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10 Must-Know Fitness Tips of 2025 Backed by Research
Image courtesy of Canva I found this article on the Health magazine website. I have linked the research paper. You must know a caveat: I do not lift weights and do light exercise; who knows, I may take the Japanese walking challenge ( see #9)! 1. You...
Stoicism: Is that the Secret of Happiness?
In my last email, I talked about contentment. Contentment is a peaceful feeling of being happy and satisfied with what you have right now. Stoicism is an ancient philosophy that teaches self-control, rational thinking, and doing your duty. Contentment is...
Suicide Rate by States of the USA
Over time, suicide rates have shown troubling trends. Between 2000 and 2018, rates rose by 37%. In 2024 alone, around 49,000 people died by suicide across the USA, equivalent to one death every 11 minutes. Alaska has the highest suicide rate (due to...
10 Life Skills Your Children Should Know by Age 10
Image courtesy of Freepik In their early years, children eagerly work toward independence, an essential part of their growth. From taking their first steps to exploring reading and writing, even toddlers are happily learning to be more self-sufficient each day....
Happiness through Contentment
Time and time again, Finland, a charming small country in the Baltic region, is celebrated as the happiest. What’s their secret? It’s likely a wonderful mix of a solid democracy, a commitment to equality, and a strong support system. Plus, many scholars...
American Psychiatric Association’s Mental Health Poll Finds Americans Anxious About Current Events, Finances
APA’s latest national poll found that half of adults have higher levels of anxiety than last year, with money matters and current events tied as the top concerns. By The Numbers Among 2,201 adults surveyed by Morning Consult on behalf of APA, 48% said they...
Salt May Increase Risk of Depression and Anxiety
A recent study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders shows that frequently adding salt to your food is associated with a higher risk of experiencing anxiety and depression. The researchers followed 276,000 individuals from 2006 to 2010 until they either...
From Work Mode to Home Mode Switch off. Be present. Recharge
Image courtesy of ChatGPT With modern technology, we must stay connected to our work. In the medical field, this is called “pajama time.” We continue to work at home instead of spending time with our loved ones. If you do not practice detachment, you will inevitably...
Seven Ways to Bring More Meaning to Your Life
Over several years of writing these columns, I have come to realize that two key principles for achieving happiness are acceptance and the search for meaning or purpose in life. Unfortunately, we often fail to focus on the meaning of our lives, as this existential...
10 Movies That Highlight the Best in Humanity: 2026
Every year, Greater Good gives “Greater Goodies” to movies that illuminate human strengths and virtues. This year’s list includes films from around the world, and many seem to share a common focus on love, courage, and connection. The Alabama Solution (HBO): look for...
Feel Good Foods: The Diet-Brain Connection
This Verywell Mind article dives into the world of healthy eating, revealing how nourishing foods can supercharge our brains. Our brains thrive on high-quality foods packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some foods even help shield us from mental...
Mindful investing in choppy market 💰, Brain needs feel good food 🧠
Mindful Investing: How to Balance Your Emotions While Investing in the Bull and Bear Market? Life has its cycles, as do the economy and the financial markets. But emotions often get in our way when it comes to market cycles. Strong feelings can cloud our judgment and...
Role of Anticipatory anxiety in the time of Uncertainty
Anticipatory anxiety can be a symptom of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, or panic disorder, but people without a formal diagnosis experience it, too – especially right now. In a March 2021 survey by the American Psychological Association, 50%...
Why It’s Totally Possible to Stay Optimistic Despite All the Bad News Out There
The other day, someone asked me why we sometimes pick up so many negative vibes from the world and how we can stay positive. I immediately thought of sharing my blog on optimism and how it can really boost our happiness. Then, I came across this article and thought it...
Are you a Night Owl or an Early Bird? Study Identifies Patterns of Mental Health and Well-Being
Have you experienced the winter ‘blues’ or noticed your mood wearing down towards the end of the day? Well, a recent study published on February 4, 2025, explored how mental health and well-being fluctuate throughout the day, analyzing nearly one million observations...
