As I contemplate money this month, I have of course reflected on the truth that money does not buy happiness. But I have also considered more deeply how money can contribute to happiness when spent wisely or in a meaningful way. Being generous, for example, is often just as rewarding to the giver as it is to the receiver. Also, investing in the things you use often or the things that further hobbies and activities that you enjoy can be a key contributor. And as Ilya Pozin wrote for Forbes, although we think that we enjoying buying things, we may tend underestimate the pleasure that we get from spending money…
October Aspirations, Being Generous, and Paleo Pumpkin Spice Muffins
I have mentioned previously that I am in the middle of my own year long Happiness Project, which means that each month I choose a particular key area of my life to focus on, setting a few resolutions to work on in that arena with the overall objective of improving my habits, health, and happiness through small and specific actions. It’s been a few months now and I can say that although I don’t earn a “gold star” for every resolution every day, I have been successful in forming several new and positive habits which support the overall aim. Along with the resolutions, I also usually try to read books related…
What I Read Last Month :: September
For as long as I can remember, I have loved to read. Although at various points in my life I have made this a higher priority than I have at others, I am happy to have found many ways to make this a very consistent and important part of my day-to-day life presently. As part of my Happiness Project this year, I have tried to focus the genre of my reading on whatever area of my life my resolutions are focused on for that particular month, but September was a little scattered. Since what I read often comes up in my writing on the blog or my real life conversations,…
Self Knowledge, Being True to You, and Craveable Chimichurri Steak with Crispy Smashed Potatoes
If you have read more than one or two of my previous posts, you may have noticed that I am probably one of Gretchen Rubin’s biggest fangirls. One important thing that I have learned from her work is the importance of having a clear manifesto or guiding principles which help to direct your actions and decisions. In The Happiness Project, she wrote about her twelve “Personal Commandments” which are essentially her own core values acting as a mission statement for the way that she lives her life. Everyone’s would naturally be different, based upon their own experiences, beliefs, and objectives, however she did outline one which seemed to transcend most…
Adventures in Brainstorming and the “A Team Salad”
Throughout my studies in both psychology and business and my professional life thus far, I have been fortunate enough to participate in many ongoing learning, training and certification opportunities. Some have been quite niche or nuanced and others more broad and generic. Topics have ranged from leadership development to time management and goal setting techniques; from interpersonal skills like conflict resolution or negotiation to project management and so on. And a lot of these programs or protocols, especially my Six Sigma training, have emphasized brainstorming as an invaluable and critical first step to problem solving and identification of root causes as well as potential solutions. And to be honest, I…
The Gift of Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Truffles
On the move with not one, but two trips this week! Getting the less-than-fun one out of the way first with a two day workshop in the Amsterdam for business (meh) and THEN heading back to my favorite city in all the world – BOSTON! When I found out that both Melissa Hartwig and Gretchen Rubin were going to be at Harvard for the first stop of The Four Tendencies book tour (the only stop they will be together in fact!), my husband knew that it was the meant to be, perfect gift for me. And I am SO excited to see these two boss ladies who have exerted such…
From Arts and Crafts to Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad
As I contemplated my love for Sunday Brunch and the fabulous friendships I have had throughout the years, I reflected, as I have many times in the past, on the fact that for me – the time best spent has always been that which involves engaging in deep conversation. Most of the people that I have chosen to surround myself with also enjoy endless hours of discourse and metacognition, often focused on our own introspections and observations of the world around us. For me, this “thinking about thinking” and examination of mental and emotional processes has been not only a valuable source of knowledge, but also so fascinating to me…
Embracing an “Atmosphere of Growth”
“Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure, nor this thing or that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing” – William Butler Yeats With each year that passes, I find that I have become increasingly passionate about growing. And over the past few months, I have become quite serious and focused a considerable amount of time devoted to this endeavor – reading some of the best and most influential research and writing about habits, growth, and happiness. Inspired by one of my role models and absolute favorite writers, Gretchen Rubin, I have started my very own “Happiness Project” which seeks to improve my life, and consequently the lives…