Entries from November 2007

November 29, 2007

The Family Dance

Group gatherings run most smoothly when there is a fine balance between self-expression and observant adjustment. When the balance is attained, people tend not to be really aware that it is happening. On the other hand, disturbances in the balance are very apparent. That’s human nature — the negative tends to [...]

November 16, 2007

Notes for Gratitude Talk - with 3 Gratitude Exercises

Thanksgiving seems like a good time to share the handout that I used for a recent talk on gratitude.
 
Gratitude through the Lens of Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology is the rigorous study of what goes right with people, how and when they flourish, what gives them resilience, and how they achieve fulfillment and meaning.
Gratitude is …
1) [...]

November 16, 2007

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

We’re the collecting point for Thanksgiving this year.  My mother, my daughter, two of my sibs, one with wife, the other with daughter, are all arriving sometime this week.  That means we’re making space and planning meals and arranging for a card table.  My family plays ‘family bridge’ when we get together.  Most  of us [...]

November 8, 2007

The Stuff Friendship is Made Of

I just returned from visiting one of my college roommates. When she introduced me to her colleagues at a staff luncheon on Tuesday, she said that we are closer friends now than we were then. That statement gave me a jolt, but then I realized how true it is.
What is friendship?
As years pile [...]