Positive Psychology News Digest on Mappalicious | No. 32/2016

My favorite pieces covering Positive Psychology and adjacent from (roughly) the last seven days.

The Conversation: Negative reports of positive psychology show ignorance isn’t bliss by Adam Barsky & Michael Zyphur

Atlantic: Story of My Life: How Narrative Creates Personality by Julie Beck

Quartz: Psychology has identified three mindsets shared by people who actually follow through on their goals by Amanda Crowell

Wired UK: Not enjoying your job? Let the spark of passion come first by Angela Duckworth

Psychology Today: 10 discoveries about well-being that everyone must know by Todd Kashdan

Guardian: The Danish Way of Parenting review – how to raise the world’s happiest Kids by Alice O´Keeffe

Washington Post: Clinton is more optimistic than Trump. But optimism doesn’t predict winners anymore by Martin Seligman

Fulfillment Daily: Get an Edge on Your Work & Happiness with Self-Compassion by Emma Seppälä

Wall Street Journal: What do teens need most from parents for intellectual, social and emotional development? by Sue Shellenbarger

Time: Why the American Dream Is Making You Unhappy by Ruth Whippman

Huffington Post: How to motivate people? Don’t do it yourself by Chris White

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Positive Psychology News Digest on Mappalicious | No. 31/2016

My favorite pieces covering Positive Psychology and adjacent from (roughly) the last seven days.

New York Magazine: ‘Take a Deep Breath’ Is Advice That Works Physiologically and Psychologically by Drake Baer

Psychology Today: The Neuroprotective Powers of Exercise Should Motivate You by Christopher Bergland

Harvard Business Review: Can You Really Power an Organization with Love? by Duncan Coombe

Psychology Today: The Playful Life by Bernard De Koven

Forbes: The Joy Of Work: Menlo Innovations by Steve Denning

Psychology Today: 4 Reasons Why an Optimistic Outlook Is Good for Your Health by Utpal Dholakia

Guardian: The Happiness Industry by William Davies review – why capitalism has turned us into narcissists by Terry Eagleton

Greater Good Science Center: Is Artistic Inspiration Contagious? by Scott Barry Kaufman

Atlantic: Would you be happier with a different personality? by Scott Barry Kaufman

Fast Company: 4 Ways To Bounce Back When You’re Treated Unfairly At Work by David Mayer

Finnish News: Perceptions of Finnish Sisu – in California by Göte Nyman

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On the Intersection of Positive Psychology and Pokémon GO

At the end of July, the Pokémon GO app had been downloaded more than 100 million times. These days, you see people using it literally everywhere. I’m really convinced that playing Pokémon GO has a lot of potential for are you f.cking kidding me?

Please go and get a life. If you want to go out in the park, take a good book with you. Here are some suggestions for you…

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Feedback? You´re doing fine! Just keep on going…

A good friend of mine, Vivian Wagner, has founded a non-profit organization called 1World Social Capital Program (1WSCP). 1WSCP offers mentoring to aspiring female professionals and students, helping them to grow their social capital with 12 highly regarded and successful mentors who are doing amazing work to break the glass ceiling for women all around the world.

1WSCP regularly posts short videos of leaders who share important learning experiences from the careers. For my video, Vivian asked me to specifically think about how we can elevate and uplift the people around us.

I share a story that took place while still studying Positive Psychology at Penn. The video contains a shout-out to Professor Jane Dutton from the Center for Positive Organizations who facilitated our learning experience that day. An older written account of that experience can be found here.

Share and enjoy!

Positive Psychology News Digest on Mappalicious | No. 30/2016

My favorite pieces covering Positive Psychology and adjacent from (roughly) the last seven days.

New York Mag: Why Declaring ‘I’m an Introvert!’ Limits Your Life by Drake Baer

Time: The fun way to easily improve your life, backed by research by Eric Barker

Forbes: 10 Troubling Habits Of Chronically Unhappy People by Travis Bradberry

New York Times: The Structure of Gratitude by David Brooks

Atlantic: How to change your personality by Scott Barry Kaufman

New Yorker: What Makes People Feel Upbeat at Work by Maria Konnikova

Business Insider: The same trait that can make you popular in middle school also helps you succeed at work by Shana Lebowitz

Tech Insider: Science says happier people have these 9 things in common by Kevin Loria

Psychology Today: What Happens When Hope Is Lost? by Michelle McQuaid

Washington Post: The downside of being happy by Ana Swanson

Psychology Today: How Stress Makes Us Healthier and Happier by Nick Tasler

Huffington Post: Lessons learned about positive psychology and positive education by Susie Wolbe

Scientific American: Kindness Contagion by Jamil Zaki

Mappalicious - Positive Psychology news Digest

Welcome to the Center for Positive Organizations

CPO_LogoSo, I’m sharing a commercial video here. Yes, that’s not the usual content on Mappalicious.

