Authors
Rick Hanson
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist, founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, a member of the Greater Good Science Center’s Advisory Board, and the author of the best-selling book, Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom.
His Greater Good blog features posts from Just One Thing (JOT), his free newsletter offering a simple practice each week to bring you more joy, more fulfilling relationships, and more peace of mind.
Stories by Rick Hanson
Articles: Just One Thing: Accept Dependence
By Rick Hanson | June 4, 2013Dependence is nothing to be ashamed of, says Rick Hanson—and accepting our natural interdependence can make us stronger.
Articles: Just One Thing: Give Them What They Want
By Rick Hanson | May 2, 2013Rick Hanson says that giving other people what they need will improve your life, not just their theirs.
Articles: Just One Thing: Make Good Bargains
By Rick Hanson | March 12, 2013Life is full of tradeoffs between benefits and costs, says Rick Hanson—but the brain isn't always good at telling one from the other.
Articles: Just One Thing: Trust in Love
By Rick Hanson | January 31, 2013Love is a lot like the air, says Rick Hanson. It may be hard to see—but it’s in you and all around you.
Articles: Just One Thing: See Progress
By Rick Hanson | January 9, 2013As we look back on the past year, we'll be able to see things that have gotten worse. But Rick Hanson asks us to also recognize what's gotten better.
Articles: Just One Thing: See Good Intentions
By Rick Hanson | November 14, 2012In recognizing the positive intentions in others, says Rick Hanson, we feel safer, more supported, and happier.
Articles: Just One Thing: Wake Up to the Good News
By Rick Hanson | October 2, 2012Our brains have evolved to see threats. What does it take to become aware of the good things in life?
Articles: Just One Thing: Hush the Inner Critic
By Rick Hanson | August 22, 2012Messing up is easy, says Rick Hanson. But forgiving yourself takes practice.
Articles: Just One Thing: Minimize Painful Experiences
By Rick Hanson | July 24, 2012There is a place for painful experiences. But Rick Hanson explains how to minimize the harm they can do to our mental and physical health.
Articles: Just One Thing: Be Home
By Rick Hanson | June 21, 2012Feeling confused about who you are? Rick Hanson says go home... and rest.
Articles: Just One Thing: Find Your North Star
By Rick Hanson | May 11, 2012Where are you headed? Rick Hanson suggests a way to discover what's most important to you.
Articles: Just One Thing: Leave the Red Zone
By Rick Hanson | April 4, 2012Frazzled? Rick Hanson offers tips for calming down.
Articles: Just One Thing: Make the Offering
By Rick Hanson | February 22, 2012The world doesn't always want our gifts. Give anyway, says Rick Hanson.
Articles: Just One Thing: Admit Fault and Move On
By Rick Hanson | January 30, 2012It takes a strong person to admit fault, argues Rick Hanson, but it puts us in a stronger position with others.
Articles: Just One Thing: Don’t Throw Darts
By Rick Hanson | December 6, 2011Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional, explains Rick Hanson.
Articles: Just One Thing: Have Compassion For Yourself
By Rick Hanson | November 8, 2011Responding to another person's suffering is hard; responding to our own suffering can be harder. Rick Hanson explains how to foster self-compassion.
Videos and Podcasts: How to Take in the Good
By Rick Hanson | September 30, 2011Rick Hanson explains how we can boost our positive emotions and positive experiences.
Articles: How to Trick Your Brain for Happiness
By Rick Hanson | September 26, 2011Rick Hanson explains how you can intentionally change your brain to create lasting happiness and well-being.
Videos and Podcasts: Understanding Neuroplasticity
By Rick Hanson | September 18, 2011Rick Hanson explains how we can use our minds to change our brains to change our minds for the better.
Videos and Podcasts: How to Change Your Brain
By Rick Hanson | September 5, 2011Rick Hanson explains how mindfulness meditation can strengthen our brains and help us focus our attention.
Most...
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Seven Paths to a Meaningful Life
May 28, 2013A giant in the field of social psychology draws on five decades of teaching and research to reveal the secrets of a fulfilling life to today's graduating seniors.
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How to Train the Compassionate Brain
May 23, 2013A new study finds that training in compassion makes us more altruistic—and explores the neuroscience behind why.
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Five Reasons Why It’s a Good Time to be a Dad
June 12, 2013Feeling fed up and burned out, Dad? That may be a sign of progress, says Jeremy Adam Smith.
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Rethinking Family Meetings
June 17, 2013 -
Death and Gratitude: Death Reflection Enhances Gratitude
June 14, 2013 -
Five Reasons Why It’s a Good Time to be a Dad
June 12, 2013Feeling fed up and burned out, Dad? That may be a sign of progress, says Jeremy Adam Smith.
Greater Good Events
University of California, Berkeley
Clark Kerr Campus
Friday, June 28 - Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The GGSC’s six-day Summer Institute will equip educators with social-emotional learning tools that will benefit both students and teachers. Registration is now closed.
» ALL EVENTS
Take a Greater Good Quiz!
How compassionate are you? How generous, grateful, or forgiving? Find out!
» TAKE A QUIZ
Watch Greater Good Videos
Talks by inspiring speakers like Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dacher Keltner, and Barbara Fredrickson.
WatchGreater Good Resources
"Gratitude and Prosocial Behavior"
Finds that feeling gratitude produces kind and helpful behavior, even when that behavior is costly to the individual actor.
- "Compassion: An Evolutionary Analysis and Empirical Review"
Compassion evolved as a distinct affective experience whose function is to enable cooperation and protection of those who...
- "From Jerusalem to Jericho"
This article on bystander intervention in emergency situations suggests that we are likely to help a “shabbily dressed”...
- Center for Investigating Healthy Minds
The Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, runs a state-of-the-art neuroscience...
- Northeast Foundation for Children
Northeast Foundation for Children is a non-profit educational organization that offers educators the Responsive Classroom...
- Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship
Based at the University of Michigan Business School, this is a networking community for researchers and practitioners...
Book of the Week
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Sponsors
Special thanks to
The Quality of Life Foundation for its support of the Greater Good Science Center
Daniel Goleman
Best-selling author,
Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence
(www.danielgoleman.info)
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