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The news agenda is obviously currently dominated by Coronavirus, but let's try not to forget there are still great things happening all over the world. Ed Gould shares his Top Ten round-up from March to uplift and inspire you. If the last month has felt full of stress and worry, you're definitely not alone. And yet, even during the lock-downs that are in place around the globe, positivity still shines through. Many people are socially distancing themselves and making personal sacrifices in order to help save the lives of people they will never meet. Viewed from the right angle, that is something of a feel-good news item in its own right. And here are ten more from March: let's celebrate these feel-good new stories during this difficult time for the world – they may just give you hope for the future of humanity. 1.Reusing face masks possible thanks to new techniques According to CNN, researchers at Duke University, a medical research facility in North Carolina, have found a way to continue using medical face masks. There has been a global shortage of such masks in the current Covid-19 emergency which has led to severe strains on medical teams around the world. However, the pioneering work at the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory there has meant that N95 respirator masks can now be decontaminated and safely re-worn without fear of passing on infection. RELATED: How to keep the greater good in mind during the Coronavirus outbreak 2. Big step to discovering secrets of life taken The origins of life on Earth are a little murky. Scientists know the conditions that are needed but not what might have kick-started the whole process. However, American scientists have now discovered evidence for a plausible hypothesis. Researchers have been looking at a meteorite first discovered in 1990 and found that it contains a protein on it that was previously unknown in nature. This leads some to think that a similar life form may have travelled to the Earth in prehistory, beginning the chain of reactions that we know collectively as life. 3. Madagascar to plant millions of trees To celebrate its 60th anniversary as an independent state, the government in Madagascar announced its backing for a tree-planting programme in March. It will set about putting no fewer than one million new trees into the ground for every year of its independence from colonial rule. Madagascar has one of the most unique ecologies on the planet but it has been increasingly under threat because of the outbreaks of forest fires on the island. According to the ecology website, Afrik21, the reforestation programme will commence in June. New trees, new life: Baobab trees in Madagascar 4. The ozone later continues to heal In the 1980s, the banning of certain chemicals started to see some minor repairs to the damage done to the planet's ozone layer. However, over 30 years on, those moves are continuing to benefit us all, according to New Scientist. The magazine reported that a team at the University of Colorado Boulder had been studying wind patterns as a result of the ozone layer healing up and it showed them that reversals in the size of certain hurricane-causing air currents were now detectable from space. 5. NHS staff given free mindfulness apps The UK's health service personnel are at the forefront of dealing with the fallout from the Covid-19 outbreak and they don't always get the support and recognition they deserve. However, the Independent reported that Headspace, a popular mindfulness app, will be freely available to all NHS workers during the pandemic. The app focusses on stress reduction and resilience, meaning it could play a big part in helping to keep key workers in the front line. RELATED: The best mindfulness podcasts: our top 7 picks 6. A revolution in lung transplants? According to a feel-good news report in Interesting Engineering, Israeli surgeons have been able to remove a lung, clean it and put it back in a patient for the first time. It's hoped that the techniques they've developed will allow them to help people with life-threatening conditions, such as lung cancer, without the need to conduct a transplant. Dr Yuri Faischowitz at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva said that the method required one healthy lung to continue functioning while the delicate repair work was carried out on the other. 7. Huge investment into solar power According to Bloomberg, GCL System Integration Technology Company – a Chinese manufacturing firm – will open up a new solar panel factory that will be on a scale never seen before. The eastern city of Hefei has been chosen as the one that will accommodate the photovoltaic plant, at an estimated cost of £2 billion. According to the company's press release, the facility will have sufficient output to meet half of the world's current demand for this technology on its own. This could mean prices for consumers reduce even further while helping to reduce the effects that fossil fuel energy consumption has on global climate change. New solar panel factory on the way shutterstock/Sonpichit Salangsing 8. Wales plans huge new forest In reports that were carried by numerous media outlets, the country of Wales in the UK is set to reforest a huge area that will mean woodland stretches over vast swathes of the Principality. The £5 million government scheme is being augmented by the efforts of Welsh schoolchildren who will be involved in the necessary planting work. Corridors of woodland will link larger sections of forest, thereby helping biodiversity in Wales. It will also help as a part of the wider UK government's carbon strategy. RELATED: The benefits of forest bathing 9. Two big high street brands have banned paper cups Starbucks and McDonald's, two of the world's biggest sellers