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After suffering years of chronic pain, Jill Satterfield healed herself and developed her own unique practice: Vajra yoga and meditation. Sienna Saint-Cyr takes a deeper look at the method and the woman behind it. Most yoga practices involve breathing and movement. Some are body-based and focus little on the mind or proper breathing and movement. My first experience with yoga was this kind: the instructors showed off, while the others in class competed to see who could get into the more difficult pose. This level of competition and showboating didn’t center me, relax me, or bring me any sort of joy. It took years for me to discover that not all yoga was like the showy gym classes I’d taken. In fact, some instructors and practitioners take their methods to new levels by making the practice unique. There are many reasons to make a practice your own. Whether it’s body limitations, personal desire, or simply following your intuition. One woman, Jill Satterfield, created a method called Vajra Yoga & Meditation. In Vajra, she combines mindfulness, meditation, compassion, Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and yoga asana (pose/position of the body). Jill Satterfield: walking a different path Jill Satterfield's journey of discovering her own process began when she was fairly young, around the age of 19. She’d been diagnosed with chronic pain, and for years, doctors were unable to find the cause. She endured multiple surgeries and eventually, a doctor found the problem. Surgery repaired some of the issue — see the interview with Jennifer Raye — but it didn’t get rid of her pain. Later, Jill was told she’d have to live with the pain or take very risky steps to deaden her nerves. Jill had already explored movement and meditation and wasn’t going to take this bad news lying down. So, she decided to work with her mind, since that’s where the pain was being registered. After a few years of meditation and specific yoga practices, she managed to heal parts of herself that the doctors claimed wasn’t possible. This led her down the path of 35 years of what she coins “integrative healthcare”. RELATED: Healing trauma with yoga What Jill Satterfield has done – and continues to do – is combine many methods of yoga, meditation, relaxation, mindfulness, and so forth, to achieve her goals. Jill teaches internationally: she's a wellness program director, speaks and coaches, and is the founder of Vajra Yoga & Meditation and founder and Director of the School for Compassionate Action: Meditation, Yoga and Educational Support for Communities in Need. Indeed, Jill certainly knows her stuff! Shambhala Sun magazine (now Lion's Roar) named her one of the four leading yoga and Buddhist teachers in the United Kingdom. A happy and healthy life has more than one piece While there are many parts to her practice, one of Jill's methods I found helpful is called Checking In. Unlike some practices that have the practitioner focus solely on their breathing and body, during 'check in', Jill has the practitioner focus on the room as well: What temperature is it? Is there sound? What about smell? .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%; } Check out how to check in: Jill Satterfield's yoga © YouTube/Eckhart Yoga Jill's method broadens the space of which we can be aware of our surroundings and present in them while keeping focus inside the body as well. It’s more of a meditation to use throughout the day or right before your yoga session. Combining the meditation and physical yoga movements really assist with balancing the mind and body. “After a few years of meditation and specific yoga practices, Jill Satterfield managed to heal parts of herself that the doctors claimed wasn’t possible.” Jill Satterfield also teaches how to move from the inside out. Rather than the very body-based yoga poses I’d previously tried, Jill teaches how to set the mind and heart straight first, then go into the asanas. The difference is rather than a rigid body pose — a thing I struggle with constantly — the body is much softer. An example of this is in her Heart Opening sequence. The idea is to pull from a place of love within, then carry that into our poses. To push that feeling into our bodies and outward into our surroundings. Trying to feel peace from the actual pose has never worked for me. But beginning in the heart and moving outward into the body gives me the inner calm that leads me to feel filled with joy on a daily basis. The art of heart: Jill's Heart Opening seqeuence © YouTube/Eckhart Yoga Mindfulness practices for yoga and every day Adding in the Buddhist beliefs takes this practice to a place of even higher intent as it involves a lot more mindfulness than typical yoga. Buddhism is a way of living. Not just a belief, but daily actions. Being mindful means being aware of thoughts and actions. Buddha Net has a Five Minute Introduction to Buddhism where they explain some of the basic principles. Again, much of this is about mindfulness. RELATED: Do mindfulness apps work? To fully understand how all of these things work together and make Jill Satterfield’s practice so effective, I did some research on how mindfulness itself helps us achieve happiness. In 2012 Berkeley Science Review did a study on mindfulness and published the results. Once completed, researchers found what connects mindfulness with happiness. In their studies, they discuss something