Researchers say they know what makes you happy. Ask a total stranger. That’s the conclusion of a new study that says if people want to know how much they will enjoy an experience, they’re better off knowing how much someone else enjoyed it than knowing about the experience itself. Click here to read to article.

From the operating room to the executive board room, the benefits of working in teams have long been touted. But a new analysis of 22 years of applied psychological research shows that teams tend to discuss information they already know and that “talkier” teams are less effective. Click here to read the article.

Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 94, No. 2., 2009

New research has found that Heart Rate Variability (HRV) increases when people are watching movies that activate positive emotions (brain funtion was also measured to confirm th activation of positive emotions).

The researchers concluded “that while an individual experiences positive emotions, activities of the central nervous system and cardiovascular system may be interrelated, and the brain may perceive the body to be in a positive state.”

Brain, March 2009

Editors comments:

There is now a growing body of research connecting positive emotions with HRV. That’s why we use Resilience Builder  HRV software in our ACCEPTional workshops as it enables people to experience the power of genuine positive emotions.

While depression is often linked to negative thoughts and emotions, a new study suggests the real problem may be a failure to appreciate positive experiences. Click here to read the article.

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, March 2009

Tutors over 55 who help young students on a regular basis experience positive physical and mental health outcomes. Click here to read the article.

Gratitude, the emotion of thankfulness and joy in response to receiving a gift, is one of the essential ingredients for living a good life. New research has found that men are much less likely to feel and express gratitude than women. Click here to read the article.

Journal of Personality, 2009

In a new study, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh reviewed questionnaires that surveyed the personality traits of more than 100,000 women aged 50 and over who are participants of the Women’s Health Initiative, an ongoing government study that began in 1994. They tracked the women’s rates of death and chronic health conditions for an average of eight years. What they found was a strong link between optimism and a person’s risk for cancer, heart disease and early death. Click here to read the article.

Exposure to the smell of fear biased women toward interpreting facial expressions as more fearful, but only when the expressions were ambiguous.  It had no effect when the facial emotions were more discernable. Click here to read the article.

Psychological Science, March 2009

It is often assumed that remaining flexible by trying different strategies when negotiating a difficult interaction is optimal, but this may not be the case if the situation cannot be resolved. Click here to read the article.

American Psychosomatic Society 67th Annual Scientific Meeting

Transcendental Meditation (TM) may be an effective non-medicinal tool for students to buffer themselves against the intense stresses of college life. Click here to read the article. Click here to read more research on the efficacy of TM.

TM involves repeating a mantra over a 15 second cycle. The TM teacher will tell you that the mantra is a personalised spiritually significant word. The reality check is that the mantra is assigned based on age and gender – for example a 35 year old male would be assigned the mantra “shirim” –hardly personalised.

In our Resilience workshops we also teach a mantra (it’s just one of the many techniques that you will learn). However we have a slightly different perspective on a mantra. Rather than spiritually significant word we tend to focus on words that activate positive emotions such as calmness and contentment. Research shows that these emotions have a profound effect on your health and wellbeing.

In the workshops we use Resilience Builder software to identify the word (mantra) that maximises your levels of the calming response. In one of my workshops I ran an experiment where I gave people the mantra “I love you” to practice. Interestingly it only worked for one person (their levels of the calming response increased) – this person placed a high value around love. I then gave the group the mantra “bullshit”. This worked for a couple of people who placed a high value around humour . The simple message – everyone is different.

Some examples of mantras that people have identified include “Be op…en”, “Colling…….wood” (someone’s favourite football team), “Hail Ma……..ry” (they were religious), “Accept………..ing”, “Curi……ous”, “Gratit……….ude” and “Grac……..e” (the name of their daughter)

However reciting a mantra over and over again isn’t enough to maximise activation of the calming response. It is important to have the right breathing rhythm as well as learning to think mindfully. We use the Resilience Builder to ensure that you master these two important skills.