The Optimist Living
How to live a happier life, according to Yale’s most popular class
The most popular class at Yale goes by the title “Psychology and the Good Life.” The class teaches students how to live a happier life based on research. So what are some of the key habits that Yale students learn to develop in the class? Find out Read More...
Being in the flow: How to get better at feeling all of your feelings
Being in flow is meant to conjure up images of feeling calm and relaxed, of being at peace with the world. It’s meant to make you feel good, to feel better, which is why so many people crave it. Deep down you know that being in flow is the ultimate high. But the Truth is, being in flow is not Read More...
Living from moment-to-moment is the key to a balanced life
In our modern way of living, the idea that balance is met from having equal parts of time spent at home, at work and with friends, has become obsolete. Finding balance in life comes not from how we divide up our days, but rather, from how present we are in each moment of the day. If you desire Read More...
Do your brain a favor, and put your phone away
While our smartphones have enabled us unlimited access to information and communication, they’ve taken a much simpler thing from our lives: The presence of mind to take in our surroundings. This is a huge mistake, and it’s costing us dearly—in terms of peace of mind, clarity of purpose and Read More...
Why creating habits is the only way to achieve your goals
When we want to achieve something in our lives, we tend to start by setting a specific goal. Unfortunately, no matter how invested you are in your goals, taking consistent action to change your ways is difficult. There is safety in going back to old thinking and behavior. You must take deliberate, Read More...
How long will you live? This simple test can give you a clue
Flexibility, balance, and muscle strength make a major difference in overall health, especially as we age. The best way to assess if these three attributes functioning properly, which is an indicator of a long, healthy life, is through the sitting-rising test (SRT). If you can't pass this simple 10 Read More...
Want to be successful? Be mindful how you hang your toilet paper rolls
The way you hang your toilet paper reveals interesting clues about your personality. Do you roll over or roll under? This researcher surveyed 2,000 people and came to surprising conclusions. Roll under people are more reliable. Roll over people are financially more Read More...
Getting whatever exposure to nature is the trick to being happy
You may not know it yet, but nature is an abundant source of happiness. New research shows that even if you’re trapped in an office or only able to step outside for a moment, small exposures to outdoorsy indicators—seeing trees, the sky, or hearing a birdsong—can boost your mood. And the best Read More...
Why novels are the best business books you can read
Business-minded books may help you get an edge on the competition, but novels can be even more effective. Of course, not every novel offers the same chance to boost your emotional intelligence, but the ones that emphasise characters’ relationships certainly can. Novels with strong character Read More...
Getting emotional about failure can improve your next performance
Researchers in a recent study concluded that our thoughts after a failure usually serve to justify the failure, and so aren’t likely to lead to self-improvement. To let ourselves feel, rather than merely think about failure, is to open ourselves up to a painful experience. And therein lies the Read More...