called the 'self-discrepancy gap'. What this gap is, is the space between our actual self and our ideal self. It's in this gap that we fill ourselves with self-judgment. These two views of self tend to contradict one another, thus creating negative emotions because our natural drive is to close the gap between these two selves: we want to be this but we’re really that. After an eight-week mindfulness-based, cognitive therapy (for depression relapse prevention) session, those that completed the mindfulness therapy had fewer discrepancies between their actual self and ideal self. In essence, the gap became smaller. “Being mindful – which includes being present in the mind and body – directly leads to happiness. It shatters this internal conflict of these two aspects of ourselves.” While the review goes into several reasons as to why this happened, it's clear that mindfulness helps us to be present. When we’re present, we’re focused on the here and now. This isn’t to say we can’t have goals, but the practice helps us honor who we are in the moment. It helps us to see that the gap between who we are and who we want to be isn’t as big as we thought. RELATED: Happiness is a journey, not a destination Being mindful — which includes being present in the mind and body — directly leads to happiness. It shatters this internal conflict of these two aspects of ourselves. How your body can teach you to be mindful The Berkeley Science Review brings me back to what Jill Satterfield shared in her interview with Jennifer. Jill knew that she needed to listen to her body and mind. That she needed to honor what her body was telling her it needed. She understood that the true healing would happen in her mind and carry out into her body. If you haven’t tried this type of yoga practice, or if, like me, you were stuck in classes of people showing off, I can’t recommend Jill Satterfield’s practice enough. She is supportive of people making their practices their own. She coaches as needed because she understands that we know what our bodies need. The more present we are in our bodies, the faster we can go about healing ourselves. Jill Satterfield serves as an example of what we can achieve when we honour our needs and use integrative therapy to heal. ● Main photo: Colorbox.com Portrait of Jill Satterfield: vajrayoga.com Written by Sienna Saint-Cyr Sienna Saint-Cyr is an author, advocate, and the founder of SinCyr Publishing. She speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on the importance of having a healthy body image, understanding enthusiastic consent, using sexuality to promote healing, navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships, having Complex PTSD, and more. Sienna loves sharing her journey of healing and finding happiness with her readers. Along with writing erotica and romance, Sienna speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on such sex-positive topics as a healthy body image, using sexuality to promote healing, and navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships. She writes for several websites. Find out more.

Gratitude was always part of her happiness routine, but when Sienna Saint-Cyr started practising yoga for gratitude, she found a new lightness, peace and energy within. Gratitude – and gratitude yoga – is a catalyst for happiness. When we're grateful for what we have, we stop focusing on the things we lack. But why exactly? Gratitude expert Robert Emmons shares that when people help one another, they feel happier. The actions they take release the feel-good hormone oxytocin. It's this same chemical that positive touch activates. So, while gratitude itself doesn't release the happiness hormone, the actions we take when we are full of gratitude do. From my personal experience, I know that holding gratitude in my heart and mind always leads me to feel happier. For me, it’s not just the actions I take but the reminder that I have so much to be thankful and appreciative for. That alone can get my thinking from dark and depressed to being full of joy. Gratitude is a vital step in my happiness and the benefits of gratitude practice are many. Gratitude yoga: what is it? Since I’d already tried compassion yoga with Adriene, I wanted to try 'Grounding Into Gratitude – Root Chakra Yoga' with her as well. Gratitude – in my experience – is more practical as opposed to just a ‘feeling’, so incorporating it into my yoga practice sounded like an excellent method for increasing my gratitude and, therefore, happiness. “Gratitude and gratitude yoga is a catalyst for happiness. When we're grateful for what we have, we stop focusing on what we lack.” Right from the start, Adriene asked that we trust ourselves, her, and the gratitude yoga practice. She opens with a request that we are the ‘observer’. It made perfect sense, since, in order to feel full of gratitude, we have to be able to observe the good happening around us. It takes us from a place of internal focus and allows us to look outward. This video is also shorter than the last, only about 30 minutes. So it’s a good one for those that don’t have a full hour for daily practice. .