Take in the Good
Taking in the good is a brain-science savvy and psychologically skillful way to improve how you feel, get things done, and treat others.
Stay Well
To stay well, make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating correctly, doing exercise regularly, avoiding health hazards, and having regular checkups.
Twelve Good Things
Each year I dedicate one issue of the Just One Thing newsletter to Twelve Good Things that I feel are really worth your attention.
Relax your Body
Most people these days feel pretty stressed. Plus often worried or angry about one thing or another, such as finances, their job, the health of a family member, or a relationship on the rocks.
Notice You’re All Right Right Now
The brain’s default setting of apprehensiveness wears down well-being, and feeds anxiety and depression. And it’s based on a lie. Learn how to access a fundamental sense of alrightness, even when getting things done.
Take Pleasure
When you find pleasure in life, you are not pushing away things that are hard or painful. You are simply opening up to the sweet stuff that’s already around you—and basking, luxuriating, and delighting in it.
Know Where You Stand
We need to know the facts: is the stove turned off, do I have health insurance, does my partner love me, are the people who work for me getting the job done? We also need to know our values: what is fair, decent, good, and proper.
Find the Facts
When you find the facts, you’re more able to handle threats and fulfill opportunities, understand others, and make wise choices.
Tend to the Causes
Are You Watering the Fruit Tree? The Practice:Tend to the causes. Why? Let’s say you want to get apples from a tree of your own. So you go to a nursery and pick a good sapling, bring it home, and plant it carefully with lots of fertilizer in rich soil. Then you water...
Refill Your Cupboard
Most parents are busy one way or another most of the time and hitting the red line on stress. They look around and wonder, where’s the support?
Don’t Take it Personally
Is it about you?The Practice:Don’t take it personally.Why? Here’s an updated parable from the ancient Taoist teacher, Chuang-Tzu: Imagine that you are floating in a canoe on a slow-moving river, having a Sunday picnic with a friend. Suddenly there is a loud...
Let Go
What Are You Holding Onto?The Practice: Let go.Why? I’ve done a lot of rock climbing, so I know firsthand the importance sometimes of not letting go! This applies to other things as well: keeping hold of a child’s hand while crossing the street, staying...
Do Freely
There’s a way to relate to the endless To Do list that’s freer and less burdened. When we “do freely” we refresh in having a sense of choice.
Lighten Up
You can open to a sense of freedom and autonomy where you get to decide what you could stop doing and lighten up.
Be Friendly
Friendliness is a down-to-earth approach that is welcoming and positive. Being friendly feels confident and happy, with a positive take on other people, moving toward the world instead of backing away from it.