Why Your Brain Hates Slowpokes
Slow things drive us crazy because the fast pace of society has warped our sense of timing, creating expectations that can't be rewarded fast enough-- or at all. How can we stave off the slowness rage and revive patience? Meditation and mindfulness may help, but Northeastern University psychologist David DeSteno suggests that practicing gratitude is the best shortcut of all.... posted on Jan 20, 11054 reads

Everything You Need to Know About New Year's Resolutions
"Statistically speaking, new year's resolutions are a losing game. A whopping 92 percent of people who set resolutions don't succeed, according to University of Scranton research. Still, that doesn't mean that the start of a new year isn't a good time to commit to working towards any goals or self-improvement projects that you've put on the back burner. Succeeding with your resolutions may simply ... posted on Jan 14, 15341 reads

The Writer in the Tough Teen
Matt de la Pena just won this year's Newbery Award for a picture book, but he also writes young adult novels featuring working-class multicultural characters. Because of this, he is often invited to speak at urban schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods. At one school visit, Matt talked with the principal as the students filed in. The principal pointed out a particular student, seated in the back.... posted on Jan 15, 9089 reads

The Momentia Movement: Defying Dementia Through Friendship
"Alice Padillas laugh cut through the air at Seattles Woodland Park Zoo. Fresh off an hour-long exhibit tour, she and 16 other friends sat in the zoo cafeteria, snacking on sugar cookies and mocking current bestsellers. The group could appear to be just another cluster of friends visiting the zoo. But they were there for another purpose, too: to provide joy as much as support. Part of a program ca... posted on Jan 17, 11503 reads

Seven Ways to Help High Schoolers Find Purpose
"One thing nearly all teens agree on is that most of what high school teaches them is irrelevant to their lives outside of school or their future careers. One study found that the most common feelings among high school students are fatigue and boredom. Another study concluded that 65 percent of the jobs that today's high school graduates will have in their lifetime do not even exist yet. But we ar... posted on Feb 1, 11814 reads

Messy Works: Self-Organized Learning in the Classroom
Sugata Mitra's "Hole in the Wall" experiment in self-organized learning has garnered a lot of attention since it first begun in 1999 and won a TED prize in 2013. It demonstrated that a group of students working together, motivated by a deep question and with access to a computer, could produce amazing results. But few self-organized learning environments exist in traditional education. Maybe it's ... posted on Mar 2, 8102 reads

An Unforgettable Meeting with a Reclusive Genius
Becoming increasingly intrigued by painter Agnes Martin, Hadi Tabatabai took a chance and sent the famously reclusive artist a small painting of his own. To his surprise, she responded warmly and extended an open invitation for a visit. A year later, he traveled to Taos, New Mexico to meet her. Here's the account of that meeting.... posted on Apr 16, 14590 reads

Dignity Village: Homes For Portland's Homeless
"On a frigid January morning in Portland, Ore., a tour through Dignity Village follows the same path its residents are required to travel. All were, or are, homeless. Newcomers to this homeless refuge huddle in the warming station, a small portable with photos of smiling former residents and where they are required to stay during a 60-day probationary period. They hope to graduate to a small makes... posted on Feb 18, 8776 reads

Lawrence Bloom: Captain Planet
"Meet Lawrence Bloom. His team invented today's ubiquitous hotel cards that promote towel reuse. But the businessman turned earth guru doesn't plan to stop there; he's on a lifetime mission to save us from ourselves." Alicia Buller reports on Bloom's insights from a transformation which began one introspective day, many years ago, as Bloom sat in his luxury Mercedes, parked outside his seven-bedro... posted on Mar 19, 12179 reads

Acting from the Heart: An Exploration of Generosity
"For me generosity comes when you're in a state of equanimity. So it has nothing to do with the state or the context that you're in. It's about a radical acceptance of life -- as it is. And when you do that, then you realize that, "Oh, I don't want anything from it so what can I do for it?" It's almost like this natural state of service happens... If you're able to accept life as it is, no matter ... posted on Feb 22, 12487 reads

College Happiness Clubs
"College students often get stereotyped as stressed out and sleep-deprived. But at universities across the country, students are aiming to change that as they join clubs dedicated to a common, joyful purpose: spreading happiness. Northwestern University is home to one of the country's oldest college happiness clubs, which began unofficially in 2008 when a group of students handed out hot chocolate... posted on Feb 24, 12367 reads

Estella's Brilliant Bus
Even after 50 years as an educator, Estella Pyfrom was not ready to slow down after retirement. When Estella realized that fewer students had access to computers after school, she and her husband spent their life savings on a mobile learning lab called Estella's Brilliant Bus. Now, Estella provides whatever services a community might need, from after-school tutoring to free food distribution. Her ... posted on Feb 26, 3424 reads

