You can't completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can learn to deal with it in a healthy way. And since stress is associated with all sorts of negative health effects like high blood pressure and a weakened immune system, taking a few minutes a day to fight stress keeps you not only happy and smiling, but healthy too.  

"Daily hassles and annoyances can get to anyone, but small changes make a big difference," explains Judy Saltzberg, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and teaches at the University of Pennsylvania's Masters of Applied Positive Psychology program. Here's how to keep smiling:

1. Take it outside.
"The first intervention I advise is physical activity," says Saltzberg. Even if you don't have time for a full workout, you can still boost your happiness. A study from the University of Essex found that just five minutes of walking, biking or even gardening outdoors can lift your mood and improve self-esteem.

Positive psychology, an approach to mental health that focuses on the ways in which people thrive, has a number of applications. Not only is it useful in the treatment of mental health disorders, often helping people work through issues like depression without having to resort to medication, but it literally changes the way in which mental health specialists approach mental health and quality of life issues.

Now, positive psychology has impacted the approach moms and dads can take in parenting. There have been a number of studies which report that parenting decreases levels of happiness, particularly during the teen years, because of a feeling of a lack of control.

Hi all

Its been way too long since I have contributed to our blog so I am starting with a great piece on a Happy Planet from the Ted Network

I do hope you enjoy this thought provoking presentation.

The VIA Survey - and the VIA Youth Survey - are free at the non-profit VIA Institute's website. You'll  get a list of your 24 VIA Character Strengths in top-down order. It’s knowledge that helps us see ourselves – and our families and friends – in a new light.

 * Curiosity is your partner’s No. 1 strength. So THAT's why everything you say gets answered with tons of questions!

 

* Your daughter’s top strength is Bravery? No wonder she seems so reckless sometimes.  Yet think of all the ways her bravery has helped her – and others.

    * Your middle son: Kindness is in his top 5. How great is that!  How does knowing that change the way you see him? How about the way he sees himself?

Do any of your own top strengths surprise the ones closest to you? With that knowledge, can they understand a bit more about your behavior and priorities?

If you want more details, there is an expanded, VIA Interpretive Report (VIR) available for the adult survey at www.viasurvey.org.  It’s $40 ($20 for students). It provides:

    * Multiple graphs showing your strengths with raw scores 

Hey All,

Lots of changes have been talked about since we first created this site and I must apologize for the long delay from concept to competition. I am happy to announce that we are now in the middle of developing some fun engaging Tools for Positivity Building, and will be announcing the parameters for this years contest  with Hot Shot Basketball Camp in the next few weeks.

Classification of 6 Virtues and 24 Strengths (1)

Wisdom and knowledge

Cognitive strengths that entail the acquisition and use of knowledge

The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.

 ~Michelangelo

For more inspiring quotes click the Read More Button...

By CLAUDIA WALLIS

The New Science of

HAPPINESS

Positive Tool Box Contest for TWO Scolorships to attend a HOT Shots BasketBall Camp. believes in Building a Positive Foundation in the lives of our communities.

Part of that apporaoch is teaming up with like minded groups and helping give people a creative resource to build a positive lifestyle.

Read More to find out how to Enter to WIN...