office — where there is no email or Facebook access.
This week, see how much time you can save by decreasing procrastination (and increasing your focus). And then go “squander” all that extra time goofing around with your kids!
TEDx Talk: The Power of the Compassionate Imagination
Here is the TEDx talk I gave in June 2011 — my ideas about the foundation of happiness, and the choice that I think can change the world.
Podcast: One tip for kids’ School Success
Are the economists right that genes have the most powerful influence on academic success? Rona and I talk about a frequently over-looked contribution to our kids’ success: happiness.
Please check out my podcast with Rona Renner either here on the Greater Good website, or here on iTunes. Happy listening!
Cross posted from the Greater Good Science Center.
Friday Inspiration
Video from KarmaTube
If you haven’t seen this moving video yet, take the time. It is wonderful: speaks to the meaning of life, of school, and of great teaching. An important example of how compassion works in the classroom.
Video: Teach Kids to be Lucky
Did you know that there is a science of luck? Research shows that there are SKILLS that make us luckier. Lindsay and I talk about those things that lucky people do that we can actually teach and practice with our children.
Special thanks to the Quality of Life Foundation, which made this series possible.
Cross posted from the Greater Good Science Center.
Breathe out. Twice.
When we exhale, our heart beat slows down slightly, which is probably why long, deep exhalations are associated with relaxation and well-being.
If you are feeling anxious or tense, doing a few big exhalations can help. Here’s how:
1) Inhale deeply through your nose.
2) Exhale completely through your mouth. When you get to the bottom of your natural exhalation, try and exhale again, pushing any remaining air out.
3) Repeat for seven or more breaths (most people start to feel significantly calmer around breath five).
My kids and I call this the “double breath;” Kids of all ages can be taught this technique to calm them when they are upset. Happy breathing!
Raising Happiness is a FINALIST!
Friday Inspiration
To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.”
— Henry David Thoreau
One Kind Thing
Helping others makes us happy–and it makes life meaningful. But how do we foster kindness in children?
Try asking these two questions at dinner tonight:
(1) What is one kind thing that someone else did for you today?
(2) What is one kind thing that YOU did for SOMEONE ELSE today?
Younger kids may need help brainstorming what “kind things” are – the more things in this category the better. Smiling at a grouchy stranger or hugging a teacher count!
May you be happy,
Christine Carter, Ph.D.
Hat Tip: These questions came from Jenny at Doing Good Together.
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Join us for a Raising Happiness Webinar hosted by Gold Arrow Camp. Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. PST.
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Raising Happiness is a FINALIST!