It’s Women’s History Month – a time to celebrate influential women! Every year since 1987, during the month of March, we celebrate Women’s History Month. It is a time to remember women’s contributions to culture and society over the course of history. We live in a time when many things compete for our attention,
“…kindness is mandatory - it is the soothing fire we can rest beside.” -Maria Sirois, Psy.D., Author, Inspirational Speaker As I was reading through my emails the other day, Maria Sirois's video blog series “What To Remember” resonated deeply. The surprising message that kindness is mandatory struck me as a stark truth, a message that
When you are honest, you speak the truth. These words from Ryan Niemiec and Robert McGrath’s latest collaboration, The Power of Character Strengths, ring in my head following last week’s attack on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Honesty is a globally valued trait, and yet it seems woefully missing in many places. Omissions, half-truths,
With everything going on in the US and around the world, one thing has become crystal clear to me: our character strengths are more essential than ever before. Can you imagine what daily life might be like if each of us, including world leaders and politicians, consistently elevated his or her signature strengths? Especially in
As humans, we have a fundamental need to feel like we belong. We rely on others, and they rely on us. We all need positive, human connections to feel seen and understood. However, the world is struggling to navigate the harmful effects stemming from a lack of civility, disengagement from work, and more. We’ve
If you’ve been around awhile, like I have, you’ll probably remember Bobby McFerrin’s 1988 award-winning hit song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” It’s also known among younger generations. Bobby McFerrin is famous for his a cappella songs. He gave a popular TED talk at the World Science Festival in 2009 in which he turned the
Courage helps us choose new pathways during times of stress and difficulty. These days, we need courage to complete even the most basic tasks, like sending the kids to school or shopping for groceries, because they carry higher risks than before. There are many ways to demonstrate everyday courage. You can stand up for yourself. Take a step
My last article introduced the importance of whole person well-being and how to complete a SPIRE check-in to target elements of well-being that might need a boost. Today, I follow up by connecting character strengths with each element of SPIRE. Think of it as exploring your well-being in a strength-based way. This article is my
Given the unrest in the world around us, it probably isn’t surprising that our well-being is declining. Most of us are probably aware of when we feel good and when we don’t. But, have you ever considered why you feel good and how to intentionally place yourself in that zone more often? Well-being is about feeling good and functioning
Knock knock. Who’s there? Broken pencil. Broken pencil who? Never mind, it’s pointless! Not everyone likes a corny knock-knock joke, but I do. Whether you prefer playfulness, cleverness, or full-on belly laughing, we can all probably use a spoonful of humor to provide levity right now. It’s easy to forget to laugh and have