How to Flourish: Practical Activities Supported by Scientific Research

Take the American Psychological Association’s (APA) guidance on how we can increase our resilience.4 It suggests four core components: 1.Purpose – being proactive, making progress towards goals, finding opportunities for self-discovery and helping others. 2.Healthy thinking – accepting that challenges will happen, learning from past experiences, an

Research suggests that about 50 per cent of your happiness is determined by factors outside genetics.4 The small actions you take every day really do shape your well-being.

Below is a sample of my observations, as well as those of other researchers, of the thinking and behavior patterns of the happiest participants in our studies. They devote a great amount of time to their family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships. They are comfortable expressing gratitude for all they have. They are often the fi

They support those choices by helping us: let go of the avoidance and fusion that narrow our alternatives (variation); specify through values work what it means for us to be successful (selection); practice and build helpful behaviors into habits of committed action (retention); consciously pick different approaches for different situations by bein

“The main things are to commit to some simple behaviors—meditating, exercising, getting enough sleep—and to practice altruism.… And nurture your social connections.”