Getting jerked around by the voice in your head? Watch this.

We've heard for years about the benefits of meditation.  I've prescribed it for my clients and myself to varying degrees of success in both arenas.  The studies are in and the verdict is clear, meditation is the building block and underpinning of health, wealth and happiness.  At this point, those who are not meditating are essentially bordering on masochism.  In this clip, ABC News Anchor Dan Harris discusses meditation and how we might "hack" our brains default mode.  

Dan Harris explains the neuroscience behind meditation, but reminds us that the ancient practice isn't magic and likely won't send one floating into the cosmic ooze. He predicts that the exercise will soon become regularly scheduled maintenance, as commonplace as brushing your teeth or eating your veggies.

The Pursuit of Happiness

The very document that our country was founded on calls for us to pursue our happiness.  It is an inalienable right as an American to chase after fulfillment.  Unfortunately, the way we've been trained to live our lives, is a lie.  Our culture, our media, and our very capitalistic society have trained us to keep up with the Joneses.  We are constantly in pursuit; trying to be more, trying to do better.  We have been trained to seek external validation, forever on the treadmill.  If we happen to fall short, if we fail to reach the moon only catching stars; we leave ourselves exposed to self doubt, self hate, depression, anxiety and often illness.  We think our happiness lives outside of us when in truth, our happiness must come from within.  Like Charlie Brown, believing Lucy's promise to hold that ball steady, we chase our happiness through attainment when the path to true happiness is already inside of us.

In this clip, Harvard Psychologist Shawn Achor shows us the study and the science behind finding our happiness.       

http://www.ted.com We believe that we should work to be happy, but could that be backwards? In this fast-moving and entertaining talk from TEDxBloomington, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that actually happiness inspires productivity. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.