The Secrets to a Happy Life
What is the secret to a happy life? Ask anyone you know, and each will provide a different and widely varying response. In 1938, 268 men volunteered for a intriguing study conducted by Harvard University -- one in which their personal happiness might be measured throughout the years. Though no single study could ever predict the outcome of a man's life, there were some interesting revelations. Two... posted on Oct 25 2015, 29,264 reads

How Science Helps Us Find the Good
Since the beginning of time, the battle between good and evil has always been at the forefront of human existence. But only until recently has science started to help better understand the complexities of it all. And just as good and bad are linked, science also reveals how our inner world and the external one are tied together. The overall takeaway? If you want to find and foster the good in soci... posted on Oct 24 2015, 14,723 reads

A Recipe for Change
Studies in neuroplasticity indicate how new impressions stimulate and even feed our neurons. It's time to celebrate the fact that what we think changes the physical structure of our brain. When we change our minds, we change our brain. This piece shares more.... posted on Oct 23 2015, 22,460 reads

Why These Kids Love School
Tucked away in a rural village about 40 minutes drive from the city centre of Medan, Indonesia, is a small school bursting with love. Abdi Kasih, which means "dedication with love" was born out of one woman's transformation from pity to love for children with intellectual challenges. Watch as one of the volunteers describes the changes that she has experienced in her own approach to life after spe... posted on Oct 22 2015, 3,173 reads

Anam Cara and the Essence of True Friendship
Nowhere do the beauty, mystery, and soul-sustenance of friendship come more vibrantly alive than in Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by the late, great Irish poet and philosopher John O'Donohue. Anam Cara is Gaelic for "soul-friend". This piece shares more...... posted on Oct 21 2015, 20,792 reads

Rudy Corpuz: It Takes a Hood to Save the Hood
Rudy Corpuz, an anti-violence activist was born and raised in San Francisco in the 1970s and 80s in a neighborhood where drugs and gangs were the norm. He had a rough start, never graduated from high school, didn't start reading until he was in the eighth grade, dealt and did drugs, and was a gang leader. He then had a magical turning point, a "a dramatic change of heart" that catapulted him into ... posted on Oct 20 2015, 7,607 reads

The 5 Myths of Self-Compassion
Why are we so hesitant to offer kindness to self? When thinking of others, it feels good to share the deeper qualities of compassion -- qualities such as tenderness, understanding, and acceptance. And, yet? We experience so many hindrances in offering the same to self. In this must read article, author Kristin Neff tackles the misconceptions surrounding self-compassion. ... posted on Oct 19 2015, 29,091 reads

Why Free Money Day Makes You Richer
"In a world where hoarding wealth is considered the norm, giving money to complete strangers -- with no strings attached -- seems like a radical idea. Yet, for the hundreds who have taken part in Free Money Day since its humble beginnings in 2011, there is a knowing that greater sharing is needed in this world -- now more than ever."... posted on Oct 18 2015, 5,769 reads

Wendell Berry on How to Be a Poet
"Although poetry itself exerts a singular power over the human spirit... it is hardly a power that comes easily to the poet." In his poem, titled "How to Be a Poet (to remind myself)," the wise and wonderful poet Wendell Berry reminds us of the "vitalizing power of silence and stillness and self-refinement" which are so essential to being a poet, an artist of any kind, and really, a complete human... posted on Oct 17 2015, 14,494 reads

How To Pay Attention
If you are like most people, you probably find yourself easily distracted or preoccupied by needless thoughts. So in an effort for you to gain control of your ability to concentrate, Dr. Rick Hanson, a psychologist and the author of several books, details seven important steps you can take to keep your wandering mind focused and centered.... posted on Oct 16 2015, 34,021 reads