of convenience beverages, have announced that they will be soon ditching their paper and cardboard cups. Around 250 billion such single-use cups are said to be used each year. The two brands have decided to opt for the latest type of recyclable plastic cups instead. This follows a couple of pilot projects that showed the new cups were reliable and more environmentally friendly than what had previously been used. 10. Museums offer virtual tours to replace in-person ones Some museums had been offering virtual tours for a while, helping to control the numbers of in-person visitors to extremely popular sites, such as the Palace Museum, housed in the Forbidden City in Beijing. However, the idea has since become incredibly trendy thanks to the need for people to visit places of cultural interest without having the ability to be there in a physical sense. According to Time Out, which has cleverly temporarily rebranded itself as Time In, famous institutions like the British Museum in London and the Guggenheim art gallery in New York City are now getting in on the act. And it's not just museums – Cincinnati Zoo has produced some highly entertaining 'virtual safari' videos on its YouTube channel so that viewers can interact with its animals while learning about them. Main image: shutterstock/Dennis van de Water What's your favourite feel-good news story from the past month? We'd love to hear your views in the comments! Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

If you're struggling to live in the present moment, these ten mindfulness quotes from spiritual leaders will inspire you to stay grounded. Recall them when you need to be more mindful. By Calvin Holbrook. Over the past few years, the message about the power of mindfulness has boomed, and for good reason. By practising mindfulness you can be more aware and receptive to how you’re feeling and the reality that surrounds you. Staying mindful is a way of finding pleasure and fulfillment in everyday things and this can make a considerable contribution to your overall happiness. Indeed, by practising mindfulness we can improve our patience levels and also positively change our relationships with loved ones, leading to greater kindness, compassion and understanding. In simple terms, mindfulness is being aware of what is happening to you and around you right now without wishing it were different – even when it seems trivial or negative. Mindfulness also means accepting your life and not being critical or judgmental. In essence, practising mindfulness is simple and straightforward, but it may take time to develop the skills. Having inspiration in the form of mindfulness quotes can help you see the benefits of the practice and give you the power to keep going. The quotes below come from many experts in the field of mindfulness and meditation. Thinking more deeply about the meanings of these quotes will inspire you to practise mindful behavior each and every day. With time, you – and those around you – will really feel the benefits. Mindfulness quotes Recall these ten mindfulness quotes to inspire you and ground you when life is taking you out of the present moment. Focus and bring your mind back to the now. 1. “Wherever you are, be there totally.” Eckhart Tolle German-born Eckhart Tolle is a spiritual teacher and author and one of the most-quoted people when it comes to mindfulness. This quote sums up the essence of mindfulness: being completely in the moment of where you are. Firstly, it works in a mental or emotional setting: whatever your mood or feeling, acknowledge it and accept that that’s how it is at the moment. Don’t force changes (it will pass eventually). • JOIN US! Sign-up to get support from our caring community • This mindfulness quote also applies to your physical location or situation too. For example, you may be unhappy with your living situation at the moment, but simply accepting your situation and not judging it can help. Everything will change. Likewise, in a more positive sense, if you’re enjoying a walk by the seaside or practising some forest bathing, really be there: soak up the sights, sounds and smells of everything around you. Give life your undivided attention. 2. “You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn This mindfulness quote from Jon Kabat-Zinn has to be one of our most-loved – and most repeated! Kabat-Zinn is widely recognized as being the father of mindfulness in the Western world. He's also the creator of the original Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course. This well-known quote from him sums up how to deal with life’s ups and downs rather nicely. The waves represent life’s many – and unstoppable – changes and challenges. When faced with choppy seas, instead of drowning in them we can get on our surfboard and learn to deal with them by riding the waves. We will probably fall off our surfboard many times, but we can jump back on, and with practice, we can learn how to navigate life's ever-changing waters better. 3. “Be happy in the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” Mother Theresa This mindfulness quote from nun and missionary Mother Teresa teaches us to enjoy the moment and not to want more than what we have. Sometimes it can be hard to fully embrace the now and stop worrying about the future, but this quote reminds us that we should try to live simply and in the present. It also reminds us that we should practise gratitude for what we have, however little. By always being more grateful in life, we can become less self-centred and materialistic, and overall become happier with our lives. 