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%; } Gratitude yoga from Adriene Connecting to chakras Next, Adriene has the practitioners focus their energy in their root chakra, which is the space right behind the pubic bone. Our root chakra is our base, foundation, our connection to the Earth and the physical. When it's out of balance, we can experience higher levels of negativity, trouble eating, greater insecurity, greediness, and more. With all the negative aspects of the root being out of balance, having a practice that focuses on balance seemed the right choice. While I mentioned the heart chakra in compassion yoga, I didn't get much into it. But in this case, understanding chakras is helpful as they're often used in yoga to focus on a particular area of the body, an energy flow. The chakras are associated with seven energy points in the body, colours, organs, and they have corresponding yoga poses to help balance them. Because yoga and balancing the mind, body, and spirit are very connected to the thoughts in our heads, Yoga Journal uses words like ‘imagine’, which took the idea of the chakras from a place of ‘this is real, and therefore we must prove it’ to a place of ‘this is real in my mind and therefore, helpful for visualisations during my practice’. I mention this because when I go to therapy, we often discuss the differences between things that are proven scientifically and things we simply believe. Belief is powerful; there’s no doubt about it. But science and belief aren't the same. So, if you're new to the idea of chakras and desire a science-based explanation, you might do better with the idea of chakras as visualisations as opposed to actual energy points in the body. For our purposes here, the root is our base and our balance. Gratitude yoga: the practice The first gratitude yoga pose in which I felt my energy and grounding – or connection to the earth – was the Malasana pose. It was hard to stay in it at first, as I felt unbalanced. But I kept trying. Slowly, my hips opened. I felt my energy shoot from my root down through the floor and into the earth, then fresh energy back up into me. I visualized this energy, and the more I did so, the sturdier I felt. Gratitude yoga: Malasana pose Finally, I was able to stay in the gratitude yoga pose and fully embrace that feeling of balance, which then led to me feeling so much giddy happiness. Because when I feel balanced, I feel like I can trust myself, and that is a vital step in maintaining my joy. During a variation of Malasana, Adriene has the practitioner work with their feet. She mentions that feet are an essential step in finding grounding. Since my feet often ache, I took what she said to heart and massaged my feet while rocking back and forth in a sort of frog-like squat. It’s close to Malasana, but not quite the same. “Slowly my hips opened. I felt my energy shoot from my root down through the floor and into the earth, then fresh energy back up into me!” I found this helped me relax into the more challenging poses later on. If I was struggling with balance, I rubbed the bottoms of my feet for 30 seconds, and I was instantly able to balance more efficiently. Another gratitude yoga pose I found helpful was called Humble Warrior. I’d done Warrior pose many times, even Peaceful Warrior, but not Humble. I was amazed how much this pose released in my body. All the tension I carry in my shoulders and neck began to loosen, and the longer I maintained the posture, the more I felt the release. Yoga for gratitude: Humble Warrior pose Gratitude yoga: 'I am,' and happiness I can’t deny that when I finished the video that I felt lighter, more grounded, connected to Earth, and at peace with myself. One of the mantras Adriene used — because as she stated in the video, it relates to the root chakra — was ‘I am’. During the entire session, I focused on gratitude for all the wonderful people in my life, for the healing in myself that I've allowed happening and worked so hard for, and also the thought 'I am'. I kept repeating ‘I am’ in my head. Sometimes I’d say it aloud. Each time, I felt more accepting of myself. Less judgement and self-shaming behaviour for all the things I am not. I've known about ‘I am’ for years now. In fact, my first introduction to it was when I was young and being raised in a religious household. I was told that this was God’s response when asked what he was. Later I was shown meditations and Native American and Buddhist practices that also incorporated it. “When I finished the gratitude yoga video I felt lighter, more grounded, connected to Earth, and at peace with myself.” But I didn't understand that really all ‘I am’ means is acceptance and embracing of the self. It’s not to embrace my bad habits, but to embrace that I have those bad habits and to choose to love myself anyway. It’s in accepting myself fully that I find the ability to break my bad habits. Not only is the mantra ‘I am’ helpful for self-acceptance, but it’s also useful for gratitude toward others, as well as affirmations: I am thankful… I am grateful… I am happy… Self-acceptance is an important step on our path to happiness. In fact, self-help books and too-large goal setting can lead to unhappiness. There's a ‘should be’ and ‘should do’ mentality and it directly leads to ‘I am not enough’. The right place to start with developing one self though is self-acceptance and being happy enough. While self-acceptance – 'I am' – can result in seeing our worth as we are. As I mentioned above, this isn't reason to perpetuate bad habits. What it is is an opportunity for embracing ourselves and loving who we are. I feel gratitude, the ‘I am’ mantra, and happiness are connected. I didn't possess any of these until I jumped onto the wheel (as I see it in