Three Surprising Ways to Feel Less Busy
"Although people tell me all the time they like feeling busy--perhaps because it makes them feel important and significant-- I'm not buying it. Would you ever choose busyness over a more relaxed form of productivity? When life starts to feel hectic, here are a few ways to dial back the overwhelm." This article shares three tips for achieving relaxed productivity (and also shares information on why... posted on Mar 11, 38542 reads

Six Cities Designed for Health
What would it look like if cities were designed for health and happiness of its residents? The YES! magazine profiled 6 such cities which are taking steps -- from creating new distributed green spaces that will improve water quality, to developing opportunities for greater community interaction, to forging partnerships to support holistic medical options -- to helping residents live more healthful... posted on Mar 31, 14945 reads

Gulabi Gang: We Are Fire
Bundelkhand region, in the hinterlands of Uttar Pradesh, is one of the poorest districts in India. In this deeply patriarchal society, domestic and sexual violence against women is endemic. The Gulabi (pink) Gang was founded by Sampat Pal to start a movement for change. Named for the pink saris worn by the women members, the organization helps raise women's consciousness and empowers them to becom... posted on Mar 15, 2873 reads

Understanding of the Heart: A Conversation with Irene Sullivan
Irene Sullivan is an artist. She's lived in remote regions of Alaska as a nurse practitioner; her experiences with indigenous people led her to an interest in female shamanism among arctic peoples and to independent research as a Fulbright Scholar. Later she became an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church in the sub-arctic region of northern Manitoba where she served three villages of the Cree p... posted on Mar 17, 13671 reads

A Prosecutor's Vision For A Better Justice System
"[H]ow many of you, by the age of 25, had either acted up in school, went somewhere you were specifically told to stay out of, or drank alcohol before your legal age? How many of you shoplifted, tried an illegal drug or got into a physical fight -- yes, even with a sibling? Now, how many of you ever spent one day in jail for any of those decisions? How many of you sitting here today think that you... posted on Apr 3, 15689 reads

The Capacity for Successful Solitude
When asked to share her thoughts on the value of solitude, and her view that if people don't learn to be alone, then they are guaranteed to be lonely, author and psychologist Sherry Turkle had this to say...... posted on Apr 25, 24773 reads

4 Reasons to Cultivate Patience
As virtues go, patience is a quiet one. It's often exhibited behind closed doors, not on a public stage: A father telling a third bedtime story to his son, a dancer waiting for her injury to heal. In public, it's the impatient ones who grab all our attention: drivers honking in traffic, grumbling customers in slow-moving lines. We have epic movies exalting the virtues of courage and compassion, bu... posted on Apr 7, 0 reads

Unlocking Multiple Forms of Wealth
Much of today's society is designed through the lens of financial wealth, but is our world richer for it? Nipun Mehta uses that question as a springboard to make a compelling case for alternative forms of wealth that are often overlooked -- like time, community and attention. Drawing on his personal journey with ServiceSpace, as well as fascinating research and real-world examples, this inspiring ... posted on Apr 19, 52963 reads

Yoo-Mi Lee: Giving the Gift of Time
Yoo-Mi Lee's family moved from Korea to Uganda. Six years later they immigrated to the Bronx. She was 12. Graduating from Cornell, she ended up by happenstance on Wall Street. Executing trades, glued to three video screens, working three phones and keeping up with the ticker tape, she was headed for a seat at George Soros' currency desk. Then she walked away from the world of Big Money. "I decided... posted on May 6, 4409 reads

The Dream We Haven't Dared to Dream
What are your dreams? Better yet, what are your broken dreams? Dan Pallotta dreams of a time when we are as excited, curious and scientific about the development of our humanity as we are about the development of our technology. Pallotta asks us to "Imagine living in a world where we simply recognize that deep, existential fear in one another -- and love one another boldly because we know that to ... posted on Sep 7, 15897 reads

Grafitti Grandma
Most people have a negative image of graffiti and "tagging." However, there are a group of grandmas and a few grandpas in Lisbon, Portugal, who are encouraged to create street art through workshops given by an organization called Lata 65. This video is a tribute to one of the "crew." Meet Lusa Corteso, a graffiti grandma who never let age impede her imaginative spirit. ... posted on May 9, 4379 reads

Billions in Change: The Man Who Gifts 99% of His Wealth
How do you change the world? Is foreign aid the most effective tool, or should charities funded by millions of small donors lead the way? A new organization called Billions in Change is trying a new strategy: creating inventions to solve the most fundamental problems that people face around the world. Founded and funded by multi-billionaire Manoj Bhargava, the organization has a unique opportunity... posted on May 16, 21374 reads

