By Polly Campbell on April 3, 2013
Just got off the phone with a good friend. We compared notes about writing assignments, commiserated about book sales, talked about her dogs and my kid and even lamented that the weather in Charlotte is too hot. The forecast where I am too cold. That’s all. We didn’t figure out how to stop oil from spilling into [...]
Posted in connection, happiness, health | Tagged happiness, health, relationships, support |
By Polly Campbell on March 13, 2013
Neural pathways are like highways in the brain. They provide information flow and response by creating routes throughout the nervous system. The routes that we use more frequently, to sustain habits or perform repeated tasks, feel more comfortable because the signals travel along well-established pathways. Signals flash through them easily like cars racing down the [...]
Posted in health | Tagged brain, change, connection, creativity, research, resilience |
By Polly Campbell on December 19, 2012
This post originally appeared November 2010, when I was exposed to some very raw, hostility directed straight at me. It startled me then. Left me uncertain and even frightened. Until I remembered who I was — again. Until I remembered how I choose to live in this world. Once I reconnected with that, I felt [...]
Posted in awareness, happiness, health | Tagged awareness, choices, emotions, peace |
By Polly Campbell on June 6, 2012
Can a clean house really contribute to a meaningful life and the happiness that comes from that? Sure can, but it all depends on what you value and how you fulfill those values. Plenty of science supports the Bigwigs who say our deepest sense of happiness comes from living a values-based life. This means that [...]
Posted in awareness, creativity, goals, happiness, health | Tagged awareness, happiness, research, resilience |
By Polly Campbell on March 12, 2012
I’m eating a lot of kale these days. I ate an entire bunch yesterday, just by myself. Which is apparently a good thing, because it’s being exalted as the biggest Super food since, well, blueberries. Packed with nutrients, fiber, antioxidants kale is everything a chicken McNugget is not. Still, anything gets a little old and [...]
Posted in health | Tagged awareness, health, mindfulness |
By Polly Campbell on January 25, 2012
Want to feel more creative and inspired – raise the roof, literally. Research by the bigwigs from the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing showed that ceiling height can affect the thought process. People were more detail oriented when working under an eight foot ceiling and more abstract when the ceiling was raised [...]
Posted in creativity, emotions, happiness, health, self-help strategies, stress management | Tagged creativity, emotions, energy, goal management, health, passion |
By Polly Campbell on January 23, 2012
My space is cozy and tidy. The papers that are on my desk are in neat piles. A few loose newspaper clippings are scattered about. Three books sit stacked on the corner and box of pens lays along the outer edge of that desk. This is just about right. Too much clutter, and I become [...]
Posted in creativity, emotions, health, self-help strategies | Tagged creativity, emotions, energy, happiness, health, peace |
By Polly Campbell on November 23, 2011
I’ve mentioned it here before: social connection – as in hanging out with friends — isn’t only essential to our quality of life, but it’s critical to our health. Friendships and support boost our immune function, stave off depression, and ease a bunch of other nasty things that make us feel, well, icky. Still, we’ve [...]
Posted in connection, emotions, happiness, health | Tagged awareness, emotions, happiness, health, research |
By Polly Campbell on November 21, 2011
I have become a fan of Facebook. Much to my surprise I like the light and often thought-provoking, cyber banter. I learn new things and think about familiar things differently thanks to the different perspectives that show up there. I’ve reconnected with old friends and even developed some solid, real-life, even-met-in-person friendships on-line. But this [...]
Posted in connection, happiness, health | Tagged friendship, happiness, health, relationships |
By Polly Campbell on October 12, 2011
There will always be something that matters – something that must get done — that you don’t want to do. I hate folding clothes – but I also hate wearing wrinkled pants, therefore fold I must. Drawing from our reserves of self discipline to make responsible choices about folding or work or health or money [...]
Posted in goals, happiness, health, self-help strategies | Tagged goal management, motivation, resilience |