Strengthlab on Jun 25th 2013 StrengthLab Thoughts
Book Description:
Using the wisdom culled from the world’s greatest civilizations as a foundation, social psychologist Haidt comes to terms with 10 Great Ideas, viewing them through a contemporary filter to learn which of their lessons may still apply to modern lives. He first discusses how the mind works and then examines the Golden Rule (“Reciprocity is the most important tool for getting along with people”). Next, he addresses the issue of happiness itself–where does it come from?–before exploring the conditions that allow growth and development. He also dares to answer the question that haunts most everyone–What is the meaning of life?–by again drawing on ancient ideas and incorporating recent research findings. He concludes with the question of meaning: Why do some find it? Balancing ancient wisdom and modern science, Haidt consults great minds of the past, from Buddha to Lao Tzu and from Plato to Freud
http://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Hypothesis-Finding-Modern-Ancient/dp/0465028020/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372221982&sr=1-1&keywords=the+happiness+hypothesis
Strengthlab on Jun 25th 2013 StrengthLab Thoughts
We have numerous coping mechanisms that we employ in our lives, some positive and some negative, the key here is that every single one of our coping mechanisms should be either positive or neutral in there overall effects upon us – as well as others.
Negative coping mechanisms (such as smoking, too much shopping, infidelity, over-eating, excessive drinking or reckless behavior) eventually have negative effects upon our lives; they eventually fail as coping mechanisms. On the other hand, positive coping mechanisms (such as exercising, talk therapy, enjoying your pet or family, reading, taking personal time or cooking) may fail at times to help us cope, but not by damaging our lives.
Employing positive coping mechanisms, instead of negative coping mechanisms, is a personal choice and we can work on that here.
Strengthlab on Jun 25th 2013 StrengthLab Thoughts
Although many will never admit it to themselves – especially men – there’s a real biological need to understand ourselves more fully and to be more fully understood by others; this is a skill that we can work on here.