A Life-Saving Coat for the Homeless
"Six years ago, Veronika Scott accepted a challenge from her college professor: Design something to "fill a need" in Detroit. Scott, an art student, found her inspiration on the streets."In Detroit, there's this large homeless population, and they kind of just disappear into the landscape," Scott said. "I wanted to design for this whole population of people that we just don't see." In 2010, Scott ... posted on May 19, 7089 reads

Translating Meaning Into Life: A Taoist Parable
"During a time of great drought, a Taoist master was asked by members of a village if he could help bring rain to their dry fields. They confessed trying many other approaches before reaching out to him, but with no success. The master agreed to come and asked for a small hut with a garden that he could tend. For three days, he tended the garden, performing no special rituals or asking anything fu... posted on Dec 29, 44732 reads

The Sandwich Man
Allan Law first came across hunger and homelessness as a middle school teacher in the inner city schools of Minneapolis, Minnesota. In his retirement, Law has spent every day of the last 12 years on the streets of Minneapolis, leaving his small condominium filled with freezers at 8pm and returning around noon the next day. He distributes 6 - 700 sandwiches a day, along with other essentials, sleep... posted on May 30, 2443 reads

New Trail of Hope
"Walking into the park to get a better look, I was shocked to see how many pieces of art I saw. It was hard to believe. This was a city park, after all. Sure, one might see a piece of public art here and there in a park, but nothing like this. And this work was alive. Across the language barrier I made out something like this: "Whatever this creative ability is that has been given to me, it's not ... posted on Jun 7, 5176 reads

Art & Healing: Katherine Sherwood
UC Berkeley art professor, Katherine Sherwood suffered a serious cerebral hemorrhage paralyzing her right side. Impatient with the slowness of rehabilitation therapy, she decided to go back into the studio and try painting using her left hand. It turned out to be the most effective therapy she could have imagined. And her painting, many agreed, had become better than ever. As she says, "I strongly... posted on Jul 2, 4296 reads

The Science of the Story
Stories are told in the body. It doesn't seem that way. We tend to think of stories as emerging from consciousness -- from dreams or fantasies -- and traveling through words or images to other minds. We see them outside of us, on paper or on screen, never under the skin. But we do feel stories. We know in our gut when we're hearing a good one -- and science is starting to explain why.... posted on Jun 9, 19835 reads

Thinking Outside the Box
Despite its relative small size, big things are emerging from an innovative idea that is bringing a wealth of knowledge and hope to those living in marginalized communities. The 'ZubaBox,' is a shipping container that has been cleverly transformed into a solar-powered internet cafe that provides school children in remote areas "a space that they deserve to improve their learning experience and ach... posted on Jul 3, 16943 reads

How Great Leaders Inspire Action
Simon Sinek has a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers . He shares more here, in one of the most popular TED talks of all time.... posted on Jun 20, 23803 reads

Elizabeth Gilbert: Choosing Curiosity Over Fear
Her name is synonymous with her fantastically best-selling memoir Eat Pray Love. But through the disorienting process of becoming a global celebrity, Elizabeth Gilbert has also reflected deeply on the gift and challenge of inhabiting a creative life. Creativity, as she defines it, is about choosing curiosity over fear not to be confused with the more familiar trope to "follow your passion, but ra... posted on Sep 5, 17190 reads

We All Benefit When We Design For Disability
"I believe that losing my hearing was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received," says Elise Roy. As a disability rights lawyer and design thinker, she knows that being deaf gives her a unique way of experiencing and reframing the world a perspective that could solve some of our largest problems. As she says: "When we design for disability first, you often stumble upon solutions that are bette... posted on Sep 17, 11528 reads

The Little Free Pantry
Created by Jessica McCarland, Little Free Pantry in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is a low-cost, direct-action approach to fighting food insecurity by allowing people in Jessica's neighborhood to share surplus food and household goods. After a short article on the pantry spread through social networks, the idea inspired other neighborhoods to start their own Little Free Pantries. While global issues can... posted on Aug 11, 16141 reads

Can Science Help You Become Wise?
As science continues to make amazing inroads into just about everything, like the Hubble telescope and the Human Genome Project, there is one thing that science is just starting to scratch the surface of: wisdom. Enjoy this fascinating interview with Krista Tippett, author of the book, "Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living," on the developing evolution of wisdom.... posted on Aug 15, 12214 reads

James George: If Not Now, When?
"International diplomat, author and visionary environmentalist James George is now 98. I met and interviewed him as he was about to get married at the age of 86. Having just received a copy of his most recent book, Last Call, I thought it fitting to revisit this earlier, light-emitting interview. As Jim George says, "You see, Consciousness is permeating human beings to the degree that it can, but ... posted on Jul 24, 4632 reads

