Happy Tips

I talk a lot about happiness and those who've heard me speak know that I place a lot of emphasis on the doing, not just the thinking. As important as contemplation and reflection are, so too is action and application vitally important. But having...

Studying happiness is hard. What one man loves another loathes. One woman's joy is another's junk. Social scientists, therefore, have generally left the contemplation of smiles and satisfaction to poets and philosophers. But that's changing. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a leading expert on well-being, is establishing what...

IT seems the old saying is true - the best things in life really are free. The top happiness-giver is quite simply spending time with friends and loved ones, according to a survey. Other joys included finding a seat on the train, hearing a favourite...

IT'S the state of mind most of us aspire to, but it can often be elusive. Helen Hawkes discovers how to be happy. To be happy you would need: a) a highly paid job; b) perfect health; c) a partner who looked like Hugh Jackman/Scarlett Johansson...

Depression can make a person feel unusually sad, worthless, uninterested in activities that used to be fun, restless or even suicidal for several weeks or longer. Depression is a serious illness that requires professional treatment, often with a combination of medication and psychological therapy. The American...

Positive thinking and regular exercise can help deal with depression, suggest US physicians. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) advises people not to foster negative thoughts like fear of failure. Instead, replace them with positive thinking, it says. And get as much exercise as possible...

I'm about to sign off soon for a bit of "down-time" (or maybe it should be called "up-time" as I'm hoping it will involve plenty of happiness!). Here in Sydney, and I guess in many other places too, we're about to enjoy the Easter...

...and I just discovered, in my happiness archives, another article by Lou on relationships which as I noted in my previous blog posting is a vitally important component of happiness and wellbeing. So again, it brings me great happiness (and I hope it adds to...

At The Happiness Institute we always make a point of noting that happiness is not a solo-endeavour; rather, happiness is just as dependent on what we do to care for and support others, as it is about what we do to care for and support...

Research suggests that music can be an effective means to reducing stress and to boosting positive moods such as happiness. If happiness can be enhanced via music, then as far as I'm concerned...