Friday Video: TED Talk – Behncke Izquierdo (a TED Fellow) shows how bonobo ape society learns from constantly playing and is key to problem solving. Can it work for humans?

So you want to be a better thinker? Use these simple techniques to develop your critical thinking skills.

“The group you work with has a level of self-esteem based on the composite self-esteem levels of the individuals in the group. We each take to the workplace (works the same in families) our level of awareness,…and our ability to stay in present-time and not let past hurts be projected onto others….One of the most important things we do is model and reflect to others how we value ourselves….”

How many times have you found yourself saying yes when what you really wanted to say was no. If you find yourself doing this more often than not then you can learn to say no by applying the following tips…

Gossip can get seriously in the way of your success. It is unprofessional, mean, distracting, and never leads to the top.

Friday Video: TED Talk – As Lisa Bu adjusted to a new life in the United States, she turned to books to expand her mind and create a new path for herself.

Have you ever fell in a creative rut? Sure, we all have. It’s that mental ditch in which you find yourself going nowhere very fast. Creative blocks are normal and, though most of us despise them, they often lead to amazing gifts that refuel our creativity and help us evaluate our strategies.

There is all kinds of criticism and no doubt we have already run into all forms of it. It can come in a polite constructive manner, it can be harsh or sometimes just outright rude. However, it is the way in which you decide to use the criticism that is how it’s going to actually affect you. Any kind of criticism can be used to help better your career or even build your self-esteem, but the only way that will happen is if you don’t let yourself get bogged down by the negative parts of criticism.

Children smile about 400 times a day. Some 67 percent of adults smile less than 20 times a day.

Yes, it is true. Just one good joke in a day can actually relieve a high amount of stress, and make your hormones come to their normal levels despite all the anxiety and pressures of the professional life.