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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!

With a saturated market, how do you pick the best book on mindfulness to suit you? You listen to our expert Ann Vrlak, that's how! Here she shares her Top 10 reads, whatever your mindfulness stance: beginner, skeptic, parent, science geek, and more. Are you interested in mindfulness, but overwhelmed by all the learning choices out there? Today, there are many kinds of mindfulness practices available to us. You can discover more through books, mindfulness podcasts, apps and courses, and each has its advantages. Many people love using mindfulness and meditation apps, for example, because the teacher guides them step by step. Books are your best path for in-depth learning about mindfulness. You can dive deep into the meaning of mindfulness practices, how they work and how people have been helped by using them in the real world with real challenges, like anxiety, depression, dissatisfaction at work, loneliness and more. The good news about all these choices is you can find a mindfulness practice that is tailored to fit exactly what your challenges or interests are. The bad news is all these choices can make it hard for a beginner to know where to start – but don’t worry, I’m here to help! Mindfulness: our pick of the best books I’ve done the hard work for you and found what I think are ten of the best books about mindfulness on the market. When you become more mindful, you become a little more present every day, a little happier and a little more able to respond well to whatever life brings your way. I've selected these mindfulness books based on different categories – such as best books for skeptics, for kids, for science-lovers, or those that want more practical mindfulness advice– so that can help you start your journey into mindfulness, whatever your position. 1. If you’re new to mindfulness Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn I’ve included two books by Jon Kabat-Zinn in this “best of” list with good reason. Kabat-Zinn is the creator of a program used around the world called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It came out of his experience as a long-time student of Buddhism and as a Professor Emeritus of medicine. Kabat-Zinn writes in a warm, down-to-earth way as he describes step by step how mindfulness can bring richness and meaning back into what you do every day: making breakfast for your family, driving to work or school, and relating to other people. And he talks about the many proven benefits of mindfulness on well-being and happiness. 2. If you’re interested In mindfulness for children Child’s Mind: Mindfulness Practices to Help Our Children Be More Focused, Calm and Relaxed by Christopher Willard What a wonderful time for mindfulness for children! There are more studies done each year that show how simple, non-religious mindfulness practices bring all kinds of wonderful benefits to children, from more calm, to more empathy for themselves and others, to more confidence, and reduced anxiety and depression. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about meditation and mindfulness • My choice for best mindfulness book for adults about kids and mindfulness is Child’s Mind by Christopher Willard. This book is a lovely blend of psychology and mindfulness that delves into children’s gifts and challenges. After an excellent, short chapter on mindfulness basics, the book is divided up into different practices. Willard describes the benefits of each practice, which challenge it's best suited to (such as trouble falling asleep, for example) and steps on how to lead a child through it. The exercises like “Know Your Orange” and “Hugging Meditation” are simple, active ways for kids to gently explore mindfulness. 3. If you're a kid yourself interested in mindfulness Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents) by Eline Snel What is mindfulness like? Well, it’s like sitting still like a frog, of course! You sit patiently and quietly, until there is something that needs your attention, and then you jump! The author creates fun and creative kid-friendly versions of basic adult mindfulness skills: like watching your worries go by on a conveyor belt, weathering the storm of emotions, and getting out of your head and into your body. The book, ideally for kids five to 12, includes a CD with guided practices that are lovingly narrated by the author. RELATED: The benefits of meditation for kids 4. If you’re a skeptic The Mindful Geek: Secular Meditation for Smart Skeptics by Michael W. Taft Are you curious but skeptical about mindfulness? Do you want more proof and less promises about how mindfulness works? This entertaining book, written by a tried and true skeptic, is for you. Michael Taft went on a quest to learn about mindfulness and the result is a fact-based book on practices, how you do them and how they affect you psychologically, neurologically and behaviourally. The author walks you through each exercise, in a no-nonsense style and discusses how they've been shown to help others facing anxiety, depression, chronic stress and dissatisfaction at work. 5. If you prefer practical tips How to Train a Wild Elephant and Other Adventures in Mindfulness: Simply Daily Mindfulness Practices for Living Life More Fully and Joyfully by Jan Chozen Bays, MD. I love this little book and nominate it as one of the best books on mindfulness. Jan Chozen has crafted 53 mindfulness exercises like, “Every Time the Phone Rings,” “When Eating Just Eat,” “Are You Overlooking Something?” and, one of my favourites, “Say Yes.” Each chapter is short, and describes the practice itself – usually in one simple sentence. She gives you ideas on how to remind yourself to do the practice every day, and some discoveries to watch for. “Books are your best path for in-depth learning about mindfulness. You can dive deep into the meaning of mindfulness practices, how they work and how people have been helped by using them.” The best part of each chapter is the “Deeper Lessons.” Here Chozen Bays talks about the purpose and meaning of these deceptively simple practices. These lessons help you see how what you learn could transform your life in very real ways. 6. If you want to reduce stress or anxiety Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn This is the second book by Jon Kabat-Zinn that makes the best mindfulness book list for me. This inspired work is so full of understanding about living with anxiety and stress, and so full of ways mindfulness can help, I couldn’t leave it out. • JOIN US! Sign up today and make new friends at happiness.com • Kabat-Zinn dives in-depth into the modern pandemic of stress. He describes how far-reaching the effects of stress are, and how unaware we may be of those effects: poor sleep, poor digestion, negative chemicals saturating our brains, and an erosion of connection with ourselves and others. He lays out the science on the mind-body connection and how mindfulness can be a powerful tool to promote physical, psychological and spiritual healing. 7. If you want to improve your work performance or enjoyment Mindfulness at Work: How to Avoid Stress, Achieve More, and Enjoy Life! by Dr. Stephen McKenzie Mindfulness is a tool to make everyday living more enjoyable and meaningful – and this includes work. Most of us spend about a third of our lives at work, so when it becomes a source of stress and dissatisfaction, it can take a huge toll on our peace of mind. RELATED: Mindfulness at work - 6 productive tips The author brings the practice of mindfulness to the most common work stresses many of us experience. You’ll learn how to improve your focus, sense of satisfaction and decision-making and, perhaps most important, your ability to have peaceful, positive relationships with work colleagues. 8. If you want to read a classic Practising the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle The Power of Now is a ground-breaking classic on meditation. This follow-up book, Practising the Power of Now, takes some of the core ideas from the original and presents them in short practices you can try as you go about your day. Some practices ask you to take a few mindful minutes in a quiet place, but most offer ideas for how to explore mindfulness when you’re with other people, driving, facing a stressful situation or wanting to make a good choice in a difficult situation. Try this book to discover the power of now for yourself. 9. If you want to geek out on the science Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom by Rick Hanson Rick Hanson is one of the best translators of mindfulness practices for beginners. He’s also a neuroscientist and an expert on the fascinating world of our minds: how they have evolved to survive, what happens in our minds and bodies when we’re being mindful instead of stressed, how we can develop lifelong habits that slowly but surely help our brains to see more of the “good,” rather than what stresses us – and much more. Hanson has a lot of science at his fingertips and he presents it in a way that’s easy to understand and applicable to your life. And he draws a map of how all this can help you become more happy, loving and wise! 10. If you're a deep thinker The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer One of the best mindfulness books is The Untethered Soul. It's a rich book, heartfelt and practical at the same time. If you’re someone who is deeply curious about your inner world, about how your habitual thoughts and emotions affect you, I fully recommend this book. The author looks at how all of us come into adulthood with a whole repertoire of thoughts and emotions that we barely question, but which govern everything we see, believe and do. Using traditional mindfulness practices he shows you how to build a loving relationship with your deepest self and to choose new a new path that will free you from sometimes lifelong patterns of suffering and unhappiness. Final thoughts I hope at least one of these picks from the best books on mindfulness speaks to an interest or challenge you have right now. Try a few of them and go with the author that you feel the strongest connection with. Do they speak from experience? Do they care about you as a learner and approach mindfulness in a non-judgmental, caring way? Listen to what feels right for you and enjoy the journey of mindfulness! ● Main image: shutterstock/Dudarev Mikhail Which of these mindfulness books have you read or recommend? Any which would you add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments below... Written by Ann Vrlak Ann Vrlak is Founder of OneSelf Meditation and a meditation practitioner for over 25 years. She’s a Certified Meditation Teacher for adults and for children (the best job ever!). She loves to share how the perspective and practice of meditation can support people with their everyday stresses and on their journey of self-discovery.

Who exactly is Jon Kabat-Zinn? Arlo Laibowitz tells us more about the father of mindfulness in the Western world and the creator of the hugely popular and beneficial MBSR course. Plus, read some of his inspiring quotes. Jon Kabat-Zinn (New York, 1944) is widely considered to be one of the founders of transforming Eastern religious mindfulness practices into methods for Western audiences. He's a Professor of Medicine of the University of Massachusetts, and the creator of the well-known and widely respected Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Jon Kabat-Zinn was born in New York City in 1944. The youngest of nine children, his father Elvin Kabat was a biomedical scientist, while his mother Sally Kabat worked as a painter. After graduating from Haverford College, Kabat-Zinn went on to earn a Ph.D. in molecular biology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was while studying here that he was introduced to meditation by Zen missionary Philip Kapleau. Jon Kabat-Zinn and mindfulness background Afterwards, he studied with Thích Nhất Hạnh and Seung Sahn, and at the Insight Meditation Society, founded by Sharon Salzburg, Jack Kornfield, and Joseph Goldstein. Later, in 1979, Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It was there that he adapted Buddhist teachings on mindfulness into the Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program, that he later renamed into the eight-week course, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). The mindfulness master himself: Jon Kabat-Zinn © flickr.com/UW Health Afterwards, he founded the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society. Jon Kabat-Zinn has conducted a vast amount of research on the effect of MBSR on pain, anxiety, brain function and immune function He's also trained groups of CEOs, clergy, judges, athletes, and congressional staff in mindfulness. His methods and insights have been used to introduce mindfulness and meditation practices in healthcare, schools, corporations, prisons, and other places. “The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness master Kabat-Zinn is retired from his professorship at the University of Massachusetts but is still involved in the centres he founded and an avid public speaker, writer, and mindful meditation workshop host. Apart from that, he's held numerous fellowships and memberships, including as a board member of the Mind and Life Institute, an organisation that facilitates dialogues between the Dalai Lama and Western scientists. Jon Kabat-Zinn and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) The MBSR program is an eight-week course that incorporates mindfulness, to assist people with stress, pain, anxiety and panic attacks, psychological difficulties, illness and other life issues. MBSR uses a combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness and body scans – as well as yoga – to help people become more present. Although MBSR is based on spiritual teachings, the program is secular. The benefits of MBSR include: stress reduction; overcoming chronic anxiety; improvements to the quality of life. MBSR is a method taught by trained instructors, that entails weekly group meetings, a one-day retreat [six-hour mindfulness practice], daily homework (45-60 minutes per day), and instruction in three techniques: mindfulness meditation, body scanning and mindful yoga. Mindfulness: be in the moment, whatever you're feeling MBSR is based on the fundaments of non-judgmental awareness, non-striving, acceptance, letting go, beginner’s mind, patience, trust and non-cantering. Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness.” During the program, participants are invited to focus both on their practice and on incorporating mindfulness into everyday routines. In doing so, MBSR enhances self-management and coping with the environment, and one’s reaction to it. MBSR also helps you to stop ruminating on the past or worrying about the future. The MBSR course is offered by medical centres, hospitals, and general health organisations. RELATED: The time is now – how to stop worrying about the future Jon Kabat-Zinn has written numerous books on mindfulness and MBSR. The first one, Full Catastrophe Living, gives detailed instructions for the practice of MBSR. His second book, Wherever You Go, There You Are, became a best-seller in giving a very down-to-earth introduction to mindfulness. “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness master Afterwards, Kabat-Zinn wrote more books, including Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life, The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself From Chronic Unhappiness, Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment – And Your Life, and Coming Through Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness, in which Kabat-Zinn reflects on sentience and awareness. Online resources for Jon Kabat-Zinn The net provides a wide range of possibilities to familiarize yourself with Jon Kabat-Zinn’s ideas, the MBSR program, and more. A lot of these materials are a mixture between free and paid-for. On the website soundstrue.com, there are a couple of different mindfulness podcasts starring Kabat-Zinn and his ideas. Topics included are: The mindfulness revolution. Resting in Awareness. Creating the Future in this Moment. “Meditation is the only intentional, systematic human activity which at bottom is about not trying to improve yourself or get anywhere else, but simply to realize where you already are.” Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness master On the excellent website Audiodharma of the Insight Meditation Center, you can find hundreds of guided meditations, talks and interviews, with most of the big names in mindfulness and meditation included. Kabat-Zinn is also featured, in three talks on mindfulness in education. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged On the Mindfulness CDs website, associated with Jon Kabat-Zinn, you can find three paid-for collections of guided meditations by him. You can find a collection of videos of him speaking on different subjects, that link through to YouTube, where you can find many other videos, including guided meditations and full-length lectures. Likewise, there are many videos available starring Kabat-Zinn, either in interviews, or in lectures. The Greater Good Science Center has an overview of different videos with Kabat-Zinn. Topics included are: mindfulness, MBSR, compassion and well-being. The GGSC also hosts a free MOOC on edx called "the science of happiness". Jon Kabat-Zinn remains an active speaker © flickr.com/UW Health The Connection is a documentary film, internet platform and blog, with separate videos on the connection between health and the mind. Jon Kabat-Zinn is one of the featured experts that also include Andrew Weil, Herbert Benson, and Sara Lazar. RELATED: Do mindfulness apps work? As mentioned, Kabat-Zinn is still active as a public speaker, lecturer and event host. On E-Omega, you can find a schedule with some upcoming workshops on mindfulness and meditation. On Facebook, you can find a page dedicated to news and updates on Kabat-Zinn, managed by admirers, and you can follow the man himself on Twitter, too! ● Main image: colourbox.com Written by Arlo Laibowitz Arlo is a filmmaker, artist, lecturer, and intermittent practitioner of metta meditation and morning yoga. When not dreaming about impossible projects and making them happen in the most impractical ways possible, he journals, listens to jazz, or cuddles with his better half.

The global pandemic has made many of us re-evaluate our lives and ask ourselves what really makes us happy. If you want to continue the internal conversation, try reading some of the best books on happiness on the market. Ann Vrlak selects her top picks to inspire you further. While the worst part of the Coronavirus pandemic may be behind us, many of us are still reeling from its unprecedented and often heartbreaking disruption of our lives. Indeed, even moving forward, we’re not out of the woods yet, and ‘normal’ may not be a place we can – or should – return to. With so much uncertainty around us – and with some of us having extra time on our hands – I think discussing some of the best books on happiness is something we could all benefit from. Although living through the pandemic has been difficult, it has also provided the space and opportunity to explore what really makes us happy. Now the conversation has started, it's worth checking out some of these books on happiness to understand where joy comes from and how we can maintain it. Best books on happiness: our picks So, how do you define happiness? And has your definition changed over the last couple of years due to the limitations and stresses you’ve experienced? If you’d like help answering these questions and creating a better and brighter year ahead, here's my countdown of the best books on happiness that will help you explore the subject. 1. The Happiness Project | Gretchen Rubin So, this list of the best happiness books inevitably starts with the crazily popular The Happiness Project title which came out of one woman’s random thought on a bus: “I want to be happy.” Gretchen Rubin realized that, beneath all her goals in life, she just wanted to be happy. But, she also realized she didn’t actually know what made her happy! So, Rubin began a year-long happiness project to discover what made her happy and why. The result is a delightful read about Rubin’s day-to-day experiences over one year and how her understanding of happiness became increasingly simple, in spite of her busy and accomplished life. RELATED: Happiness podcasts – 8 that we rate Rubin talks about each month’s “happiness goal” – what she did, what she learned and how you can do the same. You can use her 12-month framework to create your own happiness project and discover more of your unique happiness formula for simple, happiness-generating activities. An engaging, heartwarming read. 2. Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill | Matthieu Ricard If you’d like to read one of the most enlightening books on happiness written by someone with a fascinating life path, try Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill. Matthieu Ricard grew up with philosopher and artist parents, amidst the intellectual and artistic circles of Paris. After earning a PhD in cell genetics, he discovered Buddhism, became a monk and has now lived in the Himalayan region for over 40 years. RELATED: The best books on meditation – our top picks Happiness… is the best known of Ricard’s many books that uses his deep understanding of meditation to describe how we unintentionally make ourselves unhappy. Importantly, he explains what we can do to uncover our innate happiness instead. Ricard has crafted simple lessons and exercises to apply his keys to happiness to your stressful situations, habits and beliefs that make you unhappy, and much more. 3. The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well | Meik Wiking Some countries pride themselves on the happiness of their citizens, and Denmark, in particular, claims to be one of the happiest places on Earth. Many Danes believe the practice of hygge (pronounced hoo-guh) is their secret. Hygge doesn’t have a simple definition, but see if you can get a feeling for it from descriptions like this. It’s anything that gives comfort to your soul and allows you to let your guard down. It’s the deep peace you feel looking at the ocean with a loved one beside you. It’s a shared meal with your best friends or sharing a laugh with your child. All these experiences speak to simple, soul-satisfying moments that enrich your life and evoke the feeling, “Yes, this is enough. Just this.” “This beautifully designed book on happiness is full of inspiration for simple changes you can make to bring more joy into your life.” The Little Book of Hygge is written by Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. This beautifully designed book on happiness is full of inspiration for simple changes you can make to bring more hygge and joy into your life. Wiking writes like he’s talking directly to you, sitting around a fire, sharing a perfect moment of hygge! 4. Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation: a 28-Day Program Paperback | Sharon Salzberg Sharon Salzberg is a pioneer in the field of meditation and mindfulness, bringing Buddhism to mainstream culture in practical, compassionate and lighthearted books, talks and retreats. Salzberg wants to demystify the practice of meditation and show its relevance to modern life – from day-to-day stresses to deep feelings of depression, disconnection and dissatisfaction. One of my many favourite quotes from this book on happiness is: “Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what’s happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what’s happening, stories that get in the way of direct experience. Often such stories treat a fleeting state of mind as if it were our entire and permanent self.” RELATED: Finding happiness – 11 science-backed truths This 28-Day program will help you see some of your stories, and the clarity and happiness that lies in wait for you when you see through them. Real Happiness is full of down-to-earth inspiration, exercises and tips that will help you create your own transformative month of meditation. 5. The Little Book of Mindfulness: 10 minutes a day to less stress, more peace | Patricia Collard If mindfulness is new to you, The Little Book of Mindfulness is another wonderful way to dip your toe into mindfulness and happiness. Collard is a psychotherapist, mindfulness teacher and stress management expert who has put together a library of 5- and 10-minute practices to increase your happiness through reducing stress and negative thinking. RELATED: Mindful minutes – 10 small practices that make a big difference What I particularly like about this book on happiness is that there's no jargon in her definition of mindfulness or her explanations of how you can apply mindfulness practice to situations you face every day. As she says in the book, “Mindfulness is an attitude, rather than a skill.” Indeed, it’s not a complicated discipline you need to learn, you can start by approaching each moment with a mindful attitude. Collard’s exercises provide many ways to let go of stress, so you can rest in the simplicity and happiness present in each moment. 6. Meditation For the Love of It: Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience | Sally Kempton This is another book on happiness that doesn’t look at meditation from the usual point of view of a “discipline.” Meditation For the Love of It shows you how to find joy in meditation and in yourself. And what could be a better motivator to explore meditation. Kempton’s book is a skillful explanation of how and why “loving yourself” is anything but an empty cliché. Not only accepting, but embracing all parts of your experience in meditation and in your daily life deepens your understanding of your strengths, your vulnerabilities and what truly makes you happy. RELATED: Discover self-love meditation Kempton teaches readers how to connect with the power of their deepest desires which she sees as the path to lasting happiness. Playfulness and devotion are the two attitudes indispensable to your journey of self-knowledge. The book includes over 20 practices to help you bring happiness, insight and self-acceptance into your life through meditation. 7. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life | Jon Kabat-Zinn I’ve chosen this classic from Jon Kabat-Zinn as the ultimate best book on happiness because it is such a comprehensive, practical and compassionate look at the human condition: how and why we suffer, and how we can use simple, but potent practices to become happier. Kabat-Zinn is the creator of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program that has become the gold standard in evidence-based, mindfulness programs. RELATED: Best mindfulness books – our Top 10 picks In Wherever You Go, There You Are, the author explains in a non-pretentious style how small, everyday moments are the best places to understand what mindfulness means to you. You don’t need to sit on a meditation cushion for an hour every day or have extraordinary experiences. Growing in emotional, mental and spiritual well-being comes from learning to see everyday experiences and your responses to them through a lens of non-judgment, curiosity and compassion. “This classic from Jon Kabat-Zinn is one of the best books on happiness because it is such a comprehensive, practical and compassionate look at the human condition.” The title describes the central premise of the book and of mindfulness in general. “Wherever you go,” you take your strengths, weaknesses, life experiences, beliefs, worries and everything else, with you – for better or worse. And it's all these factors determine your overall life experience, whether you’re living in paradise or living through a global pandemic. When you explore all these aspects of yourself, in a mindful, caring way, you gain the immeasurable power to better understand yourself and others, relieve even long-term anxiety and become more balanced and happier. Round up: best books on happiness If you’ve been reevaluating your life since the pandemic and are key to explore your happiness further, these are the best books on happiness that can help you do just that. Let us know below in the comments which of these books have helped you most. Or, if you think I've missed some essentials from the list, please share below also. Happy reading! • Main image: shutterstock/Marjan Apostolovic happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free to: ■ read our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ learn with free online classes in our happiness Academy Literature | Poetry | Film Written by Ann Vrlak Ann Vrlak is Founder of OneSelf Meditation and a meditation practitioner for over 25 years. She’s a Certified Meditation Teacher for adults and for children (the best job ever!). She loves to share how the perspective and practice of meditation can support people with their everyday stresses and on their journey of self-discovery.

