4 Ways Sadness May Be Good For You
Evolutionary theory suggests that we should embrace all of our emotions, as each has an important role to play under the right circumstances. So, though you may seek ways to increase happiness, don't haphazardly push away your sadness. No doubt, it's there for good reason, as research suggests that mild, temporary states of sadness may actually be beneficial in handling various aspects of our live... posted on Aug 29 2014, 28,846 reads

From Hero To Host
For too long, too many of us have been entranced by heroes. Perhaps it's our desire to not have to do the hard work, to rely on someone else to figure things out. But perhaps it's time for us to face the truth of our situation -- that we're all in this together, that we all have a voice -- and figure out how to mobilize the hearts and minds of everyone in our workplaces and communities.... posted on Aug 28 2014, 34,918 reads

Kindness In An Age of Connected Disconnection
Years ago, we didn't have to try so hard to stay connected. People lived in neighborhoods, and there weren't many strangers that didn't ultimately become friends. We watched over one another with relationships built upon a foundation of shared interdependence, ensuring plenty of kindness to go around. Sadly though, through our own scientific progress, we now live in an age of 'connected disconnect... posted on Aug 27 2014, 29,901 reads

Because I Said I Would
Alex Sheen keeps his promises. One year after his friend Charlie Cordell killed Vincent Canzani while drinking and driving, Alex stood outside of a busy bar with a sign telling those leaving that he was ready to drive them home that night and even take them back to their cars in the morning. And he did it for free, because he had a promise to keep. When someone snuck him a tip, he donated it to "M... posted on Aug 26 2014, 7,875 reads

What 'Home' Means To The Homeless
Willie Baronet took a 30-day cross-country road trip from Seattle to New York, buying homeless signs and exploring the meaning of "home." What began as a way to deal with the discomfort he felt when seeing the homeless has now morphed into an art campaign called "We Are All Homeless" which seeks to create a more conscious and compassionate society. Willie shares: "These signs -- and this practice ... posted on Aug 25 2014, 31,470 reads

Balancing The Brain And The Power of Choice
Where do the left brain and right brain meet, and what purposes do they each have to serve? Tami Simon of Insights at the Edge interviews Harvard-trained neuroanatomist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, who in 1996 experienced a severe brain hemorrhage that shut down her left brain and its constituent centers of language, movement and memory. Dr. Jill shares her reflections on this experience and its implica... posted on Aug 24 2014, 35,533 reads

Casa De Paz: Oakland's House of Peace
36th Avenue in the Fruitvale district of East Oakland, California, is the turf of three major gangs. Yet the residents of Casa de Paz never lock their doors. Anchored by Pancho Ramos Stierle and Adelaja Simon, Casa de Paz is part of a group of several homes that form an intentional community of peace and nonviolence in an area rife with structural and physical violence. In order to serve their com... posted on Aug 23 2014, 4,065 reads

James Doty's Helper's High
Happiness comes from a having a purpose, or at least, that is what James Doty's life exemplifies. Founder of a compassion research center at Stanford University, or CCARE, Doty gave up a billion dollar company and has dedicated his life to not only serving others, but creating the high-level research that suggests that happiness is found in what we give, not in what we get. An atheist, his finding... posted on Aug 22 2014, 23,583 reads

This Is Your Brain On Food
Should the Hippocratic maxim "Let food be thy medicine" apply to mental health care? According to recent research on the effect of diet and nutrition on the health of the brain, the answer may be, "Absolutely!" After more than half a century of depending primarily on prescription drugs for relief, the medical and psychiatric community is rediscovering the numerous connections between food and ment... posted on Aug 21 2014, 52,381 reads

Songwriting With Soldiers
A chance meeting with a soldier after performing in a hospital in Germany inspired songwriter Darden Smith to work with members of the military to turn their stories into music. Smith now runs Songwriting With:Soldiers, a non-profit organization which pairs veterans and troops with professional songwriters in a peaceful environment. The service members share their stories and the songwriters mold ... posted on Aug 20 2014, 14,654 reads