What Does Happiness Conceal?
What does happiness conceal? asks John Quiggin. Chiefly this: that there is a reason everyone reads Dante's 'Inferno' and no one reads his 'Paradiso'. 'All happy families are alike,' Tolstoy wrote. Maybe there just isn't anything interesting to say about happiness. Or is there? Read on...... posted on May 20, 8547 reads

The Love of Stuff
Nick Thorpe asks, "If Western consumer culture sometimes resembles a bulimic binge in which we taste and then spew back things that never quite nourish us, the ascetic, anorexic alternative of rejecting materialism altogether will leave us equally starved. Who, then, can teach me how to celebrate my possessions with the mindful, celebratory spirit of a gourmet?"... posted on May 10, 7364 reads

10 Extraordinary People & Their Lessons For Success
From presidents to hip-hop producers to poets, the last page of every issue of Harvard Business Review is always an interview with someone who has succeeded outside the traditional corporate world. Enjoy these gems of wisdom taken from interviews with people like Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on her life work, musician Russell Simmons on his meditation practice, poet Maya Angelou on courage, and man... posted on Apr 23, 25671 reads

7 Years Around the World...On Foot
Join Paul Salopek as he goes on one of the most ambitious journey's ever undertaken by any man: circumnavigating the world...on foot. Along the way, the award-winning journalist hopes to chronicle not only the major themes of our time -- such as climate change, mass migration and cultural survival -- but also the stories of those everyday people from some of the most remote places on earth. As he ... posted on May 24, 2947 reads

The Process of Creating New Habits
Have you ever wanted to change a bad habit or perhaps just form a new, good habit, but then found that you lack the discipline to stick to your intention? if so changing that pattern might not be as difficult as you think. This article share about the research behind forming new habits and also some guidelines for getting started.... posted on Jul 16, 65756 reads

What To Remember When Waking
"There is a small opening into the new day which closes the moment you begin your plans. What you can plan is too small for you to live." These beautiful words from poet, David Whyte capture the very essence of wholehearted living - to cultivate gratitude and joy, in the absence of all self-imposed limitations. Read the complete poem here.... posted on May 23, 4222 reads

A Blessing For One Who Is Exhausted
"You have traveled too fast over false ground; Now your soul has come to take you back." In this poem, John O'Donohue, Irish poet, author, and philosopher, beautifully expresses the process of slowly returning to oneself that can heal the heart after times of suffering.... posted on Jun 2, 166469 reads

Taking Back The Time
"As a species, we humans possess some unique capacities. We can stand apart from what's going on, think about it, question it, imagine things being different. We are also curious. We want to know "why?" We figure out "how." We think about what's past' we dream forward to the future. We create what we want rather than just accept what is. So far, we're the only species we know that does this. But a... posted on Jun 20, 21366 reads

Don't Be So Sure
Margaret Wheatley explains why now, more than ever, we need curiosity and a willingness to embrace uncertainty in order to deal with the challenges of our time. "I'm not suggesting we let go of our beliefs altogether, only that we become curious about what someone else believes...When we listen with less judgment, we always develop better relationships with [those we thought we couldn't understand... posted on May 19, 28205 reads

Power of Place: Photos From Around the World
Steve Mccury captures the beauty and uniqueness of different places that the human family calls home from around the planet. His photos bring to light that our environments play a role in shaping our perceptions about what it means to be human--from our relationship to the weather to our relationship to the soul. ... posted on Jul 30, 21186 reads

Beauty & The Dumpster
"I've been to archaeological sites, know the sun-bleached whiteness of bone, the tea-colored stains left by earth. Here, no layers of soil obscured the find." Join Meredith Sabini, founder of the Dream Institute of Northern California, as she explores the remnants of a life: the objects left behind by friends and relatives after a loved one passes.... posted on Jul 1, 0 reads

An Illustrated Poster For People Who Love Their Work
'Arbejdsglaede' is a wonderful Scandinavian word that literally means 'work-love' or 'work-glad'. There is no direct translation for this word in the English language, so Maptia decided to use crowdsourcing to explore its meaning. More than 200 people who love their jobs shared three words that described how they felt on a Monday morning. A beautiful poster summarizes the results, with the size of... posted on Jul 13, 0 reads

Finding Treasure In A Thrift-Store Couch
Imagine digging through the cushions on a secondhand couch expecting to find a few extra coins -- and pulling out, instead, over $40,000. Now ask yourself, would you then return the money? That's the question three roommates faced when they realized that the lumps in their newly purchased couch were actually large bundles of money. Money that had been set aside to care for a dying man's widow. Pur... posted on Jul 3, 8479 reads

