Last week, I asked you when you were happiest. As I expected, I got a wide range of answers. I’d like to share some common themes in your answers, my personal answer to this question and what I learned from reading through your responses. Happiness through Activity A number of you mentioned that you are […]
When Are You Happiest?
Today I’d like to get your feedback on a question: when are you happiest? I want to avoid biasing the results by putting qualifiers on what “happiest” means, so I’ll let you decide. I’m assuming that none of us can maintain a persistent state of absolute bliss. This must mean there are some sections of […]
9 Ideas to Overcome Discouragement
If you have a goal, then you’ll probably face a lot of discouragement. Rejection, criticism, frustration, obstacles and failure are all part of the package. Although a few people might be immune to discouragement, I know I’m certainly not. I suspect you probably aren’t either. For myself, I’ve found that trying to resist negative experiences […]
The Psychological Benefits of Optimism
“The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.” George F. Will, The Leveling Wind “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.” Harry Truman “It doesn’t hurt to be optimistic. You […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.