Friday, April 8, 2011

Nurturing the Positive Side

Can one measure 'good' like a science? Greater good.berkeley.edu at the University of California strives to live up to that ideal.

"The Greater Good Science Center studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society..."

"We sponsor groundbreaking scientific research into social and emotional well-being, we help people apply this research to their personal and professional lives. Since 2001, we have been at the fore of a new scientific movement to explore the roots of happy and compassionate individuals, strong social bonds, and altruistic behavior—the science of a meaningful life. And we have been without peer in our award-winning efforts to translate and disseminate this science to the public."

Included in their core beliefs is "Compassion is a fundamental human trait, with deep psychological and evolutionary roots. By creating environments that foster cooperation and altruism, we help nurture the positive side of human nature."

Yesterday I linked to their article 'A Little Meditation Goes a Long Way.'

Other interesting articles include 'How Well Do You Read Other People?' Here you can test your emotional intelligence by interpreting 20 facial expressions. I got a 'pretty good' 14/20.

The site also has a gratitude journal where readers can contribute their thanks in life.

Another interesting article is 'Help others, help yourself: six ways to boost your habits of helping.'

The site is a celebration of vibrant living.