Blog Library – Personal Kaizen

08 Sep 2026

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One Simple Practice to Build Emotional Resilience

We often ask ourselves or others, "How are you today?" and the answer is usually something generic like "Good" or "Tired." But those responses rarely capture what's actually happening beneath the surface. One simple practice to build emotional resilience is to pause each day and ask, "What am I feeling right now?" This small shift in awareness can help us recognize emotions before they change our decisions and behaviors, ultimately shaping our day and, cumulatively, our life. Last month we suggested you start with reality, as acceptance is the path to growth. One of the easiest ways to improve your…

14 Jul 2026

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Start with Reality: Acceptance is the Path to Growth

Have you ever faced a moment in life when what was happening felt difficult or impossible to accept? An unanswered text. Delayed plans. A project falling apart after weeks of effort. Coping daily with a difficult coworker. A family member making a life choice you don't agree with. A relationship ending. Facing a difficult truth about yourself. In each of these moments, we face a reality we didn't want, didn't expect, or we struggle to believe it is happening. Instead of accepting what is happening, we often begin fighting reality. We replay conversations or search for someone to blame. We…

16 Jun 2026

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9 Simple Ways Volunteering Boosts Your Growth (and Community)

We spend a lot of time talking about "getting better every day" in the context of our own lives. We optimize our morning routines, we set goals for the future, and we track our health metrics. But self-improvement is only half of the equation. True growth that feels sustainable and deeply fulfilling requires us to look outward. As we outline in Rule 8 of our 10 Rules for Life, giving back is a core tenet of a balanced life. It’s the intentional act of contributing your time, talent, or resources to something larger than yourself. But here’s the Personal Kaizen…

19 May 2026

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The AI Apprenticeship: 5 Ways to Supercharge Your Growth in 2026

In the philosophy we share with our Personal Kaizen community, Rule 6 of our 10 Rules for Life is to Learn and Grow throughout your Life. The moment we stop being students of the world is the moment we begin to stagnate. Traditionally, constant learning and growth required finding the right books, seeking out mentors, or enrolling in expensive courses. But as we write this in early 2026, Artificial Intelligence has shifted the paradigm from "searching for information" to "architecting knowledge." AI is no longer just a chatbot; it is a personalized tutor, a research assistant, and a sparring partner…

21 Apr 2026

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Does Positive Thinking Result in a Longer, Healthier Life?

Last month we encouraged you to try 5 Simple Exercises to Increase Happiness and Well-being from Martin Seligman’s book Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. Seligman is a practicing psychologist who has long studied the benefits of Positive Psychology. Flourish mentions several studies Seligman and others had undertaken to study the effects of positive thinking on longevity achieving amazing initial results. Since the book is now 15 years old, I decided to research the updated results of these studies to answer the question, does positive thinking result in a longer, healthier life? Updated Studies In Flourish, Martin…

24 Mar 2026

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5 Simple Exercises to Increase Happiness and Well-being

Our recent post shared research covering 10 models on the meaning and pursuit of happiness. One of the models highlighted is from Martin Seligman’s book Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. Seligman introduces his PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement) of well-being and shares many of his thoughts on Positive Psychology developed as a practicing psychologist. Seligman shares several evidence-based exercises in the book designed to increase long-term well-being and decrease depression. Here are five of his exercises proven to increase your happiness and well-being, and our thoughts and experience testing them. The "Three…

16 Feb 2026

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An Engineer’s Reasons for the Existence of a Grand Designer

A recent post summarized Mo Gawdat’s 2017 book, Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy. Gawdat shares six "grand illusions," seven "blind spots", and five “ultimate truths” in his very thought-provoking book on happiness. The final chapter of the book is titled “Who Made Who?” and is an engineer’s reasons for the existence of a grand designer. I found this section didn’t fit particularly well with the rest of the book, but his argument was persuasive enough to share with the Personal Kaizen community and explore separately. The Problem Statement Trying to tackle the existence of God as the…

27 Jan 2026

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10 Models on the Meaning and Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness. It’s the most universal and basic of human desires, driving our dreams, decisions, and aspirations. We all chase it throughout our life, yet often the thrill fades and we’re left wondering why we never found the lasting joy we expected. We are about to explore 10 models on the meaning and pursuit of happiness, by both philosophers long dead and modern authors who have looked into the topic for their own lives. I’ll then recommend how we obtain happiness based on this research. This is our final post (for now) in our recent series exploring happiness. We encourage you…

16 Dec 2025

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Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy

Mo Gawdat, chief business officer at Google, took an engineer's approach to the problem of happiness after the tragic loss of his son. In his 2017 book, Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy, Gawdat shares that happiness is not a goal to be achieved, but our natural, default state. The key to living a joyful life is to remove the obstacles that prevent us from experiencing this innate happiness. Gawdat identifies these obstacles as "grand illusions" and "blind spots" that cloud our perception of reality. By understanding and dismantling them, we can realize “ultimate truths” and return to…

18 Nov 2025

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How a Positive Mindset Results in a Happiness Advantage

In the pursuit of success, we've been sold a faulty formula: work hard, become successful, and then you'll be happy. But what if the equation is backward? What if happiness isn't the result of success, but the engine that drives it? Shawn Achor's international bestseller, The Happiness Advantage, dismantles this conventional wisdom and presents a compelling, science-backed case on the need to cultivate a positive mindset first. It's about training our brains to be happier, more resilient, and more effective; shifting the focus from simply reacting to life's challenges to actively creating a better future. Learn Achor’s seven principles of…

One Simple Practice to Build Emotional Resilience

Start with Reality: Acceptance is the Path to Growth

9 Simple Ways Volunteering Boosts Your Growth (and Community)

The AI Apprenticeship: 5 Ways to Supercharge Your Growth in 2026

Does Positive Thinking Result in a Longer, Healthier Life?

5 Simple Exercises to Increase Happiness and Well-being

An Engineer’s Reasons for the Existence of a Grand Designer

10 Models on the Meaning and Pursuit of Happiness

Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy

How a Positive Mindset Results in a Happiness Advantage

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