“We don’t laugh because we’re happy, we are happy because we laugh.” -William James One of my mentors and teachers was the late Annette Goodheart, a psychotherapist, teacher, and laughter coach extraordinaire. I met Annette in 1979 when husband Don and I first settled in Santa Barbara. Annette had just begun her private practice at […]
Top 10 Tips for the Holidays
Believe it or not, the holidays rank right up there on the stress scales with “asking the boss for a raise!” Whether celebrating at home or on the road, most of us need to learn how to be together more gracefully. Here are some practical ideas to help bring out the best in everyone: 1. […]
Practicing Gratefulness Can Improve Your Family’s Health
“When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” -Tecumseh, Shawnee leader The world’s religious teachers, ancient philosophers, and indigenous people have spoken […]
How to Become More Grateful in Your Relationships
As the interest in positive psychology has grown, more books have been coming out for the general public on various strategies to cultivate more happiness, to increase optimism, and to teach forgiveness and compassion. There are several books on gratitude that we have found inspirational and helpful for individuals who want to incorporate this strength […]
Did You Say Thank You Today?
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart This quote really got me thinking. People generally pray for something. And we generally pray […]
How Exercise Can Help the Brain (and Other Things)
One of the books that we have told many friends and family about is Spark: The Revolutionary Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey and Eric Hagerman. John Ratey, M.D. is a clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of numerous bestselling and groundbreaking books, including Driven to Distraction and […]