my mind’s eye). Once I had gratitude, I felt happier. Once I felt happier, I was able to accept the parts of myself that I was judging. Then when I let go of self-judgement, I felt a deeper level of gratitude. If I stay on this wheel, these things feed one another, and I end up feeling each stronger. Give yoga for gratitude a try and also read on for yoga for moodswings, part three of this series. Namaste! ● Main image: colourbox.com. Other images: Yoga with Adriene Written by Sienna Saint-Cyr Sienna Saint-Cyr is an author, advocate, and the founder of SinCyr Publishing. She speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on the importance of having a healthy body image, understanding enthusiastic consent, using sexuality to promote healing, navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships, having Complex PTSD, and more. Sienna loves sharing her journey of healing and finding happiness with her readers. Along with writing erotica and romance, Sienna speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on such sex-positive topics as a healthy body image, using sexuality to promote healing, and navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships. She writes for several websites. Find out more. 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 in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our Academy Burnout | Stress management | Mindfulness

In the final part of her series, Sienna Saint-Cyr looks at yoga for mood swings. Learn how to calm the shift in your mood through this set of yoga poses. As I ventured into the final part of this yoga series looking at yoga for mood swings, I began to see something pop up again and again: our moods are vital to us living a happy life. Psych Central, the Journal of Depression and Anxiety, Psychologist World and many more sources agree that happy people live healthier lives and make better decisions. Through that, happy folks bring more positive experiences into their lives. The sources also agree that our mood directly affects our happiness. Indeed, it takes mere seconds for even the most fortunate people I know to go from beaming with joy to being sour-faced and irritated. It's in this moment that we need to build resilience. Rapid changes in mood are due to the vast amount of stimuli that can affect us. We might get cut off in traffic, receive a bad review at work, hear a song, or even get a whiff of a random smell that can trigger a mood shift. Even when I'm happy overall in life, I can lose the feeling for days at a time if I don’t address my current mood of anger, sadness, fear or anxiety. When my current mood takes centre stage, all my focus shifts there. If the mood is a slight shift, I don’t tend to notice, and both the emotion and my overall happiness can coexist within me. But the moment my emotion moves to a place of being the focus, then it tends to hide my happiness from me. Mood swings and yoga Since yoga was doing so well for me in other areas, I began looking at Adriene’s videos on mood. I’d already used hers for compassion yoga and gratitude yoga, so this was a natural place to search. To my surprise, she had several options to choose from. I decided to try yoga for mood swings. This one called to me most because in the description Adrienne mentioned life’s little annoyances and how they can shift our mood fast. She also mentioned the stress hormones such as Cortisol and how yoga can help with these. According to the American Psychology Association, this hormone is natural to the body and helps regulate certain systems, but when there's too much of it flowing, it can cause adverse effects. So, when there's too much Cortisol in the system, it’s time to give it the boot! .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%; } Y Yoga for mood swings from Adriene The practice: yoga for mood swings In her yoga for mood swings video, Adriene begins with a suggestion to let go and not worry about ‘doing it right’ for this practice. Her focus is more on the body’s needs, so she suggests allowing whatever is going on to exist. To do this, she keeps the practitioner in Sukhāsana (Easy pose) for longer than I found in other videos. In this cross-legged sitting position there's a heavy focus on breath and listening to the body rather than movement. As she brings the hands into play, Adriene gives the option to have soft hands or active hands. This was helpful because when we’re angry, we may want more pressure and use of our muscles. Personally, I found that I was able to release anger more efficiently when I maintained active muscles. On the contrary, when I'm sad or depressed, keeping my muscles soft assisted in releasing those emotions more effectively. The heavy focus on listening to our body in this video made a significant difference in the way I worked through my current mood. Another aspect of this practice that I felt helped me was the release portion. Rather than suggest the practitioners release slowly, she suggested doing what felt right at that moment. It might be jerky and fast, slow and steady, or whatever we need to release our emotion. When I was angry, the quicker and firmer movements helped. When I was sad, the slower releases from poses was most effective. “In her yoga for mood swings video, Adriene begins with a suggestion to let go and not worry about 'doing it right' for this practice. Her focus is more on the body's needs.” We then moved into Downward Dog, then into