What have you been thinking about today? Most of us rarely stop to consider that question. Yet research suggests the average person has more than 6,000 thoughts per day . That’s thousands of mental messages running through our minds from the moment we wake up until we fall asleep. And most of these thoughts are repetitive.  Some estimates suggest up to 75% of our thoughts repeat themselves day after day , and unfortunately, many of those thoughts are negative. Psychologists r

To  encourage  someone literally means to  give courage . The word comes from the Old French  encoragier  — the prefix  en-  meaning “to put in,” and  corage  meaning “heart.” In the Greek New Testament, the word carries a similar meaning — to come alongside someone to give strength and comfort. Encouragement is not flattery. Not empty praise. Not exaggeration. We give sincere encouragement to boost a person's confidence, improve their mood, and build resilience. We all need

If we were asked to identify our life-changing moments, I doubt many of us would put emails or text messages high on our list. All human beings, regardless of age, flourish or flounder based on the quality of their relationships . And relationships are built or broken one conversation at a time. And yet, in homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods across the country, too many people spend more time texting than talking.  Even when we are physically together, we can be miles apart

Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored three of the four cardinal virtues in our  Pursuit of Happiness  series: Courage, Discipline, and Justice. Each of these virtues helps us live a better life, because a life well lived is shaped less by circumstances and more by how we respond to them. But real life rarely gives us simple situations where the right choice is obvious. That’s why the fourth virtue, — wisdom — has always been considered the guide for the others. Courage, di

This is the third article in a four-part series exploring the Pursuit of Happiness through the lens of the Cardinal Virtues. We’ve already explored courage and discipline as daily practices that enhance the quality of our lives—and the lives of those we lead and love. Now we turn to justice—the virtue that guides how we treat others. When we hear the word  justice , we often think of laws, courtrooms, and verdicts. Those forms of justice matter deeply—but they represent only

Last week, we returned to the original meaning of the  Pursuit of Happiness —not as chasing comfort or constant positive feelings, but as the pursuit of a life well lived. A life shaped by character, responsibility, and daily choices that help our relationships flourish.  We talked about how courage plays a critical role in that pursuit. It gives us the strength to speak up, tell the truth, and begin difficult conversations instead of avoiding them. But courage alone isn’t en

Last week, we talked about the original meaning of the  Pursuit of Happiness —not as the chase for pleasure, comfort, or constant positive feelings, but as the pursuit of a life well lived. A life shaped by character, responsibility, and a commitment to live a more virtuous life. Over the next few weeks, I’ll explore some ideas from four remarkable books by  Ryan Holiday , each focused on a cardinal virtue: courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom. For more information about

By the second week of January, something predictable happens: A lot of New Year Resolutions start fading. The gym is less crowded. The salad bar line is shorter. And even those “let’s find a time to talk”  texts with old friends stop being sent—and received. That’s why the second Friday in January is often called Quitter’s Day . The term was coined by the fitness tracking company Strava, which analyzed data from millions of users and found that by the second Friday in January

During the holiday season, most of us spend time searching for good gifts that will make someone smile. But there is a gift you already have that is far more meaningful than anything you can place under a tree —  the gift of listening longer to your family and friends. In my last article, I shared how positive questions can open the door to deeper conversations. This week, I want to build on that message and focus on the part that makes those conversations truly meaningful: 

Thanksgiving is the start of the Holiday Season. A time when we attempt to slow down long enough to connect with family and friends that we don’t see every day. Because we try hard to avoid topics that might escalate into uncivil conversations, we spend most of our time talking about food, football, and friendly but shallow small talk topics. This Holiday, I encourage you to try something different. In addition to planning your meal, take a few minutes to prepare a handful of