Practical Wisdom Talk by Barry Swartz From the TED Talks Archives: We can’t solve our problems by laying down a set of rules and pretending that following them to the letter will produce desired results….
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Dealing With Holiday Stress
Holiday Stress It is the best of times. It is the worst of times. It’s that time of year when we have more parties, social gatherings, big meals with family, presents, beautiful music, all celebrated in our…
A Quick Solution to Your Problem
Jake calls me up because he is looking for a solution to his problems. He fills me in on his relationship issues. After more than 20 years of marriage his wife has decided to move…
The McGurk Effect: How Conditioning Affects Perception
How does our conditioning affect our perception. Watch this video and you will see how you HEAR sounds that are not there. Our visual cue is that we should hear a certain sound, and so…
Power Over Happiness
Dear Gary I have a question, I understand that an agreement can be changed regarding an emotional reaction. But, people do move to California for better weather, or move away from Los Angeles to get…
Daniel kahneman: on Happiness from Memories and Happiness from Experience
Daniel Kahneman complicates and clarifies happiness. One of Daniel’s positions is that much of our happiness about an experience is from our memory of that experience. Daniel address that this memory is subjective as it…
The Possibility of Happiness and a Quiet Mind
What’s possible in the realm of happiness and quieting your mind? I come across many people who assume that the level of mastery they have over their emotions and beliefs is the limit of what…
I Should Be Further Along Than I Am
How many times in our process have we had the thought, “I should be further along than I am.” Really? To that comment I sometimes like to ask two questions, One: “In terms of percentage,…
Fear Definition
Fear Definition Some people say FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. That’s a nice acronym. It’s catchy. It’s also not true. Calling it False Evidence is saying that fear is an illusion or a lie. …
What Should I Do
What should I do? When you ask this question to someone else,,, you are opening the door to giving away your personal power and creating a victim mindset. This is a dangerous question to ask. …
Suggestions for Success with the Self Mastery Program
Suggestions for Success To help you get more out of the Self Mastery program here’s a suggestion: 1. Don’t go for Perfection This may sound strange but the assignments I give aren’t always things you…
Growth from Failure and Imagination by J. K. Rowling
Graduation speech by J. K. Rowling at Harvard Commencement J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo. Because of her experience, and failures, she has an extraordinary range of perspectives. With the…
Dealing With Grief
Hi Gary- I find your insights incredibly rewarding and helpful. I have been looking at your website (and bless you for making so much free btw), and one thing I see missing is anything about…
Faith and the Power to Change Your Life
Faith Some people define faith as a belief in something for which they have no evidence for. Others think of faith as a set of religious beliefs. These are limited uses and understanding of faith. …
The Story of Stuff
I can get away posting this video here because it relates to happiness. I can also do it because it’s my blog space and I can post if I want to. But more seriously folks,…
The Most Important Thing for Your Happiness
What’s the most important thing for your happiness? The simple answer is Love. Love is not only a beautiful feeling, but an incredibly transformative force. When we express love we create a feeling of happiness. …
Learning to be a Man
“The primary experience of being a man is being inadequate.” Robert Bly And then working so hard at a job, relationship, and success to overcome that feeling. We are a culture where grown men spend…
Overcoming Fear of Losing Money
Fear of Losing Money As you learn to live a happier life one of the things that will change is the quality of communication. Probably one of the most fearfully corrupt areas of communication is…
Self Improvement Myth: Setting Goals
Some people put a lot of importance on goals. They are big in the self help / Personal Development world. I’ve found that goals can sometimes cause misery and unhappiness that more than wipes out…