Why Summer Camp May be the Secret to a Longer Life
Last week, during my training with camp staff about friendship skills, I showed them this video: I then asked our staff to share what similarities they found between summer camp and the small village in Sardinia Pinker describes in her TED Talk. They came up with these ideas: We live together in close quarters, sharing […]
Continue readingEp. 40: Frientimacy with Shasta Nelson
We’re craving those few people who know us and love us no matter what. -Shasta Nelson In Episode 40, I talk with Shasta Nelson, M.Div. Shasta is a leading expert on friendship. Her spirited and soulful voice for strong female relationships can be found in her books Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health […]
Continue readingEp. 36: Project Me for Busy Mothers with Kelly Pietrangeli
“It soon hit me that all of the best parenting classes in the world are not going to work if you – the mother – are feeling stressed out, unsupported, overwhelmed or aren’t taking care of yourself properly. When some parts of your life are not running smoothly, it has a knock on effect on everything […]
Continue reading3 Reasons to Give Your Kid a “WOW” Today
Would you consider taking a few moments –less than ONE MINUTE — to say or write something positive to your kid? It can be just a quick verbal compliment, like “I noticed you helped your brother with his math problem. That was kind.” Or it could be a positive note left on her pillow […]
Continue readingBeing Boss
“You have to build a life you love as if it’s your job. Because it is.” Kathleen Shannon & Emily Thompson, Being Boss When I was four years old, my pre-kindergarten teacher wrote on my report card that I was “bossy.” I didn’t see that comment until many years later – as an adult – […]
Continue readingMy 24 Hours Unplugged
It was fitting that I finished reading The Village Effect: How Face-to-Face Contact Can Make Us Healthier and Happier(Susan Pinker) just a day before participating in the National Day of Unplugging, a day when thousands of people commit to going 24 hours without their phones. After reading Pinker’s book, I had a heightened awareness of […]
Continue readingWhat did you love when you were 13? Rediscovering Your “Authentic” Self
For my thirteenth birthday, I received a Canon AE-1 camera. And while I’ve long-since moved on to a digital SLR, I still maintain my adolescent love for photography (and my daughter is still enjoying using that dependable AE-1 to take “artsy” film photos). What do I enjoy so much about photography? • I like composing […]
Continue reading36 Questions to Get Closer to Someone You Love
The art of asking good questions, and listening carefully to the person’s response, is one important key to forming and maintaining positive, close relationships. Our social connections are the most important predictor of life-long happiness and health. Watch Susan Pinker’s TED Talk if you need convincing! Arthur Aron, a prominent social psychologist, discovered that he […]
Continue reading#oneword
Dear Audrey, I am the early childhood/camp director at the Jewish Community Center of Dallas (and parent of 4) and I really enjoy everything that you put out! We use a lot of the same strategies, philosophy, training and readings/books with our families here at the J. I wanted to send a quick note to […]
Continue reading5 Simple Year-End Reflection Activities
The end of one year and beginning of the next offers a unique opportunity to both reflect back and plan ahead. Because I’ve been a journaler and list-maker since I was very young, I’ve always loved this time of transition and chance to start fresh. If you read my life-changing books post, then you know […]
Continue readingBook Review: Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health
This is a guest post from Leslie Seidner, a writer who researches and writes about positive psychology, anxiety, and brain health. She also happens to be my sister and favorite person to talk about books with! I have been stressing about the effect that stress is having on my brain, which I realize is wholly […]
Continue readingThe Four Tendencies: An Obliger’s Story
I’ve been enjoying Gretchen Rubin’s books since my oldest daughter (also named Gretchen) gave me The Happiness Project (Revised Edition): Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun several years ago. I listen to Rubin’s podcast (Happier) and subscribe to […]
Continue reading
