by Michael F. StegerMy work on meaning in life is part of my meaning in life. If this sounds a bit confusing, I agree. I never went out into the world with the intention of studying meaning in life. I was just curious, and stayed curious, about learning how people tried to figure out what they were doing here on Earth. I wanted to hear those stories—from anyone, from anywhere, from anytime—because, I suppose, it gave me a wider and more...

by Amy AlpertLast summer, my husband and I took our high school–age son and daughter to Europe, where we visited three cities—Paris, Amsterdam, and London. While the trip included many frustrating moments—arguments over what to do next or where to eat, schlepping around suitcases, lost luggage, a heat wave, lack of alone time, and the inability to make everyone happy at the same time—traveling with teenagers was incredibly special and...

by Maria Sirois The fields of positive psychology, mind-body medicine, and the spiritual disciplines offer wisdom—culled from research and centuries of experience—that can sustain our unique over-40 needs. Here are five of these wisdom teachings. 1. Remember that change is possible at any time. Not only is our brain plastic (able to be “remapped” toward greater health, calm, memory, and reduction of pain) but also our thoughts and...

by Michael F. Steger In researching the factors that foster well-being and reduce psychological distress in people’s lives, I have spent most of my time looking at the role that meaning in life plays in human well-being. Humans appear to have a strong desire to be able to understand their experiences, gain some clarity about their own identity, and identify some sense of purpose in their lives. In other words, people want to know what their...

by Linda D. Wiesinger Triggers. We all have them. Anyone who came through childhood has them, which I assume is pretty much all of us. Someone says or does something—looks at us with a certain expression, uses a particular tone of voice, criticizes us unfairly—and we are off to the races. We actively create all sorts of stories and beliefs in our minds, so many that it can feel as if we are tripping over them: They did it ON PURPOSE and with...

We’re always deeply moved by the stories our alumni tell us about how the Certificate in Wholebeing Positive Psychology changed their life. Today, we share with you two of those stories. First, here’s Kathy Washburn, describing how the Certificate program helped her during a massive life transition. She had left her corporate job, her 25-year marriage had fallen apart, and she was coping with an empty nest after her two sons started...