Effect of Ultrapocessfoods, Breakfast for Kids, and Night Owls on Mental Health
Are all Ultra-Processed Foods Harmful to Your Health? Introduction to Ultra-Processed Foods Much debate has focused on the harms of ultra-processed foods (UPF) to the body. A recent study in the Lancet Regional Health sheds some light on this, revealing that not all...
Does Cold Weather Make you sick? 10 Myths about Cold Weather
Picture Above: My Backyard 2024 I’ve often heard these kinds of comments from my family and patients over the years, and I found that this article in the Farmer’s Almanac touches on some of those very issues. Cold Weather causes a common cold. No, it does not—viruses,...
Why It’s Totally Possible to Stay Optimistic Despite All the Bad News Out There
The other day, someone asked me why we sometimes pick up so many negative vibes from the world and how we can stay positive. I immediately thought of sharing my blog on Optimism and how it can really boost our happiness. Then, I came across this...
The Art of Recovery: Building Resilience in the Face of Adversity
There is a 70% chance that we will face severe adversity during our lives. However, the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder in the general population is only about 8%. This indicates that humanity can recover from significant challenges. Resilience means bouncing...
How to Survive Family Drama During Holidays?
Many of us dread a few common challenges as the holiday season approaches. One of the most significant is dealing with family drama and its aftermath. Vacation is meant to be a time to break free from obligations and restore our energy. However, family gatherings...
Loneliness Episode: The Vital Role of Social Connections in Our Health
In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, social connections are often overlooked. Yet research shows that our relationships profoundly impact our health and well-being. A recent article from Our World in Data delves into the crucial link between social ties and...
Optimism and Happiness How are they Related?
To be resilient, we must delve deeper into our inner strengths and enhance our ability to recover from stressful events. High optimism, or hope, is one of the critical characteristics. However, individuals suffering from clinical depression or suicidal ideations often...
Embrace Radical Acceptance, Find Happiness
During my recent vacation in Croatia with my family, I experienced a flight cancellation on my last day of travel. Despite feeling disappointed, I chose to practice radical acceptance. I acknowledged that the situation was beyond my control and decided to make the...
How can Developing Effective Coping Skills Improve our Well-being?
Roman Aqueduct Segovia, Spain Stress is an inevitable part of life. Even happy events such as getting a new job, meeting your soulmate, or having a baby can cause stress. Stress has three components: Event ➔ reaction from mind & body) ➔ Adaptation...
Happiness through the Principle of Good Enough: When being average is OK, then being perfect
Perfectionism, efficiency, competitiveness, and social media jealousy are often encouraged and rewarded in today’s world. We tend to forget that the average grade is a "C." However, if you were to give a "C" grade to your student or employee, you would likely be seen...
Kindness: How can this virtue make us Happy?
“Mother Teresa Holding a Child “painting by Dominique Amendola. Most world religions have long taught that people should prioritize others over themselves. Charles Darwin didn’t see humankind as biologically competitive and self-interested. He believed we are a...
What is Flow? How can being in “Flow makes us Happy?
Have you realized how quickly time passes when you are engrossed in an activity? It can be playing cards, musical instruments, or fine needlework. What is happening here? Scientists call it a state of Flow or being in a zone. What is it? "Psychological Flow"...
Happiness through Spirituality
Gulf Shore State Park, Alabama In my previous blog, I talked about the advantages of religion in providing positive mental health. This blog will focus on the positive advantages of spirituality on mental health, well-being, and happiness. What is spirituality? ...
Who is the Queen of the Virtues? Thankfully, it is the Gratitude.
Last month, I talked about activities that can improve your happiness. We will discuss 12 such activities in future articles. Let’s start with the mother of all virtues that lead to happiness- gratitude. Cicero (54 bc/2009) held that gratitude “is not only the...