Do you ever get stressed at work? Many of us do. In fact, stress and depression account for around half of lost working days in the UK. Find out your work stress level by taking our questionnaire and then discover ways you can manage it effectively. What are the main causes of the stress you encounter in your job? It could be a combination of some of the following: a heavy workload, unclear expectations, lack of agenda and decision-making abilities, an overload of responsibilities, and boundaries that are not respected. If you feel stressed at work, you are not alone: According to the 2019 publication Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, there were just over 600, 000 workers in the UK suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing) in 2018/19. Over the same period, just under 13 million working days were lost due to these conditions. And stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 44 per cent of all work-related ill health cases and 54 per cent of all working days lost due to ill health. To help understand this we’ve developed the stress at work questionnaire. If you haven't completed it yet, please do so by hitting the link below. It takes less than three minutes and will shed some light on your personal experience at work and inspire you to think about the causes of stress you encounter in your job in a way that allows you to dig deeper into understanding and consequently managing your work stress. Stress at work questionnaire After you’ve gotten the result from your stress at work questionnaire, it's time to analyze it. The results are on a scale from zero to 60, with zero representing no stress at all and 60 an extreme and even dangerous amount of stress. What do you think about your result? Did it match your expectations? Share your thoughts with us in the happiness Forum. What causes stress? Stress generally refers to two things: the psychological perception of pressure (real and imagined/ anticipated), and the body's response to it. Avoiding an accident on the way to work will cause stress as well as social tension, or the fear of being held responsible for a bad result at work. This all triggers the release of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones increase heartbeat and the circulation of blood to support quick action, fast breathing, focused attention, and more. But this lifesaving bodily response is only meant to solve short-term, acute problems. What is chronic stress? While occasional stress can be motivating and energizing – even life-saving – chronic stress is harmful, not only to our mental but also to our physical health. The signs of prolonged stress include headaches, insomnia or problems falling asleep, a racing heartbeat, stomach aches, muscle tension, and concentration difficulties, among others. Chronic stress can emerge in the absence of severe incidents by ruminating about anticipated problems, changes and challenges. Any situation you perceive as threatening, or which requires you to adjust to a change, can set the stress response off. This is not necessarily the best way to deal with ongoing difficulties such as unrealistic demands at work or hierarchical problems in a company. When the stress response gets continuously triggered, the mind and body stay in the state of high alert, which, over time, will cause wear and tear, as we fail to enter the important state of rest and recovery. Indeed, Segen's Medical Dictionary defines chronic stress as: “A state of prolonged tension from internal or external stressors [causes of stress], which may cause various physical manifestations – e.g., asthma, back pain, arrhythmias, fatigue, headaches, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers – and suppress the immune system.” Similarly, Wikipedia states: “While the immediate effects of stress [hormones] are beneficial in a particular short-term situation, long-term exposure to stress creates a [constant] high level of these hormones. This may lead to high blood pressure (and subsequently heart disease), damage to muscle tissue, inhibition of growth, suppression of the immune system, and damage to mental health.” How can we manage our stress levels? Here we need to distinguish between inner and outer factors. Stress management is not made to endure unacceptable and toxic work environments but to keep us healthy and encourage improvements within ourselves at the workplace in a calm and productive way. The first and most important step is the realization that we are actually stressed. Only the acceptance of the fact that stress is there allows us to do something about it. Though stress is often inevitable, you can help control your body's response to it. Exercise, meditation, invoking the relaxation response, and mindfulness are great stress busters. By actively managing our stress we change from passively sitting in the passenger seat of our stress reaction into actively choosing our response to the situation. Accepting that there is stress also doesn't mean that we have to endure it but that we see it for what it is. We are then able to analyze the situation and choose how we work within ourselves and in regard to the organization we work for. We have more clarity, are able to really listen to and understand other points of view, and find satisfying solutions that consider all parties involved. We can navigate difficult situations more skillfully and become aware of mechanisms at the workplace that cause unnecessary amounts of work and can, therefore, address them calmly. Stress management resources Explore these articles from happiness.com and wider afield to discover practical tips that can help you manage your stress effectively. Mindfulness at work: 6 productive tips 11 science-backed ways to feel stress-free, fast MBSR - Meditation based stress reduction - Free 8-week online course The amazing effects of MBSR: backed up by science Building resilience: 5 strategies for thriving Why Stress Is Both Good and Bad – Psychology Today The three types of stress – Psychology Today Sources Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, 2019 – Health and safety executive [13.05.2020] Stress – Harvard Health [12.05.2020] How stress affects your health – American Psychological Association [12.05.2020] Stress: Psychology and Biology – Encyclopaedia Britannica [12.05.2020] Defining Stress – Explore IM: UCLA Collaborative Centers for Integrative Medicine [12.05.2020] Stress – Psychology Today [12.05.2020] Images: Alexander Schimmeck, Simon Abrams, Marvin Meyer on Unsplash Written by Tine Steiss Tine is an artist, meditator, media engineer, activist and MBSR teacher. If she's not reading or writing she's working on turning her city garden into an edible paradise. Find out more about Tine on herrberta.art.

As keen birder Calvin Holbrook explains, the mindful nature of bird watching makes it both a happy – and healing – hobby. From reducing stress levels to providing moments of breathtaking awe, discover seven key mental health benefits of bird watching. My interest in bird watching came totally out of the blue. Well, a shade of blue that is: turquoise, in fact. A stunning colour on the gleaming coat of a male kingfisher swooping in front of me on a river walk. My experience with this long-beaked beauty lasted just a couple of seconds – a flash and it was gone – but it will stay with me a lifetime. Furthermore, it sparked a curiosity in me to start ‘birding’ and experience the many mental health benefits bird watching has to offer. Indeed, the timing of the kingfisher showing up couldn't have been better in terms of my own mental health. I'd recently moved back home to care for my seriously ill mother when COVID hit: a double-whammy of new responsibilities, emotional upheaval, pain and challenges. On the upside, I was lucky enough to be based on an island. It provided me with a stunning coastline and a multitude of woods, forests and marshes to explore. My prescribed daily walk in nature kept my sanity under check, and it wasn't until my encounter with the kingfisher that I really began to be aware of all the different types of birds around me. The majestic kingfisher shutterstock/Sacharewicz Patryk In my local park I started noticing the colours of the jay and the excessively loud squarks it would make. On heathland strolls I was lucky enough to spot hard-to-find yellowhammers and the equally rare Dartford Warbler. And during marsh visits I was blessed to witness many of the giant white-tailed eagles that had been released here on the Isle of Wight. Robins, woodpeckers, sparrows; I had my eye on them all. But what I really noticed while watching my feathered friends was the benefits bird watching made to my mental health. While out birding, a sense of calm, grace and awe would regularly wash over me. 7 health benefits of bird watching And it turns out I'm not alone in noticing the multiple mental (and physical) health benefits that bird watching provides. Multiple studies have shown the advantages of bird watching, and with a 2004 survey showing that almost 3 million adults in the UK regularly go birding, that's a lot of people that could be seeing improvements in their mental health. So, here are seven specific ways that bird watching has benefited my mental health – perhaps it will do the same for you, too? 1. It encourages mindfulness Bird watching is essentially an act of mindfulness, and we all know some of the proven health benefits that can bring – reduced rumination and lowered blood pressure to name but two. In fact, practising mindfulness specifically through birdwatching has been scientifically shown to improve mental health. In a 2017 study published in BioScience, scientists from England’s University of Exeter proved that when people witnessed more birds in their daily lives, they experienced reduced prevalence and severity of depression, stress, and anxiety. Furthermore, participants didn’t even need to interact with the birds directly: simply watching them was enough to signify an improvement in mental health. Additionally, research from the University of Surrey has suggested that actively listening to birdsong contributes to perceived stress recovery and attention restoration. I've experienced these reported benefits of bird watching first-hand. While I was caring for my mother – and during the grief that has followed since her death – walking in my local parks and the mindful manner of bird watching has provided me with the opportunity to 'press pause' on painful feelings and celebrate the beauty of nature and simplicity. Bird watching requires us to shift our attention and awareness, living fully in the present moment (the essence of mindfulness). Bird watching offers many mental health benefits It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a garden; you can feel the benefits of bird watching by practising it from a balcony, window, or by going to your local park or woodland. Stay fully mindful and be sure to focus your attention on how the birds look and sound. Examine the details in their plumage and explore the colours. Do you see any patterns? How long is its beak? What do the claws look like? Can you spot the differences between the male and female of the species? Also, be sure to focus on their calls. Is the sound high- or low-pitched? Are there any patterns in the noises they make? Can you hear a species ‘talking’ to each other? Can you try and imitate their calls? Also, what behaviour do they display? By immersing yourself in the world of the bird your mind should shift away from your worries or other thoughts. 2. It keeps you physically active You may think the exercise attached to spotting birds involves little more than standing still and flexing your arms as you lift a pair of binoculars, but you'd be wrong! As bird watching is mainly an outdoor activity it often involves walking or hiking around different terrains – woodland, shrub, marsh, clifftop. Indeed, many of the more interesting or hard-to-find species may be lurking in more remote areas away from human activity, meaning more effort is required to reach them. And, as you may already know, the benefits of exercise are both physical and mental. Exercise – even walking for a time – leads to an increase in endorphins, one of our so-called happiness hormones, which helps to boost mood and reduce stress. 3. Nature is healing To experience the full health benefits of bird watching you need to get out of your home and in to nature. According to studies, natural environments are proven to have two huge benefits when it comes to our emotions. Firstly, being regularly connected to nature leads to a reduction in stress and mood improvement. Scientists have found a correlation between exposure to natural stimuli (such as birds), reduced stress and anger, and improvement in reported well-being and mental health. “Taking the time to focus on our feathered friends during bird watching requires us to shift our attention and awareness, living fully in the present moment (the essence of mindfulness).” The second emotional benefit of being in nature may not be so obvious. It involves developing stronger bonds with others. That's because an improved and more relaxed frame of mind translates to a deeper attitude of compassion, that, in turn, can improve the quality of our social bonds. Furthermore, spending time out in nature brings forth emotions like joy, awe, serenity, inspiration and gratitude. Consider topping up the mental health benefits of bird watching by combining it with a forest bathing session for a deeply relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Take a break from your screens, switch off your phones, and go birding outside. Your author with his trusted binoculars 4. It keeps you social I prefer to go bird watching by myself – I find the calm and peace of being alone with nature healing and restorative – but that doesn’t mean I am without company. Indeed, the hobby of birding generates a thriving community of like-minded individuals that like to chat, share stories and tips, and, well, just have a laugh. In fact, if you head to a renowned birding spot over and again, you're bound to bump into fellow birders who will soon become familiar faces, and perhaps even friends. Indeed, another advantage of bird watching is that it can be a great way to make new buddies and the mental health benefits of staying social are well proven: not only does it reduce loneliness and boost well-being, but it can sharpen memory and cognitive skills, too. 5. It provide moments of awe Last year, after a day on the beach in a remote woodside beach in Tarragona, Spain, a bird I have been desperate to spot – the exotic-looking Eurasian hoopoe – flew down from nowhere and paraded its plumage and elongated beak right in front of me. This left me awestruck for the rest of the day. Such moments of awe and wonder make up another of the mental health benefits of bird watching. That's because studies have shown that awe can decrease stress levels, increase generosity and kindness, and make us feel happier overall. RELATED: 8 reasons why awe makes you life better Psychologist Jonah Paquette explains the value of awe in his book Awestruck. In it, he writes: “Awe blurs the line between the self and the world around us, diminishes the ego, and links us to the greater forces that surround us in the world and the larger universe.” Bird watching provides many opportunities to experience wonder, surprise and amazement. Whether it’s spotting a new bird species, hearing an unusual call, or watching a display or mating ritual, bird watching definitely provides many awe-some moments. Bird watching can be awe-inspiring shutterstock/Reni Rudisin 6. It stimulates and challenges Yes, bird watching is relaxing but it definitely won't leave you horizontal. In fact, birding keeps you alert and can be challenging, another mental health benefit. Indeed, trying to spot a bird after hearing its call is part of the fun, but it's rarely easy. Challenge yourself to spot a sneaky woodpecker in the branches after hearing its familiar tap-tap-tap sound and you'll likely be scouring the tree for ages before you uncover it. “Awe and wonder make up another of the mental health benefits of bird watching. Studies have shown that awe can decrease stress levels, increase generosity and kindness, and make us happier.” While my mum was seriously ill I challenged myself to train a pair of nesting robins to feed from my hand. Every day I'd go sit on the same bench and the same robin would be back to take seeds from me; first from the bench itself and then later from my legs. Within a fortnight it was brave enough to take the food directly from my hand. Watching this little red-breasted bird then pass the food to its partner (and perhaps keeping a chick alive) was particularly life-affirming when the life of the person I loved most was fading. Trying to spot and identify new species is also a stimulating challenge. Birds will often tease us, flitting in and out of trees to get our attention then zipping off again the moment you've managed to get your binoculars on them. So, it takes time and effort to track them down sometimes. According to CareUK, the process of looking for birds and identifying the species can even be calming for people living with dementia. Furthermore, repetition – in the form of visiting the same places and seeing the same birds – can also be reassuring to someone living with cognitive impairment. 7. It'll make you laugh My final health benefit of bird watching relates to the humour it often provides. Remember that old saying that 'laughter is the best medicine'? Well, the studies back it up: in the short-term laughter reduces stress and soothes tensions. In the long-term it can relieve pain, boost overall mood and even improve your immune system. And when you stop to pay attention you will see that birds have fascinating lives that are as funny to observe as they are beautiful. If you pay close attention to their habits and behaviours you will see some hilarious antics when they are feeding, mating or fighting. It can be like watching a soap opera – but in a feathery format! Some birding tips Purchase a small pair of basic binoculars online or from a second-hand shop. An essential item for a budding birder, binoculars will help you get a closer look at birds that are in the distance so you can examine them in more detail. Take a pocket book of birds with you when you go out in nature so you can try and identify them and tick off any new finds. Great for adults and kids. Tread carefully and don’t make too much noise as not to scare them off. Visit the same places daily and you may be able to build a bond with the birds. Put up bird feeders in your garden or leave seeds on your balcony. Once you start attracting birds to your outside space through food, they will remember it and come back regularly, increasing the amount of mindful bird watching time you can get. The takeaway: bird watching and mental health From reducing stress to providing real moments of awe, the mental health benefits of bird watching are many. It's something you can do by yourself or as a family activity, and the birding community is welcoming and friendly. The mindful practice of birding is also fun, free and gets you out in nature. So, what's not to love? And if, like me, you only ever get to see a kingfisher once, I promise you it will be worth it for that alone! • Main image: shutterstock/soft_light happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Join free now and: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine ■ share and support in our happiness forum ■ Develop with free online Academy classes Trust | Sound baths | Pets | Stress management Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits the happiness magazine, makes gay artwork and loves swimming, yoga, dancing to house/techno, and all things vintage! Find out more.

There were many feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during July, but you may not have spotted them. Ed Gould shares his Top 10 to uplift and inspire you. Positive news may have seemed thin on the ground this summer. However, there were more feel-good news stories than you might have noticed. What were some more hopeful stories from around the world over the course of the last month? Read on to discover ten of the best. 1. Prostate cancer could be treated by iron supplements According to a report published in MediNews, patients with prostate cancer are being given a new hope for recovery thanks to an experimental use of iron. Some anti-cancer treatments are no longer as successful in defeating the disease as they once were but patients who take iron supplements tend to do better. Dr Chunhong Yan, a molecular biologist at the Georgia Cancer Center, is now using iron to create a more resistant treatment pathway for certain types of prostate cancer. “When a cell takes up iron, it undergoes different processes,” he explained. 2. Bison reintroduced to the British Isles Wild bison have been allowed to roam free in a project that seeks to improve biodiversity in British woodlands. According to a report in the Guardian, the large mammals have not been seen in the wild in the UK for over 1,000 years. Now, they are set to make a stunning return in what is being billed as a major win for other wildlife. By creating paths through densely wooded areas, bison can make more room for insects, flowering plants, reptiles and bats. The Wilder Blean project, near Canterbury, is responsible for the programme which, it's hoped, will be replicated elsewhere in future. Bison reintroduced to wild areas in UK shutterstock/Konoplytska 3. Big data analytics could unleash greater happiness According to a former Google big data executive, understanding large amounts of information through machine learning could be the answer to finding greater happiness. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz has recently written a book about success and the role being happier has to play in it. Speaking to the press, he said that big data analysis will soon be used to answer philosophical questions, like 'what makes us happy?' According to Stephens-Davidowitz, analysing the relationships of some 11,000 couples is currently ongoing to work out what it is among them that makes them happy. Once understood, it may be easier to achieve more positive outcomes. RELATED: Happy habits – 12 ways to boost joy levels daily 4. Botswana deals with AIDS crisis among babies It was not that long ago that Botswanan babies stood a high risk of being born with AIDS. The disease had reached such rates among infants that, until recently, four in ten would be born with the condition. However, following a two-decade-long mother-to-child prevention programme, there is now just a one per cent chance of a newborn suffering the same fate, according to recently released data by the World Health Organization. Health officials in Botswana think that the prevalence of AIDS in the country's babies is continuing to fall and could soon almost be eradicated. 5. Could nanobots keep teeth healthier? A report in Futurity stated that experiments are ongoing into the effects of nanobot technology on oral health. Although the idea is only being tried out on mocked-up teeth at the moment, the concept is to use tiny robots to act as toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss and mouthwash – all in one. The research into this method of cleaning teeth is being conducted University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine. Behind the move is the idea of being able to keep teeth cleaner and healthier than many people do by brushing manually. According to the lead researcher, Hyun Koo, robotics can offer a superior method which doesn't require you to use your hands. Would you turn to nanobots for cleaner teeth? shutterstock/Rido 6. Mindfulness reduces effects of pain In positive news that anyone who suffers from chronic pain will appreciate, a large study from the San Diego School of Medicine has just been published that indicates what a powerful tool mindfulness can be with respect to pain management. Published in the scholarly journal Pain, the study found that meditative practices help the brain to detach itself from the wider nervous system, thereby blocking – or partially interrupting – the sensations of pain people would otherwise have felt. Mindful behaviour – 13 practical mindfulness tools Mindfulness at work – 6 productive tips 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged 7. On-demand pain relief technology developed A research team in the US has come up with an implant that can relieve pain when patients feel they need it –without needing to rely on drugs. The soft, flexible device blocks pain by numbing nerves. It's hoped the idea will lead to less reliance on addictive painkillers while offering patients more agency in their pain relief, the Metro reported. 8. Spain offers free train travel to its citizens According to CNN, the Spanish government has announced that free train travel will be available to everyone in the country in a bid to get people out of their cars and use more public transport. The scheme will begin in September and will offer a 100 per cent reduction on the price of fares for local and intermediate distance journeys. The idea is to help Spain meet its carbon reduction commitments and ease the financial burdens around oil and energy prices consumers are currently facing. Germany has already announced a similar three-month scheme which allows for unlimited train travel for a nominal €9 a month. RELATED: 6 ways travel benefits happiness and mental health Spain is introducing temporary free train travel shutterstock/skyNext 9. Study finds psilocybin helps mental health in small doses Psilocybin may not be a household term but it's a naturally occurring compound found in various growing matters, including some mushrooms. It's a psychedelic ingredient that's structurally similar to the neurotransmitter serotonin, and can offer feelings of euphoria (as well as some side effects). However, a new study into psilocybin has found that taking it in very small quantities – so-called micro-dosing – offers many people positive mental health outcomes with few downsides. Symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression were found to be lower compared to people who did not micro-dose psychedelic substances over the course of a 30-day period. According to numerous reports, some now hope that the use of such natural substances may become more acceptable to the medical community. 10. Commercial carbon capture project unveiled in UK A scheme to capture carbon from the atmosphere has begun in Northwich in Cheshire. This is the largest project of its kind in the UK. It is hoped that when the plant is fully operational that it will be able to capture up to 40,000 tonnes of CO2 each year it is working, according to a report in New Scientist. The people behind the scheme will produce sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking powder from their facility. The commercial project was partially funded by the British government. happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our Academy Biology | Sustainability | Biotechnology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

