Personal /ˈpərs(ə)nəl/ Adjective special, individual Happiness is the consequence of personal effort.  – Eat Pray Love (2006) by Elizabeth Gilbert (1969-)

Solace /ˈsäləs/ Noun/Verb noun comfort in difficult times Reading nurtures the soul, and an enlightened friend brings it solace. – Voltaire (1694-1778) verb to give comfort The true way to soften one’s troubles is to solace those of others. – Françoise d’Aubigné (1635-1719)

Beneficent /bəˈnefəs(ə)nt/ Adjective doing or producing good A beneficent person is like a fountain watering the earth, and spreading fertility; it is, therefore, more delightful and more honorable to give than to receive. – Epicurus

External /ikˈstərn(ə)l,ekˈstərn(ə)l/ Adjective pertaining to what is outside the subject We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them. Epictetus (50-135 AD)

Screen /skrēn/ Noun/Verb noun 1. a flat display area on electronic devices such as televisions, computers, or smartphones, where visuals and data appear While we often look to classrooms to understand why students are not learning more, some of the causes may be attributed to screen time, cellphones and social media. – “American Children’s Reading Skills Reach New Lows”, The New York Times 2.... Read More

Achievement /əˈCHēvm(ə)nt/ noun an accomplishment attained through hard work Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. – Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)

Appreciation /əˌprēSHēˈāSHən/ noun grateful recognition The aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them. -G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

Resourceful /rəˈsôrsf(ə)l/ adjective 1. having the ability to achieve a purpose or fulfill a function with one’s own ingenuity; enterprising I am too intelligent, too demanding, and too resourceful for anyone to be able to take charge of me entirely. -Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) 2. having the skill and consciousness to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties. Like a wild animal, the... Read More

Variety /vəˈrīədē/ noun 1. a mix of different elements that creates variation and avoids monotony Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor. – The Task (1875) by William Cowper (1731-1800) 2. multiple examples from the same general type, each varying in quality or form Whoever wants to tell a variety of stories ought to have a variety of... Read More

Alchemy /ˈalkəmē/ noun 1. A medieval precursor to chemistry, aimed at transforming ordinary substances into gold and creating an elixir of immortality The transmutation of the elements was pursued in medieval laboratories in a quest called alchemy. – Cosmos (1980) by Carl Sagan (1934-1996) 2. A seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination The beautiful souls of the world have an art of saintly alchemy, by which bitterness is... Read More