Daniel Martinez an Evolutionary Biologist that has been studying aging in the animal world, may have in fact discovered that immortality really does exist. Continue reading

Life as we know it in America and indeed across the globe is in the midst of massive change. When this incubus is over, how will life in the United States change and will those changes serve as a silver lining to the trauma we will have suffered as a nation, or will politicians seize the opportunity to become even more entrenched in their agendas? Here are some of the challenges and opportunities that we may face in the coming months and years as illuminated in a Washington Post article, which you can read here followed by some of my commentary. Please feel free to join the conversation in the Comments section below this article. _____________________________________ More workers telecommute, reducing traffic and carbon emissions dramatically. Carbon emissions in China (the world's 2nd largest economy), have already fallen by 25%. In the U.S., carbon monoxide emissions have plummeted by 50%. But a complete picture has not yet come into view about whether changing habits such as greater energy use in homes and the sudden rise in the number of delivery vehicles may offset some of the gains in air quality that were made by taking so many cars of the road.... Continue reading

It would appear that rapid changes are occurring for men and women in the workplace and elsewhere, as they grapple with issues of sex, speech and physical contact. And you guessed it…it’s not getting easier. Continue reading

Is luck really a random, one-off event, or a process of placing yourself in the flow of opportunity? Continue reading

Technology developers have probed deep into the collective psyche of Humanity to understand how to use addiction as a tool to make their devices and applications seem indispensable. Continue reading

Those who are in a position to influence children and who care about their intellectual and emotional development, need to examine their own relationship: How those not only determine the course of their own lives, but how they may set either a positive or negative example for the young, impressionable minds in their midst. Continue reading

Why is it we know more and do more about abusers in the workplace than we do about the monsters murdering our children? Continue reading

They are the epitome and the expression of wildness in your own backyard; the conduits through which you can strengthen your connection to unseen forces that keep our planet and indeed all of creation running like a Swiss watch. The tides, cycles of weather, seasonal shifts, the blooming and recycling of plants, indeed the beating of your own heart are not unlike the observable patterns of birds, dancing on the rhythms of Nature, bringing beauty, serenity and as sense of wonder to our often busy and challenging lives. Continue reading

BY ABUSING POWER WOMEN PLAY THEIR OWN NEFARIOUS ROLE IN CREATING AND PERPETUATING A SEXUALLY CHARGED WORKPLACE. Continue reading

It moved so fast, that those in its path barely had time to don on a robe, gather the children or elderly parents and beat a hasty retreat through a gauntlet of towering flames. Left behind were all the seemingly indispensable minutia that make up a home: Musical instruments, photo albums, heirlooms from generations past and in so many cases, a sanctuary built through loving plans and hands to safely ride out the golden years. Continue reading

Throughout my writing in my book and on this blog, I have decried the travesty of modern day gurus, false prophets and charlatans hocking the same warmed over psychobabble to generation after generation, promising them that merely wanting something badly enough will cause it to manifest in their lives. Continue reading

Climate change is complicated and the truth is, we are all culpable in some way, shape or form, by continuing to remain in denial or presuming there is nothing we can do or worse: Knowing we can do something and still choosing not to. Continue reading

It has often been stated, that there is safety in numbers. It is this philosophy that has allowed people to feel at ease in crowds. But this once wise strategy has been turned on its head, suddenly, it is crowds that are targeted. As in Paris, Brussels and now Barcelona and Charlottesville Continue reading

The Earth and Humanity need a Health Plan, a new, powerful campaign for true and lasting change and a leader to take us there. The time is now, the leader is the Nobel Laureate Al Gore and the vehicle is the Climate Reality Leadership Corps. Sign up today. Win the right to brag to your grandchildren that you were a change-maker, when it counted. The future is truly in our hands. Continue reading

Cheating blinds the participants to the harm that can come to themselves and those they love. Their judgement is clouded by a veil of hormones. As a result, they are unable perceive anything but their own selfish desires. Continue reading

Rather than worrying about creating ever larger pot of financial resources, learn to live well within the resources you have. Chances are you’ll sleep better, have stronger, more meaningful relationships, higher quality children, more sincere friendships and ultimately a happier life than many who are burdened by heavier wallets. Continue reading

The new sights, sounds, smells and experiences broaden our awareness to the wider world and our imagination is rediscovered. Curiosity, wonder and awe are rekindled as we behold the depth, diversity and complexity of different lands, cultures and history. Continue reading

6' 9" tall Eric is part Personal Development Coach, part Fitness Guru, part Photojournalist and Philosopher all wrapped up in one towering individual that has embraced Self Mastery as a mission and chosen a life of travel as the vehicle to to take him there. Continue reading

