You’ve probably heard this said countless times already, but it is true: Raising children can be one of the most rewarding and challenging endeavors we can ever undertake. Perhaps a slight asterisk here would be to clarify that raising kids to be happy, well-adjusted, productive adults is challenging. I guess one could say that…
As parents, we want to guide our children the best we can. We want to save them from the countless mistakes we’ve made over the years. We want them to benefit from our wisdom. And what could be wrong with any of that? The Downside of Giving Advice One of my favorite expressions is,…
As reported in a recent issue of Scientific American Mind, sleep deprivation can result in “power failures” in the brain. Study participants were deprived of sleep for one night and then received functional MRI scans while doing simple visual tasks. Researchers noted that the participants who stayed awake all night had periodic power failures…
Another favorite saying that I hear and use a lot is, “It is what it is.” This seemingly obvious statement holds great power if we can learn to accept the reality of its meaning and use it strategically. It neatly captures the essence of other things about which I’ve written. Simply put, there are…
In my previous post, I discussed the importance of accepting the fact that an inescapable reality of life is that we suffer. I am not endorsing that we should just throw in the towel and give up when confronted with challenges and suffering. We should not just say to ourselves, “Ah, this is my…
This is a continuation of my last post on the importance of social relationships. So, if you haven’t read that, then it might be best to start there. Let’s start with this premise: if you agree that social relationships are critical to one’s happiness, then it makes sense to spend some effort to develop,…
We all have the psychology needs for power and control. The perception that we have power and control helps us to feel happy. It is critical our sense of well-being to believe this. When we don’t think that we have control, it can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety…feelings of being trapped or…