Walk the Dog. The walking kept my legs active. I was again surprised to notice that even when I did the practice during a sad moment, by the time we’d reached this spot in the video, the walking and active legs part was helping. Even though prior, the softer muscles worked best. I took this as a sign that the releasing was working and I made a conscious note of it. Had I started with Walk the Dog, it would have added to my sad mood rather than help it. Yoga for mood swings: downward dog pose After Walk the Dog we went back to a seated position and stayed there through the rest of the video, placing much focus on stretching. This was to bring us back into our 'flow', as Adriene calls it. The flow we have when the little things don’t happen to shift our mood. Adriene maintains positive affirmations throughout the yoga for mood swings video, things like, “I am supported”, which I found incredibly helpful in combination with the poses. She ended with the Reclining Goddess pose, also known as Supta Baddha Konasana. The moment I was in this pose, I felt relief from the emotions that had affected my mood so much. I don’t know why it worked, but it just did. Perhaps because spreading my legs open in such a manner forces my heart upward at the same time as it puts me in a vulnerable position at my base. As a victim of sexual abuse, opening my legs can be a struggle, even when I’m alone. The more I trust myself and the situation, the easier it becomes to open them. RELATED: Healing trauma with yoga But no matter how safe I feel, that position still makes me feel very vulnerable. But when I’m able to feel vulnerable rather than shut it down, it means that I’m working through whatever is causing me emotional pain. Yoga for mood swings: Reclining Goddess pose Shifting mood and thought I wholeheartedly believe that proper yoga for mood swings can change our attitude. If I was doing the wrong kind, like a bunch of super soft poses while I was full of rage, I don’t think that would be helpful. But with Adriene's method of listening to our body’s needs, we can embrace what our instincts tell us and work through the emotions that are sucking the happiness from us. We will always be affected by our surroundings. We live in a chaotic world the majority of the time. Having the tools to stop, breathe, listen to our body, then move in a manner that releases, could change how we go about our day. Imagine if I was in line at the grocery store and someone cut in front of me knowing I was there first. No matter what I chose to do at that moment, I’d still have emotions around what happened. I might get angry and say something. I might decide to suck it up and not start an argument. But either way, I’m going to feel slighted. If I don’t deal with the emotion at that moment, it would add to the list other things that happened that day until I became overwhelmed and full of rage. “Having the tools to stop, breathe, listen to our body, then move in a manner that releases, could change how we go about our day.” But what if I recognized my anger and what the person did, tuning into my body right there in the line? I could focus on my tense muscles. Listen to my body and what it needed. Then I could stretch or move onto my toes to activate my calf muscles. Many things could be done to release the feeling right there. And this means I don’t need to carry what happened beyond the store. By shifting my thoughts on how to respond to others, I can also change my mood. If we all began behaving in this manner, the chaos that so many of us know would eventually cease to exist. Yoga for happiness: series conclusions If you haven’t checked them out yet, please read part one: Compassion Yoga and part two: Gratitude Yoga as well as this one on yoga for mood swings. This series is designed to give us tools that will assist with the pursuit and ability to maintain happiness and introduce mindfulness, also for those who have difficulties with meditation. From my experiences, Adriene’s yoga series worked for achieving a greater level of happiness. But I had to commit to it completely. This experience taught me that balancing the mind, body and soul becomes easier when incorporating the practices of yoga and mindfulness. I now pay attention to my thoughts, my body and the tension in it, and my gut, which will conflict with my thoughts more often than I care to admit. These parts of me make up the whole me and keeping them in balance is vital to me being present, complete, and happy. Namaste! ● Images: colourbox.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 in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our Academy Mindfulness | Stress management | Burnout Written by Sienna Saint-Cyr Sienna Saint-Cyr is an author, advocate, and the founder of SinCyr Publishing. She speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on the importance of having a healthy body image, understanding enthusiastic consent, using sexuality to promote healing, navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships, having Complex PTSD, and more. Sienna loves sharing her journey of healing and finding happiness with her readers. Along with writing erotica and romance, Sienna speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on such sex-positive topics as a healthy body image, using sexuality to promote healing, and navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships. She writes for several websites. Find out more.

