Happiness Is a Skill and It Can Be Taught

how to be happy

What happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was unthinkable. And maybe that is why it was allowed to happen. We have spent the past few decades not thinking about how to take proactive steps to prevent these tragedies from happening. We have not been thinking of ways to teach our kids how to be […]

Neuroplasticity: How Learning about the Brain Can Shape Young Students

neuroplasticity

When my daughter began attending school, every time I dropped her off for the day, I would repeat a simple mantra to her: “Remember that thoughts become things. Keep them beautiful.” I still repeat this simple phrase to her, and to myself, every chance I get. Because of things like neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to […]

Finding Your Purpose This Holiday Season

finding your purpose

We all know the story of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, but if you’ve ever watched the 1964 TV-special by the same name, then you’re well aware of the effects that not finding your purpose can have on our children. The special is a classic, and though parts haven’t aged well, there is one lesson that […]

Are You Using Fear as an Excuse?

Fear as an Excuse

Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain–  Ralph Waldo Emerson Can you remember your biggest fear as a child? Perhaps you were scared of a monster under your bed, or of losing your parents in a large crowd. Now that you are older, you might consider your childhood fears to […]

Achieve Your Goals Using Pen and Paper

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”  Antoine de Saint-Exupery Imagine you have three kids and they all need to be picked up from different places at the same time. How would you go about handling this situation? Would you ask a friend to carpool or perhaps ask one of the children to […]