4. “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” Thích Nhất Hạnh One of the most influential figures in the fields of mindfulness, meditation and Buddhism, the wisdom of Thích Nhất Hạnh has provided countless quotes on mindfulness, but this is one of my favourites. This quote is all about remaining centred and focusing on our breath through meditation, despite any changes or upsets in our mind. By bringing your attention to your breath, you can calm a busy or troubled mind and bring about an equilibrium. 5. “The real question is not whether life exists after death. The real question is whether you are alive before death.” Osho Indian mystic Osho was a controversial character, but there’s nothing debatable about this mindfulness quote: we agree 100 per cent! So many of us are rushing through life, doing the things we have to do: the treadmill of work, paying the bills, taking care of the family, etc. But in doing so, we often don’t stop to take in the world around us fully. Being mindful means consciously being aware, stopping to appreciate every moment of life, instead of living it at breakneck speed. “Having some inspiration in the form of mindfulness quotes can help you see the benefits of the practice and give you the power to keep going.” Likewise, this mindfulness quote is also a reminder to ask yourself if you are really living your true, authentic life. Are you doing the things which make you happy in life or are you just a slave to the wage? Are you using all your skills and being the best person that you can be? Using mindfulness can be a great tool to be still and evaluate if you are really alive before death! 6. “Look past your thoughts, so you may drink the pure nectar of This Moment.” Rumi Rumi was a Persian poet born in 1207. Books of his poetry have sold millions of copies in recent years, making him one of the most popular poets in the United States. Pretty good going for someone that lived 800 years ago! This mindfulness quote from Rumi shows why his sayings are so popular. Incredibly, experts estimate that the average mind thinks between 60,000 – 80,000 thoughts a day. Some of those thoughts include minor things like what we are thinking to eat for breakfast, but other, deeper thoughts can fly through our minds all day, such as negative thoughts about the past (rumination) and worries for the future. The problem is, when we are focusing on our thoughts, we are missing what is happening in our lives right now. Here and now. In this very moment. Calming the chatter – the monkey mind – through mindfulness can help you to stop overthinking and live in the present moment, helping you to enjoy life and be happier. 7. “We have only now, only this single eternal moment opening and unfolding before us, day and night.” Jack Kornfield This quote from Jack Kornfield – teacher, writer, and one of the leading proponents of Buddhism in the Western world – encapsulates one of the key elements of mindfulness: living in the present moment. The past is the past; we cannot change it, we can only learn from our mistakes and try to move forward. • JOIN US! Sign up today and make new friends at happiness.com • Likewise, we can try and plan for the future to some degree, but life has the habit of throwing things up in the air to disrupt those plans! Indeed, what we truly only really have is this moment we are living now, and because of that, we should focus on that and make the most of it. 8. “The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.” Tara Brach This mindfulness quote from respected teacher and author Tara Brach is essentially saying the same thing. We must learn to appreciate that our time on Earth is limited and we should make the most of every minute. This quote also hints at the power of gratitude, suggesting we should be grateful for the gift of life and all the wonder it brings. When problems and thoughts start to cloud your mood and mind, remember this mindfulness quote and try to bring yourself back to the idea of appreciating every moment of our existence. 9. “Paradise is not a place; it's a state of consciousness.” Sri Chinmoy All too often we are searching for our own idea of Paradise: be that in the form of our dream home, an exotic holiday or the perfect relationship. And while, of course, it’s great to have dreams to aspire to, we mustn’t neglect the idea that we can be happy with what we already have. Indeed, it’s our mental attitude that can be a source of peace and contentment. If we achieve a peaceful, conscious mind, free from conflict, it can bring us great joy. Practicing mindfulness can help us achieve this state of being. This quote from Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy reminds us that happiness is a journey, not a destination. 10. “Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.” Sharon Salzberg Best-selling author Sharon Salzberg has written many meditation and mindfulness books and has been teaching meditation since 1974. So, she’s pretty well placed to be able to talk about the difficulty – or ease – of practising mindfulness. Indeed, Salzberg's quote is spot-on. Practising mindfulness in itself is not difficult as it’s simply a way of being that doesn’t require any more of our time. However, training our brains to remember to stay mindful at all times can be more of a challenge, especially if mindful behavior is new to us. However, we can change our behavior gradually, and this mindfulness quote is a reminder of that. ● Which of these mindfulness quotes do you live your life by? Do you have any others you would like to share? Let us know in the comments below. Want to discuss mindfulness with like-minded people? Head over to our forum. happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine ■ share and support in our happiness forum ■ Develop with free online Academy classes Learning | Self care | Meditation Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits the happiness magazine, as well being an artist and travel lover. He also enjoys hiking, nature, swimming, yoga, sweaty dancing, and all things vintage!

