Don’t you wish you could bottle up the joy and excitement of the holidays? While we may dismiss this idea as just an impossibility, it is possible to build the ability to spark joy in everyday life. Learn to balance the obligatory items with everyday life in this week’s blog.

In an overview of studies on happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky found that we control at least 40% of our happiness through our focus and choices (Lyubomirsky, 2013). We now know we can raise our happiness by cultivating positive emotions such as love, kindness, compassion, gratitude, hope, and inspiration. Here are some science-based ways to boost your happiness and well-being.

Do you remember the holiday season as a child? Can you recall the anticipation and excitement of what Santa might bring you? Or better yet, if you have children now, can you feel their excitement for the upcoming holidays? When I think of my childhood holiday experiences, the word that comes to mind is “awe”. This year, many of us may not be feeling full of awe, however. So, how do we get these feelings back?