by Kim Childs, CPPC It seems the changes that began with the pandemic keep coming as we move into spring during a year filled with its own changes and challenges. No matter what is happening around us, we can work to cultivate internal states that optimize our chances for achieving greater peace, resilience, happiness and success in life. Positive psychology, the so-called “science of happiness” that was established in the late 90s by Martin Seligman, Sonja Lyubormirski, Barbara Frederickson and…
by Kim Childs, CPPC In the field of Positive Psychology, there’s a famous happiness-boosting exercise called the gratitude letter. Designed by Dr. Martin Seligman, it involves writing, delivering, and reading a letter of gratitude to someone whose life enriched yours. When I heard about this exercise from Tal Ben-Shahar, my teacher in the Kripalu Center’s Certificate in Positive Psychology (CIPP) program, I immediately thought of an ideal recipient: my high-school English teacher. I met Alice when I was a 15-year-old…
December 10, 2012
appreciation, being on time, change, childless, comparing, compliments, courage, delight, despairing, empathy, faith, following your passion, friends, God, good habits, gratitude, happiness, hippie freak, influence, integration, joy, Kripalu, life lessons, Listening, Maya Angelou, mid-life, mission, nature, opportunity, Oprah, patience, pause, post-traumatic growth, promptness, public radio, readiness, resilience, rest, right livelihood, risk taking, savoring, self worth, self-improvement, sensitivity, talent, tardiness, teaching, Turning 50, waiting, walking, wonder, yoga
I just turned 50 and, while it’s difficult to wrap my mind around this chronological fact, I think it begs a celebration. I’m therefore inspired to list 50 things that I’ve learned in my five decades on the planet. It’s a gift to myself, really, to honor the wisdom that I’ve received from people and life, some of which I’ve passed on to my students and clients. We all learn from each other. 1) Believe in your worth. It pains…
by Kim Childs, CPPC As I approach my personal half-century mark, I find myself in strange territory. Having successfully climbed a few career ladders in my life, I am currently, apparently, without ambition. It doesn’t feel like a bad thing. I’ve lived in big cities and charming towns and traveled the world from Alaska to Zimbabwe. I’ve interviewed celebrities, been interviewed on TV, hosted radio shows, co-written books and hung out with politicos and hip hop pioneers in New York,…