5 Ways Gratitude Can Backfire

Gratitude is good. Good for your health and well-being. Good for your relationships. In fact, I've written about the benefits of gratitu...

To Have and To Thank: Gratitude Helps us Hold onto our Relationships

I n honor of St. Valentine, today's post is the first in a two-part series on why gratitude may be a key ingredient in successful relati...

The secret to flourishing? Science says it's in the numbers

Flourishing is in the numbers When it comes to human flourishing, science is getting pretty specific. Over the course of our daily lives, we...

How to make time stand still

It often feels like there just aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all the things we want to accomplish, let alone find a momen...

When "He's Just Not That Into You" Backfires

Source The popular self-help book  He's Just Not That Into You: The No Excuses Truth To Understanding Guys  is intended to empower women...

When Good is Bad and Bad is Good: Beyond "Positive" Psychology

What is the prescription for optimal living? The burgeoning field of positive psychology appears to have many of the answers: We should be ...

The Secret to Maintaining Sexual Desire?

How many pennies are in your jar? Soon after I got engaged, a married friend told me about the Penny Game. In this game, a newlywed couple p...

Neighborly Love: The Psychology of Mr. Rogers

Source Mr. Rogers is undoubtedly one of the most beloved cultural icons in American history. His TV show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood , ran...

Friday Fun: Four factors that keep your relationship fun

For years, psychologists tried to understand why relationships fail. They targeted dysfunction, focusing on factors like negative emotions ...

Is trust Jeremy Lin's secret weapon?

Vintage Linsanity, circa 2006 ( source ) “It’s just us, being us, playing for us.” –Jeremy Lin I’ve got a confession to make: I’ve caught th...

Can your phone cure depression?

Source After years of resistance to the smartphone craze, I reluctantly accepted an iphone as a gift last month. I instantly fell in love. A...

The probability of your existence: Basically zero

Source At some point after first learning about the birds and the bees as a child (possibly after watching the opening credits of  Look Who...

It's good to give thanks: The benefits of gratitude

Source When someone does something nice for you, how does it make you feel? Do you experience gratitude in response to their act of kindness...

Making the most of it when your partner shares good news

Source A job offer. A great haircut. A promotion. A good visit with an old friend. An award recognizing your effort. A great comeback to a m...

Science and The Secret: Can beliefs create reality?

Source A few years ago a book and film called  The Secret   took the country by storm, partly thanks to  Oprah's glowing endorsement.  I...

Rolling with the punches: The psychology of resilience

Source A year ago Ryan Westmoreland was a top Red Sox prospect just out of high school and on the verge of a major league career (scouts we...

It could have been me: Why a near miss feels so good

Source On February 12th, 2009 a plane bound for Buffalo, New York crashed into a house killing all 49 people aboard the plane, as well as o...

Approaching Happiness: The Importance of Social Goals

Source The last time you went on a date or hung out with a new friend, what thoughts were going through your mind as you got ready? Were you...