How frustrating is it to get your patients to keep exercising?

Or to commit yourself to spending two disciplined hours a night doing research for your new business instead of goofing off surfing and shopping on the Web?

Until now, we've had the easy excuse that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But neuroscience is proving us wrong.

In a nifty article from ImprovedLives blog, titled What Neuroplasticity can Teach Us About Personal Growth, we learn the following:

"Neuroplasticity is quite simply the thing that makes personal growth possible. We talk about making changes in our lives and evolving into better versions of ourselves but neuroplasticity is the thing that actually makes it happen. And the most interesting part is that it only works if you put consistent effort into it. Your brain will only rewire itself, or in other words you will only achieve personal growth, if you put consistent effort into it."

While I have known about and been intrigued by neuroplasticity for some time (it the gas the fuels the results of coaching over the long haul), this article reminds me why of the few traits successful folks seem to have in common is persistence.

Intuitively, these go-getters must have realized that their tenacious efforts were actually rewiring their plastic brains!

I just love how inventive humans are!

Having previously praised the benefits of a gratitude journal, and being quite the hypocrite as someone who never remembers to journal (although I DO walk around feeling grateful a lot!), I was tickled pink today to come across this cute site, ButterBeeHappy.

The idea is simple - you type into some little boxes the five things that are making you happy today (you can do this anonymously) and the site records them for you.

That's nice, but the real value for me lies in the feature that allows you to select the frequency of receiving an automated email reminder to write down your five "thank yous". I'm going for broke and getting a daily reminder!

The site is the labor of love of John Brooks Pounders, and is inspired by the work of Tal Ben-Shahar, an author and lecturer at Harvard University, who currently teaches a course at Harvard, titled "Positive Psychology.

What are you grateful for?

Well, it must be video week - I continue to discover the gems hidden in the treasure trove called YouTube.

This video, The Happiness Advantage (click on the link to play it as it can't be embedded), from Shawn Achor, a researcher and teacher of positive psychology from Harvard University is a part of his series on The Science of Happiness.

Warning - the video is very loud when it first starts!

What brings this particular video home is the emphasis on the relationship between physician happiness and productivity, speed of reaching a diagnosis, and quality of medical care provided. You'll spend an insightful 10 minutes listening.

The rest of the series bears listening too (check them out on the right hand side of the YouTube page -- they're 8 to 9 minutes long each) - they present a somber view of the rate of depression in contemporary America, as well as a fascinating insight into how our brains function when hardwired for happiness. Medical students and physicians feature prominently in these stories too!

The short and sweet version - those who are happy outperform those who are unhappy by 50%. You are more creative AND more intelligence by all measures when you are happy. You are much less likely to burn out despite external stress. There is a true happiness advantage!

Isn't it worth trying to put a smile on your face?

It is rare that I struggle to swallow, for the lump in my throat, or see the screen for the film of tears in my eyes while sitting in front of my computer. A few minutes ago, I had such an experience, and I want to share it with you.

(thanks to Jonathan Fields of Awake at the Wheel for making me aware of this video).

Coming from South Africa, I feel great pain about the societal judgments I was raised listening to. I hope I can do better with my daughter, but I realize it's a challenge. Thanks to those who have reminded me of the power of words.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

I hope you moms had a special Mother's Day on Sunday. And if you aren't a mom, I hope you felt affection and appreciation for your own mom!

Personal confession: Mother's Day is a particularly poignant day for me as it used to be a day I dreaded. Until I had my own child rather late in life, I endured the day with a sense of shame and even anger that I hadn't become a mom, contrary to all my adolescent expectations and those of my family and friends from earlier times.

Now I cherish the day with a fierce joy and celebration that exceeds my almost-daily feeling of living a miracle.

The reason I'm sharing this highly personal experience is it aligns with an article I came across (thanks to Jeff Cornwall of The Entrepreneurial Mind) by Susan Brown in Tennessean.com, called "When it's all said and done, substance is far more fulfilling than style".

In questioning why we aren't happier than earlier generations despite our obvious material advantages, Brown writes:

"My generation has lost touch with what it means to be content. We equate contentment with home or bank account size. Are we content? I suppose we could ask the psychiatrists and counselors we regularly visit. Alternatively, maybe look at divorce statistics or observe declining church roles while noting increasing doctor visits for stress-related ailments. Maybe interview local pharmacists who increasingly fill prescriptions for sleep and stress disorders or ask a financial analyst to explain the reason behind the increasing debt ratios.

I wish I had clear-cut answers as to why our generation has taken a 180-degree turn from prior generations. Success is good, but a problem occurs when enough is not enough. Our nation is heading down a destructive road unless our values change. Bigger government is not the answer. A diamond's size does not make a lasting relationship. True beauty is not superficial. House size, career title or bank balance does not equal contentment."

Brown refers to values - a big favorite of mine. She calls out "values of yesteryear" such as family, sacrificial love, quality time and contentment.

To that I would add adventure, generosity, passion, creativity and mystery, amongst others.

Take a hard look at what is stressing you at present. Are your stresses a result of lack of style, or of substance?

• If they belong to the latter, how can you choose a life of greater substance?
• If the former, what are you willing to let go of fretting about? Where are you out of alignment with your core values?

For my part, I was blessed with a Mother's Day of substance, far from style. No jewels, flower arrangements or fancy dinner. Instead, it included a call to my mom in South Africa, a photo assemblage of my daughter's year since last Mother's Day lovingly created by my husband; a hand-dabbled Color-me-mine tea mug (replete with 5-year old paw print!) from my daughter with the assistance of our lovely au pair; a day on a foggy chilly beach spent running away from waves and rescuing stranded (dead) jelly fish; a rental movie, and takeout Chinese.

I could NOT have asked for more!