The Writer in the Tough Teen
Matt de la Pena just won this year's Newbery Award for a picture book, but he also writes young adult novels featuring working-class multicultural characters. Because of this, he is often invited to speak at urban schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods. At one school visit, Matt talked with the principal as the students filed in. The principal pointed out a particular student, seated in the back.... posted on Jan 15 2016, 8,983 reads

Everything You Need to Know About New Year's Resolutions
"Statistically speaking, new year's resolutions are a losing game. A whopping 92 percent of people who set resolutions don't succeed, according to University of Scranton research. Still, that doesn't mean that the start of a new year isn't a good time to commit to working towards any goals or self-improvement projects that you've put on the back burner. Succeeding with your resolutions may simply ... posted on Jan 14 2016, 14,886 reads

The Best Leaders are Insatiable Learners
Nearly a quarter century ago, at a gathering in Arizona, John W. Gardner -- a legendary public intellectual and civic reformer -- delivered a speech that may be one of the most quietly influential speeches in the history of American business. Surprisingly, this speech was not about money nor power. Rather, it was on "Personal Renewal" -- "the urgent need for leaders who wish to make a difference a... posted on Jan 13 2016, 15,885 reads

Erich Fromm on the Art of Loving
Our cultural mythology "continually casts love as something that happens to us passively and by chance, something we fall into, something that strikes us arrow-like, rather than a skill attained through the same deliberate practice as any other pursuit of human excellence. Our failure to recognize this skillfulness aspect is perhaps the primary reason why love is so intertwined with frustration. T... posted on Jan 12 2016, 18,421 reads

India's First Shelter for Dogs with Disabilities
He is a renowned animal rights activist who holds many key positions in his home state. But nothing defines Mahendra better than his immense, undying love for animals. It was this love that led him to establish India's first home for dogs living with disabilities. Read on to learn how Mahendra's service to these dogs began after a chance encounter with a puppy on the streets of India.... posted on Jan 11 2016, 14,420 reads

Introspection is Out, Outrospection is In
What is your capacity for empathy? Is it just reserved for the down and out? How about empathizing with those in power? Can empathy travel across great distances and through time? This informative animation challenges how we tend to view empathy and advocates for the transformative power that can bring about change for individuals as well as entire societies. ... posted on Jan 10 2016, 5,706 reads

The Power of Treating Employees Like Family
Parenting gave CEO Bob Chapman an epiphany about leadership: "Parenting is the stewardship of the precious lives that come to you through birth, adoption or second marriages. Leadership is the stewardship of the precious lives that come to you by people walking through your door and agreeing to share their gifts with you." This insight ultimately transformed how Chapman runs his company. In a new ... posted on Jan 09 2016, 0 reads

Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness
If you were going to invest now in your future best self, where would you put your time and energy? While we're constantly told to lean in to work, to push harder and achieve more, The Harvard Study of Adult Development tracked the lives of 724 men for 75 years and found that the healthiest at age 80 were those who had had the most satisfactory relationships. This fascinating TED talk shares more.... posted on Jan 08 2016, 133,394 reads

The Top 10 Insights from the Science of a Meaningful Life 2015
From the link between kindness and awe, and the keys to bridging political divides, to the effect of mindfulness on making healthy choices, and news about the contagious smell of happiness (that's right, you read that correctly -- 'the smell of happiness'), there's a lot that was uncovered in 2015! Enjoy this intriguing list of insights compiled by the Greater Good Science Center from the past y... posted on Jan 07 2016, 18,358 reads

Have Wheels Will Shower: Bathroom Buses for the Homeless
If you woke up this morning and showered in the privacy of your own bathroom, consider yourself lucky: America's nearly 600,000 homeless people often don't have a clean place to clean up. But in San Francisco, where the number of homeless has risen seven percent in the last decade, a non-profit organization is putting bathrooms on wheels and driving them to those in need. The group Lava Mae, whose... posted on Jan 06 2016, 11,309 reads