From mindful eating to mindful listening: incorporate these 13 practical mindfulness behavior ideas from Calvin Holbrook into your daily routine to live a more present and focused life. Rushing. Multitasking. Not listening to other people properly. Do you recognize any of these habits from your everyday life? If so, you could definitely try to incorporate some more mindful behavior into your daily routine. By practising mindfulness you can be more present, more aware, and more receptive to how you're feeling and the reality that surrounds you. However, changing your behaviour or habits isn't always straightforward. Indeed, behavioral changes can be difficult. When you’ve spent years, sometimes decades, practising a certain behavior, it’s hard to wake up one day and decide to do something differently. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about meditation and mindfulness • But if you can incorporate some of these practical mindful behaviors and tools into your daily routine, you could really feel the benefit, boosting happiness levels and helping to keep anxiety and depression at bay. If these are big changes for you, focus on one or two at a time until you feel comfortable with the transition. Mindful behaviors: 13 habits and tools to adapt Use these mindfulness behavioural tools at various points throughout the day. They are listed below roughly into how they might appear in your day-to-day routine. Incorporating these simple mindfulness tips into your day shouldn't require a great deal of extra time of effort: simply a different way of seeing things. 1. Mindful start to the day Take your time to simply be grateful for the day ahead. Showing gratitude is scientifically proven to benefit your mood. After opening your eyes, say hello to your body waking up and notice the different sensations you're feeling: be grateful that you can see, hear, smell and that your bodily parts work. Smile at the world before the rush of the day starts. Just spend a few minutes being and appreciating the gift of life. 2. Mindful breath Before you head out to start your day, open the window. Take a mindful, deep breath and check in with yourself. How are you today? What’s the weather inside of you like? Don't judge how you're feeling or try to reason with it: just sense and accept your mood at this moment in time. Don't try to change anything. 3. Mindful shower Mindful showering is a great morning mindfulness tool to set you up for the day. Really be there in the shower: feel the water on your skin, smell the shower gel aroma and scan your body for how it’s feeling. If your mind is already wandering, bring it back to the present moment by singing a song and smiling to yourself. 4. Mindful mirror When it's time to get ready, instead of looking in the mirror and pointing out your flaws, take a moment to look at yourself the way a parent looks at their kid: with love and kindness. Give yourself a warm loving, accepting and supportive smile before you head out the door to start your day. 5. Mindful walk Try some mindful walking or forest bathing if you have the chance. Stop and smell the flowers, but first, you need to be there to even see them. Hear the birds, feel the many muscles in your body keeping you in balance with every step – marvel at life around you. Connecting with nature is important for our mental health, so if you get a chance to do this with a mindful walk, all the better. 6. Mindful speaking We often feel rushed to reply when in conversations. However, really take the time to consider what you want to say before speaking. Take your time. Consult your body. Are there tensions, do you feel rushed or threatened, or safe and heard? Respond from your heart. Mindful speaking is a behavior particularly useful when it comes to mindfulness at work. 7. Mindful listening Listen. Just listen. Without thinking about your reply. Without planning when to jump in and retort. Make a choice to stay open and attentive and let the words you are hearing from someone else really touch you. Mindful listening can really help improve your communication skills. 8. Mindful moment This mindful behavioral habit helps you to get out of your mind and into your body fast. It's great if something is playing on your brain or you're struggling to focus during the day. Simply stop what you're doing and rub your hands together repeatedly. That's it. Focus on the warmth that's generated. Do it a few times, take a few deep breaths, then head back to your task. 9. Mindful eating At least for the first few bites – and preferably the whole meal – really take your time when eating your meals or snacks. See the colours and texture of your food. Taste it, smell it, and feel the consistency and temperature. Every bite is unique! Do not rush your food. Slow eating is also better for your digestion. 10. Mindful pause So often we try to fill our days with as much as possible, but we need to take time out during the day too. Take in the signals from your body. Pause to listen to your thoughts, emotions and body sensations. Accept them as they are here and now and then focus on your breath before you go back to whatever you were doing. 11. Mindful self-talk Be mindful of how you treat yourself. Be honest with yourself but do not be harsh. Acceptance precedes change. Honestly acknowledge what is, and start with a gentle step. Do not beat yourself up but gently motivate yourself, especially after a drawback. Talk to yourself like you would talk to a dear friend. 12. Mindful encounter Rest in deep gratitude for the power of friendships. On the way to meeting a friend, bring to mind the good times you had and what you appreciate about that person. During your time together, rest in openness and gratitude for your friendship and celebrate what a wonderful thing it is. 13. Mindful breathing Here’s a mindful behavior to relax you, great if you can’t sleep. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds, deep into your abdomen. Hold for four more seconds, then breathe out for four more through your mouth. Pause for four more, then repeat! This mindful breathing isn't just for bedtime, though. Use throughout the day, whenever you're feeling anxious or in need of some calm. ● Mindful behavior: the takeaway Incorporating mindful behavior and habits into your day-to-day life can only bring great benefits to you and those around you. By using these practical tools you will start to be more present and aware, as well as open and receptive to how you're actually feeling and the world around you. Main image: shutterstock/fizkes Which of these mindful behavioral tools helped you most? Do you have any others to add to the list? Join our conversations around mindfulness and meditation in our forum. If you’re interested in learning more deeply about mindfulness, sign up for our free MBSR course. Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits our online magazine, and is a lover of swimming, yoga, dancing to house/techno, and all things vintage! Find out more.

