Despite the fact that the Great Recession is already being referred to in the past tense, unemployment and underemployment are still high. Many Americans know, firsthand, the challenges of long-term unemployment and underemployment and the increased pressure to do more with less at work. As these work-related stresses continue, we all should be looking for ways to stave off the risks for depression, anxiety, and cynicism. One possibility for combating the negative effects of a difficult job market is by volunteering to help those less fortunate. Volunteering not only helps and motivates those you serve, but has the same positive effect on you, the volunteer.

I was once told a story by a friend and very well known psychologist from Stanford. He was driving from his home in San Francisco to teach in Palo Alto. He picked up a hitchhiker as he got on the highway and began his 45 minute journey. The young man was pleasant and my friend started a conversation by simply asking where his new passenger was going? The guy was brief and said, “South.” That answer stood for a minute or two when my colleague asked the same question only to get the exact same reply.

Even in a tough, highly competitive economy, there's a lot you can do to further your career. Whether you want to move up in the ranks at your current job or seek out your passion and find the success you've always dreamed of having by starting your own business, sometimes all you need is a little motivation to get you on the right path. These lectures from experts in a wide range of fields will do just that, offering guidance on everything from the true meaning of success to improving productivity to help you kick your career into high gear.

Isn't it great when science validates something you've thought all along? It's nice when your common sense and life experience get a thumbs up from academia. I've always appreciated the value of exercise as a way, not to become tired out and possibly injured, but just the opposite - a necessary nutrient my body and mind requires to lead a fast-past, vigorous life and to keep me awake and sharp.

For me, it was as plain as looking at some of the most hard working and productive
jobs in the world - the United States Presidency. Here's an ultra-high stress, energy-zapping job if ever there was one. And what U.S. Presidents always seem to make time for? Exercise! They jog, or shoot hoops, or get out on the ranch and clear brush. Politics aside, these top executives know the benefits of getting out into the world and moving their muscles.

I was in Rome this past week for a conference. Alone on the Spanish Steps, waiting to meet friends for dinner, I watched a group of T-shirt clad American study-abroad students struggling with limited Italian, a shared Fodor’s guide, and a map.

Watching the new batch of study abroad students getting comfortable on the marble steps of Rome’s lap, my first surge of emotions was pure jealousy.

Seductive Rome was starting to flirt. Twenty-three short years ago, the Eternal City was flirting with me -- in the exact same place.

This past Saturday my husband George, a chiropractor, entered a demolition derby in the rural community near our lake house. (Please enjoy the irony of a chiropractor participating in a sport dedicated to car crashes.)

George’s pit crew consisted of our dear friend Mark, a fellow PhD and brilliant academic, who has over 30 years of auto racing experience. Thanks to Mark, the car was working well and George was suited-up from head to toe in fire-retardant racing gear. (Personally, I think George looked like a cute Power Ranger but you can be the judge of that from the photo.)

I love the concept of gardening -- connecting with the earth, the beauty of flowers and plants, the feeling of accomplishment.

Sigh. If my garden had eyes, they would be rolling. If it had a mouth, it would be laughing -- or, more likely, complaining. As far as I know, there is not a Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Plants; if there was, I am certain I would be some list. My Mom, Dad, husband George, and some local kids who are saving money to by iPods have (thankfully) come to the rescue of my thirsty, rocky, and weedy garden. It looks great, no thanks to me.

Is there anyone on the planet who does not know that Spain won the 2010 World Cup last week? My Spanish friends (and every news agency in the world) shared images of the celebrations permeating each calle and plaza in Spain last Sunday. The emotional rush was contagious, seeing the Spaniards celebrate their team with unbridled enthusiasm and happiness.

I wonder how many of them made it to work the following Monday?

On a recent trip to Paris, my husband George and I went to visit Jim Morrison’s grave. George is a fan of The Doors. I, quite honestly, did not even know Jim Morrison was buried in Paris. While I would have preferred a Sunday afternoon stroll through Tuileries Gardens or a long lunch on Île Saint-Louis, George’s off-key rendition of “Break on Through (to the Other Side)” sung each morning for the week we were in Paris was more than a subtle hint that he was committed to paying his respects to the deceased rock legend. Heck, it was in the guidebook. On our last day in Paris we took a taxi to the Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Here is something that surprised me: I liked the visit.

Do you share your Netflix cue with a loved one? My husband George and I have a running debate over the movies on our cue. We both like interesting story lines across genres (drama, comedy, action, adventure). We differ on our tolerance for violence (mine is lower) and our expectation for a feel-good ending (mine in higher).

Research has found that, for those who practice mindfulness (i.e., those who really live in the moment), movies can affect mood even after the credits roll. Clearly not an exhaustive list by any stretch, below is a list of 10 movies that had a longer-lasting influence for us, whether motivating or mood-elevating:

1. Erin Brockovich
2. Freedom Writers
3. Miracle
4. Pay it Forward