Happiness through Self-care: Take care of your Mind and Body: Meditation
In my last blog, I discussed the effects and advantages of mindfulness in self-care and happiness. Here, I will bring forward the benefits of meditation in healthy living. What is it? Meditation is an age-old mind-body practice with many methods and...
Take Happiness in Your Hand: How can these 12 activities make you happy?
In a previous blog post, I discussed the concept of set point theory in relation to happiness. However, before delving into that topic, it's important to understand another significant concept in happiness research: the Hedonic treadmill. Essentially, this theory...
Happiness through Self-care: Take care of your Mind and Body: Mindfulness
Over the past year, we have been exploring intentional activities that contribute to your happiness. You can control these activities, which account for 40% of your overall happiness! So far, we have shared 10 such activities, and now we want to look into two more:...
How Traveling Can Boost Your Happiness
The recent pandemic made us realize how much we miss traveling. It brought out cabin fever, and we felt stuck in a rut like in the Groundhog Day movie. However, the recent rush for traveling, combined with poor service and inclement weather, has made us think twice...
Want to live longer and happier? Work on Social Fitness
Look at the Fingers!! In 1938, a group of researchers from Harvard University began a study on 724 teenagers. The study spanned several decades and aimed to uncover the key factors contributing to life's happiness. The participants were monitored every two years....
Do not let Comparison and Envy steal your Happiness
Many years ago, one of my patients told me that happiness is a commodity. Its value decreases when negative emotions enter one’s life. Unfortunately, comparison and envy can be significant obstacles on the path to happiness. “Be yourself; everyone else is...
Road To Happiness: Can Our Pet Bring Happiness?
This may be one of my most challenging articles as I never had a pet and never intended to have one. This study(PDF) supports my dislike. However, coming to the USA, I realized that pets are essential to our lives. This article is dedicated to those who love their...
How Our Hobbies Can Make Us Live a Happier Life
How Our Hobbies Can Make Us Live a Happier Life We divide our time into sleep, work, family/other connections, and personal or leisure time. A 2021 study showed that whereas having too little time is linked to lower subjective well-being caused by stress, having more...
Revealing the Journey to Happiness: The Impact of Goal Setting
Setting goals during the New Year’s holidays is a tradition. However, only 8% of those who set such goals actually achieve them. Nonetheless, goals are vital as they provide us with a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Andrew Carnegie once said, "If you want to be...
Achieving Well-Being and Happiness Through Forgiveness
Unforgiving Atacama Desert, Chile Life is a long journey, and studies suggest that nearly 70% of people may experience some form of trauma during their lifetime. These experiences can range from minor to severe and involve us or people we are close to, such as...
Savoring: Life gives you lemons; appreciate it, enjoy it, and make a life out of it
We have often been told that when life gives you lemons, take the time to appreciate them, enjoy them, and make the most out of the situation. One way to do it is to Savor or Cherish. Bryant and Veroff (2007) define savoring as attending, appreciating, and enhancing...
Road to Happiness: Can our Community Work make us Happy?
Holidays are created around traditions, and one of the holiday traditions is to give either by money or by time. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 25% of adults volunteer. The number goes up as we age and down after age 80. Those who volunteer early are...
Road to Happiness: How can our Communities and Nation Make us Happy?
In our previous blogs, we looked at various Ws to make us happy. Those include Well-being, Working partner, Wealth, Work and Retirement, and Well-wishers (Friends, Family, Culture, Volunteering, Spirituality and religion, and our living community). You can find more...
Road to Happiness: How Can Religion Bring Happiness
In the last few articles, I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W's I have thought through. These are • Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personality • Working...
Road to Happiness: How Can Money Buy Happiness?
In the last few articles, I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W's I have thought through. These are • Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personality • Working...
Road to Happiness: Can Money Buy Happiness?
In the last four articles, I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W’s I have thought through. These are Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personalityWorking partner/Spouse/LoveWork and retirement⦁ Wealth or absence of poverty⦁...
