The Reciprocity Effect and how to use it to build relationships — Earlier today, I was thinking of this guy I went to high school with. His name was Alejandro Jimenez, and everyone liked him. All the girls had crushes on him, and the guys loved being in his presence, too. I went to a nerd school for math and science geeks…

Don’t be afraid to be a fool — In Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, communication expert Vanessa Van Edwards writes the following anecdote to illustrate the inefficiency of faking a skillset one doesn’t have: “Imagine it’s your dream to play professional basketball. You’re fast and have great ball-handling skills. You also happen to be six feet two…

Love maps: the most underrated social hack — A long time ago on an airplane, an attractive long-haired older stranger suggested a book to me: The Education of Little Tree. It was a whimsical, poignant story about the life of a Native American kid. …

Work with your mind, not against it. — “I’m too ADD to meditate.” “I tried, but I wasn’t good at it.” “I don’t have the right personality for meditation.” In nearly ten years of a fascination with meditation that led me from college classes to monasteries in Nepal and ashrams in India to starting my own meditation groups…

And how it is often a prerequisite for economic sustainability — During my years as an online English teacher, I have watched one of the companies with whom I work go from an industry leader to scrambling to get by. …

…And how you can use them to fortify your relationships — Psychologist John Gottman was troubled by the high failure rate of traditional couples counseling. Baffled, he spent many years gathering data and probing into the heart of why some marriages succeed and others fail. He can now predict with 91% accuracy whether any given couple will stay together or divorce…

As our world becomes more globalized and businesses reach across the sea to collaborate with an increasing quantity of foreign partners, business success often hinges on our ability to understand and effectively communicate with our colleagues abroad. I want to do an experiment. …

How a simple technique could transform the world — Although conflict is an inevitable part of the human experience, it is possible to transform it into a growth experience by arming oneself with cognitive, emotional, and practical tools that can aid in conflict resolution. Mindfulness, an ancient Buddhist concept becoming more popular by the day among jungle hippies and…

A slight adjustment in thinking can completely revamp your relationships. — If you make a habit of keeping this tip in mind when you communicate with others, they will… -Like you more than they would otherwise -Trust you more easily and more fully -Feel more comfortable with you -Feel understood by you Everyone has heard of the golden rule: Treat others…