We're busier in our jobs than ever before, so could mindfulness in the workplace help us to work more productively and calmly? Calvin Holbrook looks at mindfulness at work and shares six tips to stay present in our jobs. The modern workplace can be full of distractions: loud conversations, interruptions from colleagues, chat channels such as Slack, phone calls, meetings, presentations, mobile phones... and just the internet in general. There's always something that can take us away from the task we're working on. So how can we apply the principles of mindfulness to feel more present at work, as well as boost our productivity? Someone who knows about staying mindful on the job is Jutta Tobias PhD. She's a social psychologist with 20 years of work experience in organizational development and capacity-building. Dr Tobias researches and teaches personal development and leadership in collaboration with executive students and in a variety of organizations. Through her teaching and coaching, Tobias helps individuals develop their personal resilience and emotional intelligence. She works with groups to help improve their decision-making, overcome obstacles, and generate sustainable performance. Dr Tobias' current research focus is on establishing a scientific evidence base for linking mindfulness-based interventions with organizational transformation. Mindfulness at work We spoke with Dr Tobias about mindfulness at work and she offered some valuable insights: “In the last couple of years when I ask people how they are doing in their organisation, they’re no longer just saying they’re busy, they’re actually saying ‘I’m overwhelmed at work.’ “Or they’re now seeing business as the status quo, if not the hero status: ‘I’m busier than you!’ But it doesn’t necessarily make people more effective. And mindfulness practice and mindfulness as a state or a way of being, is a little bit the opposite or the antidote to moving fast to being busy. It’s actually about being.” .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%; } Video by Arlo Laibowitz Mindfulness at work: the studies Research into mindfulness in the workplace is fairly limited, although there are a couple of studies that appear to back its benefits. In a study conducted with Duke University, the insurance company Aetna had over 10,000 employees participate in a mindfulness or yoga class. Aetna found that among those who took part, there was an almost 30 per cent reduction in stress levels, a 20 per cent improvement in sleep quality and a 19 per cent reduction in pain. Participants also became more effective at work, gaining an average of 62 minutes per week of added productivity. The conclusion? Mindfulness at work resulted in a healthier and more effective workforce. “There's always something that can take us away from the task we're working on. So, how can we apply the principles of mindfulness to feel more alive and present at work?” Similarly, a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and reported on by Greater Good Science Center found benefits to mindfulness in the workplace. The research sought to determine whether an online mindfulness program created for the Dow Chemical Company, could reduce stress while simultaneously enhancing the well-being and resilience of employees. RELATED: Unhappy at work? Here are the six things you need to find Just under 90 participants completed scientific scales designed to measure their levels of stress, mindfulness, resiliency and vigor. They were then divided into two groups — one to take the online mindfulness class and one to join the wait list for it. The researchers came back six months later, just as the first group was finishing the class. And they found that, in fact, the group that took the class was doing a lot better than the group that hadn't yet taken the class – they were less stressed, more resilient, and more energetic. “This online mindfulness intervention seems to be both practical and effective in… enhancing overall employee well-being,” the researchers concluded. Six tips for staying mindful while working So, it seems there is some good evidence that being mindful in the workplace can make us happier and more productive. Even without a formal meditation practice, there are simple and practical steps you can take to give yourself a better chance of staying mindful and present while working. Here are six of the best: 1. Be email efficient New emails in our inbox have a habit of seducing us away from the task at hand to give them our undivided attention. Perhaps it’s because we’re not really enjoying our task so we're looking for an easy distraction. But it could also be because completing small, easily accomplished tasks like replying to an email releases dopamine, one of the happiness hormones, in our brains. However, in fact, answering mail throughout the day means we end up disrupting our focus from the task at hand. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about meditation and mindfulness • So, instead of answering email as soon as it pings into your inbox, be email efficient and allot dedicated periods of time to replying to messages. For example, use 30 minutes first thing in the morning to reply to any urgent mails you have, or wait until you have completed one of your major tasks. Apply mindfulness when opening your inbox and watch your productivity rise. Be mindful at work with deep breaths shutterstock/fizkies 2. Turn off pop-up notifications Just like emails, these take your attention away from the task at hand and distract you. Turn off all unnecessary notifications, and, instead, set your own mindfulness notification system with an hourly alarm on your phone during the day. Every hour when your phone pings, take a mindful breath or rub your hands together to become aware of your senses. It will help you come back into the present moment and refocus. Dr Tobias agrees. “The easiest and quickest instruction that I give to others and to myself is that practising mindfulness is all about coming to our senses, and it's a bit of a metaphor but it’s also a physical instruction: get in touch with my body: feel,” she told us. “I rub my hands together, and for a moment or two, notice the sensations in my fingers and my hand and that brings me back into the here and now. The people that now how to do this simple instruction and do it consistently are more present. And because they’re more present, they’re actually more satisfied.” RELATED: Mindful minutes – 10 small practices that make a big difference 3. Accept what you cannot change Acceptance lies at the heart of mindfulness. To be mindful means to accept this present moment just as it is. And it also means to accept yourself, just as you are at this present moment. It doesn’t mean giving up, but it does mean acknowledging how things currently are before trying to change anything. Making mistakes – big or small – at work happen all the time and we need to accept it when it happens instead of worrying. Here’s a workplace example, you made a huge typo in a social media post and can't change it or you went way over your planned budget. Firstly, you should accept that you ca cannot change it so you need to try to move on with the situation by learning from it. RELATED: How to show compassion at work Lack of acceptance can lead to denial of the fact or avoidance (trying to avoid the issue or skipping meetings with your supervisor) or even aggression (blaming someone else for the mistake or taking it out on others). Instead, try to accept the situation, talk to the necessary staffers involved and learn from your mistakes. Acceptance actually leads to change. Self-acceptance is even more powerful. It involves embracing all facets of yourself — your weaknesses, shortcomings, aspects you don’t like and those you admire. When you can accept yourself, you reduce energy-draining self-criticism. You’re then in a better place to enjoy your successes and laugh off your shortcomings. 4. Finish one task before you begin the next People often love to big up their multi-tasking abilities, but the truth is, nobody can actually multitask – trying to do two or more tasks at the same time and switching back and forth between them just isn’t efficient. “Being a single-tasker is more productive and a great way of seeing how much actual time – not including distractions – you spend on regular work activities.” Become a single-tasker by planning a time journal of your working day. Spend five minutes in the morning making a list of all the tasks you have to complete on any given day, then focus on completing one at a time, tracking the time you take for each. It’s more productive and is a great way of seeing how much actual time – not including distractions – you spend your time on regular work activities, which will help you plan your workload more efficiently in the future. 5. Mindfulness exercises You can train your brain to become more mindful by carrying out small mindfulness exercises. In a busy workplace, it’s probably not possible to take 30 minutes out to meditate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be mindful at work: even a minute or two of simply taking time out to connect with yours senses and how you’re feeling can be classified as mindfulness. • JOIN US! Sign up today and make new friends at happiness.com • Take time out throughout the day to practice small mindfulness exercises in the office, for example, simply to sit upright and focus on your breath for a couple of minutes. Count on each exhalation and release any distractions by going back to focusing on your breathing. During times of high pressure in the workplace, practicing a short mindfulness exercise such as this breathing example can be a godsend. 6. Make meetings more mindful Work meetings are often seen as a necessary evil: they can be painful and unproductive if not managed correctly. But, by being mindful about meetings, you can even turn them into a highly useful and even enjoyable experience. Break to stretch and rub your hands shutterstock/TORWAISTUDIO Firstly, check in with yourself before a meeting. Notice what mental state you're in. Are you excited or frustrated and anxious? By becoming aware of your mental state, you have the chance to reconsider the state you want to be in for the duration of the meeting. If you take part in a state of appreciation or contribution, the impact will be much more positive than if you’re coming from a place of frustration or anger. If you find yourself getting stressed or tense in a meeting, try to focus on the breathing exercise mentioned before. Mindful meetings wrap up effectively and with firm intentions: What have we decided? Who is going to do what and by when? How can we resolve the issues we have agreed upon today? Also, wherever possible, any potential distractions should be removed from meetings, ie, no mobile phones! The takeaway: mindfulness at work Our workplaces are full of distractions that take our attention away from the job at hand. But research suggests that by being more mindful at work we can boost our productivity and reduce stress levels. If you regularly practice the mindfulness at work tips printed above, you should hopefully feel the benefits! ● Main image: shutterstock/pathdoc You might be interested in our other interviews around work. Watch Bodhin Philip Woodward on the impact of mindfulness and compassion in daily life, and our chat with the organizers of co-founders of the summit, Liz Hall and Luis San Martin. happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practice, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Anger management | Resilience | Leadership Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits the happiness.com magazine, as well being an artist and travel lover. He also loves hiking, nature, swimming, yoga, sweaty dancing, and all things vintage!

MBSR or mindfulness-based stress reduction is a technique growing in popularity. Ed Gould takes a look at the science behind it and the growing list of physical and mental positive effects on the body... Do you want to alter the way your mind works to gain a greater understanding of the here and now? Are you thinking about which strategies you can use for dealing with pain, inattentiveness or stress? Worried that any approach you might take is not bound up in real scientific research? If so, then MBSR – mindfulness-based stress reduction – may be the practice you've been looking for. The techniques involved are simple; anyone can learn them with persistence. Thorough research from various leading medical experts in their fields has revealed some impressive facts about this practice. The key effects of MBSR Mindfulness-based stress reduction is something that can bring tremendous benefits to anyone who takes it up. While it's not a substitute for treating more serious medical conditions, it does have many benefits. As with most things in life, creating a balance is key. Once you become better-versed in the mindfulness techniques and training, they can have a widely-accepted therapeutic effect for any of the following conditions: stress high blood pressure depression chronic anxiety migraine headaches diabetes some heart conditions In particular, common uses for MBSR are for controlling the often debilitating effects of chronic pain, a frequently unwanted symptom of several of the above-listed ailments. But, how can such claims be made? According to Dr Daniel J. Siegel, a professor of clinical psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, scientific studies and research programs have regularly shown that MBSR is effective in reducing stress in all these conditions and more. Keeping calm: MBSR helps to reduce stress In addition to the medical effects that mindfulness can have, many people use the techniques involved to improve their daily lives. Everyday tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, going for a walk, can all be performed using mindfulness techniques. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts, taking a mindful approach is as focused on being as fully awake in life as it is when dealing with medical ailments. “It's about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment," he says. Therefore, stress-reducing mindfulness can have a powerful effect on individuals who consistently practice the techniques. Even those who don't suffer from excessive amounts of anxiety and mental anguish can benefit from mindfulness. The history of MBSR The science of mindfulness has been a crucial part in creating its modern history. It had its start in America in 1979. Numbers were small, but as word spread of its positive effects, numbers grew. The 35-year history of the course program has revealed to science that it can deliver a consistent and reliable improvement in individuals suffering from stress and other related symptoms. This betterment is present in both medical and psychological symptoms. MBSD was pioneered by Kabat-Zinn, who successfully brought together modern Western traditions of science and medicine together with ancient mindfulness techniques from the Far East. Indeed, mindfulness can trace its roots back hundreds, if not thousands, of years to transcendentalism and Buddhism. Centered in and around the Middle East, India and China, mindfulness takes hold in various religions and philosophies. "Meditation is the only intentional, systematic human activity which at bottom is about not trying to improve yourself or get anywhere else, but simply to realize where you already are." Jon Kabat-Zinn The word mindfulness is essentially a translation into English of the Indian Pali word sati or smrti in Sanskrit. Sometimes translated as 'awareness', sati is one of the fundaments of Buddhist thought. These concepts have a broad range of ways in which they can be practised, similar to anapanasati and satipaṭṭhāna, which are popular in Zen Buddhism. These ideas focus on mindfulness and awareness of sensory experiences. Notable scientific studies into MBSR effects According to Philippe R. Goldin and James J. Gross in their study 'Emotion Regulation in Social Anxiety Disorder', one of the key findings of MBSR research is that it has measurable effects on emotional regulation. Goldin and Gross point out that reducing stress, anxiety, and depression is possible by using these techniques. This result was due to the modifying emotion regulation abilities which mindfulness practices can create. Peace, please: mindfulness can regulate emotions so try MBSR The study also shows that people involved in this research program were able to achieve emotional regulation in a number of different ways. These included changing situations by selection, modifying situations, attentional deployment and response modulation. Another key factor in the scientifically noted emotional regulation detected in participants resulted in cognitive change. Further research studies have been carried out to determine the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction on social anxiety disorder, a common psychiatric condition. According to one critical study, carried out by Koszycki et al. in 2007, results from the study showed a like-for-like improvement in patients with the disorder was achievable by participating in an eight-week MBSR course, compared with a 12-week cognitive–behavioural group therapy course. Although both programs produced improvements in the mood, functionality, and quality of life for the participants, the study also revealed significantly lower scores for anxiety, especially with cognitive behavioural therapies compared with MBSR, as rated by both clinicians and patients. “Mindfulness-based stress reduction is something that can bring tremendous benefits to anyone who takes it up.” In a 1998 study conducted on medical students, a control group who underwent an MBSR course showed reduced stress levels. Published in the American Journal of Behavioural Medicine, Shapiro et al.'s study showed that there was a reduction of reports from the group of overall psychological distress, including depression. Furthermore, the group stated that they felt increased levels of empathy. They also measured their spiritual existence with higher scores at the end of the course. Fields of use for stress-reducing mindfulness According to Judith Ockene Ph D at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in this video, there are many areas of use for mindfulness-based stress reduction. Early scientific studies showed that psoriasis patients saw improved results after their phototherapy treatments. Two control groups were created. One group listened to a guided mindfulness audio during their treatment, the other group heard no accompanying audio. This study, it should be noted, centred on the physical ailments of psoriasis and not the mental aspects. By simply reducing the stress levels of the patients who underwent their treatments, scientifically demonstrable improvements demonstrated the effects of the physical outcomes from using the mindfulness audio. Now's the time: why not take the free course in MBSR? Much of the recent scientific research into MBSR focusses on mental health, with a particular focus on conditions like depression. But mindfulness can be a powerful tool in the field of medicine across many disciplines and therapeutic avenues. For example, according to Lawrence Leung, Associate Professor at the Department of Family Medicine at Queen's University, Canada, MBSR techniques are also used to help patients cope with chronic non-cancer related pain and a range of other conditions. These matters eventually affect up to half of the world's population at some time or another. With such wide-ranging uses, it seems that the medical possibilities for mindfulness are limitless. All it takes is new ways of imagining its practical application. If you' re keen to try out mindfulness techniques yourself, you can take this 100% free 8-week MBSR course, created by a fully certified MBSR instructor and modelled on the program founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn. ● Main image: Colorbox.com Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

Dealing with the difficulties that life throws at us can be a struggle, but by staying resilient you can cope better and feel stronger. So, from writing it all out to practising forgiveness, here are five science-baked strategies for building resilience. People often try to cope with difficult situations and stressful periods in their lives by simply putting on a brave face – or even burying their heads in the sand and pretending that their problems aren't happening. The issue with this approach is that it fails to deal with the feelings that the situation brings up. Indeed, burying negative feelings for a long time can lead to anxiety and/or depression. Resilience refers to your capacity to recover from difficulties and ability to bounce back. Instead of pushing yourself or simply surviving, building resilience techniques will help you to stay resilient and cope better with the inevitable challenges that life throws at all of us. Staying resilient: 5 techniques to try There are many times throughout our life journey when will need to try and stay resilient. It could be because we are experiencing problems or conflicts at work or at home. Or it may be due to a more traumatic event, such as the death of a parent, serious illness, or losing a home. Of course, being and staying resilient doesn't mean that you won't experience difficulty or distress. However, by building and strengthening your resilience, you'll give yourself a better chance of coping with stress. Start by practising these five strategies for building resilience during times of adversity. 1. Tell a different story Have you ever gone over and over something bad that's happened to you in your head? Perhaps you wonder how you could have behaved differently? Known as rumination, this reliving of painful experiences does nothing to help us move on and can even lead to depression. Instead, you need to find ways of resetting your thoughts. One way to do this is called expressive writing. This involves writing down anything that comes into your head, on whatever is bothering you. This will allow you to examine your thoughts and confront them. You don't have to be great at writing; the aim is just to get your thoughts and feelings out. The write way: stay resilient by putting your thoughts on paper A study from 1998 compared expressive writers with those who wrote about superficial topics. It found that those who carried out expressive writing for four days were healthier six weeks later and also happier up to three months later. Another exercise is called 'finding silver linings'. Although it first it may not seem as though there are any benefits to a bad experience, in fact, if you did deeper you may gain insight. Perhaps this challenging experience you've been through has shown you who your real friends are, or taught you that you're stronger than you thought. These exercises will help you feel less pessimistic and you can maintain the benefits by continuing to practice them and stay resilient. “Instead of simply surviving, staying resilient helps you to cope with the inevitable challenges that life throws at you.” This resilience-building technique is also backed up by science. A 2014 study showed that finding silver linings daily for three weeks helped participants become more engaged with life afterward. It also decreased their pessimistic beliefs over time. 2. Confront your fears Adopting the practise of rewriting the narrative is useful when dealing with past problems, but doesn't help when dealing with present fears. How can we handle things that have yet to happen? You can start by slowly building up your tolerance, and gradually pushing yourself a little further every time. RELATED: Resilience quotes – 7 powerful sayings to inspire you For example, if you're nervous about taking a long-distance flight but would one day like to visit Australia, begin with a short flight and gradually extend your travels. As you become more comfortable with spending longer in the air, work your way up to a long-haul flight. This works by slowly desensitizing you with gradual and increased exposure to a situation you're afraid of or uncomfortable with. 3. Meditation Meditation and mindfulness are great tools to build resilience. They help us to stay resilient by bringing us back to the present, rather than living in the past or worrying about the future. These techniques also help us to deal with negative feelings. You can try programs like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which are designed to show you how to use meditation to improve your mental and physical well-being. Here at happiness.com, we have a free online MBSR course you can take. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged There are also techniques like body scan meditation, which can be used to identify where you hold stress in your body and teach you how to relax. Or, you can develop a more mindful relationship with food, rather than turning to junk food when you're stressed. Multiple studies have shown that MBSR has many health and psychological benefits, especially for those struggling with chronic disease or mental illness. Present (un)tense: become more resilient with meditation 4. Be kind to yourself We're often much harder on ourselves than we would be on other people, and think that we're alone in our fears. But being kind to yourself is essential to your well-being, so ensure you can stay resilient by practising self-compassion, and be as kind to yourself as you would be to others. This strategy to build resilience involves a three-step process: Start by being mindful of your feelings, but don't judge them. Simply acknowledge them. Remind yourself that everyone feels this way at some point. Finish by giving yourself permission to have these feelings and accept yourself as you are. If you find this difficult, ask yourself how you would treat a friend who was experiencing the same problems: you would almost certainly show kindness to them, so do the same for yourself. You can also try writing a letter to yourself, making sure it contains only words of compassion and acceptance. Be kind to yourself: self-compassion builds resilience 5. Forgiveness Forgiving others may be difficult, but holding on to grudges is also not a route to happiness. How can your well-being develop properly if you're living in the past? Begin by acknowledging what has happened, but then decide to give up your feelings of resentment so that you can move on. Contrary to what you might believe, forgiveness is for your own sake, not that of others; you will benefit from understanding other people more or finding ways in which you can learn from a painful experience. Remember that everyone is human, and the person who wronged you may be suffering their own issues. “Meditation and mindfulness are great tools to build resilience. They bring us back to the present, rather than living in the past or worrying about the future.” A 2011 study tested forgiveness against the alternatives — ruminating on negative feelings or repressing them— and found that cultivating compassion meant participants felt more empathy, positive emotions and feelings of control: all signs of building resilience and staying resilient. How to stay resilient: conclusions We all experience difficulties in life and some of us cope with the stress better than others. However, if you're struggling, you can learn skills to build resilience and stay stronger. Viewing negative experiences in a different light can help you to stay resilient and teach you how to cope with difficult situations in the future – something that will inevitably occur at various points throughout the rest of your life. ● Main image: Colorbox.com Written by Guest author We're happy to publish articles by guest authors that will broaden the perspective and bring new insights. If you're interested in publishing an article here on happiness.com, please contact us.

