We all seem to have more problems than we need. We can resolve many of them without any trouble, but once in a while a really difficult situation comes along that just won’t yield to our best efforts to get rid of them. Our initial reaction is to resist them, put up a protective wall and confront it is an enemy with which we feel we must do battle. Now the struggle begins. This confrontational approach to problem solving is negative and can produce only negative results; we find ourselves producing more frustration, anxiety, stress and fear than solutions. Is there an alternative? Indeed there...

Terrorism may be a larger issue but even in our daily lives, it is clear that people are increasingly angry. Why is that? Anger can be caused by external or internal events. You could be angry with a specific person, such as a co-worker or supervisor. You could be furious about an event, say, a traffic jam or issues in relationships. Or your anger could be caused by worrying about and brooding on your personal problems. Traumatic memories can also trigger angry feelings. But the sad truth is that fury and intolerance bear away a man’s good reason. It is true that intolerance is never without...

It seems that at the University of Lubeck in Germany, people given a mathematical puzzle were twice as likely to find a shortcut to the solution after getting a good night’s sleep than the group that had not slept. Participants given the problem after sleeping didn’t have the same success rate as the group who did “sleep on it,” suggesting that slumber helped the problem-solving process along. Ground-breaking conclusion? Sleep’s important. Get some. This is yet another wave of evidence indicating that rest, not work, is the basis for success. Unfortunately, the world’s...

1. Relax And Take A Deep Breath Breathe deeply through your nose for a few minutes and let the tension release from your neck and shoulders. There is some evidence that tensed-up shoulders and neck can reduce blood flow to the brain. There is a lot of evidence that creativity increases when we are relaxed. 2. Examine Your Assumptions Anytime you approach a problem, take a look at the assumptions you and others are making. Challenge them, to see what you might learn. For example, if you are trying to design a new pet store, you might challenge the idea people ...