Many of us show compassion easily to others but struggle when it comes to ourselves. Stanislava Puač Jovanović explains why self-compassion is essential to our well-being and offers six practical steps on practising it. When things go wrong, some of us will be able to support ourselves with warmth and self-compassion. However, many of us tend to do quite the opposite. We beat ourselves up. How did it come to be that we accepted to live our lives burdened with (unconstructive) self-criticism? As with anything else about the human psyche, the overly criticizing mindset is also a multilayered phenomenon. However, one of the most common causes are the beliefs and values we’ve developed during our childhood. And, although we still may show compassion to others during their times of need, we fail to do the same when we’re struggling. Strange? This lack of compassion for ourselves has deep-seated roots. And they’re not always entirely logical. For that reason, it’s so difficult to overcome it. However, it can be done: read on to discover six proven ways to develop self-compassion. What exactly is self-compassion? Self-compassion is a concept that counteracts the adverse beliefs we have about ourselves. In most cases, whether we’ll be able to comfort ourselves through the tough times gets decided in our childhood. We learn from our parents. Be it through direct or indirect messages we receive, we absorb those ideas. They become blueprints of our future world. Whether your parents were harsh and criticizing, or they were self-destructive and self-criticizing, you probably introjected such an attitude toward yourself into your core. Be kind to yourself and practise self-compassion Self-criticism is rife. And it’s a nasty enemy to have. Research has demonstrated over and over again that it’s closely associated with a range of emotional disturbances. Depression, anxiety and eating disorders are merely a few of the consequences of unrealistic negative images people hold about themselves. Even if you don’t develop a mental health disorder, living your life fraught with self-condemnation isn’t the right way. It will make you utterly unhappy, unproductive, and vulnerable. “Although we may show compassion to others during their times of need, we fail to do the same when we’re struggling. Strange? This lack of compassion for ourselves has deep-seated roots.” The most vicious aspect of self-criticism is that it mostly occurs out of our conscious awareness. We can access the negative beliefs we have about ourselves, but we rarely do it. Even more seldomly do we question these core ideas. This elusive nature of self-criticism is one more reason why you should wholeheartedly practice self-compassion. RELATED: How to stop ruminating with these 3 techniques Studies have shown that the ruminating self-loathing doesn’t get resolved with classic self-help cognitive intervention. What is more, it gets even worse. Moreover, those who are depressed as a result of self-criticism also have trouble imagining positive scenes and self-supporting images. In other words, when you’re failing at being self-compassionate, you can’t even imagine a bright future for yourself. So, the cycle continues. Unless you put a stop to it. Three components of self-compassion Psychologist Kristin Neff was the first to measure self-compassion. She explained that having compassion for oneself means offering self warmth and unconditional acceptance. That doesn’t mean being selfish and egocentric. It does not condone engaging in self-pity or self-indulgence. And, we might add, it doesn’t exclude constructive criticism. When you're self-compassionate, you recognize the difference between making bad choices and being a thoroughly appalling person. Simply put, when you’re compassionate to yourself, you won’t keep telling yourself all those nasty things you usually do if you’re not. And you won’t stagnate or suffer as a result. Neff has explained the three components of self-compassion: Self-kindness The ability to be supportive, kind, and forgiving toward yourself. Common humanity Realizing that part of the nature of human existence is to experience pain, loss, failure, and make mistakes. You’re not alone in your struggles; there’s always someone somewhere who has been through the same (or worse). Mindfulness Practising awareness of your experiences without judging them. Self-compassion is about the acceptance of upsetting thoughts without letting them overtake your entire life. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Kristin Neff's self-compassion theory © YouTube/Greater Good Science Center Six ways to practise self-compassion The good news is that self-compassion can be learned. It takes practice, but most good things require some effort. Here are six ways to practice self-compassion in your day-to-day life. 1. Practice self-forgiveness The very first step of self-compassion is to forgive yourself. And keep doing so every day. There's no point in punishing yourself for your past mistakes. What makes sense is learning from them and growing as a person. You will never be flawless and faultless – because no one is. Yet, your most profound worth doesn’t come from being perfect, successful, recognized, famous, or whatever your poison may be. With self-compassion, you’ll learn to allow yourself to be imperfect – and love yourself as such. 2. Treat yourself as you would a loved-one or child The next time you’re about to tell yourself how stupid or incompetent you are, ask yourself: “Would I speak this way to my child (or anyone whom you love dearly)?” You probably wouldn’t. Because you do know how destructive it is. You just need to learn not to be such a molesting “parent” to yourself. “The very first step of self-compassion is to forgive yourself. There's no point in punishing yourself for your past mistakes. What makes sense is learning from them and growing as a person.” In most cases, we don’t even repeat the messages we heard from our parents – they weren’t this harsh. What we do incorporate into our self-expectations are our childish interpretations of our parents’ words and values. That’s one more reason for you to revise your beliefs about how you should be. 3. Practice mindfulness and mindful meditation As it is one of the components of self-compassion, incorporate mindfulness into your life. Be in the present moment, be lovingly kind, and observe the world (both external and internal) without judgment. If you need help mastering the skill, sign up for mindful meditation classes, listen to some mindfulness podcasts, and check out these mindfulness tips. With time, you’ll notice how self-criticizing thoughts come, but they don’t stick and loop in your head anymore. 