The Power of Hobbies
When thinking of ways to create a better and healthier lifestyle, oftentimes people tend to think in terms of cutting back on certain choices, be it eating desserts, drinking alcohol, or perhaps just sitting on the couch watching TV. But one area in life that has been almost cut out entirely is something that actually should have never been cast aside --having a hobby. Not only is it a fulfilling,... posted on Aug 19, 28115 reads

A New Model of School Reform
So often we attack difficult issues from the 'outside in.' Take, for example, our failing school systems - not even Mark Zuckerburg's generous $100 million donation could help to fix the underlying issues. And yet, one unassuming schoolhouse in Oakland, California is making unprecedented strides in educational reform. Their secret? They are transforming themselves from the inside out, through soc... posted on Aug 16, 23860 reads

How Life Has Transformed Our Planet
One could easily be forgiven for thinking that life bears little connection to rocks. After all, what could be more different than a fragrant rose and a cold chunk of granite? Minerals are usually defined as naturally occurring inorganic substances that combine to form rocks. Yet minerals (two out of three, in fact) arise as a result of biological processes.... posted on Aug 6, 4966 reads

Picasso On Intuition
Brassai asks Picasso whether his ideas come to him "by chance or by design." Picasso responds: "I don't have a clue. Ideas are simply starting points...What I capture in spite of myself interests me more than my own ideas." Read more on how artists create and what they think about as they work.... posted on Sep 29, 26969 reads

Newtown Victim's Dream Becomes A Reality
"It was just in her soul," said Jenny Hubbard, describing her late daughter's love of animals. "She didn't care if it was fuzzy or slimy." Six-year-old Catherine Violet Hubbard was sadly one of 20 first-graders killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Before she died, young Catherine worked tirelessly towards her dream - a dream of one day opening her own animal refuge. At first,... posted on Sep 9, 16863 reads

How To Help Kids Listen To Their Minds
Maintaining focus in an age of ever-increasing distractions can seem daunting, to say the least. For teachers working to engage the minds of our youth, these distractions can make learning an impossible task. Our children are at the mercy of their disorganized minds -- with failing grades, high suspension rates, and violence only the tip of 'chaotic mind' iceberg. But with the introduction of an i... posted on Sep 10, 25947 reads

An Act of Dog: An Artist's Effort To Foster Compassion
5,500 dogs; that's the estimated number of shelter dogs killed every day in the U.S. About one every 15-16 seconds. But one artist is hoping to change those statistics by cultivating a new generation built on compassion. Artist Mark Barone used to spend his time revitalizing cities ravished by blight. Now he has given up everything to paint 5,500 portraits of euthanized dogs in order to memorializ... posted on Sep 2, 35047 reads

Dad Invents Bionic Pancreas For Diabetic Son
Inspired by his son David's experience living and managing Type 1 diabetes, Ed Damiano, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, has invented a bionic pancreas that helps people with Type 1 diabetes manage their blood sugar. Read more to hear how the power of a parent's love has the potential to change the lives of millions of people living with diabetes.... posted on Oct 31, 5848 reads

Hoop Dreams: Teaching Values Through Basketball in Congo
"You come here, you play hard, you work hard,"shares Dario Merlo. He was just 11-years-old when his family fled their home in Goma, to escape the horrors of the Rwandan massacre. Returning in 2005, Dario pledged to make a difference. He created the Promo Jeune Basket (Promote Youth Basketball), an organization working to empower the youth of Africa. But, this is a league unlike any other -- in tha... posted on Oct 10, 14528 reads

Reading, Writing, Empathy: The Rise Of Social Emotional Learning
There's a lot of focus these days on how to improve subject learning in schools, but what about the emotional development of our children? In 2005, researchers at Yale developed a training program called RULER to help teachers integrate emotional literacy into their everyday curriculum. Studies are now showing that students in RULER classrooms aren't just expressing themselves more effectively -- ... posted on Oct 4, 23781 reads

Garden Library: A Neighborhood Transformed By Creativity
"The Garden Library is like our mother," says Sudanese asylum seeker Najmeldien (Nadeem) Ahmed. "It felt like my life in Israel started when I found the library." The Garden Library is a nonprofit initiative founded by Israelis in 2009. It started with two bookcases in the center of Levinsky Garden, a public park in one of Tel Aviv's poorest neighborhoods, now home to many African asylum seekers. ... posted on Nov 1, 19199 reads

How We Think: John Dewey on the Art of Reflection
More than one hundred years ago, psychologist John Dewey wrote "How We Think," a book examining "what separates thinking, a basic human faculty we take for granted, from thinking well..." This article summarizes Dewey's findings, more salient than ever in our age of "snap judgments and instant opinions." ... posted on Sep 19, 9616 reads