Giving To People Who Give
YouTube prankster Big Daws has over 1.7 million subscribers to his channel, BigDawsTV, but in this video, he addresses the issue of homelessness. Watch this social experiment in which Big Daws pretends to be a homeless person in need, and then gives to those that lend him a hand. "I just want to make the world a happier place and bring out the best in people."... posted on Jul 28, 4492 reads

Earthscapes: Art that Goes Out with the Tide
For Andres Amador, the earth is his canvas, literally. Instead of paintbrushes or pencils, Amador uses garden rakes to create beautifully crafted designs in the sand. From his hands emerge bold graphics, symmetrical sequences and organic patterns. The medium of using sand means sustainable designs that come from the earth and return to the earth. While there is no permanence to Amadors art, he doe... posted on Aug 6, 3892 reads

When the Boss Flunked
"Bob stood up and read his evaluation out loud. It was not pretty. There were lots of problems and weaknesses that his team had identified. He had basically flunked. As the 100 top leaders sat there, listening to Bob read his report, the place was absolutely quiet." This article shares the riveting story of what happened when the leader of a successful company failed his 360 degree evaluation. It ... posted on Aug 19, 15105 reads

How a Yellow Car Saved Me
When a little yellow car drove into Toni Powells life, she had no idea how much it would alter her ability to handle stress and worry. This funny true story tells of a moment of epiphany in a suburban street and offers a memorable tool that anyone can use to help make their life calmer.... posted on Aug 21, 6320 reads

The Left Shoe
Remember the joy of a new pair of shoes? This beautiful film, based on a story attributed to Gandhi's life, depicts the lives of two boys. It is the first film by then, 20-year old filmmaker, Sarah Rozik, and won the Jury's special award in the short film category at the 2014 Luxor Egyptian and European Film Festival.... posted on Aug 26, 6689 reads

The Present
The Present, based on a comic strip by Brazilian artist Fabio Coala, is a 2014 graduation short from the Institute of Animation, Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg in Ludwigsburg, Germany. After a very successful festival circuit, running in over 180 film festivals and winning more than 50 awards, the creators of the film have decided to share The Pres... posted on Sep 4, 7193 reads

The Power of Forgiveness at Work
Over the last two decades, much research has been published about the positive impact of forgiveness, particularly on the forgiver and in relationships. Now, a new study -- building on a smaller but growing body of research in the workplace -- supports the power of forgiveness to potentially improve well-being and productivity in professional settings.... posted on Sep 15, 13810 reads

The Man Who Transformed a Wasteland
For years, Jonathan Bergman was bothered by the sight of a neglected piece of property across the street from his office. It was a wasteland -- overgrown, ugly, trash-strewn, unloved. In the middle of it was a huge slab of cement covered in graffiti. He wondered to himself why no one had done anything about it. One day, he approached a man he saw looking at the land; they were both bothered by the... posted on Sep 30, 14340 reads

Zilong Wang: Medicine Journey
The quiet directness of Zilong Wang, his articulate, measured way of speaking and something so open about him makes an immediate impression. If one is around him very much at all, its impossible not to feel, in some measure, hope for our future. Because he was soon leaving on a solo bicycle pilgrimage across the U.S. and ultimately around the globe, I asked if we could record a conversation before... posted on Oct 5, 3978 reads

Elle Luna: The Crossroads of Should & Must
"If you want to know Must, get to know Should. This is hard work. Really hard work. We unconsciously imprison ourselves to avoid our most primal fears. We choose Should because choosing Must is terrifying, incomprehensible. Our prison is constructed from a lifetime of Shoulds, the world of choices weve unwittingly agreed to, the walls that alienate us from our truest, most authentic selves. Should... posted on Oct 6, 17506 reads

The Secret Life of Trees
In The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, German forester Peter Wohlleben chronicles what his own experience of managing a forest in the Eifel mountains in Germany has taught him about the astonishing language of trees and how trailblazing arboreal research from scientists around the world reveals "the role forests play in making our world the kind of place where we want t... posted on Oct 11, 20141 reads

How to Awaken Joy in Kids
In an effort to help young kids to not only cope, but to actually thrive in the stress-filled worlds they live in, authors James Baraz and Michele Lilyanna outline several scientific-based practices that they have cultivated through their experiences as teachers of both children and adults.... posted on Oct 22, 21533 reads

What Great Leadership and Music Have in Common
Management consultant Jim Crupi. who founded and runs Strategic Leadership Solutions, says all leaders should aspire to inspire, just as great music does, pointing out that "Our reaction to a great song can be so visceral that we are forever connected to it...reliving a wonderful moment." In this article he outlines seven ways a good leader can make great music to his staff or followers.... posted on Dec 3, 8988 reads