There are many different kinds of travel experiences: Visiting ancient cities; hiking iconic trails; wildlife safaris; relaxing at an exotic resort; photographic adventures; road trips, the list is endless. But several things all these journeys all have in common is a sense of adventure, a healthy pause in our routines; discovery of the unknown; exposure to different people and cultures, and most importantly, a profound reminder of and enhanced appreciation for the beautiful and diverse world we live in. As with attaining anything of value, there is effort involved. In the case of travel, it often requires research, planning, reservations, preparation and often a strict adherence to an imposed schedule. But once you are there, once you can settle into and become immersed in the experience, there are few activities more life affirming. Ironically, through the immersion into history, art, food and cultural traditions, we learn more about ourselves. And as I have written extensively, "self knowledge" is a fundamental prerequisite to personal development and ultimately, happiness. But travel is expensive! So much so, that many perceive they lack the ability to venture beyond their own county or state. And as a result, their personal growth is stunted and their understanding of the world around them remains one-dimensional and distorted. So how can travel be made accessible to more people? How can we change the narrative of travel from one of being an experience only available only to the economically advantaged, to one that promotes the idea that everyone should see as much of our world as possible? How else can more of humanity come to understand the ways in which we are strikingly similar? How else will children and adults alike begin to appreciate the value of history, architecture and art in elevating our lives? How else will current and future generations be exposed to the stunning achievements of artists, engineers, scientists and leaders and then imagine what dreams they might aspire to? To that end, it is my privilege and pleasure to share access to the many Intrepid Travelers whom I have become acquainted with via social media. This TRAVEL category of The Happiness Tree will be dynamic and growing, as I become aware of new travel stories and resources that may inspire you to get on the road or in the air. So please, take some time to read and learn about these adventurers who live to experience, learn and then share with us their joy of travel. Continue reading

When I think about how the world of writing has evolved, what most comes to mind is not the content: We've always had mysteries, thrillers, non-fiction and children's books, but rather the new tools and platforms now available to the writer. Prominent among these is the advent of the Blog. Short for Web Log, the blog allows a writer to float an idea (a post) to a world audience and then gage the reaction. True, the post may just be a rant about politics or a social issue, but the opportunity for a writer, sitting in their easy chair to inform, enlighten or inspire someone across the globe in a matter of seconds by publishing a thought is a phenomenal transformation of the art. As with any art, there are those who dabble, or who are striving to develop their voice and others who have been honing their skills for a while or have managed to lead the pack, right out of the gate. There are so many talented writers in every imaginable genre to choose from, I cannot begin to compile an adequate list for every type of reader. So, as a patron and creator of Non-Fiction, Self Improvement... Continue reading

I become lost in the process and time becomes irrelevant. I am immersed, I am absorbed, I am experiencing Mindfulness. Continue reading

A new salvo in the war of words between Donald Trump, his staff and well…. everyone else. You’ve no doubt heard yesterday’s comment by KellyAnne Conway to Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet The Press”, The comment was in response to Todd asking why Sean Spicer was sent to the White House briefing room to meet with the Media (what we used to call “Reporters”), and asked, presumably by the President to float a bold faced lie in response to reports that Trump's inauguration was poorly attended. “The crowd was the largest ever. Period”. is how Spicer characterized it. Which was of course revealed as false seconds afterward across the globe, with images streaming on Twitter, Facebook and everywhere else, comparing the sea of Humanity attending Obama’s inauguration with the anemic turnout for Trump’s big day. Conway defended Spicer's comment by saying it represented "Alternative Facts". And consequently, she revealed that she, her boss and apparently the entire Trump administration are comfortable with projecting a sort of “parallel reality” , as long as the goal of obfuscation, subterfuge and distortion is achieved. Is that what we have to look forward to for the next 4 years? If so, we had all... Continue reading

Fact: Most people cannot say that lead happy lives. Though they may find happiness in fleeting moments, their relationships, work and personal lives leave them feeling empty. Fact: Much of the well-intended research and content on happiness doesn’t help. Because it relies too heavily on platitudes, koans, and nebulous spiritualisms. These lead one to believe they are, for whatever reason, incapable of unwrapping some thinly veiled, secret knowledge. Eventually frustrated, they turn away and stop seeking, stop listening. Perhaps resigning themselves to the nihilistic message: “Life is hard and then you die”. Why is this? Because the entire concept of happiness has been distorted: Confused with states of mind like nirvana, elation, bliss, etc. And while a happy life certainly sets the stage for these fleeting emotional experiences, the expectation that anyone can render themselves completely immune from the difficulties of modern life causes humanity to seek solace in all kinds of destructive behaviors like: experimentation with drugs; meaningless sex with multiple partners; spending sprees that run up the credit card balance; addiction to foods; dangerous adrenaline producing activities like street racing, skydiving, rock climbing and so on. Activities that eventually may lead the participants farther from their ultimate goal.... Continue reading

If you've read my book or various articles I've written on habits that lead to a happy, successful life, you'll find organization and predictability as recurring themes that set the stage for mental and physical well being and therefore, a firm foundation from which happiness can grow. But how do we create this firm foundation for ourselves when the world around us is indeed, so unpredictable? While it is true, there are some aspects of human life that are beyond our control, most respond quite well to our intervention. That is, if we learn and employ habits that demonstrate compassion and respect for our "Future Self". By using the term "Future Self" I want to get you thinking about how actions you take in the moment might affect you either positively or negatively later in the day or even later in life. We may not be aware of it, but much of our day is mindlessly spent in self-sabotaging activities that undermine our future safety, success and happiness. Here are some examples: • Stretching an extension cord from a wall to a space heater that spans a traffic area in your home. thoughtlessly setting yourself up for a future accident.... Continue reading