Reading Time: 2 minutesThere are two kinds of people in this life: Those who walk into a room and say, ‘Well, here I am!’ And those who walk in and say, ‘Ahh, there you are’. In Europe during the halcyon years before World War I, “Clever Hans, the countinghorse,” was, without a doubt, the most talked-about sensation on […]
Know Your Audience Read More »
Reading Time: < 1 minuteStress is a part of life. You can’t learn a new task or enter a new situation without feeling stress. It illuminates problem areas of your life – and you ignore such areas at your own peril. If you’re trying to live an intentional, actualized life, you’ll inevitably feel stress, which can then become an
Stress Has Something to Tell You Read More »
Reading Time: 2 minutesIn the natural world, only change is permanent. Observe an oak tree as it experiences the cycles of the seasons: it is flexible in the wind and rain, deriving its strength from its deep roots. As part of nature, human beings are also subject to life cycles. Accepting that flux will take you a long
Attitude of Gratitude Read More »
Reading Time: 4 minutesA good friend once told me, “Life is not what happens to you; life is what happens for you” (Renata Farah). To cope with distressing circumstances, people need to learn to stay upbeat, control their stress, reduce their anxiety, and manage their frustration at the possible loss of a job and/or social involvement. Self-Management Life
Bouncing Forward…Not Back! Read More »
Reading Time: 5 minutesParaphrasing Ernest Hemingway, unfolding developments move slower until they happen suddenly. Today, the coronavirus outbreak may lead to a tipping point at which gross domestic product and its supporting metrics are supplemented by alternatives more conducive towards a sustainability transition. Disruptions related to COVID-19 are predicted to become more severe in coming weeks. They could
Sustainability in a ‘pandemic’ world Read More »
Reading Time: 2 minutesMany of the thorniest issues we face in our lives are less about right versus wrong than about right versus right. Across cultures, most people feel a strong sense of right and wrong. When facing an ethical dilemma, they generally want to do the right thing. Yet they often fail to follow through for fear
The “Thought” Experiment Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesWe’ve heard about the effects a high-sugar, high-fat diet can have on our health, yet we shouldn’t overlook the impact of our dietary choices on the environment. From growing crops to packaging and transporting goods, up to a third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from the agriculture sector. As Australia (and Victoria) become more
Reading Time: 2 minutesComparing rates of happiness across countries can be tricky, given cultural, economic and social differences that testing may not capture. However, while some “outliers” defy the idea that wealthier nations are happier – Nigeria is very happy; Japan, not so much – other factors, such as age, marriage and jobs, regularly show up in happiness
Money Makes the World Go Round, or Does It? Read More »
Reading Time: 2 minutesEconomics may be a great science for understanding numbers, but it does a poor job of predicting wellbeing. “When income exceeds a certain threshold, it no longer brings more happiness,” according to the “Easterlin paradox.” Within a country, the rich are generally happier than the poor, but that’s not true over time or in comparisons
Is Money the Root of Happiness? Read More »
Reading Time: 2 minutesHealth and Happiness Worldwide, health is the major variable that influences joy, even more than money. Contented people are healthier, and healthy people are more content. In the developed nations of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), the higher the blood pressure, the lower the happiness level, and vice versa, indicating a “virtuous
Love, Health and Happiness Read More »