There are many different types of meditation. Discovering which style suits you best is useful – you'll be more likely to devote yourself to the practice and so the health benefits will stay with you for longer. Calvin Holbrook looks at ten common meditation types. Meditation has surged in popularity in the Western world in recent years, and there seem to be an ever-increasing number of different types of meditation available to practise. While this can be confusing, what isn't at question is the world of good meditation provides. Indeed, if you've ever asked 'does meditation really work?', the answer is a resounding 'yes'! In fact, research has shown that the effects of meditation include pain reduction, lowered blood pressure and an increased sense of well-being and self-compassion. However, while there are a host of positive claims for the benefits of meditation, there is still much that is not fully understood by science about this ancient practice. Indeed, meditation is sometimes presented by mainstream media as a cure-all. And while recent studies indicate that meditation is effective for anxiety and depression, it doesn't seem to be any more effective than other forms of treatment, such as medication or exercise. With this in mind, how do you decide on what type or style of meditation is best for you? Choose a meditation type that's best for you Commitment to a regular meditation practice is necessary in order to reap the full benefits. Indeed, it's essential to find a personal meditation style or technique that you're comfortable with. That's because finding your preferred form of meditation means you're more likely to continue with it. But, in fact, there's no right or wrong way to meditate. We suggest that you should choose a type that speaks to you spiritually. Try a few of these styles of meditation and see what you enjoy most. Which type of meditation should I choose? Below, we'll describe eight of the most common meditation types or techniques. Before reading on, ask yourself the following questions that will help you discover your best personal style of meditation: Are you trying to empty your mind or focus it? Do you find it easy to focus when sitting still or do you find it easier when active? Do you find sounds distracting or calming? Do you want others to benefit from your meditation practice also? When assessing the effects of a particular style, you may find it helpful to keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings during and after a sitting. So, explore the ten meditation types listed below and find what works for you... 1. Focused meditation Suitable for beginners and those who need assistance in focusing. Science has shown that practising meditation over years can cause the grey matter in the brain to increase in area, so it's well worth finding a form of meditation that will help you persevere. The focused meditation style concentrates on the senses. Visualization is when you focus on a mental image of an object, such as a light or a flower. This is a commonly-used technique. Occasionally you may be asked to focus on other senses, like sound or touch. Other focus points include breathing and the flow of energy through your body. RELATED: Visualization meditation – how to practise it 2. Mantra meditation One of the best meditation styles for those who find silence distracting and find relaxation and peace in repetition. Mantra meditation has been practised for thousands of years. You simply chant or recite a 'mantra', such as the mystical Sanskrit word 'Om' (claimed to be the origin of all sound). Whether you whisper it mentally or chant aloud, repetition allows your mind to relax. Alternatively, you could choose an inspirational phrase that's personal to you. Mantra meditation can be practised in a group or individually. Mantra meditation is a style for those who don't enjoy silence 3. Transcendental meditation (TM) A meditation style that may suit a person looking for a more structured form. Or committed beginners who are ready for a regular practice. Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and with more than five million practitioners worldwide, transcendental meditation (TM) is the style which has received the most attention from science. For example, research by the AHA has shown that TM can reduce hypertension. “Science has shown that practising a meditation technique over years can cause the grey matter in the brain to actually increase in area.” Instead of just following the breath, transcendental meditation uses a series of Sanskrit words and mantras to help you focus. Every student is given an individual mantra, based on factors like gender or birth year. The recommendation for transcendental meditation is to practise it in a comfortable seated position, for 20 minutes twice a day. Vedic meditation is another variation. 4. Spiritual meditation If you thrive in silence, spiritual meditation may be your best personal meditation style. Science shows that spiritual meditation can be helpful in lowering high blood pressure and preventing heart disease. Similar to prayer, spiritual meditation allows the practitioner to reach a more reflective and contemplative state through various elements. Whether at home or in a place of worship, you embrace the silence and gradually allow your mind to wander over a personal question or prayer. Some people find that the answer to their deepest questions comes from within. While others feel that they answer comes from outside – from God or the universe. 5. Mindfulness meditation May suit someone who has no regular access to a group or teacher. Buddhist teachings base themselves on mindfulness meditation. It's an umbrella term for meditation techniques that teach us to accept everything that arises without judgement. To address things that occur and release stress as it arises while nurturing a surrender to things that we cannot change. Studies show that mindfulness meditation can be an effective treatment for episodes of depression. It's possible to practise this style of meditation alone, making it particularly suitable for those who do not have access to a class or teacher. Furthermore, like many styles of meditation, it requires minimal effort. Mindful meditation is a perfect type for when you're alone 6. Gratitude meditation May suit someone who wants to practise meditation at any time throughout the day. Gratitude meditation is one of the easiest styles of meditation you can try and you can also practise it anywhere, even on the go. This meditation type involves meditating on the things you're thankful for and allowing that appreciative sensation to take a stronghold within. The benefits include greater sense of well-being, improved mental health and stronger personal relationships. 7. Vipassana meditation For experienced meditators considering exploring even deeper within themselves. Vipassana means 'to see things as they really are'. Vipassana is one of the most ancient techniques of meditation. In fact, it's believed to be the meditation form taught by the Buddha himself. Vipassana meditation is a method of self-transformation through self-observation and focuses on the deep interconnection between the mind and body. “Commitment to a type of meditation is necessary in order to reap the full benefits. Indeed, it's essential to find a personal meditation style that you're comfortable with.” Ten-day silent retreats where you can develop the Vipassana meditation technique are popular. Communication of any kind during these events is usually strictly prohibited. It’s recommended that if you want to try a ten-day retreat that you already have a basic knowledge of meditation and have experience in sustaining long periods of quiet and calm. 8. Six phase meditation Ideal for those who want to boost compassion, happiness and productivity. Six phase meditation is a newer meditation technique that combines the science behind how our brain works with advice on spiritual growth. This six-step guided meditation tackles common roadblocks in meditation practice and requires up to 20 minutes daily. This style of meditation involves meditating on the following six things: connection, gratitude, forgiveness, visualization, daily intention blessing. The main goals of 6 phase meditation are lowering anxiety and stress, connecting with your intuitive and creative side, becoming more compassionate and fulfilled, and increasing happiness and productivity. 9. Movement meditation May suit you if your mind becomes distracted when you're still. Or if you sit at a desk all day and prefer to find tranquillity through action. Movement meditation is a broad category of active meditation styles. Gentle, repetitive movements such as hatha yoga, a walk through the woods during forest bathing, gardening, or even housework help to clear your mind and keep it in the moment. Research by scientists at Oregon University found a significant decrease in pain experienced by fibromyalgia patients who practised this meditation type. Movement meditation suits active types of people 10. Loving kindness meditation Ideal for those who want to boost compassion, connection and self-acceptance. Loving kindness is a popular meditation technique used to increase capacity for forgiveness, connection and self-acceptance. During loving kindness, you focus loving energy toward yourself and to others – even those you make dislike or total strangers. While meditating, try to imagine yourself experiencing complete wellness and inner peace. Feel perfect love for yourself, content that you're just right. While concentrating on this joyous feeling of love and kindness, repeat these positive phrases to yourself (or create your own): May I be happy May I be safe May I be healthy, peaceful, and strong May I give and receive appreciation today Bask in those feelings of warmth and self-compassion for some moments before shifting your focus to loved ones. Start with someone who you're very close to, and feel your gratitude and love for them. Repeat the reassuring phrases for them: may you be happy and safe. Next, branch out to other friends and family members and repeat the meditation technique. It's important to try it with people you may dislike or do not naturally connect with. Finally, extend feelings of loving kindness to people around the globe and focus on a feeling of connection and compassion. Tonglen meditation is a similar type of meditation and also shares a purpose of focussing on compassion and healing others. Takeaway: types of meditation There are a multitude of meditation techniques and styles to discover. Try practising a few different ones to see which are best suited to your lifestyle. For most people, meditation induces calmness, relaxation and a sense of well-being. Meditation should not be a optimization goal in-and-of itself but rather a means of developing self-compassion and peace. Be wary of pushing on with a meditation practice if it feels counter-productive. ● Main image: Colorbox.com happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ learn with free online classes in our happiness Academy Mindfulness | Compassion | Kundalini meditation Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits our magazine and is a lover of swimming, yoga, dancing to house/techno, and all things vintage. Find out more.

Research on mindfulness apps is limited, but here's what we know so far. By Kira M. Newman on behalf of the Greater Good Science Center. Want to feel more Calm, get some Headspace, and practice Mindfulness Daily? There are apps for that — hundreds of them, besides the three I just mentioned. These apps make a promise: rather than investing countless hours and dollars in mindfulness classes or mindfulness-based therapy, we can choose to meditate from the comfort of our smartphones. Users are flocking to mindfulness apps in hopes of cultivating kind attention to their own thoughts and feelings, and of reaping the mental and physical benefits that go along with mindfulness. But do they work? What does science say about mindfulness apps? Research began in earnest only about four years ago, and studies are indeed pointing to potential benefits for our stress, emotions, and relationships. The findings may not be as conclusive as app marketers would have you believe — but they do suggest you should at least consider trying one. Digital stress reduction Much of the research so far involves the popular mindfulness app Headspace, which has attracted 20 million users across 190 countries since its launch in 2012. The app’s meditations are voiced by Headspace founder and former Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe, starting with simple breathing and body scan practices. “Users are flocking to mindfulness apps in hopes of cultivating kind attention to their own thoughts and feelings.” In one 2018 study, researchers tested Headspace with 70 adults. All the participants started by answering surveys about their positive and negative feelings, their stress, and their irritability in the past week. Then, over the course of a month, half the group completed ten introductory sessions on Headspace, while the other half listened to excerpts from Puddicombe’s audiobook about mindfulness and meditation without any guided practice. Afterward, the meditation group was faring much better. According to a second round of surveys, they felt (on balance) more positive emotions and less burdened by external demands, responsibilities, and pressure than the audiobook listeners. These changes happened after just 100 minutes of practice. “This is great news for people that are curious about mindfulness but are worried about having to invest hours and hours of time before seeing any benefits,” says lead author Marcos Economides, who (along with his coauthors) was employed by Headspace at the time of the study. “Such early benefits could provide motivation for casual users to develop a more long-term mindfulness practice.” Do mindfulness apps work? © shutterstock/TeodorLazarev Stress is also biological, leaving an imprint on our bodies that can lead to health problems later in life. Could mindfulness apps affect stress at this level, too, not just in our minds? In another recent study, researchers tested this question while also trying to figure out which aspects of mindfulness education are most crucial. They recruited 153 adults to practice for 20 minutes a day, splitting them up into three groups. One group practiced the mindfulness skill of monitoring, which involves detecting and distinguishing between different sensations in your body. RELATED: The 5 best happiness apps to improve well-being A second group learned monitoring and acceptance, the ability to stay relaxed, welcome thoughts and feelings in your mind, and gently acknowledge them. A third group learned coping skills, like seeing the positive in negative situations and analyzing personal problems. These newfound skills were put to the test at the end of two weeks. In an infamous laboratory experiment, participants had to give a five-minute speech and do math out loud while trained observers gave critical feedback, pointed out errors, and generally exuded coldness and judgment. All the while, the participants wore a cuff to monitor their escalating blood pressure and gave periodic saliva samples that would be analyzed for cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. “Stress is also biological, leaving an imprint on our bodies that can lead to health problems. Could mindfulness apps affect stress at this level, too, not just in our minds?” Contrary to the first study, participants in the three groups didn’t perceive their stress to be different — after giving a speech or doing tricky subtraction, they all felt similarly anxious and insecure. But their bodies told another story: Here, only the group that had learned monitoring and acceptance had lower systolic blood pressure during the task and lower cortisol afterward. “This study was the first to show that a brief two-week mindfulness training app can change a person’s biological response to stress,” says lead author Emily K. Lindsay, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips to stay present When we learn acceptance, she and her colleagues explain, we may be better able to acknowledge but disengage from difficult experiences — like cringe-worthy judgment from others. This study suggests that the benefits of mindfulness aren’t just from improved attention, but from the gentle, nurturing attitude we cultivate toward ourselves. Mindfulness apps under the microscope Less stress isn’t the only outcome we can hope to achieve through our digital contemplative practice. In 2017 researchers conducted one of the only studies that compared a mindfulness app with a traditional, in-person mindfulness class. Here, nurses in residency listened to Headspace meditations or attended a class once a week for four weeks. Ultimately, the app users improved their mindfulness skills — in particular, their ability to act with awareness and not overreact to their thoughts and feelings. They also felt less fatigue and burnout in their caregiving role, compared to class attendees. Several studies have compared participants who used Headspace to those who used another beneficial app, like the brain-training app Lumosity, the organizational app Catch Notes, or a web app with logic problems. After training for 10-20 minutes a day for 10-30 days, Headspace users reduced their mind-wandering, boosted their positive emotions, reduced their symptoms of depression, and became kinder and less aggressive compared to other app users. In one study, though, Headspace didn’t seem to improve people’s satisfaction with life, flourishing in life, or negative feelings. “There is still a lot we don’t understand about how mindfulness works, and how much mindfulness practice is needed for certain benefits to emerge,” Economides says. Mind the app: mindfulness technology © shutterstock/Dean Drobot Another question for future research is how long any benefits last. One of the few studies with a follow-up did have promising results: Compared to participants on a waiting list, people who used the VGZ Mindfulness Coach app for eight weeks — which features a variety of breathing, body scan, visualization, and mantra meditations — became more mindful, showed fewer symptoms of psychiatric disorders, and boosted their quality of life up to four months later. RELATED: Does meditation really work? Here's what science says Meditation apps aren’t just a boon for consumers hoping to learn how to be more present at an affordable price. If effective, they also have implications for workplaces, schools, and even nations, who want to cultivate happier and healthier communities. This is where research on which apps are beneficial, and why, is particularly important. “It's vital that we understand the potential benefits of engaging with such apps, and how these compare to programs that are taught in-person, if we are to have the greatest impact on people’s well-being,” says Economides. ● Main image © shutterstock/Alexander Image Do you use mindfulness apps? Which ones? Let the happiness.com community know what you think of them... Written by Greater Good Science Center This article originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Happiness.com is honoured to republish it with the kind permission of the Greater Good Science Center. greatergood.berkeley.edu

