The Limitations of Positive Thinking

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October 24, 2011 a project of CharityFocus We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are. - Anais Nin - The Limitations of Positive Thinking "Perhaps the statement that best exemplifies positive thinking is "When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade." It seems so self-evident that this is a good thing that we never question the wisdom of the adage. But it does not take a whole lot of digging to unearth the flaws in this reasoning. First, did fate really hand you a lemon or was this merely your initial, unthinking response? Second, is a lemon really a bad thing, something that you would rather not have, but now that you do have it you will somehow salvage something by making lemonade? Finally, it is quite stressful to be handed a lemon until such time as you figure out how to make lemonade. Do you really have to go through this phase?" Prof. Srikumar Rao shares further about the limitations of positive thinking. { read more } Be The Change See what happens today when you check your tendency to label things as "bad." COMMENT | RATE               Related Good News How We Can Change Our Minds Planning & Other Paths To Less Stress Go Easy on Yourself, New Research Says Why Gratitude Is Good DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers "good news" to 109,863 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here. Other CharityFocus projects include: HelpOthers  //  CF Sites  //  KarmaTube  //  Conversations  //  More

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A College Degree 23 yrs After Memory Loss

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October 23, 2011 a project of CharityFocus It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards. - Lewis Carroll - A College Degree 23 yrs After Memory Loss A freak accident involving a ceiling fan may have taken Su Meck's memory of everything that happened for the first 22 years of her life, but it did not rob her of her determination. Since the accident that left her with amnesia, the 45-year-old from Maryland, has had to relearn how to walk, talk, read, write and drive. But Meck, whose identity was once as a mother and homemaker, carved out a place for herself as a college student. She went from having been reduced to the mental capacity of a young child to graduating from Montgomery (Md.) College with honors in May, earning an associate degree. "It was very confusing to me because everybody was telling me who I was before, and that wasn't who I am now. It was almost like I'm a different person," said Meck. { read more } Be The Change Wake up to possibility, especially in the midst of loss. COMMENT | RATE               Related Good News Inspirational Graduation Speech by Autistic Student Secrets from 17 Years of Silence A Missed Flight & A Connection Found The Man Who Doesn't Ask for Money DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers "good news" to 109,819 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here. Other CharityFocus projects include: HelpOthers  //  CF Sites  //  KarmaTube  //  Conversations  //  More

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A Tokyo Teacher's Lessons in Empathy

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October 22, 2011 a project of CharityFocus Empathy is the greatest thing. There's an expression I love: 'Let people live in your heart.' - Toshiro Kanamori, 4th grade teacher - A Tokyo Teacher's Lessons in Empathy "What's the most important thing this year?" asks Toshiro Kanamori to his students? "To be happy!" comes the joyous response. The class goal truly is to understand how to be happy and care for other people. It sounds like the sort of class a stressed or overworked adult would find, long after they graduated school. Instead, it is a different teaching approach taken by a grammar teacher in Tokyo, Toshiro Kanamori. One tradition in his class is that every day, three students read out "notebook letters," authentic journal entries that express happiness, irritation, gratitude -- or, as 10-year-old Ren expressed -- sadness over his grandmother's death. Watch Kanamori in action in this video, as he uses Ren's letter to teach his students how to understand their inner thoughts, and deeply empathize with each other in the process. { read more } Be The Change Share an authentic "notebook letter" with a child in your life, and invite her/him to do the same. COMMENT | RATE               Related Good News Secrets of the 100-yr-old Marathoner The Man Who Stopped A Nuclear War 'Barefoot' Grandmothers Electrify Rural Communities The Man Who Doesn't Ask for Money DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers "good news" to 109,761 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here. Other CharityFocus projects include: HelpOthers  //  CF Sites  //  KarmaTube  //  Conversations  //  More

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Secrets of the 100-yr-old Marathoner

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October 21, 2011 a project of CharityFocus The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free. Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running. - Fauja Singh, 100-yr-old Marathoner - Secrets of the 100-yr-old Marathoner Most people hang up their boots as they get older, but Fauja Singh only began running in his eighties. At the age of 94, he ran a full marathon in less than 5 hours, but on 16 Oct 2011, at the age of 100, he still has it in him. Singh did what no other person has done: he became the oldest person and the first centenarian to finish a marathon. Along the way, he's received sponsorship deals, but he donates it all. "I'm not really interested in all the rupees, I give it to charity," he says of his sponsorship deal. "Money can be saved and spent and lost and made. At my age it's nice just to do this. [...] Look how blessed I am. What's not to be happy about?" { read more } Be The Change Do something that gives you meaning and joy, regardless of whether you think you're too old or too young. COMMENT | RATE               Related Good News A 15-Year-Old's Bucket List Goes Viral A Missed Flight & A Connection Found A Blessing from A Homeless Man Family Finds $45K -- And Returns It DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers "good news" to 109,703 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here. Other CharityFocus projects include: HelpOthers  //  CF Sites  //  KarmaTube  //  Conversations  //  More

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7 Ways Sharing Can Make You Happy

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October 20, 2011 a project of CharityFocus The miracle is this: the more we share the more we have. - Leonard Nemoy - 7 Ways Sharing Can Make You Happy One silver lining in dark economic times is that as people learn to make do with less, they are discovering the many benefits of sharing. New psychological research suggests that sharing fosters trust and cooperation in the community and contributes to personal well-being. Researchers are finding that sharing impacts people in the very specific ways that are closely linked to increased happiness. These include effects such as improved physical health, increased levels of trust, causes for gratitude, opportunities for cooperation, and more. Here are 7 ways sharing can make you happy. { read more } Be The Change Reflect on a recent time someone shared something with you. Let them know about the impact of their generosity. COMMENT | RATE               Related Good News 10 Keys to Happier Living Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Time How One Teenager Used Her Life Savings A School for the Homeless In Las Vegas DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers "good news" to 109,670 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here. Other CharityFocus projects include: HelpOthers  //  CF Sites  //  KarmaTube  //  Conversations  //  More

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