Road to Happiness Part-4 : How Your Work Can Make You Happy
In the last three articles, I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W’s that I have thought through. These are Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personalityWorking partner/Spouse/LoveWork and retirementWealth or absence of...
Road to Happiness Part 3 : Working Partner/Spouse/ long-lasting Love
In the last two articles, I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W’s that I have thought through. These are Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personality Working partner/Spouse/Love Work and retirement Wealth or...
My 5 ‘W’ to Happiness The First ‘W’ is Well- being for Our Selves
https://youtu.be/D5V8L8-AjlE Last month I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W’s I have thought through. These are • Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personality • Wealth or absence of poverty • Worthy partner/Spouse/Love •...
Road to Subjective Well-being is right in front of you.
As we discussed earlier, happiness is a transient concept as it changes like a pulse or blood sugar. Happiness is short-lasting, and it will escape quickly from your heart with new negative stresses or expectations in life. Well-being talks about our...
Road to Happiness: 5 How Can Well-Wishers Bring Happiness
In the last few articles, I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W's I have thought through. These are • Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personality • Working...
Road to Happiness Part 2 : Well-being for Our Selves
Last month I introduced the concept of achieving happiness following the five W’s I have thought through. These are Well-being of ourselves: physical, mental, and personality Wealth or absence of poverty Working partner/Spouse/Love Work and retirement Well-wishers...
The Road to Happiness is Right in Front of You. Follow my Five Essentials W’s.
As we discussed earlier, happiness is transient as it changes like a pulse or blood sugar. Happiness is short-lasting, and it will escape quickly from your heart with new negative stresses or expectations in life. Well-being talks about our excellent mental and...
Happiness through Life Cycle: Watch out for Drops in Midlife but don’t Panic
From time to time, we read about mid-life crises. Is it real? When does it begin? There is some truth to it, and we will look at the evidence. We know that kids are usually happy but can we be happy in our old age? Few facts emerge from the study done by Blanchflower...
Happiness through Life Cycle: Midlife Crisis is Real, but it will Get Better.
Comedian Dylan Moran boils life down to just four stages: “Child, failure, old and dead”. Let us examine this. U-shaped Curve of Lifecycle Happiness: We read about mid-life crises from time to time. Is it real? When does it begin? We know that kids are...
World Happiness Report 2021: World Shows Resilience Importance of Trust and Benevolence: Will you get your lost wallet back?
Every year UN and Gallup polls would survey countries of the world. Now we know that one of the Scandinavian countries takes a prize. The USA has been in the top 20, though. If we can increase our healthy life expectancy, we may push to the top 10. Gallup Poll...
Grief through the Holidays
They say that nothing is guaranteed but death and taxes. We grumble about the former and try to avoid the reality of the later. Most of us would rather pay taxes than have to deal with the reality of the death of someone close to us. The finality of death...
Happiness Equations: What is it? How can I apply in my life?
Life is a pursuit of happiness but our journey begins with the wrong notion thurst upon us by society. Look below as explained by Happiness Equation Book Author Neil Pasricha. Our life journey starts with this notion. But in reality, we should change the...
Set Point Theory: Does Happiness come from Genetics or Environment?
Set Point Theory Is our chronic Happiness based on nature or nurture? In 1978 Phillip Brickman followed 22 lottery winners, a control group, and 29 paralyzed accident victims. They found that the recent accident victims reported gaining more Happiness from...
Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness: the past and the present
After satisfying basic needs, humans have searched for happiness and bliss. Various religion talks about happiness. Buddhism highlights nirvana (absolute happiness) as a core theme of Buddha’s teaching. For Hindus, salvation is an egoless state...
Why should we be Happy? Importance of Subjective Wellbeing (SWB)
Happiness makes for long life and makes it worth living- Sirach 30:20 For ages, we have known that people with depression and anxiety negatively affect their cardiovascular and immunological functioning. But is the opposite true? Let us look at it. Question 1. Do...