Interviewer Veronika Eicher still had the distant flavor of raisins in her mouth – from finishing the 'raisin meditation' on Dave Potter’s MBSR course – when the pair sat down to talk. She asked him about his background in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, the motivation behind his free course, dealing with chronic pain, and meditation. When was the last time you ate mindfully? Dave Potter, fully-certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor and retired psychotherapist, laughs before answering: “Well, it’s all a matter of degree. Even though I'm a mindfulness teacher, there are times when I’m not eating very mindfully. For instance, last night my wife and I talked continuously through dinner, and I was not at all mindful of what I was eating. In a previous life as a marketing manager at Intel, many of our meetings were over meals and we were expected to do business and eat at the same time. I used to tell people that I didn’t progress any higher than I did on Intel’s corporate ladder because I never learned to eat and talk at the same time.” Although Dave didn’t stay at Intel for long, he spent over 20 years in the computer industry, first as a free-ance computer consultant and later founding a software company that grew to a dozen employees and customers all over the world. At age 51, although he loved technology, he came to realize that he was far more interested in people than computers, and he went back to school to get a graduate degree in counseling and became a psychotherapist. It was then that he started teaching mindfulness, which led me to my next question: How did you first get to know MBSR? “I found MBSR about the time I began working as a therapist, but I was not new to meditation, having meditated since I was in high school. Even though I was already a long-term meditator and didn’t think I had much to learn, after taking a training class from Jon Kabat-Zinn, I was impressed with MBSR and how teachable it was. MBSR, as Jon Kabat-Zinn taught it, is neither full of esoteric terms, nor religious. Instead, the language Jon used was so simple that wasn’t until Dave saw Jon teach the MBSR course that he understood the tremendous power of MBSR and this particular way of teaching meditation. “The language is very simple: ‘Pay attention to your experience while you are having it’, but embedded in the MBSR course was such depth and meaning that I wanted to share it with others, so I became certified to teach by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where Jon Kabat-Zinn founded MBSR,” Dave explained. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged Eating mindfully can be one of many daily opportunities to practice mindfulness Many people take the course to reduce the level of stress in their lives. You say that when you tell new students that they will need to dedicate 30 minutes a day to meditation, they often say: “Where will I find the time? This will make me more stressed, not less!” Isn’t that ironic? “In the beginning, many people do feel that it is more stressful, that’s true. This is because they are now paying closer attention to what is happening inside them, and they have begun to notice things that were there all along, but under the surface. But, typically, after about three or four weeks, things settle down. What most people discover by that point is that although their day is technically 30 minutes shorter, the rest of the day is more productive and much less stressful than it was before. So people do see the fruits of the practice, but often not until three or four weeks into the course. That's one of the reasons the course is eight weeks long and not three.” Discover more about Dave Potter's free MBSR course What can participants of the course expect to happen? “At first, it feels as if nothing is happening. You sit in meditation, your mind wanders, you pull it back, your mind wanders again, you pull it back again, and on and on, in a seemingly endless cycle. It looks like nothing productive is happening. But there is magic in this process that is not at all apparent while it’s happening. The point of the meditation is not to stop thoughts, but to change your relationship to them, and the critical place in which that relationship can change is when you notice your mind has been wandering. What people typically say in the beginning is, “I’m no good at this, my mind is wandering all the time, I can’t do this.” They're frustrated that they can’t get their mind to stay in one place and beat themselves up about it. But it's not about keeping the mind in one place: it's about what happens in that moment when you discover that you mind has wandered. It’s about accepting that fact and being kind to yourself at that moment.” RELATED: 9 science-backed benefits of meditation Jack Kornfield often tells a story about training a puppy to fetch. In the beginning, you throw the stick and the puppy doesn’t bring it back. But you don’t give up, and you throw the stick many, many times until finally, almost unexpectedly, the puppy brings the stick back to you. At that point you don’t say, “Bad dog!! Why didn’t you bring the stick back before now?!?”. You say, “GOOD BOY!!! GOOD JOB!” and give the puppy a treat. This encourages the puppy to do it again and strengthens your good relationship with your puppy. “It’s the same with our mind. We train our students to recognize that those moments when they notice their mind has wandered are moments of awakening. These moments of awakening are cause for celebration, not self-criticism. Every single time you notice your mind has been wandering, you have just broken a life-long habit. This is what we aim for in our meditation.” Train your meditative mind like a puppy: with patience and treats! I must admit, I thought that when you meditate long enough – perhaps like you as a life-long meditator – that at some point your mind doesn’t wander anymore. Is that incorrect? “It’s not true that advanced meditators have learned to stop their thoughts entirely. Eliminating thoughts is actually not the goal of this type of meditation. Thinking is not a function we aim to eliminate. We need thinking to plan, to organize, to build, to create. Thoughts are important, but they are not the most important aspect of our experience, and, in fact, the thoughts we do have are often untrue or misleading. Tara Brach often says, ‘thoughts are real, but not true.’ RELATED: Tara Brach – psychologist, meditation author and teacher It’s true that there are types of meditations designed to perfect concentration but this type of meditation, when combined with a single-minded goal of achieving states of absorption and bliss, don’t address the realities of day-to-day life. There's a story about a monk who goes up to a mountain cave to meditate in isolation. After years of practice, he perfects his concentration to the point where he is in almost continuous bliss and decides he is ready to come down from the mountain. Five minutes after arriving to town, one of the vendors at the market makes an insulting comment and he blows up in anger, seemingly undoing his years of practice in just moments. “People do see the fruits of MBSR, but often not until three or four weeks into the course. That's one of the reasons the course is eight weeks long and not three.” The type of meditation taught in MBSR includes both concentrative meditation and a more open-ended meditation that can be accessed in the midst of daily life, in which the meditator is fully aware of what’s happening around him and in him, on a moment-to-moment basis.” Your MBSR instructor: Dave Potter Dave Potter and I are talking more about the power of our minds. He shares the example of a Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard, who's had 50,000 hours of meditation practice over 30 years (that’s five hours a day – every day!) and who has been extensively studied by psychologists and neuroscientists. Paul Ekman, a University of California psychologist, suspected that Ricard would have a very low “startle response”, which has been shown to correspond to anxiety; the more anxious a person is, the stronger the physiological response to being startled. In this laboratory test, the subject is wired up to instrumentation and the physiological response to a very loud sound, similar to a gun-shot, is measured. When Ekman tested Ricard, he had to do it a second time because he couldn’t believe what his instruments were telling him about Ricard’s reaction. Ricard’s physiological response was lower than any subject he’d ever tested. In fact, it was lower than medical science had up to that point thought possible. When he asked Ricard how he did that (expecting he would say he brought his attention to a single point and blocked everything else out), Ricard said he did the opposite – he said that instead of narrowing his attention, he widened it, imagining himself to be as big as the universe, so large that it could easily absorb any sound or disturbance. He said he heard the sound very clearly, but it wasn’t bothersome to him due to his having widened his perspective to include and accept absolutely everything that came into awareness. Could this technique also be a way that MBSR participants learn to deal with discomforting feelings or chronic pain? By imagining the biggest pain and experience as less painful within the practice? The course doesn’t eliminate pain. For instance, people who have a chronic pain condition have typically tried everything and there is nothing doctors can prescribe that is safe that would eliminate the pain. In the MBSR course we aren’t working on eliminating the pain, but changing our relationship to it. We teach our students to work with difficult emotions and physical pain in a paradoxical way, something we introduce in Week 5, in a practice called “Turning Towards”. Students learn through this practice, building on skills they’ve learned in the first four weeks, that they can be with difficult feelings or sensation without being alarmed. RELATED: Mindfulness quotes – 10 sayings to inspire and ground you In the case of chronic pain, instead of trying to make it go away, which of course doesn't work, we ask students to get curious about it. Without labeling the discomfort as “pain”, we have them investigate the actual physical sensations. For instance, is it sharp or throbbing, large or small, precisely where is it located, what are its boundaries? By examining it closely, in a curious, non-fearful way, they discover that their “pain” is not a static thing, that their experience of it shifts when they're curious about it in this way. “Through MBSR we aren’t working on eliminating the pain, but on changing our relationship to it.” Then, after exploring the difficult area, we ask them to move their attention to a part of the body that is relatively relaxed, and stay there for a moment, noticing what kind of sensations they have there, maybe warmth or softness, or simply freedom from pain. This can look like we’re asking them to distract themselves, but we are simply having them shift attention to another part of their body, one that is actually connected to the difficult area. Then, after spending a few minutes there, they go back to the difficult area, and back and forth. By doing this a few times, the students experience the discomfort as only part of them, and that it’s not fixed and unchangeable. In this way, the student learns to see and experience the difficult area in a larger context, similar to the way that Matthieu Ricard did with the loud sound in the “startle” test. So, in that sense, it is a widening of awareness and perspective that makes the pain less difficult. Probably the most gifted and skilled meditation teacher for dealing with chronic pain is Vidmayala Burch. She is founder of Breathworks in the UK and understands chronic pain because she has dealt with serious, debilitating pain she has had her entire adult life, including now. She is a gifted teacher and role-model for those dealing with chronic pain. Vidyamala often uses pillows to demonstrate how we compound physical (or emotional) pain with fear and worry, having a student sit in the center of the room with a pillow on their lap, saying that the pillow represents the physical pain, the difficult sensations themselves (or problematic life event). Then, on top of this pillow, another is added, representing a fear or worry they have about the pain, such as the fear that the pain will get worse. Then they add another, maybe about the worry that if it keeps up they won’t be able to work and support themselves, and another, and another, each one representing a specific worry or fear, until the pillows are stacked so high they are higher than the student’s head. Then Vidmayala would ask them to remove the pillows of worry and fear one by one, letting go of each one until all that remains in their lap is the first pillow representing the actual physical sensations. That pillow is still there, but much less troublesome than it was when buried under all the other pillows of fear and worry that were added to the actual physical pain (or problematic life event). Pillow practice for pain: MBSR was originally designed for pain patients The 'Pillow Practice' with Vidyamala Burch was mind-opening for me, as a chronic pain patient. Is this what mindfulness is about? Exactly. Being mindful is about realizing what is actually happening as well as noticing that we are compounding the situation with our fears and worries. In Buddhist terms you would say there is the first arrow which is the difficulty itself and the second arrow is all the worries and fears we have about that. We can’t always do anything about the first arrow, but the second arrow that is magnifying the difficulty can be removed. You were one of the first teachers to provide us with your MBSR course for free in our happiness academy and you also provide the course on your website palousemindfulness.com free of charge. What was your motivation for this? “There are a couple of answers to that. The first is: “Why not?”. The fact that I can even say this is because I’m retired and don’t need extra income and because of the efficiencies and reach of the internet. But, most importantly, I knew there are people who cannot afford to pay for a mindfulness course, and in many parts of the world there is no access to an in-person MBSR class. My intention was to make mindfulness as widely available as possible, no matter what the financial situation or geographic location. I’m fortunate that this is also the intention of most of the other teachers of mindfulness, even those who are well-known and can command high fees for their teaching. World-renowned mindfulness teachers such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, Vidyamala Burch and Tara Brach have given me their written permission to use their videos and writings without any fee so that mindfulness can be more widely available. “The course does not make life perfect. It's about being at peace with not feeling peaceful.” As a former psychotherapist, it makes me happy to know that, through the Palouse Mindfulness course, people are being helped. Every day, I get letters from people who say the course has changed their lives. As a retired therapist whose work was about helping people, what could be better? RELATED: Meditation vs mindfulness – what's the difference? The course does not make life perfect. It’s not about being peaceful all the time. Not even the Dalai Lama is peaceful all the time. It's about being at peace with not feeling peaceful. When I hear from my students that this is what they’ve learned and that they are happier and more resilient than they were before, this is worth more to me than any monetary compensation.” Finally, do you still meditate on a daily basis? “I do. I’ve had a few periods in my life when I didn’t maintain a formal sitting practice, figuring that if I just lived my life mindfully, letting 'life' itself be my meditation, that would be enough. While that might be true, in principle, because any experience can be made into a mindful experience, during those periods without a formal practice, much of my life wasn’t very mindful. So, about 30 years ago, after being an on-again, off-again meditator, I committed to a regular, daily meditation practice of half an hour every morning and haven’t stopped since, except for a handful of days during that 30-year period. I don’t meditate to have some peace experience while I’m meditating, although that can be pleasant; I do it because of how it affects the rest of my day. My morning meditation creates a resilience and aliveness during the rest of the day that wouldn’t be there if I didn’t have this practice. My morning practice is actually fairly simple, similar to what in Soto Zen is called “zazen” or “just sitting”, a time that I don’t have to be anywhere else or doing anything else, a time that is just for me. Years ago, when my daughter was young, we took a parenting course from Barbara Coloroso and at the end of the course, she said, “I want you to spend 30 minutes a day with the person you are going to be with for the rest of your life with… and I don’t mean your spouse, because they may go before you. I mean you.” ● Thank you Dave, for the talk and for your work. Enroll here for the free MBSR course at the happiness academy. And don't forget to join in the MBSR course discussion in the forum: share your experiences and ideas with other members. Watch the full interview with Dave Potter: Interview by Veronika Eicher Veronika is a freelance writer. She likes to spend her free time working on her dream of a farm. On Instagram she writes about climate crises, nature and sustainable living.

There were plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during December. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. The month of December sees the shortest day in the northern hemisphere and, as the daylight hours slowly start to get longer, is seen as a time of renewal. This is why many people view it as a positive month, even in the depths of midwinter. Certainly, there were plenty of good news stories in December to celebrate. Here are our Top 10. 1. Stuttering linked to genetics Some scientists have long suspected that stuttering may be connected to genetics. This is because the speech impediment tends to run in families. In December a research team from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the US published their findings that proved such a genetic link. It’s hoped the discovery will help stutterers to understand their condition better and help develop new ways of handling it. 2. New benefits of CBD found Although extolling the medicinal virtues of cannabidiol, or CBD, is illegal in certain territories when being marketed, many people buy it for what they perceive to be beneficial health outcomes. Now a recently published paper in the Journal of Cannabis Research has suggested that there may be certain positive effects from the substance when given to people with autism. The research was undertaken by a team in Turkey and is expected to now be peer-reviewed by others working in this field. Furthermore, another recent global study involving 3,000 participants also suggested CBD could help with pain relief and anxiety. CBD oil may benefit those with autism or anxiety shutterstock/Creativan 3. Lithium-ion battery recycling plant undergoes expansion An innovator in the field of recycling lithium-ion batteries, Li-cycle has announced a large expansion of its New York plant. Lithium-ion batteries reduce the need for single-use ones since they can be recharged but they can also be hard to reprocess after the end of their working lives. Li-cycle has pioneered new technology to make it possible to reuse lithium-ion batteries in portable devices and electrical vehicles. According to Reuters, it now plans to open a new reprocessing facility in Canada, along with another in Arizona. 4. Spain pioneers cancer treatment A report in El Pais stated that people with multiple myeloma will be offered new hope thanks to a new treatment, known as ARI-0002h. The therapy is suitable for people with cancers in their bone marrow. According to the report, the treatment was completely successful in 18 cases and led to full remission. What's more, it’s cheaper than current therapies. The method takes T-cells from patients' immune systems and modifies them to make them more effective in dealing with the cancer. It was developed at Barcelona’s Hospital Clínic. 5. Probiotics reduce morning sickness According to a report in News Medical, pregnant women who suffer from nausea and vomiting – often referred to as morning sickness – can benefit from probiotics. A US study into probiotics and mothers-to-be showed that the healthy bacteria found in foods like yoghurt, kimchi and sauerkraut help pregnant women to protect their gut health while their body changes as a result of being pregnant. Participants in the study were given a probiotic capsule twice-daily, rather than adjusting their diet. RELATED: The 15 best prebiotics to include in your diet Probiotics can boost gut health during pregnancy shutterstock/Tatjana Baibakova 6. Coral success on the Great Barrier Reef The world's largest habitat for coral lifeforms has been under threat for years and oceanographers have tried to repopulate it with IVF-spawned corals. And, according to a report in the Times, the project has been a remarkable success. The coral that were effectively helped by human intervention have started to form mini-colonies of their own leading to hopes that dead sections of the reef will recover fully within a few generations. Scientists are continuing to collect coral spawn to help the project in the years to come. 7. Mindfulness helps people to focus, according to research According to Lynley Turkelson of the University of Cincinnati, mindfulness is a powerful tool that can allow people to improve their focus. Her work, published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, centered on the relationship between mindfulness and the wandering mind. The study revealed that minds that failed to focus and were engaged in daydreaming could benefit from a regime of mindfulness meditation. It allowed people to refocus their minds on what was immediately in front of them without worrying about other things so much. RELATED: Mindfulness vs meditation – understanding the difference 8. New green technology developed for cold storage Environmentally friendly options for transporting goods at low temperatures are thin on the ground. Freezing items needs lots of energy or cooling products are made from unsustainable plastics. A report in Food Safety News highlighted a new approach using a sustainable jelly that does not melt. What's more, the jelly cubes are ideal for keeping medicines and foodstuffs cool because they are also antimicrobial. In fact, they can even be composted at the end of their working lives. Experts predict it may revolutionise the way chilled goods are delivered in the future. 9. Billions of trees planted in China in 40 years China may be a big consumer of energy but it has also adopted a national strategy to reforest large parts of the country. According to the country's National Forestry and Grassland Administration, tens of billions of trees have been planted in China since a campaign started in the 1980s. In fact, Chinese officials have said they intend to reforest an area the equivalent size of Belgium every year for the next five years to help capture emitted carbon dioxide. China reckons that it has almost doubled its woodland areas over the course of the last four decades. Reforestation in the Chinese mountains shutterstock/XiXinXing 10. Online MBSR could help those with diabetes Research at Penn State University in the US is focusing on the use of online mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques to help people cope better with diabetes. That’s because for some managing diabetes can be stressful, what with all the constant blood sugar monitoring and dietary considerations. The research team is undertaking a six-month study to help them understand how and why MBSR will be of use to people coping with diabetes. A control group will be compared to those undergoing the MBSR training to explore how outcomes differ among the study's participants. • happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Nature | Biology | Biotechnology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

