Positive Psychology, Well-Being, & Resilience

How Much of Life Is Spent Mind-Wandering?

How Much of Life Is Spent Mind-Wandering?

The human mind is hard to pin down. It goes where it wants, not necessarily where it’s supposed to, and it’s averse to sitting still. But how much does the mind wander? ...
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Children With Warm Parents Flourish as Adults

Children With Warm Parents Flourish as Adults

What makes a good parent? That’s a complex question, maybe an impossible one. But warmth doesn’t seem to hurt. A new study from researchers at Harvard University suggests that children who experience ...
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Mistaking Narcissism for Self-Esteem Might Explain Why People Are Drawn to Narcissists

Mistaking Narcissism for Self-Esteem Might Explain Why People Are Drawn to Narcissists

If I asked you to list five traits you value in your friends, narcissism probably won’t make the cut. Yet narcissists are often able to make a good impression and draw people ...
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Giving Advice Might Be Better Than Receiving It

Giving Advice Might Be Better Than Receiving It

You find yourself in a situation where you’re struggling. You don’t know what to do. Your confidence is starting to flag. Is it time to seek out some advice from other people? ...
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How to Cope With Waiting

How to Cope With Waiting

Waiting isn’t known for being fun. It’s not generally fun when you’re waiting in line at the supermarket, and it’s really not fun when you’re waiting for a piece of life-altering news ...
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4 Steps to Prevent Burnout

4 Steps to Prevent Burnout

Burnout at work is a common phenomenon, but it’s still one that mental health professionals don’t completely understand. Why do some people eventually become emotionally exhausted by their jobs? And is this ...
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More Evidence That Happier People Live Longer

More Evidence That Happier People Live Longer

A new study adds weight to the idea that happiness and physical health go hand-in-hand. The study, by researchers in Singapore, looks at two groups of people who have been previously underrepresented ...
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We Need to Learn More About People Who Flourish After Depression

We Need to Learn More About People Who Flourish After Depression

We know a decent amount about people with depression. At this point, quite a few studies have been done on people who have depression. But we know less about people who used ...
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Why Meaning in Life Means Better Mental Health for Teens

Why Meaning in Life Means Better Mental Health for Teens

As I’ve written about before, having a sense of purpose in life is consistently linked with better mental health. It’s hard to be happy when you’re also wondering what the point of ...
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Why Trying to Find Your Passion Might Backfire

Why Trying to Find Your Passion Might Backfire

Find your passion. It seems like such self-evidently good life advice. But it’s worth stopping to think about what it means to "find" your passion. The implication behind this phrase is that ...
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