Category Archives: positive psychology
Beyond Coronavirus
It goes without saying that these are difficult times, and a lot of people are suffering. It’s important to keep that in mind, and for each of us to do our best to help in whatever ways we can. It’s … Continue reading
Posted in change, positive psychology, social justice
Tagged Coronavirus, future, Jill Shepherd, Matthias Horx
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The Optimism of Uncertainty
Every January for the past several years I’ve joined activists in front of the White House to protest the indefinite detention of 40 Muslim men at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. This year, January 11 marked the 18th anniversary of … Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, anger, change, positive psychology, social justice, work
Tagged activism, advocacy, film, Guantanamo Bay, Howard Zinn, human rights, indefinite detention, NRCAT, optimism, persistence
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Self-Compassion It
I was in a meeting at the Pentagon recently, seated at a table surrounded by uniformed military officers and dark-suited government officials. The meeting was tense, with the officials all insisting the Defense Department was doing the right thing and … Continue reading
Posted in change, coaching, compassion, happiness, health, jobs, mindfulness, neuroscience, positive psychology
Tagged coaching, compassion, Kristin Neff, Mindful self-compassion, mindfulness
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Time Out
I’ve written almost nothing on this blog since the inauguration of Donald Trump. Partly I think it’s because I’ve been so outwardly focused – fixated on the daily, minute-by-minute news of the disturbing, twisted, often absurd machinations of this new … Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, anger, change, positive psychology, psychology, self-care, service, social justice, work, writing
Tagged anger, Buddha, depression, Donald Trump, Harper's, hope, news, Thoreau, time out, Walter Kirn, writing
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No Expectations
There’s a classic zen story that goes like this: A young man approached a great master and asked to become his student. The student asked the master: “How long will it take me to become a master?” “15 years,” replied … Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, Buddhism, change, coaching, happiness, meaning, mindfulness, positive psychology, psychology, Uncategorized
Tagged aspirations, Buddhism, Deborah Ratner Helzer, expectations, Field Guide to Getting Lost, Kenneth Sheldon, Martin Seligman, motivation, positive psychology, Rebecca Solnit, self-determination theory, success, Tim Kasser, Zen
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The Demoralizing Science of Success
One of the most interesting subjects in the field of Positive Psychology is the science of human motivation and success. Why are some people so motivated and so successful? Why do some people not even bother to try? And how … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, change, coaching, compassion, environment, happiness, meaning, meditation, mindfulness, positive psychology, self-care, work
Tagged Buddhism, compassion, Ellen Langer, failure, Harvard, meditation, mindfulness, positive psychology, science, Seymour Krim, success, Tal Ben-Shahar
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Some Simple Career Advice
I sometimes hear from recent college graduates struggling to start their careers. They want to know how they can get into human rights work, or journalism, or some combination of the two, and they think that because I’ve done both … Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, change, coaching, happiness, health, jobs, meaning, positive psychology, psychology, service, social justice, work
Tagged careers, coaching, Edward Deci, goals, human rights, Kenneth Sheldon, law, Richard Ryan, Tim Kasser, work
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Bernie Sanders, the Optimist
One of the most common criticisms I hear of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is that he’s too angry. Americans are famous for being upbeat and optimistic. We’re raised to believe in “the American Dream” in which anyone can rise up … Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, anger, change, fear, jobs, positive psychology, social justice, work
Tagged 2016 presidential election, anger, Bernie Sanders, change, Counterclockwise, Donald Trump, Ellen Langer, hope, optimism, pessimism, positive psychology, Thomas Frank
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The Happy Lawyer?
The other night I attended a training session at the New York City Bar Association called “Happiness for Lawyers: Mindfulness and Emotional Skills to Improve Our Professional Life (and Make us Happier).” As I was leaving, the security guard remarked that … Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, Buddhism, change, coaching, happiness, health, meditation, mindfulness, neuroscience, positive psychology, psychology, social justice, Uncategorized, work
Tagged anxiety, depression, emotional intelligence, happiness, lawyers, legal profession, mindfulness, mindfulness for lawyers, stress
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