Build Lasting Love: 9 Keys to a Healthy Relationship

Build Lasting Love: 9 Keys to a Healthy Relationship

Ever wonder what makes some relationships thrive while others falter? Clinical Psychologists John and Julie Gottman have dedicated their lives to answering this very question. Through groundbreaking research and observation, they've developed the Gottman Method, a renowned approach to couples therapy that helps partners build stronger, more fulfilling connections. To experience love and be loved is Rule 5 of the Personal Kaizen 10 Rules for Life, and this post shares the Gottman’s research on building lasting love and their nine keys to a healthy relationship. Who are the Gottmans? John Gottman, a clinical psychologist, and Julie Gottman, President of The…
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27 Conflicting Answers on How to Live

27 Conflicting Answers on How to Live

Have you ever asked yourself if the choices you are making in your life are the right ones? This month we are summarizing the 2021 Derek Sivers book How to Live: 27 conflicting answers and one weird conclusion. I love this simple book. Sivers goes all-in on 27 different, and contrasting, philosophies for how to live your life. All 27 are listed below, and Sivers makes a strong, rational, and logical case for each of these ways. Which one (or more) resonates with you? Conflicting Answers from How to Live Most of Sivers' answers to How to Live are explained…
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How to Have Dramatically Better Conversations

How to Have Dramatically Better Conversations

We recently came across a popular new TED Talk by Charles Duhigg titled, The science behind dramatically better conversations. Duhigg’s lesson about the three types of conversations, and knowing which one you are in, has been useful to me in my personal relationships. Read our summary, watch his talk, and become a supercommunicator! Charles Duhigg’s TED Talk Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter and bestselling author. We’ve reviewed some of Duhigg’s books previously, including The Power of Habit and Smarter, Faster, Better: The Secrets of Being Productive. I haven’t read his newest book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret…
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Key Components to Living a Good Life

Key Components to Living a Good Life

Have you ever wondered, "Am I living a good life?" We all have the same 24 hours in a day; however, each and every one of us spends them differently, leading to various outcomes. In this week's post, we're excited to share a TedTalk by neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki and HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth's CEO, Annabel Spring, where they discuss the key components of living a good life. While watching, be sure to note where you are already meeting the mark and where you may need to improve for a good life! https://www.ted.com/talks/annabel_spring_and_wendy_suzuki_what_makes_a_good_life_a_neuroscientist_and_a_global_financial_ceo_answer?subtitle=en Key Components to Living a Good…
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Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be

Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be

I was recently reviewing a book about college admissions. In doing so, I thought it would be good to research the answer to a simple question, “how much does the college you attend matter in your future?” I have three children (two currently in college and one in high school) so I wanted to share my findings with them and others. This post summarizes the research, finding that where you go is not who you’ll be. Read on for some simple advice for high school students and parents navigating the college admissions process. Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll…
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Updated and Improved Financial Advice from Personal Kaizen

Updated and Improved Financial Advice from Personal Kaizen

Last month we shared new research on money and happiness and updated Rule 7 of our 10 Rules for Life to, “To be wealthy, spend money on what you love.” After updating the rule, I read through all of our previous Personal Kaizen financial advice blog posts to see what other information might be outdated or need an update. This post is a nice summary of all things financial. Personal Kaizen Finance Blog Posts Here is a list of our previous long-form posts related to finances and money: Personal Kaizen Rule 7: To be Wealthy, Spend Money on What You…
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New Data Shows More Money Leads to Greater Happiness

New Data Shows More Money Leads to Greater Happiness

Rule 7 of our 10 Rules for Life is, “To be rich, spend money on what you love.” As we introduce that rule, we note that as long as you have enough money (currently an income of around $100,000 per year), more money won’t make you much happier. This is based on a famous economic study, but a new study has the opposite finding. So, what is true? Does more money lead to greater happiness? Studies on the Relationship Between Money and Happiness It is very hard to study the relationship between money and happiness without controlling for other factors,…
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Boredom Sparks Brilliance: How Zoning Out Leads To Great Ideas

Boredom Sparks Brilliance: How Zoning Out Leads To Great Ideas

In the past, we've shared a few brain hacks for maximum effectiveness. Now, we're excited to share how to make the most of your brain, especially when you're bored! Have you ever found that your most brilliant ideas came about while you're doing mundane tasks such as folding laundry or loading the dishwasher? That's because when feeling bored, your brain goes into what neuroscientist Marcus Raichle calls "default mode" where a network in your brain starts busily thinking and daydreaming. Check out the TedTalk below, where journalist Manoush Zomorodi shares her experience with zoning out and how boredom sparks brilliance! https://www.ted.com/talks/manoush_zomorodi_how_boredom_can_lead_to_your_most_brilliant_ideas…
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Blue Zones: Longevity Miracle or Just Bad Data?

Blue Zones: Longevity Miracle or Just Bad Data?

A few months ago we shared lessons from bestselling author Dan Buettner’s series, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. There are several lessons I have applied to my plans for a long, happy life. Just this past week I heard an interview that questioned whether the Blue Zones are real, or instead a case of bad data. Here is what I found out through a bit of research. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones Dan Buettner’s Netflix series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones describes areas of the world with higher life expectancies and…
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Surprising Unconventional Tips for Better Sleep

Surprising Unconventional Tips for Better Sleep

Our previous post shared ways to improve sleep by optimizing the quantity, quality, regularity, and timing – the QQRT factors – of sleep. Sleep is critical to health and wellness, and research shows optimizing all four of these factors will keep you well-rested. We learned about these factors from research on the work of Dr. Matthew Walker, Professor and Founder of the Center for Human Sleep Science. This post will focus on additional factors that impact your sleep and includes several surprising unconventional tips for better sleep recommended by Dr. Walker. Before we mention the unconventional tips, here are some basics…
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