Mindfulness journaling is a great way to get in touch with your thoughts and emotions. Journaling can increase gratitude, increase optimism, and decrease stress. One study even found an association with improvement in working memory! Even a few minutes of mindfulness journaling daily can change how you feel about yourself and your life.  And remember that this writing is for…

It’s not uncommon to suffer from seasonal downess or depression, especially after the busyness of the holidays ends and we enter into January and February. It often feels like we’re in the depths of winter, but something that can help is realizing that, since we are past the winter solstice, the days are only getting longer and longer! We are…

According to Dr. Murray Grossan and Dr. Sivan Finkel, the act of smiling makes you more happy. Signals are set off in your brain that trigger neuropeptide release, fighting off stress. These signals also release neurotransmitters including dopamine, endorphins and serotonin, lifting your mood. So, basically, smiling tricks your brain into thinking you are happy by releasing neurotransmitters. Additionally, Multiple…

Do you ever catch yourself feeling bored, down, and in need of an activity to boost your spirits? Baking something might be a great way to boost your mood, both temporarily and over time. Smithsonian Magazine cites multiple studies and theories by psychologists on the association between baking and better mental health.  According to a study in the Journal of…

Here we are in 2023, and many of you are probably wondering how another year sped by so fast. Sometimes time seems to go by so fast that you don’t feel in control. Sometimes it feels like life is in control, and you are just along for the ride. But it is possible to take the reins and be in…

While the hustle and bustle of the holiday season calms down, and we transition into a new year, it often becomes a stiller time of self-reflection. This is when we think about what we want to change, and set resolutions for the new year. But how can we set resolutions that last beyond the first couple weeks? We have to…

Do you ever feel like people around you don’t truly know you? Maybe you only know basic facts about the coworkers you’ve been working with for years, or you never scratch beneath the surface with a certain family member. Many conversations stay surface level, and it can be hard to go deeper. One way to start is to look at…

Get Up and Dance! Along with burning calories and getting physical benefits, dancing helps your mind. Any type of dance helps, but there are different benefits to different kinds of dancing. Free-flowing dancing improved 98% of participants’ mood and increased their confidence and compassion. Choreographed dancing positively affects “wiring and gray matter of the aging brain.” Synchronized dance created and…

Not only does saying thank you to another person make that person feel appreciated and happy, it makes you feel good too! Every Thanksgiving people focus on being thankful for what they have, which is a good habit to get into all year round. According to research from Harvard, giving thanks can make you happier! “In positive psychology research, gratitude…