Act Happy Week, Day 1: Smile On Purpose

The focus of Act Happy Week is to educate the public about purposeful actions you can take to create chemical shifts in your body that drive Positive Emotions. Here is today’s exercise: Day 1: Smile On Purpose Smiling initiates a complex shift of muscles, breath, and body chemistry (you release endorphins!) that creates a more positive mood. Plus, what you …

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The 13 Principles of Happiness, Redux

A few weeks ago I delivered one of my core talks, “Five Prescriptions for Living and Leading in a Turbulent World” to an enthusiastic audience. One of the participants approached me after the program to say, “Jim, I’ve been a subscriber for over a year, and I’ve never read anything about these 13 Principles of Happiness that you refer to …

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Awaken Your Own Force: 9 Ways Happiness and The Force are One

Today is the day. No movie in filmmaking history has pre-sold as many tickets as have been purchased already for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Millions of people committed to experience a movie about which they know practically nothing: the plot is a mystery, most of the actors are unknowns, and it all takes place a long time …

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Why Is It So Important To Start With Gratitude?

Which came first: the chicken or the egg? We’ve puzzled this question for hundreds of years, and many are still divided on the best answer. But when speaking of the Positive Emotions family, Happiness vs. Gratitude, there is no debate about which comes first: Gratitude. Gratitude To build a House of Happiness, you must first lay a foundation of Gratitude. …

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What to do when someone you love is grieving

A coaching client recently lost a dear aunt to cancer. “She was like a mom to me,” he explained. A day after our last meeting, he wrote to ask for some help. “Hey, Jim, I was talking with my cousin today. He said that his dad isn’t doing well with his wife passing. He cries every time on the phone.. …

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12 Positive Practices for a Great Year

A client’s writing inspired this post. When I reach the end of a coaching relationship, I invite the client to reflect on what s/he is taking away from the experience, and what commitments s/he will make going forward to ensure their personal growth continues. Recently a client who is ending a year of coaching sent me a list of practices …

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Just Change One Thing

 Sometimes it seems like nothing works the way it should. If you’re a human being, you have probably experienced that place where work is no fun, relationship is a struggle or you don’t even feel comfortable in your body. At times like these, changing your life can seem overwhelming. There’s so much to do…where do you even start? It’s quite …

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Happiness Comes From Love and Gratitude

Every day, people buy too much stuff, eat too much food, and waste away their hours chasing after happiness…to no avail. They may find excitement or satiation, but TRUE HAPPINESS still eludes them. Fortunately, happiness is really inexpensive and pretty simple to find, but that doesn’t mean that it comes easily.  If you’re bold, and truly willing to commit to …

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You Were Born To Shine

  Over time, fear, exhaustion and shame can dim the brightest of lights, and that is why you must, at all times, do what you can to keep that flame inside burning bright, choose the path of light and love, and allow your brilliance to be seen. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools that you can use to rekindle your spark …

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