4. Watch out for automatic thoughts and language It’s precisely these thoughts that tend to make us incapable of self-compassion. To regain control, keep an eye on them and bring them to your consciousness. You can keep an automatic thoughts journal in which you’ll note down the original thought and how it made you feel. Then, analyze it to see if it can hold out against logical questioning. Spoiler alert – it can’t. Self-love and compassion is possible with practice shutterstock/KieferPix So, replace such thoughts – and your language – with positive, compassionate versions. Once you retrain your mind to go for the affirmation, you’ll notice how much more encouraging and warm you are to yourself – and how much better you feel as a result. 5. Remember: you’re not alone in your imperfection When we suffer, we tend to feel as if we were the only ones who were going through such an ordeal. However, chances are someone somewhere already experienced it (and survived). Learn to recognize that those feelings of disappointment, incompetence, or self-repugnance are shared across the human race. By doing so, it will become easier to overcome obsessing about and being enslaved by them. Instead, learn from your failures and grow as a person. 6. Work with a psychotherapist or a life coach Finally, we appreciate how difficult it may be to develop self-compassion. Especially for those with a lifelong history of knocking themselves down. It just doesn’t come naturally. So, seek professional support. Reach out to an expert who will work with you until you become wholly and unconditionally self-compassionate. Round-up: self-compassion Developing self-compassion takes time and practice. Yet, this isn’t a reason to give up. After all, your relentless self-criticism also wasn’t built in a day. However, let a simple thought guide you through the process – you’re not a child anymore. You have the power to reassess and change your convictions now. Be a kind and supportive parent to yourself. Teach your inner child (and your self-criticizing adult) to be compassionate to the person you’re bound to spend your entire life with – yourself. Main image: shutterstock/HBRH Written by Stanislava Puač Jovanović Stanislava Puač Jovanović has a master’s degree in psychology and works as a freelance writer and researcher in this area. Her primary focus is on questions relating to mental health, stress-management, self-development and well-being.

In the midst of our panic around COVID-19, we must look to each other to help us get through it. By Jill Suttie on behalf of Greater Good Science Center. I just learned that my son’s college, the University of Washington, would be cancelling all in-person classes and finals to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. One confirmed on-campus case prompted the university’s response. Though the university will incur high costs — they have to deep-clean the whole campus, for example — I, for one, am truly grateful for their swift action and putting students first. It’s one of the many ways that I feel cared for in the midst of this crisis, and one of many caring acts that I expect to see in the weeks ahead. Why expect more cooperation and compassion in the face of an epidemic? Because, contrary to popular belief, crises often tend to bring out the best in people. A report that looked at how people responded during the September 11th Twin Tower attacks showed that people bent over backwards to help others escape, sometimes at great personal risk to themselves. Other reports on the aftermath of natural disasters show that strangers will stick out their necks for each other to help. Community care can help us overcome COVID-19 shutterstock/Angelina Bambina While it’s true that sometimes disasters can lead to a minority taking advantage of the situation — for example, stealing people’s possessions when they have to leave their house — this is not a common response, much as it grabs headlines. Instead, when we face a common enemy, like an epidemic, we are more likely to pull together for the benefit of everyone. Notice how many young and healthy people are taking seriously the need to wash their hands frequently, cover their mouths when they cough, stay home when sick, or wear masks when in public. Sure, no one wants to get sick — but, at the same time, no one wants to be responsible for making others sick. “Why expect more cooperation and compassion in the face of an epidemic? Because, contrary to popular belief, crises often tend to bring out the best in people.” In fact, research shows that protecting others is a huge motivator for doing the right thing. For example, one study looked at what prompts handwashing behavior in hospital doctors and nurses. Researchers found that signs saying, “Hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases,” were more effective at prompting handwashing than signs simply saying, “Hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases.” In other words, appealing to the health care workers’ altruistic care for their patients was more effective than appealing to their self-interest. In fact, it may simply be human nature to be kind and helpful when others need us. In one recent study, children only four to five years old who were told that resisting a treat would benefit another child were better able to delay gratification than children told their actions would only affect themselves. Similarly, babies as young as 19 months old were willing to give food away to someone who appeared to need it, even when hungry themselves. Of course, not everyone acts altruistically in these situations. So, what makes it more likely they will, and how can we use that to our advantage? Here are four ways we can encourage more altruism for fighting the virus. 