There were many feel-good health and environmental stories in the press in February. Ed Gould rounds up his Top 10 from the past month to uplift and inspire you. During February the situation in Ukraine rightly dominated the news headlines. However, there were also many positive news stories flying under the radar. In case you missed them, here's a recap of some of the uplifting stories that offer us some hope for the world in these difficult times. 1. Majority of people would ban single-used plastics Plastic may be a versatile material that we all use every day. However, single-use plastics are becoming increasingly unpopular. While the British supermarket, Tesco, announced in February that it would ban single-use baby wipes from its stores if they're made from plastics, a global survey reported most people would prefer to do away with them completely. Indeed, according to Reuters, three-quarters of people around the world back the banning of single-use plastics, something that more shops, manufacturers and governments are likely to take notice of. 2. Dietary change offers startlingly good results Few people truly appreciate that a healthy diet is great for their well-being. However, unless they suffer from a particular condition that is affected by dietary intake, the results of adopting a healthy food lifestyle can be quite intangible. But, according to a report by CNN, doing so may be much more beneficial than we had first thought. This is because a new scientific study in the US has discovered that healthy diets can add as much as 13 years to the human lifespan. That's an astonishingly good result for eating more broccoli and avoiding convenience foods! Discover more about good mood foods that can boost your happiness and improve your mental health. RELATED: 10 easy ways to supercharge your breakfast 3. Long Covid symptoms can be improved with mindfulness In an article written by Susan M Pollak, a clinical instructor at the Harvard Medical School, and published in Psychology Today, it has been suggested that long COVID sufferers could benefit from adopting mindfulness techniques. According to Pollak, the idea is that long COVID symptoms tend to revolve around an abnormal immune response that has been linked to increased inflammation. Given that mindfulness has already been shown to be beneficial in helping people dealing with inflammation, Pollak suggests that it's offered to those living with long COVID as a viable treatment pathway. Mindful behaviour could help those with long COVID shutterstock/maxpetrov 4. Sound waves used to help stimulate bone growth According to a report in Bio News, stem cell researchers are now deploying the power of sound waves to help them promote create better bone growth. It's hoped that the new technique will help people with certain degenerative diseases as well as cancers that affect the normal regeneration of bones. The work was pioneered at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia and uses high-frequency sound waves to trigger change responses in stem cells that go on to promote growth. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about meditation and mindfulness • 5. Cheap water desalination technology developed According to the official news outlet of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a team of researchers there, along with Chinese colleagues, have come up with an inexpensive way to turn salt and wastewater into drinking water by removing impurities with little energy. The availability of fresh water is a big problem for people, livestock and crops in many places. This new system uses passive solar energy to remove salt from water through natural convection. It's hoped the method will soon help people to recover usable water from numerous sources without having to rely on man-made energy sources. 6. Exercise boosts memory function A PhD student at the University of Pittsburgh, Sarah Aghjayan, has published a paper that suggests aerobic exercise, even if it isn't conducted for very long, is good for memory function in later life. The research shows that people who exercise frequently, even in short bursts, are more likely to be able to better remember things as they age. According to a press report about the findings in the i newspaper, the effect is most noticeable in people in their late-50s and early-60s but even older people also get a benefit, too. Aghjayan reckons that anyone who exercises about three times a week for anything from 15 to 50 minutes should benefit from improved memory function when they reach their late middle age. Exercise shown to boost memory function in older generations shutterstock/Rocketclips, Inc. 7. MBSR helps with migraine-related pain It has long been known that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has a wide range of health benefits, but a recently published study focussed on its particular properties with respect to migraines. So-called episodic pain from these types of headaches is common among migraine sufferers. What the researchers found was that the mesocorticolimbic system function was improved by motivated behaviour, the sort of thing that happens during an MBSR meditation session, for example. A 12-week long programme of MBSR practice was compared in a trial. Fewer headaches were reported in that time among the group who took part compared to those who did not. RELATED: Free online MBSR course 8. Crops grow better when placed under red filters Simply placing plants under red filters when they're grown in greenhouses leads to crop yield increases of over a third, it has been discovered. Red spectrum light means that plants tend to put more energy into the production of chlorophyll, something that results in more growth. Scientists in Australia believe the discovery will mean more and more greenhouse producers will turn to reddened glazing as more crops per hectare can be produced, lowering costs and helping to feed the world more productively, too. 9. Whaling to come to an official end in Iceland Very few countries still hunt whales since a moratorium was brought in among the majority of seafaring nations in the 1980s. That said, a once significant country for commercial whaling has long-continued with the practice. However, in something of a sea change, Iceland has decided it will no longer allow whaling vessels to ply their trade from its ports. The change in the law is due to take effect as soon as 2024. According to reports in the Guardian, this is because its chief market, Japan, is demanding fewer and fewer imports of whale meat. Only Norway and Japan will still allow whales to be hunted commercially. Whaling in Iceland to end officially Craig Lambert Photography 10. Magnesium found to play crucial role in immune response According to a report in Technology Networks, the levels of magnesium people have in their bodies plays an important part in the way their immune response functions. After calcium, magnesium is the second most abundant positively charged ion in the body. This means that it can help to support numerous enzymes, some of which play a vital role in helping our bodies' immune systems to work properly. Work at the University of Basel and the department of medicine at the University of Cambridge is ongoing but early indications seem to demonstrate that all sorts of diseases, including cancer, can be warded off by consuming supplements with magnesium in them. Natural foods like almonds, milk and fish can all assist with magnesium intake, too. • happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Biology | Sustainability | Biotechnology | Nature Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Living our lives to the fullest begins with what's already here. These seven mindfulness tips from Dee Marques will help you to stay engaged and transform routine activities into satisfying snapshots of life. Have you ever felt that sometimes we simply go through our lives instead of living them to the fullest? Today it's common to live surrounded by distractions that make staying engaged hard, forcing us instead to continually move on to the next thing and overlook present experiences. Incorporating mindfulness through these mindfulness tips will help you to stay engaged throughout your day and enjoy the present moment. Indeed, staying mindful and finding pleasure and fulfillment in everyday things can make a considerable contribution to your overall happiness. Before exploring our tips, let's examine exactly what mindfulness is. The dictionary describes mindfulness as: “The state or quality of being mindful or aware of something” and “a technique in which one focuses one's full attention only on the present, experiencing thoughts, feelings, and sensations but not judging them.” With that in mind, here are seven tips for mindfulness to help you turn routine tasks into enriching daily activities. Read on if you’re ready to increase your awareness, boost your connection with own emotions, and improve your chances of staying engaged throughout the day. Mindfulness tips: 7 tips for staying engaged 1. Start-of-the-day ritual Cultivating enriching daily activities as soon as you start your day is crucial to your levels of engagement and well-being. Instead of waking up and getting on with your day on auto-pilot, why not create a ritual that increases your chances of staying engaged? After waking up, don't reach for your phone and scroll through social media. Instead, do some gentle stretching and notice your body getting ready for a new day. Acknowledge your gratefulness for a good night's rest that allows you to tackle whatever lies ahead. As you prepare your tea or coffee, take a minute to check in with yourself. Pay attention to physical sensations: is your body tense or relaxed? How are your energy levels? Are you hungry or thirsty? Mornings are also the perfect time to incorporate other mindfulness tips such as mindful eating or showering. Bend to mend: morning stretching is a great mindfulness tip 2. Mindful showering Talking of which! Showering is a peaceful way of starting or ending the day, as it allows you to gain an appreciation for your body and to be grateful for having the opportunity to look after yourself. As you stand under the water, do a “body scan” from head to toe and take note of any bodily sensations and your feelings. The warm water, the aroma of your favourite shower gel, and a gentle massage are treats to the senses that would be a pity to overlook. RELATED: Do mindfulness apps work? Taking note of these micro-moments can help you stay anchored in the present and counter the go-go-go mindset. In the shower, it's easier to realise when your mind wanders into the past or future. Use this mindfulness tip to realize when this happens while taking a shower and gently bring the mind back to the present moment. Shower power: stay engaged through mindful showering 3. Gratitude walks and walking meditation Having a busy life doesn't mean you can't enjoy the benefits of meditation. Simply walking and noticing all those things you have reasons to be grateful for is a way of staying engaged with the most meaningful aspects of your life. For example, you can notice your legs and feet taking you forward, a ray of sunshine helping support life all around you, or the different colours of objects or plants bringing variety and making life more interesting. “Mornings are the perfect time to incorporate mindfulness tips such as mindful eating or showering.” To practice walking meditation, find a space where you can walk undisturbed and start walking while focusing on each movement. Lifting a foot, putting it in front of the other, placing your feet on the ground, noticing how your body weight shifts as you walk, listening to your breathing, etc. This can help slow down your mind and sharpen your self-awareness. RELATED: How connecting with nature benefits our well-being As if that wasn't enough, walking itself is a beneficial physical activity that can help maintain a healthy weight and decrease stress. Moreover, some scientific studies have found that walking can strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. And as you probably know, a healthy body feeds a healthy mind, and vice versa. 4. Mindful eating We all have to eat, but our busy schedules often make us rush through our meals leading to all sorts of ailments, from poor digestion to weight gain. To avoid this, practice mindful eating by engaging all your senses in a conscious exercise of appreciation. Try this mindfulness tip on eating a raisin: Take a raisin and hold it in your hands, imagining you’ve never seen one before. Use all your five senses to examine it. Look at its every detail: colors, structure, shiny or dull – can you see through it? Touch it with closed eyes. Try to hear if it makes a sound if you squeeze it. Smell it. See if it smells differently depending on which nostril you use. Chew it slowly, noticing its texture and flavour. Take note of the feelings and thoughts it generates. This technique is a mindfulness-based stress reduction MBSR exercise aimed at improving your ability to focus on present experiences, increase attention levels, and boost enjoyment. Eat and engage: this mindfulness tip focuses on food 5. Mindful driving The daily commute can be a source of frustration and anger, but using this mindfulness tip can turn this routine into one of those enriching daily activities that increase your awareness. Before you start the engine, take a few moments to breathe deeply and state your intention to drive mindfully. Ensure your car is a distraction-free environment – like a cocoon that protects you from the noise outside – so put your phone on silent and don’t switch the radio on. “Staying mindful and finding pleasure and fulfilment in everyday things can make a considerable contribution to your overall happiness.” While driving, there will be situations that cause anger or anxiety, but all you need to do is acknowledge your feelings: remember that you have a choice not to let those negative emotions take over. Stay engaged and drive paying attention to your surroundings. In fact, try to see the streets as if it was the first time you were driving along them, and take every interruption (traffic lights, traffic jams, etc.) as a chance to check in with your sensory perceptions. 6. Mindful appreciation Staying engaged in the present and savouring everything life has to offer is hard when our appreciation is weak. To fix this, find four or five things (or people) that make your life easier or better. These could be small details like having drinking water flow as you open the tap or having a blanket to keep you warm and cosy when it gets cold. Make a mental note of those things, or even better, write them down while you ask yourself: What benefits does this bring to my life? What is special or unique about this thing/person? How would life be without them? How did they come to be? Using this mindfulness tip to stop and think will improve your appreciation for simple (and not-so-simple) everyday things and give you more reasons to feel blessed. Watch your wash: be mindful, even when doing the dishes! © Colourbox.com 7. Staying engaged with technology Technology can be a constant source of distraction and interfere with mindful practices, so it’s important to set boundaries and know when and how to use it. Mindfulness, different meditation styles and happiness apps and podcasts with uplifting content show that technology and gadgets can be beneficial, but making mindful use of technology is also a matter of changing your habits. For example, instead of reaching for your smartphone to take a picture of your food as soon as a plate is put in front of you, take some time to look at the food. Observe how it is presented, think about how it satisfies you, and about how much work has been put into making it reach your table. Likewise, instead of rushing to check your inbox every time a mail notification pops up on your screen, take a deep breath, pause, check in with yourself, and decide if it's worth responding now or later. RELATED: Mindful people are happier due to clearer authenticity Like all other positive emotions, everyday engagement has to be cultivated. Trying to incorporate these seven tips on mindfulness into daily tasks will bring you a collection of memorable thoughts and moments that enrich your life and make it more pleasurable. And, ultimately, these enriching daily activities will allow you to live your life to the full and not just go through it. ● Main image: shutterstock/lolostock Written by Dee Marques A social sciences graduate with a keen interest in languages, communication, and personal development strategies. Dee loves exercising, being out in nature, and discovering warm and sunny places where she can escape the winter.

Der Ruhestand sollte eine Zeit sein, in der sich Senioren entspannen und amüsieren können. Aber allzu oft kommt es zu Stress und Isolation. Marilyn Coates-Lower, selbst eine Seniorin, sagt, dass es für einen gesunden Ruhestand entscheidend ist, Körper und Geist aktiv zu halten. Mit zunehmendem Alter stellen einige von uns möglicherweise fest, dass das Leben eher stressiger als einfacher werden kann. Daher ist es von entscheidender Bedeutung, zu wissen, wie Stress abgebaut werden kann. Wenn der Ruhestand näher rückt, freuen wir uns auf die Veränderungen, die sich daraus ergeben. Oft planen wir, die vielen Dinge zu tun, für die wir in unserem geschäftigen Arbeitsleben keine Zeit hatten. Es ist jedoch nicht immer einfach, für einen glücklichen und gesunden Ruhestand zu sorgen. Dazu schreibt Patrick J. Skerrett, ehemaliger Chefredakteur von Harvard Health: „Wenn wir nicht aufpassen, kann der Ruhestand viele Gesundheitsprobleme anstatt Zufriedenheit hervorrufen, und wir sollten ihn eher als ‚Prozess denn als Ereignis betrachten.‘“ Einen gesunden Ruhestand planen Einige von uns werden sorgfältig für den Zeitpunkt des Renteneintritts geplant haben und finanziell abgesichert bleiben. Andere wiederum werden plötzlich mit einem enormen Einkommensrückgang konfrontiert sein. Dies kann uns natürlich bei dem was wir erreichen wollen einschränken. Laut einer Untersuchung von Dr. George E. Vaillant, Professor für Psychiatrie an der Harvard Medical School, gibt es jedoch verschiedene Möglichkeiten, wie Rentner - auch über 80 - glücklich und gesund bleiben können. Damit sie einen lohnenden Lebensstil erreichen, für den es kein hohes Einkommensniveau bedarf. Diese Möglichkeiten umfassen: Neue Freunde finden Wenn du dich aus dem Berufsleben zurückziehst, lässt du möglicherweise auch einige deiner Freunde zurück. Aber ein neues soziales Netzwerk aufzubauen, mit gleichgesinnten, gleichaltrigen Menschen, wird sich deiner körperlichen und geistigen Gesundheit gut tun. Vereinen beitreten Es gibt so viele Vereine, aus denen du wählen kannst. Einschließlich Sportarten wie Golf, Schwimmen und Tennis, Gesellschaftstanz, Wandern und Bridge. Sie bringen dich nicht nur aus dem Haus, sondern bieten auch die Möglichkeit, neue Freunde zu finden. Halte deinen Geist und Körper aktiv Nimm Aktivitäten wie Malen und Gärtnern auf. Vielleicht kannst du auch ein ganz neues Hobby erlernen, etwas, dass du schon immer machen wolltest. Lerne eine neue Sprache oder nimm an einem Studienkurs teil und hol dir vielleicht ein Haustier. Dieses ist nicht nur in großartiger Begleiter, sondern bringt dich außerdem dazu, spazieren zu gehen und neue Leute zu treffen. All diese Vorschläge machen nicht nur Spaß, sondern sorgen auch für einen hervorragenden Stressabbau, der Körper und Geist zusammenhält und für einen glücklicheren und gesünderen Ruhestand sorgt. Wir sollten das beste aus jedem Moment machen, denn wie dieses Zitat von Ausonius besagt: „Lass uns niemals wissen, welches Alter wir haben. Lass uns das Glück wissen, welches die Zeit bringt, und nicht die Jahre zählen.“ Tatsächlich ist jeder Tag kostbar, und ein glücklicher und gesunder Ruhestand kann aus so einfachen Dingen wie dem Journaling oder dem Gespräch mit einem Freund bestehen. Gemeinsam in einer Gruppe zu sporteln, hält Körper und Geist fit Stress und wie er die Gesundheit älterer Menschen beeinflusst Ein praktisches Merkblatt des APA Office on Ageing und des Committee on Ageing (Büro und Ausschuss über das Altern der Amerikanischen Gesellschaft für Psychologie) weist darauf hin, dass Stress uns während unserer Pensionierungsjahre sehr stark beeinträchtigen kann, wenn wir nicht aufpassen. Die APA empfiehlt daher eine sehr einfache Möglichkeit um gesund zu bleiben: Nahrhafte Lebensmittel zu sich zu nehmen um ein angemessenes Gewicht zu halten und regelmäßig Sport zu treiben. Des weiteren erklärt die APA, wie Stress zustande kommt. Stress entsteht, wenn unser Körper auf Gefahren reagiert und Hormone in den Blutkreislauf abgibt, was das Herz beschleunigt und die Pulsfrequenz erhöht: die sogenannte „Stressreaktion“. Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, dass zu viel Stress das Immunsystem beeinträchtigt und unsere Fähigkeit verringert, Krankheiten und psychische Gesundheitsprobleme zu bekämpfen. In ihrem Merkblatt werden verschiedene Tipps zum Stressabbau für Rentner angeboten, darunter: Positiv bleiben Vermeide negative Gespräche wie "Ich bin zu alt" oder "Ich kann das nicht mehr tun". Diese Art von Gesprächen hilft nicht weiter. Auch wenn du dich vielleicht so fühlst, das Nichtstun die Lösung ist, solltest du besser Überlegen, was du stattdessen tun könntest. Fokussiert bleiben Du musst dich niemals hilflos fühlen, denn egal wie schwierig etwas auch scheinen mag, es gibt immer eine Lösung. Du kannst jedes Problem wie einen Test oder eine Herausforderung betrachten, die deinen Verstand aktiv halten, während du nach Lösungen suchst. Entspannungstechniken, Meditation und insbesondere MBSR (Meditation Based Stress Reduction) wurden entwickelt, um mit Stress umzugehen, basierend auf jahrhundertealten Techniken. Laut Melissa Conrad Stöppler, Doktor der Medizin, können nur zehn Minuten pro Tag dazu beitragen, Stress zu kontrollieren, Ängste abzubauen und die kardiovaskuläre Gesundheit zu verbessern. In der Folge führt dies dazu, dass du in deinen Rentenjahren gesünder bist. Dr. Stöppler führt weiter aus, dass der Harvard-Arzt Herbert Benson bereits in den 1970er Jahren erstmals meditative Techniken in Amerika entwickelte. Seitdem haben sich diese weltweit durchgesetzt. Sowohl von Ärzten als auch von Therapeuten werden sie eingesetzt, um als wertvolle Ergänzungstherapie zur Linderung von Symptomen bei vielen verschiedenen Krankheiten zu dienen. "Es gibt verschiedene Wege auf denen Rentner glücklich und gesund bleiben können, um einen lohnenden Lebensstil zu erreichen, für den es kein hohes Einkommensniveau bedarf." Dr. Stöppler erklärt: „Unabhängig davon, wie der Entspannungszustand erreicht wird, können die physischen und emotionalen Folgen von Stress durch regelmäßiges Üben gemindert werden.“ Stressabbau kann in dieser Form auch zu Glück und innerem Frieden führen. Um einen ersten Blick auf die Meditationspraktiken zum Stressabbau zu werfen, kannst du 'Mindfulness daily' ausprobieren, einen leicht verständlichen Kurs, der von Tara Brach und Jack Kornfield entwickelt wurde. Flower Power: Gartenarbeit stärkt die Gesundheit und macht glücklicher Ein glücklicher und zufriedener Ruhestand Jeder von uns wird den Ruhestand anders wahrnehmen. Wie wir diese zusätzliche Zeit nutzen, die uns plötzlich zur Verfügung steht, hängt laut Harvard Health Publications stark von den individuellen Umständen ab. Dort wird beschrieben, dass die Pensionierung eine große Erleichterung darstellt, wenn der vorherige Beruf langweilig oder unbelohnt war. In dem Fall, dass man seine Arbeit sehr genossen und der strukturierte Lebensstil einem gut getan hat, kann der Ruhestand auf ganz andere Weise empfunden werden. In letzterem Fall ist es eine größere Herausforderung, sicherzustellen, dass du einen glücklichen und gesunden Ruhestand haben wirst. Ein Ehepaar, das glücklich verheiratet ist oder eine langjährige Beziehung hat, genießt mit größerer Wahrscheinlichkeit seinen Ruhestand als jemand, dessen Privatleben instabil ist. Gesunde Rentner werden sich auf eine aktive und lohnende Zeit freuen, während diejenigen, die bei schlechter Gesundheit sind, diese Option nicht haben werden. Unabhängig davon, in welche Kategorie du passt: Versuche so aktiv wie möglich zu bleiben und deinen Körper und Geist beschäftigt zu halten. Als Senior Stress abbauen: Möglichkeiten der Hilfe Einer der wichtigsten Tipps zum Stressabbau, die das von der APA erstellte Informationsblatt bietet, ist, sich rechtzeitig um Hilfe zu bemühen. Wenn die Rente bereits angetreten wurde und einem alles über den Kopf steigt, ist es schwieriger. Wenn wir von einem gesunden Ruhestand sprechen, beziehen wir uns natürlich auch auf eine optimale psychische Gesundheit als Senior. Hier sind drei Ideen, um diese zu erreichen: KVT (kognitive Verhaltenstherapie) Diese trägt dazu bei, die zugrunde liegenden Gründe für Stress zu erforschen und zu entdecken und negative Gedanken in positive Gedanken umzuwandeln Unterstützende Therapie Oft kann ein nicht wertender Zuhörer dazu beitragen, dass man beispielsweise Gefühle von Angst akzeptiert. Der Therapeut kann außerdem Tipps zum Stressabbau anbieten, um eine positivere Denkweise einzuführen. Entspannungstraining Verwandt mit Meditation, wird hierbei auch über Anspannung und Stress informiert sowie Techniken zur Muskelentspannung vermittelt. Meditation und Yoga senkt den Blutdruck und reduziert das Stresslevel Stressabbau: Was du tun kannst Dr. Dossett empfiehlt, mit Angehörigen oder engen Freunden zu sprechen und außerdem dein Hausarzt aufzusuchen. Über Probleme zu sprechen, die dich belasten, kann manchmal schon zu einer Lösung führen. Aus der Sicht der körperlichen Gesundheit betrachtet, kann dein Arzt jedoch deinen Blutdruck überprüfen und eine gesunde Lebensweise empfehlen, insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit der Ernährung. Für stark Betroffene sind auch Antidepressiva eine Option. "Jeder von uns wird den Ruhestand anders sehen. Wie wir diese zusätzliche Zeit nutzen, die uns plötzlich zur Verfügung steht, hängt stark von den individuellen Umständen ab." Er gibt auch an, dass einer der besten Tipps zum Stressabbau darin besteht, sich darauf zu konzentrieren, genau das Gegenteil der Stressreaktion - die Entspannungsreaktion - durch MBSR, Meditation oder Tai Chi, Yoga und Atemübungen auszulösen. All dies senkt den Sauerstoffverbrauch sowie die Herz- und Atemfrequenz, senkt so den Blutdruck und die Stresshormone und trägt dazu bei, eine positivere Lebenseinstellung beizubehalten. Wie die amerikanische Schauspielerin Valerie Bertinelli so treffend sagte: „Glück ist eine Wahl. Sie können wählen, glücklich zu sein. Es wird Stress im Leben geben, aber Sie haben die Wahl, ob Sie sich davon beeinflussen lassen oder nicht. “ In der Tat können und werden Senioren mit Problemen in Bezug auf Einsamkeit, Gesundheit und mögliche kognitive Beeinträchtigungen konfrontiert sein, aber optimistisch zu bleiben ist unerlässlich. Wenn Du diese Tipps zum Stressabbau für Senioren ausprobierst, kannst du deine Chancen auf einen glücklichen und gesunden Ruhestand erhöhen. Genieß' es – du hast es dir verdient! ● Titelbild: unsplash.com Auch du bist im Ruhestand oder stehst kurz davor? Was sind deine Stressfrei-Tipps im Alter, welche Pläne sollen deinen neuen Lebensabschnitt prägen? Kommentiere hier oder diskutiere im Forum. Geschrieben von Marilyn Coates-Lower Ich bin ein freier Geist, der jeden Morgen mit einem Lächeln aufwacht. Mein Leben war ein Abenteuer und obwohl ich nun offiziell in Rente bin, arbeite ich weiterhin als Autor und Korrektor. Ich lebe mit meinem Pferd und meiner Katze in einem atemberaubenden Teil der Bretagne, Frankreich, und genieße den Blick auf die Wälder, die mein Haus umgeben, und über das Tal zum Dorf. Indem ich meine Erfahrungen teile, hoffe ich durch mein schreiben die Menschen zu inspirieren, positiver, fröhlicher und vorausschauender zu werden.