Hairstylist For The Homeless
Mark Bustos is a hair stylist at an upscale salon in New York City, but not all of his clientele have to be wealthy to get a quality trim. Sometimes, they don't need a penny. Bustos spends every Sunday -- his only day off from work -- venturing through the city in search of anyone in need who'd appreciate a haircut. Approaching each person with the same, simple phrase -- "I want to do something ni... posted on Oct 21, 32684 reads

Fluro Zebra (Age 10) Is Making The World Smile
"You can do a really simple thing, and it can turn out to make a BIG difference." That's 10 year old Fluro Zebra's motto. When Fluro wanted to do a random act of kindness, she decided to make pet rocks with the sole goal of making people smile. Read more about the ten year old girl who is reminding us that we can all make the world a happier, more peaceful place if we carry out an altruistic deed.... posted on Oct 3, 27441 reads

How We Die: The Art of Living & Dying Meaningfully
Sherwin Nuland writes about death, but not in the way that you might expect. He wants to clear the fog of the fear of death away from our eyes. Death, in his view, has everything to do with how we live. In his own words: "The honesty and grace of the years of life that are ending is the real measure of how we die. It is not in the last weeks or days that we compose the message that will be rememb... posted on Nov 3, 24974 reads

Alan Watts On The Art of Timing
Alan Watts had a singular way of dispersing our illusory convictions about pairings, such as belief vs. faith or money vs. wealth or productivity vs. presence or ego vs. true self or stimulation vs. wisdom or profit vs. purpose. In Does It Matter? Essays on Man's Relation to Materiality, he considers another such infinitely important duality -- the notions of hurrying and timing. Learn more about ... posted on Oct 24, 11208 reads

Jane Goodall On How To Reach Our Highest Potential
Enjoy this wonderful video from NOVA's series "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers," where Dr. Jane Goodall, the world-famous primatologist, talks about what she feels is one of life's most important aspects -- empathy. Not only does she believe empathy plays a key role in her studies of chimpanzees, but she also feels strongly that having empathy for other beings in turn brings us closer ... posted on Oct 26, 21492 reads

The Compassionate Instinct
Although many question whether true compassion exists at all, recent studies are showing that compassion is deeply rooted in our brains, our bodies, and in the most basic ways we communicate. Dacher Keltner -- a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley -- shares more about the compassionate side to human nature in this article.... posted on Nov 5, 22751 reads

7 Ideas For Compassionate Communities
Are you looking for inspiring ideas to take action on some of society's broadest and most challenging issues? From addressing homelessness to providing medical care (in exchange for a song), look no further than this list of 7 revolutionary ideas from Yes Magazine.... posted on Nov 20, 19438 reads

When's The Last Time You Unfolded A Map?
When's the last time you pulled out a map to find where you were, or how to get where you were going? As Snigda Manickavel reminds us, "When we gaze at our devices and scurry through the world in thoroughly efficient ways, we are forgetting the most important part of our sojourn on this watery planet. To connect with the other people who are here with us." You may want to dig up some maps or peek ... posted on Nov 11, 23574 reads

The New Farmers
With an environment in crisis, a new generation of young farmers is taking their action from the streets back to the soil. In this article from Orion Magazine, writer Lauren Markham explores the motivations that have driven this newest generation of farmers to relinquish the comforts of urban life, and to take the reins of a new farming movement.... posted on Feb 7, 8264 reads

How Does Grace Happen?
Grace has the capacity to transcend even our darkest of spaces. It is a sudden miracle, basked in the light of loving-kindness. And, grace has the capacity to heal. "These moments of grace," author Mary Traina writes, "teach us that there is always more to life than we can imagine." But, how do we open our hearts to grace? By way of answer, this article offers up a series of simple, yet moving rea... posted on Dec 28, 29594 reads

One Man's Organized Response To Disaster
When tech executive David Campbell learned about the devastation in Thailand caused by the 2004 tsunami, he was moved to action. Armed with a wireless router and duct tape he flew to Thailand where, against the odds he organized a chaotic assortment of people from around the world into a team of effective volunteers. When Campbell returned home to the U.S., Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Us... posted on Dec 10, 20551 reads

Which Countries Are The Happiest?
Is it income or social inclusion that determines the level of happiness one feels? To what extent, if any, does geography contribute to one's happiness? In a study of more than 40,000 students representing 200 countries, researchers examined these questions to try to arrive at the science of happiness. Read on for the results and to see if your country is represented in the study!... posted on Jan 9, 35423 reads

Just One Thing: Be Amazed
Sometimes noticing the little things make us realize how truly amazing life can be. Showing love, being forgiving and taking time to be awed by things we take for granted, like the beauty of a butterfly or the power of a hug, can be powerful reminders to be grateful. Read further to be reminded of how beautiful life can be.... posted on Jan 13, 25776 reads