1. Look to the heroes There will always be heroic efforts in a disaster — people who sacrifice themselves for the good of others. Think of the health care workers who are treating people infected with this virus at great personal risk. Or those infected with the virus who voluntarily isolate themselves for weeks to protect the public. When we hear stories of these people, we feel what is called moral elevation — a warm feeling inside that inspires us, fueling optimism and a desire to act altruistically ourselves. While the temptation might be to focus on fear and everything going wrong, we can redirect our attention to those who are doing the right thing, which will lead us to be better citizens ourselves. Remember our common humanity and compassion 2. Stay calm and focused It’s easy to be lost in fear when disaster strikes. However, it doesn’t help anyone to stir up panic about the situation, because we don’t think as clearly when we are in emergency mode. You can see how this has played out already, as people have been stockpiling masks and creating a shortage that could affect the people who truly need them — those who are sick and need masks to avoid spreading the disease to the rest of us. How can we stay calmer and make wiser choices? One way is to use whatever tools you have at your disposal for keeping a cool head — like practising mindfulness, which has been shown to both lessen emotional reactivity and help us make better decisions. We might take a walk in the park or nearby woods and let nature soothe us. Or we could talk to a friend — a calm friend, that is — who can help us reduce our anxiety. RELATED: The benefits of forest bathing Of course, our normal ways of connecting socially — like singing together at a concert or going to large parties — may have to change. But whatever we can do to maintain an air of calm, and to spread it to those around us, the better. After all, our emotions tend to be contagious in our social circles, and we should do our best to keep fear and panic contained. 3. Show gratitude One of the kindest things we can do is to say “thank you” to those who are doing what they can to fight the outbreak. As with my son’s university, it doesn’t hurt to send a message of thanks to people and organizations that are doing the right thing — whether it’s a tour group that offers refunds for cancelled trips, the neighbor who delivers a spare mask to you, or viral experts who give you straight-up information on how to stay safe. “How can we stay calmer and make wiser choices? One way is to use whatever tools you have at your disposal for keeping a cool head – like practising mindfulness.” When we show gratitude toward others, we let them know that their actions matter, which encourages more of the same kind of behavior — not only toward the grateful person but to others. Creating a cycle of altruism is helpful when we are faced with a challenge that affects us all, helping to foster trust in each other and care for each other’s plight. RELATED: The power of kindness 4. Remember our common humanity and show compassion When we are fearful, our first instinct might be to cast blame on others or to indulge in prejudice toward groups we see as responsible. News reports already show that some people of Asian descent in the United States are finding themselves shunned or the victims of racist profiling, simply because the virus appears to have originated in China. Though we might rationally know that no one person or country can be blamed for a viral outbreak, our minds still seek simple explanations. Research suggests that when we recognize our common humanity and show compassion, we are more likely to pull together and to solve issues that may be complex in nature. You can start by giving yourself some compassion, which can help you become more willing to admit mistakes and take steps to correct them. This is important, as human error can be costly when there is a viral outbreak, and we need to work together to learn from our mistakes. Of course, all of these guidelines don’t supplant the importance of practising good hygiene. We need to continue to frequently wash our hands and avoid touching our faces, so that we can lessen the chance of infecting ourselves and others. But we also should remember our social hygiene — looking for the heroes, staying calm ourselves, being grateful, and remembering our common humanity. In this way, we can help to make the world safer for all of us. ● This article originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. happiness.com is grateful to republish it with the kind permission of the Greater Good Science Center. greatergood.berkeley.edu

Can 12 ideas be described as constituting pillars of well-being? Ed Gould examines the ideas of leading psychologist Rick Hanson. An expert in his field, the creator of the 12 pillars of well-being, Rick Hanson, is the author of several books that focus on well-being and happiness. In Hardwiring Happiness, for example, the eminent psychologist discusses how recent scientific studies have led to a greater understanding of the correlations between neural structures and mental well-being. A senior fellow of the Greater Good Science Centre at University College Berkeley, Hanson's scientific ideas have featured in many news features around the world, such as with the BBC and CBS. He has spoken at Oxford, Stanford and Harvard universities, to name but three. However, Rick Hanson is probably best known as the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, an institution that is centred on the 12 pillars of well-being. Along with his other best-selling publications, Just One Thing, Buddha's Brain and Mother Nature, Hanson