Emotions – thirdAGE

The Power of Optimism

Optimism is linked to a longer lifespan in women from diverse racial and ethnic groups, and to better emotional health in older men, according to two studies funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). One study showed that the previously established link between optimism and longevity applies to racially and ethnically diverse populations of… Continue reading The Power of Optimism

Set Yourself Free from Old Patterns

Are you living the life you want now, focusing on what really matters or have you become stuck? If it’s the latter, you can plan change your life through the use of one word: Yes. Yes is more than a simple word. It’s so important that I’ve called my first book “Living with a Yes… Continue reading Set Yourself Free from Old Patterns

Becoming More Resilient

Everyone goes through tough times in life. But many things can help you survive—and even thrive—during stressful periods. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Learning healthy ways to cope and how to draw from resources in your community can help you build resilience. “Resilience is the extent to which we can bounce back from adverse events, cope… Continue reading Becoming More Resilient

Infant Temperament Predicts Personality More than 20 Years Later

Researchers investigating how temperament shapes outcomes in adult life have found that behavioral inhibition in infancy predicts a reserved, introverted personality at age 26. For those individuals who show sensitivity to making errors in adolescence, the findings indicated a higher risk for internalizing disorders (such as anxiety and depression) in adulthood. The study, funded by… Continue reading Infant Temperament Predicts Personality More than 20 Years Later

Stop Being A Superwoman!

Are you one of them? You know – the ones who have 100 things to do and get them all done. We work hard and are totally dedicated to fulfilling our marriage, parenting, career and friendship goals. We’re superwomen. But there’s a problem. On the upside it feels amazing to be successful and needed on… Continue reading Stop Being A Superwoman!

The Simple Words that Can Save Suicidal People

Most of us are likely to know or love somebody who has been affected by suicide. Statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show how common this disturbing phenomenon is. Nearly 45,000 lives were lost to suicide in 2016. Suicide rates have gone up more than 30 percent in half of the… Continue reading The Simple Words that Can Save Suicidal People

“Parental” Regions of Brain Activated by Helping Others

Giving “targeted” social support to people in need activates regions of the brain involved in parental care, according to a new study. And that may help researchers understand the positive health effects of social ties. The study was published in August 2018 in Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the journal of the American Psychosomatic… Continue reading “Parental” Regions of Brain Activated by Helping Others

Why Do We Stick with A Wrong Choice?

You may not have heard of the term “sunk cost fallacy,” but if you’ve ever stuck out an unhealthy or unappealing relationship, you’ve engaged in it. Psychologists and economists use the term for the behavior of people who remain committed to a choice, even when it is clear that an alternate choice would be better.… Continue reading Why Do We Stick with A Wrong Choice?

Loneliness: Understanding and Beating the Hidden Health Risk

Editor’s note: A new study reveals loneliness at epidemic levels, with almost half of Americans missing meaningful in-person daily interactions, such as having an extended conversation with a friend or spending quality time with family. Loneliness can actually be life-threatening, notes veteran holistic physician Dr. Bradley Nelson, author of the bestselling book The Emotion Code.… Continue reading Loneliness: Understanding and Beating the Hidden Health Risk

Training Your “Compassion Muscle”

New research indicates that as little as two weeks of “compassion meditation training” may reduce the distress a person feels at another’s suffering while also remaining more compassionate and calm. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison says that the compassion meditation training — intentionally cultivating positive wishes to understand and relieve the suffering of others… Continue reading Training Your “Compassion Muscle”

We See Loved Ones – and Ourselves – through Rose-Colored Glasses

Researchers say that people have an “optimism bias” – meaning that we see our own lives, and the lives of those we care about, through rose-colored glasses. A study from from City University of London, University of Oxford and Yale found that people readily changed their beliefs about a person they like when receiving good… Continue reading We See Loved Ones – and Ourselves – through Rose-Colored Glasses

Music Really Is A Universal Language

Every culture enjoys music and song, and songs serve many different purposes: accompanying a dance, soothing an infant, or expressing love. Now, after analyzing recordings from all around the world, researchers report that vocal songs sharing one of those many functions tend to sound similar to one another, no matter which culture they come from.… Continue reading Music Really Is A Universal Language

Willpower: It’s All in Your Mind

When it comes to willpower, it just may be the thought that counts. A new study suggests that Americans believe they have less stamina for strenuous mental activity than their European counterparts, and that’s an indication that people in the U.S. think of their willpower as being in limited supply. More than 1,100 Americans and… Continue reading Willpower: It’s All in Your Mind

Stress and Self-Talk

During stressful times, you might want to try silently talking to yourself in the third person. Researchers say that doing that may help you control emotions without any mental effort beyond what you would use for first person self-talk. (That’s the way people normally talk to themselves.) A first-of-its-kind study led by psychology researchers at… Continue reading Stress and Self-Talk

How to Overcome Negativity and Inspire Others

Many people today are concerned that the divide that has arisen in the United states is going to get worse before it gets better, and that there’s nothing they can do about it. The truth is that the answer to the turmoil lies within each of us. We have to ask ourselves every day: What… Continue reading How to Overcome Negativity and Inspire Others

Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic

Family, friends, and meaningful work help us build connections that make us feel like we’re part of something. But when we lose that feeling, long-term or permanent loneliness can be the result. Though we have more and more ways of communicating, statistics show that 65% of people surveyed say they’ve been significantly lonely. The issue… Continue reading Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic

How to Handle a Loss

Loss is part of life. We all suffer from it at some point and in some way. Death and divorce are among the most obvious, but we also can experience loss of hope, approval, aspirations, friendship, social standing and trust, among many other examples. Like the ensuing grief it brings, loss is unique to the… Continue reading How to Handle a Loss