Nurse Donates Own Kidney to Patient
The way Clay Taber looks at it, he's got three moms now. There's the woman who gave birth to him and raised him, of course. Then there's his fiancee's mother. And then there's the transplant nurse who, though practically a stranger, donated one of her healthy kidneys so that he might start married life untethered to a dialysis machine. Allison Batson first heard about Taber, now 23, in August 2010... posted on Jan 16 2012, 24,241 reads

Our 5-yr-old: Alone But Not Lonely
"We live in a rural farm in India, don't have a TV at home, and have bought our son a total of two toys. Most of his clothes are gifted by family and friends. He doesn't eat cookies, chocolates, carbonated drinks, or fast food. He must be one miserable kid, right? If I say, 'No,' one might respond with, 'Well, he doesn't know what he is missing and he is being brought up in an extremely protective... posted on Jan 15 2012, 0 reads

The Power of Failure
Often times we invest failure with the wrong kind of power by thinking it's a permanent state that holds us down, rather than a temporary condition that we can learn and grow from -- often to remarkable heights. This 1-minute video gives us a window into well-known figures of the world, such as Edison, and Lincoln who all share a common trait. They each failed (and spectacularly so!) in their res... posted on Jan 14 2012, 6,186 reads

How Vulnerability Can Be a Strength
The word vulnerable itself comes from the Latin 'vulnerare' which means 'to wound', and so at the root of vulnerability is our own sense of wounded-ness. To be authentic in a moment in which we feel wounded, we have to honestly acknowledge the places where we feel hurt and then muster up the strength to just be with the pain. If we can embrace this vulnerability, we can fully accept the discomfort... posted on Jan 13 2012, 30,026 reads

Less Work, More Living
"Millions of Americans have lost control over the basic rhythm of their daily lives. They work too much, eat too quickly, socialize too little, drive and sit in traffic for too many hours, don't get enough sleep, and feel harried too much of the time. It's a way of life that undermines basic sources of wealth and well-being -- such as strong family and community ties, a deep sense of meaning, and ... posted on Jan 12 2012, 45,095 reads

Two Ducks & Their 7-Year-Old Hero
"When I was around 7 years old, I saw a pair of ducks in my front yard. I knew ducks liked bread, so I decided to feed them before they had a chance to fly away. I didn't know it then, but these two ducks ended up being one of the most influential factors in who I've become today." Over the following months the ducks showed up regularly at the little girl's home -- quacking at her door for bread c... posted on Jan 11 2012, 29,377 reads

Language Is More Than Just Words
"We Still Live Here" is a fascinating documentary that tells a life affirming story of cultural revival. It follows the journey of social worker Jessie Little Doe Baird, a member of the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans, who undertook an incredible quest to reclaim the language of her people. In 1993 Jessie began to hear the voices of her ancestors speaking in a language she didn't understand. A... posted on Jan 10 2012, 10,587 reads

Gandhi on the Power of One
"There were many observers who said Gandhi was extraordinary, an exception to the limitations that hold back the rest of the human race. Others dismissed him -- some with great respect, others with less -- as just another great man who was leaving his mark on history. Yet, according to him, there was no one more ordinary. 'I claim to be an average man of less than average ability,' he often repeat... posted on Jan 09 2012, 22,693 reads

Benefits of Rising Early -- and How to Do It
"Recently, reader Rob asked me about my habit of waking at 4:30 a.m. each day, and asked me to write about the health benefits of rising early, which I thought was an excellent question. Unfortunately, there are none, that I know of. However, there are a ton of other great benefits. Now, let me first say that if you are a night owl, and that works for you, I think that's great. There's no reason t... posted on Jan 08 2012, 167,686 reads

The Leadership Genius of Bob the Builder
Most of us believe in positive self-talk. "I can achieve anything," we mouth to the mirror in the morning. We believe we'll do better if we banish doubts about our ability or our strategy and instead muster an inner voice that affirms our awesomeness. But not Bob the Builder. You might not realise it, but the overall-clad, stop-motion animated construction executive -- who debuted on CBBC in 1999 ... posted on Jan 07 2012, 7,185 reads