produces a free newsletter that has over 100,000 subscribers. Throughout his published work and his regular newsletters, Hansen's extensive career has been leading many to the 12 pillars of well-being concept. RELATED: Mindfulness books – our Top 10 picks The 12 pillars of well-being What is it that Rick Hanson can teach us about happiness and contentment and how do the pillars of well-being help us to achieve them? Let's examine Rick Hanson's concept in the first place. Gratitude: one of the 12 pillars of well-being The first thing to note about the Rick Hanson model of well-being is that it is two-dimensional. This is not to say that it has no depth, rather that you can imagine the 12 pillars of well-being laid out on a grid. Across the top of the grid are the names of the “Four R's” which constitute the grid's four columns. According to Hanson, these represent the mainstays of well-being: Recognising Resourcing Regulating Relating Running horizontally are three core needs we all have, as Hanson sees them. Safety Satisfaction Connection From either the core needs or from the category of well-being, it's then possible to get to each of the 12 pillars. For example, where Resourcing coincides with Connection, the pillar is named as “Confidence”. Alternatively, where Regulating and Safety intersect, the pillar would be “Calm”. Because the 12 pillars of well-being are arranged, or, more accurately, can be thought of in this way, it's possible to truly understand which each one represents. “Mindfulness” and “Motivation” are both pillars that connect to the core need of Satisfaction, for example. The 12 Pillars of Well-Being: Dr Rick Hanson How to use the 12 pillars of well-being Hanson's 12 pillar concept is designed to create a simple path that will enable you to grow a dozen strengths needed for better well-being. However, they are not simply good habits to get into or new ways of thinking about the world. The pillars are designed to make alterations inside your brain so that you can get the most out of your life. Primarily, Hanson is using the well-known medical phenomenon of neuroplasticity within each of our brains to reorganize neural networks. He's showing us how this can be done for improved mental and lifestyle outcomes. Much as someone who has suffered a brain injury will learn how to perform certain tasks using other parts of their cortex, so the 12 pillars of well-being can help us to rewire our brains for beneficial effects. How does this work? You may already work on your self-development in particular ways. For example, you may have embarked on a programme of self-compassion by reaffirming positive things about yourself each day. Under Hanson's 12 pillar model, you are “Recognising” the core need of “Safety” by being self-caring in this way. Every time you go through a ritual of self-caring or take the time to compliment yourself, then you're reinforcing a neural structure at a physical level within the brain. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } “Hanson's 12 pillar concept is designed to create a simple path that will enable you to grow a dozen strengths needed for better well-being.” Equally, if you're working on scientifically proven techniques to improve confidence, such as working on your support network more regularly, then Hanson's model would ascribe this to “Resourcing” your core need for “Connection”. However, these are just individual examples of rewiring neural networks. The point is that having the 12 pillar approach to better well-being in place will help to make sure that you're not missing out on any single element. All too often, we identify a need for our inner well-being and focus on that. Although this is perfectly understandable and very human behaviour, it's not always the best route to overall mental well-being. Hanson reminds us that our neural network's need rewiring from several different angles at once to achieve a true equilibrium. Indeed, he points out that 12 essential elements, or pillars, lie at the heart of improving ourselves, not just one or two. The 12 Pillars of Well-Being: Dr Rick Hanson Watch: The 12 Pillars of Well-Being with Dr Rick Hanson Think of it regarding an athlete who is training for a competition. In this analogy, if they only work on one or two muscle groups, then they may find improved physical performance in some areas. However, if they neglect the other parts of their body, then they could find themselves going backwards in others. This is what Hanson is teaching us with the brain's need for 12 pillars to be fed at once, from mindfulness to gratitude and from vitality to learning. As long as we work on each of our three core needs across the four mainstays of well-being, then each of the 12 pillars will contribute to a rewired brain that truly sets us on the path to greater enlightenment and better mental well-being. Each pillar has a role to play What's more, Hanson's 12 pillars of well-being gives us a good idea of how to work on each pillar. As just one example, if we look at the fifth pillar, gratitude, Hanson describes what needs to be done to heighten behaviours that relate to gratitude. He shows us how to take pleasure by releasing inhibitions and focusing on all of our sensory experiences, not just on one or two. Furthermore, under the fifth pillar, he teaches how to take pleasure from every day, even mundane, things. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged Similar advice can be found for each pillar, such as developing a sense of 'unilateral virtue' and 'speaking from the heart' under the tenth pillar of courage. Taken together – and not in isolation from one another – each pillar offers a step on a wider path. Like all journeys, each step forward marks progress but, crucially, will also lead to physical changes in our brains, as well. More information on each of the 12 pillars of well-being and some great instructional videos can be found at the Foundations of Well-Being. ● Main photo: Colourbox.com Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's a practitioner of Reiki.