Retirement should be a time for seniors to relax and enjoy themselves, but all too often stress and isolation get in the way. Own very own senior, Marilyn Coates-Lower, says keeping your mind and body active is key to a healthy retirement. As we age, some of us may find that life becomes more stressful rather than easier. As retirement grows nearer, we look forward to the changes that this will bring, often planning to do the many things that we never had time for during our busy working lives. However, ensuring you have a happy and healthy retirement isn't always straightforward. Indeed, according to Patrick J. Skerrett, Former Executive Editor of Harvard Health: “If we're not careful, retirement can bring about many health problems rather than contentment, and that we should look upon it as a ‘process rather than an event.'” Planning a healthy retirement Some of us will have planned carefully for when we retire and will remain financially secure, while others will suddenly face a huge drop in income. Naturally, this can limit what we can achieve. According to research carried out by Dr George E. Vaillant, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, there are several ways in which retired seniors – even those 80+ – can remain happy and healthy, attaining a rewarding lifestyle that doesn't require a high income level. These ways include: Making new friends When retiring from work, you may leave many of your friends behind, but building a new social network of like-minded, similarly aged people will prove to be good for both your physical and mental health. Joining clubs There are so many to choose from, including sports such as golf, swimming and tennis, ballroom dancing, walking and bridge. They will not only get you out of the house but also provide the opportunity to make new friends. Keeping your mind and body active Why not take up a new hobby, something you've always wanted to do? Gardening is a great work out and has many mental health benefits, too. Or you could learn a new language or take a new course, or maybe discover the healing power of pets. A dog will not only be a great companion but will also get you out walking and meeting people. All of these suggestions are not only enjoyable but also provide excellent stress relief, which will keep body and soul together and make for a happier and healthier retirement. We should make the most of every moment because, as this quote from Ausonius attains: “Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years.” Indeed, every day is precious, and a happy and healthy retirement can be found in something as simple as journaling or talking to a friend. Flower power: gardening can lead to a healthier retirement Stress and how it affects senior health A handy factsheet produced by the American Psychological Association (APA) Office on Ageing and Committee on Ageing suggests that, if we're not careful, stress can affect us badly as we age – lowering the chance of a healthy retirement. The APA say that one of the simplest ways to remain healthy is to eat nourishing food – helping seniors to maintain a reasonable weight – and to take regular exercise. The APA explain that stress is being caused by our bodies responding to danger, releasing hormones into the bloodstream, which speed up the heart and increase the pulse rate: the ‘stress response’. They go on to explain that research has shown that too much stress will impair the immune system, decreasing our ability to fight off disease and mental health problems. It offers several stress relief tips for retiring seniors, including: Staying positive Avoid negative talk such as, “I’m too old”, or, “I can't do it anymore”. This type of talk will not help, and, while you may feel that doing nothing is your solution: think about what you can do instead. Staying focused Never feel helpless because, no matter how difficult something might seem, there's always a solution. Each problem is a test or challenge that will keep your mind active as you consider your options. Meditation Relaxation techniques, meditation and especially MBSR (meditation based stress reduction) have been developed to deal with stress based on techniques that have been around for centuries. According to Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, just ten minutes a day can help to control stress, reduce anxiety and contribute to improving cardiovascular health, which, in consequence, will make you healthier during your retirement years. Dr Stöppler goes on to say that meditative techniques were first pioneered in America during the 1970s by Harvard physician Herbert Benson. It has since gained acceptance worldwide, by both doctors and therapists, to be a valuable complementary therapy for symptom relief of many different illnesses. “When it comes to a happy and healthy retirement, here are several ways in which retired seniors can remain happy and healthy, with a rewarding lifestyle that does not require a high level of income.” Dr Stöppler states: “No matter how the relaxation state is achieved, the physical and emotional consequences of stress can be reduced through regular practice.” Stress relief, in this form, can also lead to happiness and inner peace. For a first glance at stress relieving meditation practices, try 'Mindfulness daily', an easy-to-follow course developed by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Meditation and yoga can lower blood pressure and stress in seniors A happy and healthy retirement Every one of us will see retirement differently; how we use all this extra time that we suddenly have on our hands depends very much on individual circumstances according to Harvard Health Publications. They explain that, if your job has been tiring, boring or unrewarding, then retirement will come as a great relief. Whereas, those of us that have thoroughly enjoyed our work and thrived on the structured lifestyle will see retirement in an entirely different way; this in itself will require you to work harder to ensure you have a happy and healthy retirement. A couple who are happily married, or in a long-standing relationship, are far more likely to enjoy their retirement than someone whose home life is unstable. Healthy retirees will be looking forward to an active and rewarding time, whereas, those who are in bad health will not have this option. Whichever category you fit into, still keep as active as possible and keep your mind and body busy. Senior stress relief: seeking help One of the biggest stress relief tips offered by the fact sheet produced by the APA is to seek help before everything gets on top of you. Of course, when we talk about a healthy retirement, we are also referring to optimal mental health as a senior. Here are three ideas for achieving this: CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) This will explore and help to discover the underlying reasons for stress and contributes to change negative thoughts into positive ones. Supportive therapy Often a non-judgmental ear can help to justify why feelings of anxiety exist and to offer stress relief tips to introduce a more positive way of thinking. Relaxation training Related to meditation, it also includes education about stress and tension and how to achieve muscle relaxation. Fitness and friends: two great ways to stay healthy during retirement Stress relief: what you can do Dr Dossett recommends talking to loved ones or close friends, as well as visiting your doctor. Talking about problems that are stressing you can sometimes lead to a solution, but, healthwise, as Dr Dossett explains, your doctor will be able to check your blood pressure and recommend a healthy lifestyle change, particularly with diet; anti-depressants are also an option for the severely distressed. “Every one of us will see retirement differently; how we use this extra time that we suddenly have depends very much on individual circumstances.” He also states that one of the best stress relief tips is to focus on triggering exactly the opposite of the stress response – the relaxation response – through, as previously mentioned, MBSR, meditation or tai chi, yoga and deep breathing exercises. All of these will lower oxygen consumption and the heart and breathing rate, so reducing blood pressure and stress hormones, helping to maintain a much more positive outlook on life. As American actress Valerie Bertinelli so aptly said: “Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There's going to be stress in life, but it's your choice whether you let it affect you or not.” Indeed, seniors can and will face issues around loneliness, health and potential cognitive impairment, but staying optimistic is essential. By trying out these stress relief tips for seniors, you can increase your chances of a happy and healthy retirement. Enjoy it – you deserve it! ● Main image: shutterstock/rawpixel.com Written by Marilyn Coates-Lower I am a free spirit who wakes up with a smile every morning. My life has been an adventure and, although now officially retired, I continue to work as a writer and proofreader. I live in a stunning part of Brittany, France together with my horse and cat, enjoying views of the woods that surround my house and across the valley to the village. By way of my experiences, I hope to inspire people, through my writing, to become more positive, happy and forward-thinking.

There were plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press in March but they may have flown under your radar. Ed Gould rounds up his Top 10 from the past month to uplift and inspire. Despite some of the problems the global population faces, there were some truly delightful news items in March that didn't necessarily get the attention they deserved. Read on to discover our top ten picks of the most positive news stories from the last month. 1. Coffee consumption seems to benefit heart health A study reported by the Times of India has discovered that coffee drinkers may have a good reason to enjoy their favourite beverage, as drinking it provides more than a mere pick-me-up. In fact, Australian research conducted at the Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne found that coffee appears to combat the signs of heart disease. Equally, the research found no detrimental effects of coffee consumption on heart health. However, that doesn't mean you should drink gallons of the black stuff a day: two or three daily cups of coffee seems to have provided the best outcomes among those who took part in the research. Coffee could help heart health shutterstock/matsiukpavel 2. Recyclable wind turbine design becomes a reality There can be little doubt that wind turbine technology is good for creating sustainable energy. But, conversely, the materials used in the turbines come with a significant carbon cost. However, a new design that Denmark's LM Wind Power has come up with makes use of fully recyclable materials. A prototype model has proven itself to be successful that the entire project is soon to be upscaled, according to a report in Offshore Wind. The idea is that the blades will create no waste when they've completed their life cycles and can be easily replaced. 3. Renewable hydrogen fuel takes a leap forward In other energy news, a report in the Guardian stated that Australian researchers have been able to stabilise hydrogen as a fuel source, opening up the enticing possibility that it could eventually replace fossil fuels. Hydrogen is abundant but the efficiency of electrolysers is the key to being able to use it as fuel. However, a private company has been using technology developed at the University of Wollongong to try to overcome this issue. And its prototypes suggest a 95 per cent efficiency. This means that the energy needed to create usable hydrogen fuel is much less than it once was, making the fuel source more attractive for a variety of uses. 4. Turkish algae plant makes carbon negative biofuel A €6 million plant in Istanbul is making biofuel that uses less carbon consumption to make than ever before. According to Euro News, the plant has been jointly funded by the Turkish government and the EU. The biofuel production facility is located inside the campus of Bogazici University because of its location, close to the Black Sea, where algae grows naturally in abundance. The idea of the algae-made fuel is to use it in aviation. By blending it with conventional aircraft fuel, it is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of every aeroplane that uses it. A test flight with a Turkish Airlines jet is expected later in the year. 5. Park life is better for your health People who live in urban environments can do something about the health problems associated with stroke. A report in The New Daily stated that people who live close to a green open space are likely to be 16 per cent less likely to suffer from stroke. It's thought that the presence of parkland within 300 metres or so of your home will reduce your exposure to airborne pollutants, something that can lead to a raft of health conditions, including stroke. The study was carried out in the Spanish city of Barcelona and its surrounding areas. Green spaces could reduce stroke risk shutterstock/Jacob Lund 6. PET plastics can be broken down thanks to enzyme discovery Numerous press outlets reported in March that scientists had discovered a new type of enzyme that was able to reduce PET plastics to a single molecule. Although enzymes have been used to help plastic biodegrade before, PETs are among the toughest and most common plastics to deal with. This is why the University of Portsmouth's discovery is so important. According to Professor John McGeehan, the research went a stage further than before to deconstruct the building blocks of PETs with bacteria in sustainable chemicals. An added bonus of the findings is that valuable products could be made out of future PET plastic waste. 7. Dolphins whistle to each other for social reasons An announcement by the University of Bristol stated that researchers there have found that male dolphins use long-distance whistles to each other to maintain social contact. The research made clear that bottlenose dolphins are able to maintain their social activities for a more integrated community than had previously been thought, since many mammals do so by touch and little else. The bonding function of this species may indicate that other creatures use audible language to communicate in a more human-like way than was previously thought. Dolphins can whistle at each other Andrea Izzotti 8. Gun-related trauma alleviated by MBSR An academic study published in March focused on the role of mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques among people who had been exposed to severe gun-related trauma. Work at the San Diego School of Medicine – part of the University of California – found that trauma-related conditions, such as depression, sleep problems and grief, were less severe among people who took part in MBSR programmes. Participants in the research, some of whom had been exposed to high-profile firearms incidents and who had even lost loved ones in them, reported an average 37 per cent reduction in their overall feelings of trauma. 9. Cancer drug treatments given a boost thanks to bacterial discovery According to a report in Nature World News, American scientists have started to successfully use a bacterium that masks cancer drugs, thereby making them more effective when dealing with tumours. The idea has been likened to an invisibility cloak whereby the usual response to the introduction of such treatments is stealthier. The idea is to 'fool' the body's normal autoimmune response so that the drugs can do their work without being fought off. In turn, this should mean cancer patients feel less poorly when they are receiving treatments as their autoimmune systems are less activated. 10. Biodiversity in Scotland is increasing According to a report in the Scotsman, the indications of a shift towards greater biodiversity are looking positive thanks to a study into butterflies. The number of these beautiful creatures in the country has soared recently, according to an annual review by the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. It found that 12 of the 24 species of the butterflies found in Scotland had increasing numbers. That's an indication of the sort of things butterflies feed on are present in ever greater numbers, too, hence the overall rosy picture for Scottish biodiversity the report suggests. According to the research, the wall butterfly has seen the greatest growth in numbers, almost doubling the known population compared to the previous study. • happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our Academy Biology | Sustainability | Biotechnology | Nature Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

There were many feel-good health and environmental stories in the press over January. Ed Gould rounds up his Top 10 from the past month to uplift and inspire. January is often regarded as a rather bleak month. However, it's also a time of renewal, when growth and optimism tend to return. Here's our pick of the Top 10 good-news stories from the past month. 1. MBSR is beneficial over the longer term According to a paper published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General in January, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has long-term positive effects on people's emotional well-being. The research goes further than previous studies into MBSR which tended to study people's immediate response to the practice. This latest research focusses on how long-term training in MBSR helps people to appraise emotional responses better over time and not just while they're undergoing mindfulness training courses. RELATED: Free online MBSR course 2. Exercise boosts brain function It's long been known that exercise is great for the heart, lungs and muscles, as well helping to improve mental health issues such as depression. However, reports from CNN in January stated that working out can also help the brain to perform better. New research has shown that synapses – the interconnections between brain networks – are improved through physical exercise. Kaitlin Casaletto, of the Memory and Aging Center at the University of California San Francisco, said the research showed that thinking and remembering were both improved thanks to working out. Furthermore, improved synapses through exercise may be a key factor in keeping dementia at bay. Exercise could boost brain performance shutterstock/Jacob Lund 3. Non-toxic fire extinguisher developed Fireproof coatings for surfaces are often derived from unpleasant chemical compounds that are not necessarily good for the wider environment. Nevertheless, scientists have come up with a non-toxic alternative that can coat flames, helping to prevent them from spreading if a blaze were to break out. The idea came from observing the way lava works when flowing from a volcano post-eruption. According to the Times of India, researchers at the University of Southern Queensland came up with the retardant which, it's hoped, will offer many future uses with much less impact on the global environment. 4. Record solar power levels in USA According to a press release issued by the United States Energy Information Administration, almost half of the country's electrical generating capacity will come from renewable, solar sources by the end of the year. Wind and battery-powered electrical production are set to account for about 12.7 Gigawatts of America's renewable electricity in 2022. However, it's now estimated that 46 per cent of the country's overall electrical generation will be from solar in the coming year. That's set to be 21.5 Gigawatts of clean, green electrical power each year by next winter. 5. Good news for those with dog allergies Various news outlets around the world reported the news that Japanese research may have come up with a cure for dog allergies. People who would like to own or pet a dog but who have allergies are often forced to steer clear of them. However, scientists at the University of Osaka claim to have identified the 'epitomes' – molecules that cause allergic reactions – that are found in dogs. This means vaccination therapies have become a distinct possibility in the near future, good news for all dog lovers, whether they're allergic or not. Could this be the end of dog allergies? shutterstock/Prostock-studio 6. Pristine coral reef found in the Pacific Ocean A report published by the BBC stated that marine explorers had found a large and previously undiscovered coral reef close to the island of Tahiti in the South Pacific. A team from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was responsible for the discovery. The coral reef is deeper than others that are known about, too, suggesting that there may be other such ecosystems hidden elsewhere. According to one of the divers who was involved photographing the reef, the structure of the corals is very uniform, making it appear like a giant marine sculpture, as well as a natural habitat. 7. Genetics offers a breakthrough in treating obesity It's long been known that lifestyle can play a big part in obesity issues. However, this is only a part of the story because genetics can also impact on how large, or not, someone will become, regardless of their diet and exercise regime. A report in Western News, the news outlet of the University of Western Ontario stated that a gene called Pannexin 3 is the one that seems to impact on obese people the most. Researchers there found that the gene was crucial in the production of adipose fat cells of the body. It's now hoped that a pharmaceutical treatment can be developed to suppress the gene, something that should allow obese people to lose weight more easily and maintain a healthier weight afterwards. RELATED: Is happiness genetic? Here's what science says 8. Psychoactive mushrooms found to be safe A report published by Sky News stated that so-called 'magic' mushrooms are safe to use for certain mental health conditions, such as depression. There have been numerous studies into magic mushrooms and their effectiveness, or otherwise, in treating such conditions. However, until January, there was very little research to say whether such treatments were safe or not. According to the study conducted at King's College London, relatively low doses of the mushrooms – either 10mg or 25mg – are safe to use when they are issued by trained therapists. It's now hoped that a new treatment pathway for people with post-traumatic stress disorder will be possible based on mushroom consumption. Magic mushrooms could be used to treat depression shutterstock/anitram 9. Smart packaging developed for fresher, eco-friendly food Food packaging is often made from unsustainable materials that do not decompose safely. However, where eco-friendly materials are used, food can often age more quickly than would otherwise be the case. In turn, this can lead to greater levels of food waste. To overcome this conundrum a team from Harvard and the Nanyang Technological University have come up with a new material that seals foodstuffs off effectively, making it safer to east and longer-lasting. It will also biodegrade good news for the environment. A report in the Daily Mail stated that antimicrobials are also released by the material, helping to keep harmful bacteria at bay. 10. World's largest wind farm to soon be fully operational According to CNBC, Triton Knoll – the planet's biggest offshore wind-powered electrical generation farm – will be at full capacity soon. The farm first started producing electricity in 2021 but will be able to produce enough energy to power up to 800,000 homes in the near future. A total of 90 wind turbines will soon be in use, capable of producing up to 857 Megawatts of energy. The farm is located in the North Sea off the coast of Lincolnshire, UK. • happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Sustainability | Biotechnology | Nature | Biology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

The companionship and mental health benefits pets bring is widely known, but did you know the healing power of pets extends to physical relief as well? Ed Gould discovers five key health benefits that our furry friends can bring. What is it about pets that make them so therapeutic? It's a question I've asked myself before, having benefited from family furry friends and from spending time with other people's pets too. You might have posed the same question yourself. After all, animals are now routinely used in geriatric homes and hospital wards to lift people's spirits. So, if the health benefits of pets are known to professional caregivers, then the healing power of pets should not come as a surprise in domestic situations. Pets will often show signs of grief if they're separated from owners and sometimes display even deeper connections, such as knowing when we're in pain or danger. Of course, one of the key parts of the curative power of pets is that they love us in an unconditional way that human relationships rarely achieve. So, what does the latest research tell us about the health benefits of having a pet around the home? The healing power of pets: what science says Scientific research into the healing power of pets has been ongoing for decades. Most new studies focus on just one or two health benefits of pets but many researchers would agree that the advantages of pet ownership are multi-faceted in terms of healthcare. Let's take a look at some of the latest research. 1. Stress reduction and pet companionship Many pet owners would gladly admit that spending time with their animal helps them to relax and keep things in perspective. Returning from a tough day at work to a welcome from your pet – which really doesn't care about work stress – can help you to instantly calm down. Therapy dogs are used in hospital wards shutterstock/Monkey Business Images A 2019 study into animal interactions and stress conducted at Washington State University found that students were much more relaxed if they interacted with animals prior to taking their exams. Most reported a heightened state of tension that was relieved when they spent as few as ten minutes with animals. Pet owners can expect even better results due to greater levels of companionship. 2. Lowering blood pressure with pets According to Allen McConnell, a professor of psychology based at Miami University, the healing power of pets is very real – enough to lower your blood pressure. McConnell, who studies the ways humans interact with their pets, says that owning an animal can give people a sense of purpose and belonging that augments feelings of positivity which translates to health benefits. Stanley Coren, a psychology professor and neuropsychological researcher from the University of British Columbia agrees with these findings. “Your blood pressure lowers when you interact with an animal in a friendly way and your muscles relax, too,” he said. Another study in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease said that stroking animals – even pet snakes – can help to bring blood pressure down. 3. Heart disease and the health benefits of pets In 1997 American medic Larry Dossey published a literature review concerning the medicinal power of pets. In it, he noted that at that time there were over 2,000 therapy programs in the US using animals to assist people with a wide range of conditions. In particular, he highlighted a scientific study that dated back to 1980. “One of the key parts of the healing power of pets is that they love us in an unconditional way that human relationships rarely achieve.” Conducted by Erika Friedmann of the University of Pennsylvania, it showed that people who suffered from heart disease were more likely to survive for a longer period if they had a pet at home. Following their treatment, people with a pet in their lives to return to had a much greater chance of recovery. In fact, pets were found to be a stronger predictor of survival than even having a supportive family around the individual concerned! 4. Improved mental health Many people with a pet will report that they feel mentally better off for having them in their lives. The scientific research into pet ownership and conditions like depression are mixed, however, with some backing up anecdotal evidence and others showing no significant healing power of pets either way. Stroking a pet lowers blood pressure shutterstockk/Damir Khabirov Certainly, pet ownership can lead to social interactions, especially when walking a dog, for example, which is known to help with conditions like depression and anxiety. According to work conducted by Sandy Branson of the University of Texas Science Center, homebound adults, particularly older people, do get a psychological lift from pet ownership. Her research looked into cognitive function and depression. In it, she found a significant correlation between better mental health and pet ownership among older people. 5. The healing power of pets and hormonal responses According to the aforementioned study in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, touching a pet not only helps to lower blood pressure, but it also boosts our output of oxytocin, a happiness hormone that promotes feelings of trust and relaxation. “People who suffered from heart disease were more likely to survive for a longer period if they had a pet at home.” More widely, dog owners can expect an upturn in immunoglobulin A, an antibody that helps the immune system. Furthermore, a study published in Oxford in 2017 showed that children relaxed better in the company of pets, largely due to a perceived drop in hormones like cortisol which are associated with stress responses. 6. Mindfulness and pet ownership Pets help to keep you anchored in the here and now. Because animals tend not to express feelings of anxiety of what might be or what has passed, they help us to live in the moment, a key aspect of various forms of mindfulness including MBSR, for example. According to an article published by Harvard Medical School, mindfulness can be boosted by dog ownership, especially when you go on a walk together. Dr Ann Berger, a researcher at the NIH Clinical Center in Maryland agrees with this idea. She says that the foundations of mindfulness are based on attention, intention, compassion and awareness. “These are things that animals bring to the table innately that people have to learn,” she says. The takeaway: the healing power of pets However you look at it, pets are beneficial for their owners in numerous ways. In terms of health benefits, our understanding is still ongoing, but few people regret owning one in terms of either their physical or mental well-being. Make sure to give your furry friends some extra attention and reward them for all the health benefits they bring! Main image: shutterstock/Africa Studio happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practice, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ learn with free online classes in our happiness Academy Gratitude | Burnout | Stress management Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

