January 2010

Strategies, like implementation intentions, that are meant to enhance our goal pursuit are only really effective when we already have strong goal intentions. Here's an example of strengthening an exercise intention. I've written at length about the use of implementation intentions to achieve our goals. Implementation...

31 January, 2010

The New York Times blog called "Well" recently asked: "Will Olympic Athletes Dope if They Know It Might Kill Them?" The answer is surprisingly clear: Many would if they could.  In bi-annual surveys conducted from 1982 to 1995, researcher Bob Goldman asked elite athletes whether they...

30 January, 2010

I must admit I watched, over the past few weeks, the build up of hype and excitement about the launch of Apple's latest product, the iPad, with a sense of curious bemusement. On the one hand, I quite like gadgets and techno toys although I've never...

30 January, 2010

To make sense of a complicated world and our place in it, humans need to construct meaning. We need to know what is expected of us, how to behave and how to function among other people. Otherwise, our sense of self is at risk. But our...

28 January, 2010

Check out these two new articles from The Wall Street Journal and the Huffington Post The Wall Street Journal encouraged readers to "Think Happy Thoughts at Work" Like many workers, Ivelisse Rivera, a physician at Community Health Center, Middletown, Conn., feels stressed-out by mounting workloads. And she...

27 January, 2010

So you have some extra cash in your pocket. Do you spend it on the latest gizmo or on going to a restaurant with friends? How does your choice affect your happiness? Money as an Inexact Surrogate Given that January is synonymous with high street sales, I...

27 January, 2010

Happiness is not just a feeling but a science. CBS station WCBS-TV in New York spoke to the experts to learn not only how to get happy, but how to stay that way. It was a popular New Year's resolution for 2010. But just like...

27 January, 2010

I recently heard from a Living Single reader who has so much stacked against her, I don't know how she gets up in the morning. She asked me for suggestions for how to be happy under her difficult circumstances (which I'll tell you about shortly)....

26 January, 2010