The genius of instinct : reclaim Mother Nature's tools for enhancing your health, happiness, family, and work

Why are we sometimes so unhappy and unfulfilled? Why do we sometimes get into the wrong relationships, take the wrong jobs, and make the wrong choices? The answers and solutions to these everyday plights are revealed by today’s “scientists of the mind,” evolutionary psychologists who have discovered stunning new lessons about the power of instincts and their capacity to transform lives positively. But too many of us have lost contact with our instincts. We don’t hear them. We don’t use them. And that gets us in trouble–over and over again. Now, Dr. Hendrie Weisinger shows how to reconnect with the instincts Mother Nature gave you. You’ll rediscover the six most indispensable human instincts that have evolved over millions and millions of years. Then, you’ll learn how to use them to thrive in every part of your life...enhancing your health and happiness, your marriage and parenting, even your work and personal creativity! Introduction 1 Part I: Shelter Seek...So You Can Find Your Home 9 Chapter 1: Selecting an Empowering Environment 11 Chapter 2: The Face of Emotions 17 Chapter 3: Home Hunting 27 Chapter 4: Shelter Seeking Today 37 Part II: Care Solicit...So You Can Protect Your Vulnerabilities 51 Chapter 5: Protecting Your Vulnerabilities 53 Chapter 6: The Benefits of Vulnerability 65 Chapter 7: The Importance of Ghost Busters 71 Chapter 8: Care Soliciting Today 77 Part III: Care Give...So You Can Develop the Future 89 Chapter 9: Developing the Future 91 Chapter 10: I Gave at the Office 95 Chapter 11: Care Giving Today 99 Part IV: Beautify...So You Can Pull People Toward You 115 Chapter 12: Pulling People Toward You 117 Chapter 13: Beautify Today 123 Chapter 14: Broadly Attractive 133 Part V: Co-op...So You Can Get People Working Together 143 Chapter 15: Team Game 145 Chapter 16: Interaction: Play Ball! 153 Chapter 17: Stimulating Cooperation 161 ...

Why are we sometimes so unhappy and unfulfilled?

Why do we sometimes get into the wrong relationships, take the wrong jobs, and make the wrong choices?

The answers and solutions to these everyday plights are revealed by today’s “scientists of the mind,” evolutionary psychologists who have discovered stunning new lessons about the power of instincts and their capacity to transform lives positively.

But too many of us have lost contact with our instincts. We don’t hear them. We don’t use them. And that gets us in trouble–over and over again.

Now, Dr. Hendrie Weisinger shows how to reconnect with the instincts Mother Nature gave you. You’ll rediscover the six most indispensable human instincts that have evolved over millions and millions of years. Then, you’ll learn how to use them to thrive in every part of your life...enhancing your health and happiness, your marriage and parenting, even your work and personal creativity!

Introduction 1

Part I: Shelter Seek…So You Can Find Your Home 9

Chapter 1: Selecting an Empowering Environment 11

Chapter 2: The Face of Emotions 17

Chapter 3: Home Hunting 27

Chapter 4: Shelter Seeking Today 37

Part II: Care Solicit…So You Can Protect Your Vulnerabilities 51

Chapter 5: Protecting Your Vulnerabilities 53

Chapter 6: The Benefits of Vulnerability 65

Chapter 7: The Importance of Ghost Busters 71

Chapter 8: Care Soliciting Today 77

Part III: Care Give…So You Can Develop the Future 89

Chapter 9: Developing the Future 91

Chapter 10: I Gave at the Office 95

Chapter 11: Care Giving Today 99

Part IV: Beautify…So You Can Pull People Toward You 115

Chapter 12: Pulling People Toward You 117

Chapter 13: Beautify Today 123

Chapter 14: Broadly Attractive 133

Part V: Co-op…So You Can Get People Working Together 143

Chapter 15: Team Game 145

Chapter 16: Interaction: Play Ball! 153

Chapter 17: Stimulating Cooperation 161

Chapter 18: Co-Op Today 173

Part VI: Curious?...So You Can Stay Ahead of the Pack 185

Chapter 19: Accelerating Your Learning 187

Chapter 20: Becoming a Curious George/Georgette 193

Chapter 21: Curiosity Every Day 205

Chapter 22: Curiosity Satisfied 219

Conclusion: Use Your Natural Genius 231

Appendix: The Life Enhancement Instinct Inventory 233

References 237

Index 241

Publishers Weekly

Author and psychologist Weisinger (Nobody's Perfect), an executive educator specializing in organizational psychology, posits the idea that human beings are hard-wired for success (not simply for survival) by mechanisms in our brain developed over ten million years of natural selection-instinctual mechanisms like emotion and empathy which we devalue against higher functions like reason and analysis. In this lively self-help, Weisinger offers fairly standard advice (maximize attractiveness, keep learning, practice reciprocity), but his approach is frequently counterintuitive, often with illuminating results. Locating the hardwired center for emotions in the face (rather than, say, the brain stem), he suggests that the way to get yourself out of a bad relationship is to use your angry face, which communicates feelings not just to your partner but to the rest of your body, giving you the energy to rid yourself of something that is toxic to you-literally, the strength to walk out the door. Elsewhere, Weisinger explains why contentment often prevents growth, and why tending, giving care to others, is a life enhancer for the entire family and/or the office staff.
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Why do we sometimes get into the wrong relationships, take the wrong jobs, and make the wrong choices? The answers and solutions to these everyday plights are revealed by today's “scientists of the mind,” evolutionary psychologists who have discovered stunning new lessons about the power of instincts and their capacity to transform lives positively. But too many of us have lost contact with our instincts. We don't hear them. We don't use them. And that gets us in trouble–over and over again. Now, Dr. Hendrie Weisinger shows how to reconnect with the instincts Mother Nature gave you. You'll rediscover the six most indispensable human instincts that have evolved over millions and millions of years. Then, you'll learn why you have emotions, and how to listen to them...how to scout out an environment that'll nurture you... how to become more comfortable with your vulnerabilities... have more fun by stimulating your curiosity... build deeper bonds with those around you... make yourself more attractive to mates and employers alike! You're hardwired for success. Use the powerful instincts Mother Nature gave you and gain the joy, fulfillment, and pleasure you deserve! Introduction Part I: Shelter seek: so you can find your home Selecting an empowering environment The face of emotions Home hunting Shelter seeking today Part II: Care solicit: so you can protect your vulnerabilities Protecting your vulnerabilities The benefits of vulnerability The importance of ghost busters Care soliciting today Part III: Care give: so you can develop the future Developing the future I gave at the office Care giving today Part IV: Beautify: so you can pull people toward you Pulling people toward you Beautify today Broadly attractive Part V: Co-op: so you can get people working together Team game Interaction : play ball! Stimulating cooperation Co-op today Part VI: Curious: so you can stay ahead of the pack Accelerating your learning Becoming a curious George/Georgette Curiosity every day Curiosity satisfied. O segredo da felicidade está em suas mãos, esse tesouro tão procurando por muitos e que parece estar tão escondido. Este pequeno livro vai te ajudar muito se você souber usá-lo. E o melhor de tudo é que não importa a sua idade ou se você se sente muito velha ou se não parece ser tão legal ler um livro cheio de figuras. De qualquer forma, suas respostas para as perguntas deste livro vão poder te ajudar. Com este manual, você não terá somente o mapa do tesouro, mas também a chave para abrir o baú. Ao concluir as 37 missões, você aprenderá a fórmula mágica da felicidade, que funcionará em qualquer lugar e em qualquer idade, porque ser feliz é simplesmente SER feliz.