People will often say "You can't change other people." My research shows this societal belief is not only dis-empowering, it is scientifically false.

Fun can be a great motivator.

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.

We are all constantly transmitting information to the people around us, and the messages we choose to communicate either create success or hold us all hold back.

Focusing on solutions fuels progress.

Being in touch with the problems in the world or our lives is important, but even more important is to focus the brain on what we can do about them.

I recently wanted to exercise more, and instead of trying to remind myself about all the health benefits and designing an effective (but boring) workout routine, I thought of the moments in my life when getting a workout has been the most fun.