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Book Review-“The Progress Principle”

Book Review-“The Progress Principle”

The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work
by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer

Are you connected to your work and do you enjoy going to work each day? The answer to these questions and the purpose for asking them is described in the book “The Progress Principle” by Amabile and Kramer.

They describe the emotional and psychological benefits relating to work performance in terms of an “inner work life.” According to the authors,, “Inner work life is the constant stream of emotions, perceptions and motivations that people experience as they react to and make sense of events in their work day.”

Amabile and Kramer researched the daily activities and inner work lives of employees at several companies and found that when employees have positive behaviors and attitudes, they reflect attitudes consistent with the leadership in the company.

Research shows that people who are more engaged in their work are more likely to be creative and productive and feel happier about their work. This occurs when the employees feel valued, think highly of their co-workers, respect their managers and the organization as a whole.

People who are complimented and encouraged in their work, respond in a positive manner. The positive attitudes impact how employees serve customers and interact with their coworkers. This benefits the entire organization and the bottom line.

Reviewed by Bonnie Mattick, MA Ed., MBA

Bonnie Mattick, MAEd., MBA, speaker, consultant and facilitator improves the bottom line by eliminating costly turnover and increasing employee retention. Using pre-hiring strategies, she helps companies create a collaborative environment with enthusiastic employees who keep customers for life. She helps corporate organizations and associations engage their staff and improve their bottom line. Email her at Bonnie@BonnieMattick.com and visit her website, Unforgettable Outcomes.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Reimagine Your Life

Reimagine Your Life

Sunset at Hopi Point at Grand CanyonThis is a website powered by AARP that can help you recreate your life. Once you decide on the changes you want to make, it says it will send you emails for up to 7 days get going and help you stay on track. There are a lot of other articles and resources also available on the site.

On the home page, click on the “menu” tab on the upper left. A sidebar will open, and click on “How it works” down on the 2nd half of it. There are a lot of programs, and best of all, many of them are free.

If you’re ready to make changes in your life, and want some help, check out Life Reimagined.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

Flagstaff Aspen RainbowLearn to change how you react to stress
You can reverse the effects of stress and learn how to change the way your body responds to it. Managing stress doesn’t mean eliminating stressors from your life. It means developing positive strategies for dealing with stress and here are some suggestions.

Focus on you: Empowerment through silence
You may feel the busyness of your life seems to keep everything in control, but really, does it instead serve to keep you stuck and block you from moving forward? Learning how to become comfortable with your own thoughts and feelings can improve your intuitions and relationship to yourself.

Mindfulness and Self-Love: Tools to Achieve Your Goals
Perception is reality. How many times have we achieved something or received praise for our work and felt good for a bit, only to have our self-esteem drop again? Learn how to turn this perception around to be more accepting and compassionate towards yourself.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

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The Tree Of Contemplative Practices
This is a great infographic that illustrates the different meditative and mindfulness practices. It includes practices that are quiet, creative, active, relational and more, showing all the ways mindfulness affects our lives. They also offer a blank tree to download so you can create your own tree.

Mind over mucus?
For 30 years, Carnegie-Mellon University researchers have given subjects common colds to test how psychological factors affect the susceptibility of their immune systems. The most recent study found a simple social support action actually helps boost the immune system and reduce stress.

Exercise, music and meditation: How to rebuild your brain after a stroke
After suffering a devastating stroke, psychologist David Roland managed to repair his damaged brain. Here he reveals how he did it rebuilt his brain. This article gives hope to other sufferers of this destructive disease.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

Flagstaff Aspen Rainbow“She will dance at her wedding”: Healing the girl born without part of her brain
This is an exerpt from “The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity” by Norman Doidge, M.D. It describes the origin of Moshe Feldenkrais’ therapeutic method and the progression of one of his patients.

The simple secrets to happiness
Turns out a better life rests on habits. Habits free your mind to think more strategically and creatively. The challenge is to make sure you have good ones. This article gives some good tips on creating positive habits that will serve you.

The real secret to dealing with stress
Coach Kim Giles explains how you can choose your level of consciousness. You can process your emotions and choose the state you want to experience in any moment. You have power to change the way you react to circumstances. She gives some tips on how to process uncomfortable emotions in a more positive way.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Is there a secret to recovering one’s self-esteem?

Is there a secret to recovering one’s self-esteem?

Question: Is there a secret to recovering one’s self-esteem?Woman with outstretched arms

Answer: It isn’t easy to reclaim yourself and your self-worth. It’s probably one of the hardest things a person can do, and yet, it’s at the foundation of everything we experience. Which may be why it can be so hard.

Imagine that your being was fragmented in childhood because of your family. You’re going to have to find  those pieces, or make new ones, to put yourself back together again. However, each tiny step you take will take you in the right direction.

Sometimes, there will be two steps forward and one back. That’s normal. Not only are you simply firming up your progress by taking the step back, but the subconscious may feel uncomfortable with your progress.

Your subconscious doesn’t like change, and it’s trying to keep you safe in the environment that you no longer live in. It just needs to get the message that it’s safe now for you to have your own beliefs, a sense of self-worth, self-trust and confidence.

When you dedicate yourself to be there for yourself, the subconscious mind and the Universe will support you. It’s not that there won’t be any bumps along the way – that’s how we get stronger. But if you are committed to your well-being, and do all you can for it, then you will begin to feel better.

This won’t happen overnight. It will take some time, and it takes consistency. An affirmation that you can use is: “I accept my True Worth.”

Copyright 2006, 2015 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

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All the Benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness According to Science
This article shows the benefits of meditation in a series of infographics. The information comes from the results of 75 studies on this topic. One of the infographics show the qualities of mind that develop and another one shows the difference between meditation and mindfulness.

Under 5-Minute Mindfulness Techniques To Deal Any Challenge In Life
This article suggests 3 techniques to deal with everyday challenges. 1 is a writing exercise and the other 2 are very short guided meditations. They’re good ways to shift the ways you’ve been reacting to problems.

How writing can help you reframe your life story and create a happy ending
The stories you tell yourself about your life create how you feel and act, for good or not so good. When you change the way you look at your story, your life changes in response. The act of writing about it helps to reprocess what’s going on, and then reframe it in a way that’s more beneficial for you.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

How Your Mindset Affects Your Actions

How Your Mindset Affects Your Actions

Is your mindset or taking action more important? Without the right mindset, one that’s in alignment with your vision, your actions won’t be successful. All the right strategies in the world won’t make up for a mindset that doesn’t believe your goal is possible. Learn 3 concepts that hold you back and what to do about them.



~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

Flagstaff Aspen RainbowA Mindful Minute: How to Observe a Train of Anxious Thoughts
We all have negative self-talk that spirals into bad feelings that can then affect our behavior. This article has a great illustration to help teach children how to recognize and let go of their anxious thoughts. Although it’s created for children, it’s a great analogy for adults to learn how to do it, too.

How Happiness Influences Our Health, In One Chart
Happiness may be one of the best medicines when it comes to our physical health. Research suggests people who have an exuberant attitude also have a lower heart rate and lower levels of stress. Here’s a chart that shows the benefits of happiness and optimism.

8 Ways to be a Happier you
Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Your thoughts are a choice. This article suggests some easy ways to become a happier person. Most of them have been verified with research.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart