The Italians have a phrase that I’ve always loved: La Dolce Far Niente — the sweetness of doing nothing. It refers to the pastime of languishing happily, letting the world pass by while you relax, savor, and soak it in. It sounds so decadent. And most of us crave it, but don’t always let ourselves enjoy it. I’m just as guilty as the next person. As a productivity consultant by training, I pride myself on getting a lot done. I track my project [...]

It’s no secret that expressing gratitude is good for us. According to Harvard Health, gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. The way we verbally frame our experiences strongly shapes our mindset. Navy Seal, Jocko Willink, author of Extreme Ownership, suggests using this strategy to combat unfavorable news: when something less than ideal happens, practice saying “good” and looking for the silver [...]