Eight Ways to Support Your Employees in Uncertain Times

Employees who usually get along well are blowing up at each other. Managers are reporting that employees are having emotional outbursts in meetings and they’re not sure how to respond. That was the start of my call with a chief human resources officer (CHRO) at a reputable nonprofit recently. They reached out looking for resources […]

How to Find Support in Difficult Times

Back in the day when I used to run triathlons, I discovered something powerful that helped me get through in the face of physical challenge. It wasn’t just my training but the encouragement from the spectators and the other racers that helped me find the stamina to keep on going. The energy from those around me gave […]

Can Altruism Help Us Through Hard Times?

Can helping others make us healthier? When scientists scanned the brains of people who donated money to charity, they found something surprising: Giving activated the same reward pathways as personal pleasures like food or music. But even more striking, the brain’s reward system responded more strongly to acts of generosity than to self-indulgence. The findings […]

Tips to Help Families Flourish in Troubled Times

Ask yourself of whatever you hear: Is it true? This fundamental teaching relates to mindfulness and to all of life. Be skeptical and think for yourself. Change only happens when you believe on a gut level that action is needed. The world is in crisis. It always has been, but it feels particularly intense lately. […]

4 Reasons to Appreciate Hard Times and How to Cultivate Gratitude

“Thank you for all the challenges that built my character. Thank you for all the hard times that made me appreciate the good times.” ~Unknown Gratitude is often associated with joy, blessings, and moments that bring us happiness. But what about the times when life feels hard? Can we still find gratitude in the pain […]

Choosing Reflection in Times of Change

Time moves slowly in the desert. Since relocating here in September, I wake with the light, like it or not. My closest local friend lives an hour and a half away. My husband and I have each other—thrilling in a second marriage in which we’ve never before lived alone without kids. Still, it’d been 30-plus […]

Harnessing the ‘Love Hormone’ for Resilience in Tough Times

By Jana Wu, LCSW, LADC Coping with the stress of our daily lives isn’t easy, particularly in the context of our collective upheaval from COVID-19, the changing climate, dramatic increases in the cost of living, and global unrest. The stress we are experiencing is real and affects our whole society. It’s therefore crucial to our […]

Eight Ways You Can Feel More Hopeful—Even in Dark Times

Should we maintain hope in uncertain times? These days, this question is at the forefront of my mind—and probably many other people’s. Especially when we face political polarization, humanitarian crises at our borders, and the prospect of a warming planet, it’s easy to despair rather than hope. But, according to William Miller, professor emeritus at […]