I've learned to stop being so serious!

Starting our day off with a dose of negativity can have lasting effects.

Catching up on pictures of your good friend's kids ahead of a visit across the country to see her is a great way to deepen your time together. Following near-strangers can leave us feeling detached and lonely.

If you want a particular behavior from someone else, try spotlighting those times when he or she is already doing it.

I try to only vent when I really need to process something, and let the rest go.

I think there is little harm in venting here and there about things, as we are all human, and it is good to express emotions.

My big "double-aha" moment came while anchoring the national news at CBS News. It was at the height of the recession, and on top of the usual negative stories, my newscasts became full of especially heart wrenching stories of people losing their homes, jobs, and retirement savings. Starting the morning off like that could leave even the most optimistic person feeling helpless and hopeless. The lightning bolt came when we changed how we talked about the negative.