Category Archives: Personal Stories

What is hedonism? A lesson from Dorian Gray.

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Ryan Howell

I must admit, when I was in high school I was more likely to read the sports page of the Dallas Morning News than my English assignments. But, for some reason, there was one book that I couldn’t put down: … Continue reading →

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You are Not That Great

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Ryan Howell

This is a guest blog by Dr. Daniel Crosby You’re not that great. Yes, you read that right. Wait a minute, you think, “this must be about that extra fifteen pounds I’m carrying around.” Nope. “Well, maybe it’s because I always … Continue reading →

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How do positive psychologists really measure happiness?

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Ryan Howell

Last weekend, for three days in a row, we had unseasonably beautiful weather in San Francisco. If you are not familiar with the weather patterns for San Francisco, they can be rather cold and foggy. However, last weekend we had … Continue reading →

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Spoiler Alert — Vanity Sizing: How what you don’t, err, didn’t know is making you happy

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Kerry

I can say without hesitation (but with considerable vanity) that I wear the same size clothes now as I did 20 years ago. I’ve always fit quite well into jeans with a 31” waist. It was that way in college … Continue reading →

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On the Lego, err… IKEA Effect, or: Mom, Dad. Look What I did!

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Kerry

I don’t know about you, but as a kid I loved playing with Legos. I never distinguished myself as a budding architect, and in those days, the suite of Lego building solutions wasn’t nearly as extensive as it is today. … Continue reading →

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How much does happiness cost? Not much when you spend it on others.

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Ryan Howell

  A few weeks ago, while in a foul mood, I found myself admiring the pastries in a coffee shop.  I bought (and I write this so that others may learn from my mistakes) three mini chocolate donuts and a … Continue reading →

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Be mine: Our attachment to our stuff

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Ryan Howell

I sometimes find myself wondering why people become attached to their possessions if, after all, our things are merely things. Our stuffed animals and blankets mattered to us as kids - but all our personal belongings hold special meaning to … Continue reading →

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How newfound financial clarity is changing how I spend

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Ryan Howell

I’ve never been great with money, and up until recently, my wife and I had no clue about how much money we had, how much we spent, or how much we owed. Income was automatically deposited, automatic payments were set … Continue reading →

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