Musings
Flexing Your Cognitive Muscle
I love the concept of “Cognitive Flexibility.” The notion of being able to switch between thoughts… and sometimes doing so simultaneously. In order to maintain our sanity we will work a skill or process to mastery so we can save time and effort. After all, why reinvent the wheel? This is the practical thing to […]
Lighting Your Yellow Brick Road
Eight days into the New Year, how are things going with your Resolutions? Last week I mentioned how I’m Acting As If because it is a more actionable path. As I have embraced my journey to Act As If I am a “quasi-health nut,” the trail ahead has begun to light up. I feel a bit […]
Do Resolutions Ever Work?
“What’s your New Year’s resolution?” This question has always bugged me. I literally just figured out my disdain while trying to craft a Musing about the importance of resolutions. I didn’t know why, but it has always grated my nerves that because it was a new year I had to miraculously be motivated to turn […]
Gratitude & Guerrillas
I was fortunate to have the opportunity at UCLA to sit down with some of the brightest minds in the world to discuss the power of gratitude. It was fascinating to participate in the conversation and to glean insights from experts in complete opposite fields: Carol Bakhos is Professor and Chair of the Program in […]
Listen | Silent
When was the last time you were more than 10 feet away from your smartphone? Was it within arm’s reach when your head hit the pillow last night? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, fear and separation anxiety from our smartphones is so common researchers have actually given it a name: nomophobia (no-mobile-phone-phobia). I […]
The Greatest Generation
This past week we observed, with gravity, the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, as well as the passing of Senator, Professor, Marine Aviator, Astronaut, Engineer and devoted family man John Glenn. In listening to the few remaining survivors of the USS Arizona, as well as the eulogies of John Glenn, I am […]
“The Geography of Genius” by Eric Weiner
“The Geography of Genius” by Eric Weiner Have you ever wondered why certain pockets of the world cultivated a band of geniuses during a specific period of time and haven’t been able to sustain that culture or hot bed? I’ve never thought about this fact until I picked up my latest amazing book: “The Geography […]
The Core of Holiday Cheer
I view the holidays the same way I view Pilates: strengthening my mind, body, soul and spirit from the inside out. Pilates fortifies my body starting with all the muscles that wrap around my core and pelvis, which elongate and stabilize my skeletal system—much like the roots of a tree. From there I notice the […]
Grateful vs. Gratitude
I was asked to speak about Gratitude the other day along with Carol Bakhos, chair and director of the Center for the Study of Religion program at UCLA and Alex Korb, a neuroscientist, writer and coach on the study of happiness. The discussion that ensued was fascinating. Korb revealed exciting yet not surprising facts about […]