The Thinking Habit That Changed My Life
Writing out a gratitude list can be a simple, yet profound act. "It's interesting, because so much of our lives are spent in unconscious mental habits. Without knowing it, we complain, we nitpick, we stress about little faults; we see the bad in people and situations. Changing that doesn't happen immediately. However, you can change a little at a time. Start with a small gratitude session, and ... posted on Dec 14 2013, 83,322 reads

The Truth About Love & Vulnerability
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will ... posted on Dec 13 2013, 7,478 reads

7 Lessons For Leaders In Systems Change
Creating systemic change is increasingly imperative in our times as we seek ways to improve the way that we live and relate to each other and to the earth. This large-scale thinking recognizes that, "Individual things - like plants, people, schools, communities, and watersheds - are all systems of interrelated elements. At the same time, they can't be fully understood apart from the larger systems... posted on Dec 12 2013, 32,840 reads

The Healthy Way To Forgive Yourself
"The ability to forgive oneself for mistakes, large and small, is critical to psychological well-being. But self-forgiveness has a dark side. Research suggests that while it can relieve unpleasant feelings like guilt and shame, it can also reduce empathy for others and motivation to make amends. Is there a healthy way to forgive yourself?" Read on to learn four ways you can forgive yourself withou... posted on Dec 11 2013, 34,629 reads

What School Doesn't Teach You: How To Learn
At school, work, and at home, we are continuously learning. But how do we learn, and are we going about this essential life skill effectively? Educational psychologists are beginning to examine these questions, and the answers that have come up so far may be surprising. It turns out that learning in ways that are engaging and that involve critical thinking are more effective overall compared to te... posted on Dec 10 2013, 21,610 reads

Bertrand Russell's 10 Commandments of Teaching
Philosopher, mathematician, historian, and social critic Bertrand Russell is one of the most intellectually diverse and influential thinkers in modern history. Writer Maria Popova, founder and editor of Brain Pickings, summarizes Russel's remarkable vision for the responsibilities of a teacher, touching on the purpose of education, the value of uncertainty, the importance of critical thinking, the... posted on Dec 09 2013, 50,536 reads

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, 25,251 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, 5,700 reads

Remembering Madiba: Timeless Wisdom from Nelson Mandela
"We have lost Nelson Mandela, unequaled patron saint of equality, peace, and human rights. But while the body might be gone, the spirit remains forever with us -- a spirit that not only changed political history, but also tirelessly elevated humanity into a higher version of itself." Maria Popova shares timeless wisdom from Mandela's remarkable life.... posted on Dec 06 2013, 40,641 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, 22,740 reads