It’s just that so many of my academic heroes are gathered in this video (and thus, at the CPO, e.g. Robert Quinn, Jane Dutton, and Kim Cameron) that I’m actually eager to share it. The CPO is a fabulous place to learn. I know this ever since taking part in their Positive Business Conference in May.

Please also check out their fabulous website. They host a wide array of Positive Psychology resources, e.g., this extensive list of research papers on Positive Organizational Science.

Positive Psychology News Digest on Mappalicious | No. 29/2016

My favorite pieces covering Positive Psychology and adjacent from (roughly) the last seven days.

New York Times: The Incalculable Value of Finding a Job You Love by Robert Frank

Psychology Today: Why Limit Yourself? by Seth Gillihan

Heleo: Of the Two Kinds of Happiness, This One Will Help You Be More Resilient by Mandy Godwin

Independent: Altruism has more of an evolutionary advantage than selfishness, mathematicians say by Ian Johnston

Aeon: Don’t think too positive by Gabriele Oettingen & Pam Weintraub

Fast Company: This Is The Most Likely Reason Why You Feel Successful But Still Aren’t Happy by Neil Pasricha

The Positive Organization: An Elusive Leadership Skill by Robert Quinn

Weekly Times Now: Mindfulness is becoming more of a priority in Schools by Camille Smith

International Business Times: Reading books and watching films makes you kinder in real life by Léa Surugue

Greater Good Science Center: Why Your Office Needs More Nature by Jill Suttie

Positive Psychology News Digest

Welcome to Emma Elaria…

Cherished reader,

there won’t be any updates on Mappalicious for a couple of days. The reason is simple and very beautiful. Today, my wife has given birth to a very special kind of update to this world. 

The Little Guru is a big brother now. Please say hello to Emma Elaria Rose…

Emma Elaria Rose  
Emma Elaria Rose 

Positive Psychology News Digest on Mappalicious | No. 28/2016

My favorite pieces covering Positive Psychology and adjacent from (roughly) the last seven days.

Atlantic: Can this app make me happier? by Julie Beck

Positive Psychology News Daily: Are There Items on Today’s To-Do List that Bring You Joy? by Kathryn Britton

Esquire: 6 Surprising Things Science Says Will Make You Happy by Olivia Ovenden

Telegraph: Should happiness be part of the school curriculum? by Olivia Parker

Huffington Post: Can Your Building Make You Healthier? by Dan Probst

The Positive Organization: Denial and Reality by Robert Quinn

ABC: Connecting the dots between happiness and a sense of meaning by Sophie Scott

USA Today: Educators see gold in Pokémon Go by Greg Toppo

Time: Practice doesn’t make perfect, actually by Zachary Hambrick & Fredrik Ullén

Heleo: Scott Barry Kaufman and Sarah Lewis on the Art and Science of Creativity, no author

Positive Psychology News Digest

10 Books on Purpose and Meaning in Life and Work

Esfahani_MeaningI don´t know if it´s my age (…the 40s are clearly in sight…), or the fact that I will become a father for the second time over the upcoming weeks (Yeah…!), or if it´s just in the air anyway (I believe so…) – but my mind is preoccupied with the topic of meaning and purpose at work and in life in general most of the time.

If you also would like to dig deeper into that subject-matter: Here´s a neat book list for you. Some books are brand-new (e.g., Dan Pontefract´s) or haven’t even been published yet (as in the case of Emily Esfahani Smith´s, a fellow Penn Mappster), some have been published over the last two years (e.g., Aaron Hurst´s book), some are a bit older (e.g., Rick Warren´s bestseller), and with Mihály Csíkszentmihályi and Viktor Frankl I´ve also included some classics. Some books are based on solid science through and through (e.g., Vic Strecher), some are more self-help style (e.g. Marsha Beck), some are scholarly books (Dik et al.), most are clearly written for the layman.

Share and enjoy!