“Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.” Morticia Addams A couple of years ago we helped Reebok with a personality test for their highly successful “Be More Human” campaign. Part of the research that went into this assessment came from the tons of interviews we conducted with […]

Whenever reporters capture feel-good stories of couples who have celebrated 50 years of marriage (or more), the always ask the same question: “What is the key to a long, happy marriage?” And nearly every time, the happy couple offers the same age-old wisdom, like not going to bed angry, working out differences, knowing how to […]

“What am I doing wrong?” It’s my little habit. I’ll drag myself to bed after falling asleep in front of the TV, hopeful that it’ll be one those rare nights where I’ll actually sleep through without waking up. But there I was, wide awake, staring at the ceiling, my cat a furry bump under the […]

“Loving people live in a loving world. Hostile people in a hostile world. Same world. Wayne Dyer Mother Teresa is quoted as saying “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.” I […]

Niccolò Machiavelli’s political reign lasted 14 years, and in that time he left an indelible mark on modern political theory. In his treatise, The Prince, he proposed that ruling through fear would be more effective than ruling through love. While he was undeniably cunning and unorthodox, it is difficult to deny the fact that Machiavelli […]

I grew up in a rather strict household. I was grounded pretty often, not because I was a trouble-maker, but because I didn’t live up to some pretty lofty expectations. I wasn’t allowed to question rules, or pretty much speak up at all. Everything I said or did was minutely scrutinized. So how did I […]

Imagine visiting a therapist for depression, only to be told that the key to overcoming it is to develop better self-esteem. Or consulting a professional for anxiety issues, and then given tips on how to be more assertive. It sounds crackers, but research we conducted at Queendom indicates that self-esteem and assertiveness, along with six […]

I can’t possibly be the only person who dreads the holidays. I’m not talking about the frenzy of last-minute shopping, like when you get to the point where Smurf shot glasses are suddenly looking like a reasonable gift. Or spending what feels like a year of your life circling around the parking lot for a […]

I have a really hard time convincing certain people why I don’t like buying pirated copies of movies – or why I refuse to take advantage of discounted appliances because they “fell off the truck.” “It’s a matter of principle,” I’ll say. “By buying this kind of stuff I’m encouraging more dishonesty.” “Who cares? You’re […]

“The women who follows the crowed will usually go no further that the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.” Albert Einstein I’m not going to lie: The results of the presidential election are making me a little nervous. Like many people around […]

My cousin is generally a mellow, quirky teenager. She watches Japanese anime with subtitles and recently decided that she wants a t-shirt with Bob Ross’ face. So imagine my surprise when her parents recently confessed that she missed the first 3 weeks of school because of debilitating anxiety – and I mean hyperventilating, turning-blue-ready-to-pass-out anxiety. […]

Few will offer a disparaging word about Winston Churchill. If asked who deserves to be on the list of the world’s greatest leaders, he would likely turn up in the top 5. But behind that stoic gaze was a man who knew he wasn’t perfect and who, according to several historians, suffered from bouts of […]