Experts Blogs

Now that all the mega-lottery winners have stepped forward, the overwhelming odds are you didn't win. Americans spent $1.5 billion in their quest to win the jackpot, fantasizing about how they would happily spend the $656 million to be paid out to the winner. As it happened, there were three winning tickets so the final after-tax take home for each will be about $100 million. Still, nothing to sneeze at. Are you wondering how winners have fared in the past? In many cases, not so well. Over 1/3 were in serious financial trouble within five years, some facing bankruptcy. Others saw...

The importance of joyful work

Sadly, most people did not learn at school about the importance of enjoying their work, unless they were fortunate to have a parent who taught how important it is. Most commonly, the notion of work to most people is the necessity for providing an income and a way to support one's self and a family. Career theories and assessment tests focus on the right fit but rarely joyful work. As a result, many people find themselves in a career which they may be good at but are rarely passionate about.

After 40, priorities change

We all know about the importance of play for the emotional growth and development of children. It can enhance their imagination, increase social skills and boost self-confidence. So why don't we place more value on play for ourselves? According to a recent study by the Families and Work Institute, half of American women don’t have enough time to spend on themselves and the activities they enjoy.

I'm sure you've noticed that when you are in a bad mood, somehow things get worse. You know how it is: Your husband comes home and suddenly he’s in a bad mood as well, your kids start acting out and not cooperating, the tasks you take on don’t go as you had hoped, and everything just feels miserable. I don’t want to be the barer of bad news, but when that happens, it is probably because you brought it on yourself. Energy is all around us and the energy that you put out changes the energy of your household (or any...

It has been over ten years since I retired from my full-time practice and spent three months doing volunteer work and traveling in Southeast Asia. One of the best parts of my trip was spending time in the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. It was their monarch who defined the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) to measure quality of life. And Bhutan is the only country in the world that puts happiness and general well-being at the heart of its government policy. The Bhutanese distinguish four pillars of GNH: sustainable development, cultural integrity, ecosystem conservation and good governance. Their Buddhist...

When a room is dark, we turn on a light so we can see. When we need to drive somewhere at night, we turn on our headlights to light our way. Darkness exists in many other aspects of life as well. There is darkness in the body when it is sick or when we have emotional blockages holding us back. There is darkness in our society when people are out for themselves instead of helping each other. There is darkness in our busy lives when we don't take the time to bring lightness inward so we can shine it outward. Darkness and...