An Open Letter To The Children Of The World
If you wrote an open letter to the children of the world, would you apologize to them? Following the tragic Newtown shooting that took the lives of 20 children exactly two years ago today, Randall Amster wrote such a letter. In it he addresses not just children but adults, as well: "This is not an excuse for our actions. We've let ourselves get caught up in the pace of our lives, and we've become ... posted on Dec 14, 24045 reads

Brilliant Impersonators: Celebrating The Rip-Off
Inventors are our heroes -- the geniuses who keep progress surging forward. Copycats -- we call them pirates -- are a threat. But according to researchers, throughout human history, innovation has been fueled and sustained by imitation. Copying is the mighty force that has allowed the human race to move from stone knives to remote-guided drones. We're natural-born rip-off artists. To be human is t... posted on Jan 11, 5213 reads

Low On Time? Here's A Surprising Solution
If we want to be high-functioning and happy, we need to re-learn how to be still. When we feel like there isn't enough time in the day for us to get everything done, when we wish for more time... we don't actually need more time. We need more stillness. Stillness to recharge. Stillness so that we can feel whatever it is that we feel. Stillness so that we can actually enjoy this life that we are li... posted on Jan 19, 36554 reads

Unpacking a Gift from 21 Years Ago
While cleaning out her dresser, a woman stumbles across a beautiful handwoven purse that was gifted to her by a special teacher more than two decades ago. A question from her husband leads her to reflect for the first time on what prompted that teacher's thoughtful gesture. What followed was a beautiful insight on the ways in which our lives are supported by the kindness of countless people. Read... posted on Dec 22, 22816 reads

Repaying A Homeless Man's Kindness
After a homeless man offered a college student in England all the money he had so she'd be able to get home safely, the woman is paying it forward -- in a massive way. Throughout the past few days, Dominique Harrison-Bentzen has raised almost $50,000 for the good Samaritan and for other homeless individuals in her community. Read her touching story here.... posted on Dec 24, 23270 reads

60 Kind Acts For My 60th Birthday
There is little in this world that provides a greater sense of inner peace than taking the time to do something kind for others. And, we shouldn't have to wait for "World Kindness Day" to take advantage of this. Rather, kindness can be something which is gently infused into each day. Read one woman's heart-opening experience as she challenged herself to a 60-day kindness challenge in celebration o... posted on Feb 13, 36414 reads

What Do I Do With IT?
What to do with "It"? There are many "its" in our lives, but no matter what "it" is that we have to face, we always have a choice about how we respond. Through her whimsical art, Deb Koffman reminds us that there's never just one way to deal with the blessings and challenges that greet us along the way.... posted on Jan 21, 29532 reads

Lee Hoinacki: Conscience & Courage
Lee Hoinacki, author of four books, ex-Dominican priest, scholar and deeply connected with Ivan Illich, was a remarkable man. One example: having left academia to become a subsistence farmer he found he needed money to help his daughter. He began looking for a job, "Then it hit me, why am I trying to get one of these respectable jobs? That's the worst thing I could do! That's what I left years ago... posted on Feb 3, 17277 reads

A Letter From Your 14-Year-Old Self
When was the last time you received a hand-written letter? For students of Mr. Farrer, it was a letter that they had written to their future selves 20 years ago, full of their young hopes and dreams as well as memories of people who have since passed away. Bruce Farrer started the assignment when he first started teaching at Bert Fox Community High School in the small Canadian town of Fort Qu'Appe... posted on Jan 1, 6737 reads

Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2014
Sometimes, all it takes is a small reminder to open our eyes to the beauty and wonder that surrounds us. KindSpring -- a portal for stories of kind acts, brims with such reminders every day! In 2014 a steady stream of acts of kindness by KindSpringers touched the lives of thousands of people all over the world. The following stories are some of the favorites from the past year. Enjoy!... posted on Jan 3, 68148 reads

A Gang You'll Want Your Kid to Join
The words 'gang' or 'posse' have negative connotations for most people. But not for Deborah Bial. After an aha-moment with a college drop-out, she would go on to form the Posse Foundation, one of the most comprehensive college access programs in the United States. How successful is the program? The list of former Posse graduates is undeniably impressive: Harvard grads, doctors, a college dean, a f... posted on Mar 27, 6189 reads

How Long Has It Been Since You Smelled A Flower?
For forty years Thom Irving has led writing workshops with prison inmates. He describes it as unlearning the language of excuses and refusal to accept responsibility for one's acts, then building hope that one is not entirely alone or lost as long as swallows can be seen, even from the narrow slot of a cell window.... posted on Mar 8, 5448 reads