The theme for the 2021 NCFR Annual Conference is "The Science of Families: Nurturing Hope, Happiness, & Health." In her development of this theme, Conference Program Chair Tammy L. Henderson, Ph.D., CFLE, began curating resources around the areas of happiness and mindfulness. NCFR staff will continue to add additional resources to this collection.

We are living in a time of unprecedented global uncertainty and it may be harder than ever to fight feelings of fear, stress, and anxiety. Finding ways to nurture our happiness and practice mindfulness are more important than ever.

Apps for Mobile Devices

• ThinkUp: Positive Affirmations (for iPhone/iPad)
• Power Of Positive Thinking (for Android)

Continuing Education

• Yale's Popular "Happiness" Course Available Online
• UC Berkeley Is Offering Up  Their Popular Science of Happiness Course for Free Online
• Stress Less with Mindfulness — Free Webinars from Michigan State University Extension
• 4 Free Courses to Help You Build Resilience in Challenging Times — LinkedIn

Scholarly Articles

• Corra, M., Carter, S. K., Carter, J. S., & Knox, D. (2009). Trends in Marital Happiness by Gender and Race, 1973 to 2006. Journal of Family Issues, 30(10), 1379–1404. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X09336214
• Lee, G., Seccombe, K., & Shehan, C. (1991). Marital Status and Personal Happiness: An Analysis of Trend Data. Journal of Marriage and Family, 53(4), 839-844. doi:10.2307/352991 Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/352991.pdf
• North, R. J., Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., & Cronkite, R. C. (2008). Family support, family income, and happiness: A 10-year perspective. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(3), 475–483. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.22.3.475

Additional Articles

• Mindfulness Meditation May Ease Anxiety, Mental Stress — Harvard Health Blog
• 20 Simple Secrets Of Happy Families – All Backed By Science — TIME
• The Practice and Habit of Happiness — Psychology Today
• Productivity and Happiness Under Sustained Disaster Conditions — ChronicleVitae

Websites

• Beyond Conflict — this nonprofit puts experience, brain, and behavioral science to work for peace, reconciliation, and positive social change in the U.S. and abroad. See their list of documents for the press.
• Greater Good Magazine — explores keys to well-being including happiness and mindfulness through stories, videos, podcasts, quizzes, and more. Published by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley
• Mindfulness Breaks — a weekly 15-minute guided session hosted by ZERO TO THREE
• Resilience Resources — Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Videos/Webinars

• Webinar: Navigating Happiness Amidst COVID-19: Key Outcomes from World Happiness Report — Sustainable Development Solutions Network (Initiative of the United Nations)
• The Science of Happiness During COVID-19 — The Commonwealth Club of California
• Videos by Shawn Achor, author and CEO of GoodThink, Inc.
  • The Happy Secret to Better Work Language
  • The Happiness Advantage: Linking Positive Brains to Performance
  • How to be Happy - The Happiness Advantage
• Allegories on Race and Racism — Camara Jones, M.D.
• How to Ignite Positive Change In Your Life — Michelle Gielan
• The Surprising Science of Happiness — Dan Gilbert
• There's more to life than being happy — Emily Esfahani Smith

Books

• Achor, S. (2018). Big potential: How transforming the pursuit of success raises our achievement, happiness, and well-being. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group.
• Achor, S. (2013). Before happiness: The five hidden keys to achieving success, spreading happiness, and sustain positive change. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group.
• Achor, S. (2010). The happiness advantage: The seven principles of positive psychology that fuel success and performance at work. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group.
• Bastian, B. (2019). The other side of happiness: Embracing a more fearless approach to living. Frating Colchester, UK: Penguin Random House UK
• Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly. How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live do love, parent, and lead. New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
• Brown B. (2010). The gifts of imperfection: Let go of who you think you think you’re supposed to be and embrace who you are. Center City, MN: Hazelden.
• Diangelo, R. (2018). White fragility: Why it’s so hard for White people to talk about racism. Boston, MA: Beacon.
• Fanon, F. 1991). Black skin, White masks. New York: Grove Press.
• Gielan, M. (2015). Broadcasting happiness: The science of igniting and sustaining positive change. Dallas, TX: BenBella.
• Haygood, W. (2015). Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court nomination that changed America. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. 
• Jensen, F. E. (2015). The teenage brain: A Neuroscientist’s survival guide to raising adolescents and young adults. New York, NY: HarperCollins. 
• Lama, D. & Culter, H. C. (2009). The art of happiness: A handbook for living. New York, NY: Penguin.
• Manson, M. (2016). The subtle art of not giving a “f..”: A counterintuitive approach to living a good life (First edition.). New York, NY: HarperOne.
• Neff, K. D. (2011).  Self-compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself. New York: William Morrow. 
• Northrup, C. (2010). Women’s bodies, Women’s Wisdom: Creating physical and emotional health and healing. New York, NY: Bantam Book.
• Rath, T. (2020). Life’s great question: Discover how you contribute to the world. New York, NY: Gallup Press.
• Rath, T. (2007). Strengths Finder 2.0. New York, NY: Gallup Press.
• Senghor, S. (2013). Writing my wrongs: Life, death, a redemption in an American prison. New York, NY: Crown Publishing.