The Art of Constructive Daydreaming
Our culture tends to be highly goal-focused, and even when we are not pursuing our goals, we distract ourselves with all sorts of media and entertainment. This article discusses the value of creating space to allow our minds to wander. The payoff of daydreaming can be immediate, in the form of a pleasant thought, memory, or insight, or it can be more long-term, in the form of understanding one's p... posted on Dec 08 2013, 25,148 reads

The Art of Missing
Artist and architect Maya Lin is best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. Her latest memorial has satellite sculptures and multimedia installations throughout various cities, but the core of the project lives on a cool website called What Is Missing? The site honors extinct or endangered animals and their habitats, ecosystems lost or degraded, and, on a positive not... posted on Dec 07 2013, 5,666 reads

A Shift to Humility: Resilience & Change
Andrew Zolli, the curator and executive director of PopTech, was interviewing a farmer in Kenya where climate effects have dramatically shifted rain patterns to the point where their crops have stopped growing. These farmers, mostly women, have had to leave their homes near schools, hospitals, and fixed infrastructure in order to survive. During the interview, she looked at Zolli in the eye and sa... posted on Dec 05 2013, 22,678 reads

Are You Living Your Eulogy Or Resume?
Author, Ray Bradbury, once said that everyone must leave something behind -- something our hands have touched in such a way that it leaves a place for our souls to go when we die. This is the truest reflection of our legacy -- that our spirit remains in these things long after we're gone. For some, a eulogy is the first and only time their life's impact has been celebrated. "Eulogies aren't resume... posted on Dec 04 2013, 59,862 reads

Childhood's Magic Milestone
"Betty Peck at 92 is full of a radiant loveliness that brings to mind fairy godmothers and enchanted gardens. Visiting her is a little like falling down Alice's rabbit hole. A train track with a real train runs around her Saratoga home. There are ivy-covered walls, crazy winding paths, tree houses, even a Rapunzel tower, and an amphitheater under the trees complete with a Romeo and Juliet balcony.... posted on Dec 03 2013, 24,307 reads

A Letter From Fred
It didn't exactly conform to the rules of the online video contest for up-and-coming singer/songwriters, but when producer Jacob Colgan received 96-year-old Fred Stobaugh's handwritten lyrics in a mania envelope, it was an entry he couldn't ignore. Fred penned the song "Oh Sweet Lorraine" in memory of his recently departed wife of 72 years; but, as his letter to the studio said, "I don't sing. It ... posted on Dec 02 2013, 6,104 reads

Camille Seaman: We All Belong to Earth
Camille Seaman, world traveler and renowned photographer, says that "Part of the magic of an artist is being able to sort of draw from the intangible and create a physical..." But Camille's was a bumpy road, and her story is unusual. Not the least of it is her almost instant success in the art world -- she is now a senior TED fellow. Read about her fascinating life in this interview.... posted on Dec 01 2013, 21,689 reads

What Is Gratitude?
"Robert Emmons, perhaps the world's leading scientific expert on gratitude, argues that gratitude has two key components, which he describes in a Greater Good essay, "Why Gratitude is Good."... posted on Nov 28 2013, 44,280 reads

When You Listen To A Child
"Having a parent that listens creates a child who believes he or she has a voice that matters in this world," says Rachel Macy Stafford, a young mother who, in this digital age, has made the life changing decision to go completely 'hands free'. She did so to ensure her children always knew, that their voice in this world matters. "Because," she continues, "someday our children will find themselves... posted on Nov 26 2013, 88,084 reads

Why Compassion in Business Makes Sense
Managers often think that putting pressure on employees will increase performance. However, recent research shows that when organizations promote an ethic of compassion rather than a culture of stress, they may not only see a happier workplace but also an improved bottom line. Dr. Emma Seppala, the associate director of Stanford's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research, explores how managers ... posted on Nov 25 2013, 29,440 reads