The Pursuit of Happiness
Welcome to the happiness frenzy, now peaking at a Barnes & Noble near you: In 2008 4,000 books were published on happiness, while a mere 50 books on the topic were released in 2000. The most popular class at Harvard University is about positive psychology , and at least 100 other universities offer similar courses. Happiness workshops for the post-collegiate set abound, and each day "life coaches" promising bliss to potential clients hang out their shingles. In the late 1990s, psychologist Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania exhorted colleagues to scrutinize optimal moods with the same intensity with which they had for so long studied pathologies: We'd never learn about full human functioning unless we knew as much about mental wellness as we do about mental illness. It wasn't enough that an array of academic strands came together, sparking a slew of insights into the sunny side of life. But all is not necessarily well. Happiness is not about smiling all of the time.
100 Exquisite Adjectives
By Mark Nichol Adjectives — descriptive words that modify nouns — often come under fire for their cluttering quality, but often it’s quality, not quantity, that is the issue. Plenty of tired adjectives are available to spoil a good sentence, but when you find just the right word for the job, enrichment ensues. Practice precision when you select words. Here’s a list of adjectives: Subscribe to Receive our Articles and Exercises via Email You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! 21 Responses to “100 Exquisite Adjectives” Rebecca Fantastic list!
Life in Elizabethan England: A Compendium of Common Knowledge
11th Edition, Spring 2011 ________________________________________ ________________________________________ Contents ·Search · Browse the Compendium Games · Food · Money · Religion · Language · Weddings · Masters & Servants · Occupations · The Peers ·London · Fashion ·Children ·Household Management · Pastimes · Names ·The Queen's Suitors ·Education · Christmas · Heraldry · Maps________________________________________Preface Introduction Renaissance: The Elizabethan World Home Links Author & Designer________________________________________
The Secrets of Happiness
Forget about money. Don't fret about youth. Acting happy is likely to make you happy. There are happy people. What makes for a happy disposition? I: Self-esteem : Happy People Like Themselves During the 1980s, no topic in psychology was more researched than the self. This will come as no surprise to anyone attuned to the pop psychology of our age. Actually, most of us have a good reputation with ourselves. Moreover, one of the most provocative yet firmly established conclusions of social psychology concerns the potency of "self-serving bias ." On nearly any subjective or socially desirable dimension, most people actually see themselves as better than average. A healthy self-esteem, then, is both positive and realistic. II: Optimism : Happy People Are Hope-Filled Those who agree that "with enough faith , you can do almost anything" and that "when I undertake something new, I expect to succeed" may be a bit bubble-headed. Optimists are also healthier. Optimists also enjoy greater success.
Collected Quotes from Albert Einstein
[Note: This list of Einstein quotes was being forwarded around the Internet in e-mail, so I decided to put it on my web page. I'm afraid I can't vouch for its authenticity, tell you where it came from, who compiled the list, who Kevin Harris is, or anything like that. Still, the quotes are interesting and enlightening.] "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction." "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Copyright: Kevin Harris 1995 (may be freely distributed with this acknowledgement)
A Rose By Any Other Name… « Mr W's HIGHER ENGLISH
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably eaten all your toys and played with all your sweets by now, and so will be looking for a welcome diversion. I’ve been checking out some resources that will help you get to grips with Romeo and Juliet and so, given you need to have read the play by the time we get back, thought I’d punt them your way. As you will recall from the introduction I delivered at the end of term, the real beauty of Shakespeare is his acute observation of the human condition, coupled with his ability to write some of the most beautiful language ever. There are countless study guides and sites available online, and you are welcome to ignore those I’m about to suggest, however, I recommend you make some effort to engage with the text if you are chasing a good pass, and these sites may help you in this. The first one I want to mention is LitCharts™. Next up is EnglishBiz and a guide on how to write about R&J. And finally… Have a Christmas challenge. Like this:
50 Life Hacks to Simplify your World
Life hacks are little ways to make our lives easier. These low-budget tips and trick can help you organize and de-clutter space; prolong and preserve your products; or teach you something (e.g., tie a full Windsor) that you simply did not know before. Most of these came from a great post on tumblr. There is also a great subreddit ‘r/lifehacks‘ with some fantastic tips as well. 20. Separate egg yolks like a boss 40. Sources – muxedo task: 99 Life Hacks to make your life easier! If you enjoyed this post, the Sifter highly recommends:
8 Books For a Higher Existence
Books are magical inventions. By carrying meaning, they gives us glimpses of experience and knowledge from a different world. Phonetic language, being cut-off from time and place, the Now, helps both to encapsulate the ego more, but also to offer guidance to make it poriferous, letting Eros free. Without books we would lose this guidance. And in these times of dire ecological and cultural crisis, we need new ways to respond to the ecosystem that we simultaneous are and are imbedded in. If you’re done reading this list and want to level up more – check out part two! Thus Spoke Zarathustra – Friedrich Nietzsche Thus Spoke Zarathustra is Nietzsche’s most prophetic book in which he offers his teachings through the words of Zarathustra, based on the Persian prophet Zoroaster, who, after spending ten years on a mountain in meditation only accompanied by his Eagle and Serpent, comes down to offer his wisdom to the world. Becoming Animal – David Abram The Story of B – Daniel Quinn
Shakespeare Words – How to Understand Shakespeare Words
Guide note: Each month, our "Teaching Shakespeare" columnist writes about bringing Shakespeare to life in the classroom and drama studio. This month he translates Shakespeare’s words and phrases for newcomers. How to Understand Shakespeare Words by Duncan Fewins For many, language is the biggest barrier in understanding Shakespeare. Perfectly competent performers can be paralysed with fear when they see bizarre words like “Methinks” and “Peradventure” – something I call Shakespearaphobia. As a way of trying to counter this natural anxiety, I often begin by telling new students or performers that speaking Shakespeare aloud isn’t like learning a new language –it’s more like listening to a strong accent and your ear soon adjusts to the new dialect. Even if you are confused about some words and phrases, you should still be able to pick up meaning from the context and the visual signals you receive from the speaker. Watch how quickly children pick up accents and new language when on holiday.
