I started fresh out of grad school with a master’s in applied positive psychology, determined to help people lead better, healthier lives. I developed a model that used incremental changes in biochemistry to make progress easier across sleep, food, mood, and exercise. At least, that was the plan.

But over the years, I kept hearing the same obstacles: “MJ, I’ve tried all the tips in your book, and I still can’t sleep at night.” “MJ, I know I should exercise, but I hate to sweat!” “Between soccer practice, homework, and ballet class, I just don’t have time to cook at home!”

But in a decade of wellness work, I had yet to hear anyone say: “MJ, I’ve tried everything, and I’m still the same grumpy guy I was before!”

That’s when it hit me—mood is the easiest entry point to healthier living. And research shows that nothing lifts mood higher or longer than kindness. So I started digging deeper. The more I read, the more fascinated I became with how much kindness does for our physical health, our relationships, our teams, and our organizations—not to mention our souls.

I was floored, I was sold, and now I can’t wait to show you all that kindness can do for your organization!