There have been many feel-good health and environmental stories this past month, but you may have missed reading about them in the mainstream press. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten positive news stories from the past month to uplift and inspire. February tends to be one of the gloomiest months in the calendar where, in the Northern hemisphere at least, it's usually dark, cold and wet. And with the mainstream news still full of Coronavirus updates, we all need some positive news to brighten our day. Here are our Top 10 uplifting feel-good stories from February. Feel-good news from February: our Top 10 picks 1. Bio-ink used for the first time to 3D print bones Over the past decade, the new technology of 3D printing artificial implants for patients has started to be more widely used. However, Physics World reported in February that a new calcium-rich bio-ink was being used for the first time to make bones that could then be used by surgeons. Portuguese researchers have made what they call a nanocomposite bio-ink which can be 3D printed with the sort of bioactive materials found in real bone structures. It’s hoped that this pioneering new technique will eventually support a range of bone-related treatments. 2. Spanish city makes electricity from unused oranges Seville oranges may be known the world over for being particularly tasty, but the city authorities int he Spanish city have been using them for a purpose other than as a food source. As reported in the Guardian, leftover oranges have been allowed to ferment and create a type of citric acid that, in turn, has derived methane. In a pilot scheme, this gas has subsequently been used to generate electrical power. Some 35 tonnes of oranges were used to generate a clean form of electricity to run one of the city’s water purification plants and now the project may be upscaled to produce more green, orange power! Seville oranges have a new purpose shutterstock/Aranami 3. Coffee-based housing developed in Colombia And now to other food-recycling news. Colombia may be known as one of the world's great coffee producers but ecological engineers in the country have come up with a new use for the crop. Other than drinking it, they’ve developed a low-cost housing solution for many of the poorest people in the country. The coffee husks used to form the walls and roofs of the buildings would normally be seen as a waste product. According to EcoWatch, the start-up firm behind the idea, it has made prefabricated sections of housing which people should be able to put together easily themselves. 4. New German plastic may help to end wastage A newly-developed plastic derived from plant material has been created by a research team at the University of Konstanz in Germany. The material is a type of polyethylene, the most commonly used plastic around the world that’s found in so much packaging. According to Anthropocene magazine, the new plastic is made from land-grown vegetation and micro-oils derived from algae. What marks the material out – other than it not being derived from fossil fuels – is that it can be recycled with a near-perfect efficacy rate. Indeed, the recycling method needs relatively low temperatures, too, something that makes it more energy-efficient than similar processes currently in operation. 5. Mindfulness shown to help combat social isolation, study finds A team at the University of Cambridge’s School of Medicine, led by Dr Christopher Williams, has found that mindfulness and laughter can help to protect people from the ill-effects of loneliness. Social isolation has long been a problem in some quarters of the UK but it has got worse due to the lockdowns that have been imposed in the country. This is why Williams began to look into the issue. His research showed that mindfulness-meditation along with the use of certain technologies, such as robotic pets, could help people to overcome the worst effects of loneliness. According to the academics involved, a combination of educational and psychological interventions appear to be best in this regard. RELATED: Mindfulness vs meditation – understanding the difference 6. Endangered mammal cloned to help ensure its survival A rare species of ferret native to North America has been cloned in an effort to help build up its population numbers in the wild. The cloning took place in late 2020 and used the cells of a black-footed ferret that was cryogenically preserved in the late 1980s. The newly created ferret – named Elizabeth Ann – first went on show in February 2021 once it had started to show normal signs of development. The US Fish and Wildlife Service was involved with the project which will help to boost survival chances of the black-footed ferret. Currently, they only number around 300 in special reserve sites. The black-footed ferret shutterstock/Kerry Hargrove 7. Green tea found to help prevent cancer According to i-News, green tea can help to fight cancer and also prevent it from occurring in the first place. The report into the beverage was focussed on the ingredient epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), found in the leaves of green tea. Incredibly, researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York discovered that this anti-oxidant helps to prevent the mutations associated with over half of all human cancers. EGCG works by increasing levels of p53, a natural anti-cancer protein found in the body. It’s hoped it can be harnessed to develop new cancer treatments in the future. RELATED: Best teas for bloating 8. Yoga helps to treat migraine headaches, clinical trial finds According to a recently conducted clinical trial, migraines are treatable if yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques are followed. Rebecca Erwin Wells, associate professor of neurology at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, said that her research showed these non-drug-based treatment methods were extremely successful in the majority of people. “Mindfulness can help people to find new ways of responding to stress, a commonly reported trigger for migraine headaches,” she said. In the trial, 89 adults with a history of suffering from migraines were assigned yoga exercises and MBSR sessions over eight weeks at random. Yoga can help reduce headaches shutterstock/GingerKitten 9. Carbon-neutral shipping to become a reality earlier than expected The Danish shipping company, Moller-Maersk, has been at the forefront of making the world's cargo container transportation system greener. The company has said it aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 including the adoption of zero-carbon container shipping by then, a technology that does not currently exist at any scale. That said, according to a report in the Financial Times, the shipping giant will launch its first carbon-neutral vessel within two years, some seven years ahead of the target it had set for itself. 10. Simple prostate cancer test developed A report in Science Daily suggested that prostate cancer could become much more easily detected in the future thanks to a new technique. Instead of needing to rely on an invasive biopsy, researchers from the University of Michigan have come up with a way of detecting the disease from a urine sample. It’s hoped that this will lead to an increase in the numbers of people being tested for prostate cancer, thereby enabling many more earlier interventions. • Main image: shutterstock/Alex Yuzhkov happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Positive news | Nature | Biology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Finding your flow, stress reduction and self-expression three ways in which practising art can help fight mental health issues. Stanislava Puač Jovanović explores the evidence around art therapy for depression and outlines the benefits it can bring to your mental health. Art in any form presents a symbolic expression of the artist’s inner world. It is a vessel for self-exploration, articulation of subconscious contents, growth, and – psychological recovery. People have always felt this connection between creating or consuming art and the process of internal healing. Many great painters, sculptors, musicians and writers lived a life in which art was intertwined with mental health issues. However, you do not have to be a painter or a musician to let art heal you. My father, God rest his soul, albeit not an artist by profession, survived the most challenging times in his (our) life by painting and listening to Led Zeppelin every night for many months. In fact, using art for depression therapy and treatment has a long history. I'll review the empirical evidence corroborating art therapy’s potential to help people deal with depression. There are many options to use art for depression. I hope you will find your personal path towards soothing the darkness of depression through creating or enjoying artwork. Art therapy for depression You do not need to be a professional artist – not even slightly talented – to benefit from art therapy for depression. That's because the essence of its curative effect is not in the artistic quality of your creation – it's in exploring and expressing your most intimate experiences, often hidden from yourself, even. To bring this a little closer, I'll start with a quote from C. G. Jung, artistic in itself: “I should advise you to put it all down as beautifully and as carefully as you can — in some beautifully bound book. It will seem as if you were making the visions banal — but then you need to do that — then you are freed from the power of them. If you do that with these eyes, for instance, they will cease to draw you. You should never try to make the visions come again. Think of it in your imagination and try to paint it. Then when these things are in some precious book, you can go to the book and turn over the pages, and for you, it will be your church — your cathedral — the silent places of your spirit where you will find renewal. If anyone tells you that it is morbid or neurotic and you listen to them — then you will lose your soul — for in that book is your soul.” ― C.G. Jung, Visions: Notes of the Seminar Given 1930-1934 Art can be a therapy for depression shutterstock/WAYHOME studio Jung himself can be considered one of the most dedicated explores of one’s own psyche. Much of this self-exploration occurred in an interplay with art and its ability to make the symbolic nature of subconsciousness accessible. After having separated from Freud, during the nights in which psychosis menaced him, he kept on pursuing the inner images. During four years, Jung conducted these psychological experiments on himself and created Liber Novus (The Red Book). According to his own words, this self-work was by far the most important one in his professional and personal life. The importance of self-expression and self-discovery I allowed myself to speak about Jung to this extent because it is a wonderful illustration of what art can do for someone’s mental health. Art, being non-verbal and symbolic, opens up the path towards those parts of the psyche that cannot be expressed verbally without losing meaning. Art for depression, to emphasize Jung’s words again, serves to deliver “the silent places of your spirit where you will find renewal”. RELATED: Feeling blue or clinically depressed? The 4 things you should look out for Depression, as anyone who has experienced it to any degree knows, is a state in which destructive forces take over. When you engage in creating art, you are, in a way, presenting a counter-weight to such damaging energies within you. Creation fights the destruction. And you do it without struggling to convey, using words alone, the abyss inside you to someone else. The evidence for art therapy The American Psychological Association defines art therapy simply as: “the use of artistic activities, such as painting and clay modelling, in psychotherapy and rehabilitation. Art therapy provides the opportunity to express oneself imaginatively, authentically and spontaneously. Results of such a therapeutic work with art are personal fulfilment, emotional reparation and transformation. Art therapy uses dance, drama, music, poetry and visual arts to help clients express themselves. It is based on an underlying notion of a holistic approach to people. In other words, we are as non-verbal beings as we are verbal – the former being potentially even stronger than the latter. “Art, being non-verbal and symbolic, opens up the path towards those parts of the psyche that cannot be expressed verbally without losing meaning.” Although using art for depression has a long history, starting from the 1940s, there are few controlled clinical art therapy trials. The reasons are methodological. Given the individualistic and uncontrolled, spontaneous flow of the therapeutic session, it is challenging to reach standardised conditions for trials to be conducted. However, the findings that are reported testify of the potent power of art for those struggling with depressive moods. A 2007 study from Florida State University carried out on a group of convicts confirmed that those involved in an eight-week-long art therapy treatment experienced a significant decrease in symptoms of depression. Convicts have a strong urge not to express their problems verbally because a verbal disclosure might put them in more trouble. Therefore, the non-verbal nature of art for depression served as the ideal channel for dealing with it. Meanwhile, a 2012 study out of Seoul Women's University conducted on older adults revealed that using art therapy to target depression could reduce negative emotions, improve self-esteem and decrease anxiety. The effects were highly evident, with a reported reduction of negative feelings of over 85 per cent. Another study with the elderly also supported such claims. Symptoms of depression reduced dramatically after just six weeks of art therapy. You don't need to be a skilled artist to try art therapy Among women who were recently diagnosed with breast cancer, according to findings, creative arts therapy intervention brought about an increase in self-expression, spirituality and psychological well-being. Depression scores were lower after only four, one-hour-long weekly sessions. How efficient could art for depression be? We could look for an answer in a study that compared the effects of traditional verbal psychodynamic therapy and brief psychodynamic art therapy. Women with depression underwent ten weekly sessions of one of these approaches to treating depression. Results showed that art and verbal psychotherapies were comparable, and both brought about relief from depression. Arts and Minds is a UK organisation that founds its work on blending art with mental health interventions. Its engagement testifies about the extent of effectiveness of art for depression, alongside other mental health disturbances. One of their users summarised their experience: “It was a way I could express myself and allow how I was feeling to really surface […]!” Apart from these studies that look into how art works to reduce symptoms of depression, the overall view on art therapy is more than positive. As an extensive literature review and another scientific analysis of available findings revealed, art therapy: reduces stress and cortisol levels increases mindfulness, especially with mindfulness-based art therapy brings balance and calmness to the thinking process delivers more flow experiences reduces symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) eases pain relieves anxiety increases self-esteem improves immune system function helps academic performance develops innovative thinking Viewing art According to an article written by the University of Arizona staff, even viewing art can benefit our well-being. Although everyone is uniquely affected by art, its ability to impact us is undisputed. Viewing art stimulates our brain to try and discern patterns and meanings. According to the article authors, viewing an artwork increases blood flow to our brain by 10 per cent, which is equivalent to looking at someone we love. “You do not need to be an artist to benefit from art for depression. That's because the essence of its curative effect is not in the artistic quality of your creation – it's in exploring and expressing your most intimate experiences.” Finally, embodied cognition, the process in which mirror neurons transform what you see into emotions, could also explain why art can help lift someone out of a depressive mood. The energy from the painting affects your brain as if it were real. That goes for serene landscapes, as well as for abstract art that somehow captures the healing you need to occur. Bring art for depression into your life I started this article with an expressed hope that you will find your way to use art therapy for depression. The options and media are plentiful. Join a painting class. Relieve tension with adult colouring books or mandalas. Do photography. Sketch something. Dance, move, journal, make jewellery. There are little (if any) limits to art and its workings. In fact, you can start merely by consuming art and letting it wake up emotions and potentials you have forgotten about. Get some art supplies and start pouring your soul onto paper or canvas, be it as abstract or as concrete as you need it to. Finally, you could work with an art therapist to benefit from the structured professional approach to your creativity in depression. Whatever route you decide to take, one thing is certain. Art as therapy will open up the channel of communication between the inexpressible pain and hollowness of depression and your inner healing power. Or, as someone incomparably wiser than myself had expressed it: “No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.” - Carl. G. Jung, Aion Main image: shutterstock/Monkey Business Images happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ sharing and supporting others in our happiness forum ■ developing with free online classes in our Academy Coaching | Letting go | Authenticity 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.

November was full of feel-good environmental and health stories – but you may have missed them given all the negative news currently in the press. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten feel-good news stories from the past month to uplift and inspire. The world appears to have been in short supply of happiness in 2020. That said, November was an unusually positive month for the mainstream media with not one but three vaccine trial announcements in the fight against COVID-19. For some, the pharmaceutical companies' successes were the only stories worth talking about but there were plenty of others for those seeking more positivity in their news feeds. 1. Food scientists develop sustainable palm oil A pair of Canadian researchers have announced that they think they have found a sustainable and healthy alternative to palm oil. Widely used in the food manufacturing industry, palm oil is controversial for many reasons, not least because it tends to be grown on land that was formerly devoted to rainforests. According to Professor Alejandro Marangoni of the University of Guelph, adding certain enzymes to ordinary vegetable fat can make an eco-friendly alternative to conventional palm oil. 2. Mindfulness more effective if it's 'warm' Although mindfulness-based stress reduction has been studied for many years by scientists, a recent study review conducted at Harvard University has found that, overall, a 'warm' approach is better than a 'cool' one. According to Dr Zev Schuman-Olivier of the Harvard Medical School, a warm approach to mindfulness includes and element of self-compassion. He contrasts this with a cool approach which cultivates an attitude of greater tolerance to unpleasant situations. He claimed that mindfulness programmes that focus explicitly on cultivating inner-compassion are more likely to help facilitate sustained behavioural changes in people. Show self-compassion with mindfulness shutterstock/ESB Basic 3. New technique developed for safe asbestos disposal Asbestos was widely used in consumer products and buildings for many years before its awful effects on lungs were fully understood. Disposing of it has always been a difficult and expensive business. Sometimes the safest thing to do has been to simply place it into long-term storage. However, a Wolverhampton-based recycling business has found a way to destroy it in kilns such that it will never be harmful to people ever again. The technique can be scaled up to deal with industrial requirements, according to the firm's chairman, Graham Gould. 4. DNA alteration method takes the fight cancer cells A revolutionary technique has been developed by scientists in Israel, according to a report in the Daily Mail. Professor Dan Peer led a team of researchers at the University of Tel Aviv in their gene editing work. They have made use of the so-called CRISPR Cas-9 gene editing system – developed by Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, who won a Nobel Prize for their work – to alter the DNA in mice. This meant that the mice were less susceptible to developing cancers. Professor Peer said that he thought the work would be developed into treatments for humans which could then extend the lives of many people who suffer from tumours. 5. Healthy sleeping is good for your heart Getting into better sleeping habits has long been understood to help with chronic conditions such as depression. However, enjoying a restful night's sleep can also help to combat heart disease. A report in Healthline cited a scientific study that was published in the American Heart Association's scholarly journal. It found that people with good sleeping habits were up to 42 per cent less likely to suffer from heart failure than those with poor sleeping patterns. Crucially, this was the case regardless of any other factors involved with heart health, such as how much or little people exercised. RELATED: Can't sleep? 14 fixes to get a good night's rest Better sleep helps fight heart disease shutterstock/SjStudio6 6. NASA sets out to count every tree on the planet Although deforestation is a big problem in the fight against climate change and wildlife habitat preservation, no one knows how many trees there are on Earth. Added to this picture are some very ambitious tree-planting schemes going on around the world. Therefore, NASA is using its satellite technology and some very powerful supercomputers to try and count every single tree (!) on the planet, beginning in Africa. This figure should allow future generations to establish more accurately how good they have been at maintaining or improving tree stock levels. 7. Diabetes cure may be around the corner According to the National Post, scientists at the University of Alberta have been able to cure diabetes in mice. The team developed a new method for treating the disease which involves stem cells turning into pancreatic cells so that they can produce insulin within the body rather than it having to be injected. Dr James Shapiro, who led the research, said that he believes this technique will translate into a functional cure for diabetes for those living with it. 8. Rare Scottish wildcats born thanks to conservation programme A report in the Daily Record announced the arrival of two Scottish wildcat kittens in November. The critically endangered species is thought to number just 35 in the wild which makes the birth of two kittens – one male and one female – big news for conservationists. The kittens were born following efforts of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland to breed captive wildcats. It's hoped that released wildcats will help to boost numbers in the wild in projects that are run in collaboration with NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland among others. The Scottish wildcat shutterstock/Mark Bridger 9. Biodegradable food containers developed from bamboo In an effort to stop using plastic for takeaway containers and other forms of single-use tableware, a team from Northeastern University in the United States has come up with a new material derived from sugar and bamboo. The use of these natural materials is ideal for the levels of hygiene needed for food products but it breaks down quite straightforwardly within 60 days and can be simply composted. What's more, the new material has been shown to work with solid foods as well as drinks. This is important because so-called green alternatives to plastic – such as cardboard – are often found to be flimsy or soggy, especially when they are used to hold hot beverages. According to a report in iNews, the manufacturing processes needed to make the material are less carbon intensive than those currently used for similar plastic products. 10. Three key factors in happiness revealed by academics According to a report in Science Times, being happy is something that can be more readily attained by focusing on three important factors. The report was based on the work of Emiliana Simon-Thomas, an academic who teaches a Science of Happiness course at the University of Berkley. It stated that boosting social connections and showing more gratitude were two of the most important things people can do to make themselves feel happier. According to Simon-Thomas, the third feeling that people she researches need to have if they want to be happy is one of self-compassion. • happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up free to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Positive news | Mindfulness | Nature | Biology | Biotechnology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.