In the need for some feel-good news? Ed Gould shares his Top Ten round-up from the past month, from amazing seaweed water pods to a new alternative for coffee waste... 1. Mindfulness centre of excellence to open In an exciting bit of positive news for mindfulness fans, the University of London announced in April that it would open a centre of excellence in mindfulness in 2019. Academics believe it will bring together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to share ideas, with the goal of increasing the level of scientific evidence for all sorts of mindfulness-based practices. The university president said the centre would lead to world-leading research that would have a real impact on the global mindfulness debate. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged 2. Seaweed drinking vessels set sail at the London Marathon! The organisers of the London Marathon have to deal with thousands of single-use water bottles (which, of course, can be an eyesore as well as an environmental headache). At this April's race, however, drinking pods derived from a biodegradable material were used for the first time. Now expected to be the norm, the use of seaweed-based drinking vessels could run and run... and run! Both completely edible and flavourless, the pods simply break in the mouth, releasing the fluid within. Smart stuff! .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%; } Water works: these pods could reduce plastic bottles 3. Could plastic help in the fight against climate change? OK, so plastic is rarely the source of a good news story, but this April, reporters at The Science Times bucked this trend. According to them, research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Metal Research has shown how certain plastic crystals can be harnessed to provide a refrigerating effect. If it works out, then the energy consumed by chiller cabinets, fridge-freezers and air-conditioning units could be vastly reduced, thereby helping to lower carbon-emitting fossil fuel usage. 4. Mother of pearl could be used to help bone repairs A 3D printing technique has been deployed by scientists to make mother of pearl for the first time, as reported in The London Economic. Tougher than many man-made materials, mother of pearl can be manufactured, but it's costly and involves some pretty nasty chemical processes. This new approach means a relatively cheap and safe way of making the material which can be turned into medical applications like artificial bones and implants. It's all down to the research of Professor Anne Meyer from the biology department at the University of Rochester. 5. A surprising alternative to palm oil In good news for anyone who checks their food for palm oil, two Scottish entrepreneurs have come up with a sustainable alternative to this pervasive foodstuff. Their eco-friendly approach is to use waste coffee granules (which are either thrown away or composted locally, at present). Working under the name Revive Eco, the pair are developing a process to extract and purify the oils found in coffee waste, which could then be used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals. Revive Eco has already gained £235,000 of funding for their idea from the Zero Waste agency in Scotland. Something brewing: could coffee replace palm oil? 6. Breakthrough found in the fight against Parkinson's disease Scientists at the University of Ontario in Canada have found a way to restore movement to patients with advanced stages of this debilitating condition. According to reports from the BBC, the team's brain implantation method has produced results which exceeded all expectations. They hope to turn their approach into a full treatment which will restore both mobility and confidence to sufferers. 7. Proton therapy to be deployed to save memories Using any sort of medical technique inside the brain to fight against tumours is tough. According to BT, this is particularly the case with younger patients but now safeguarding childhood brain activities – including protecting precious memories – will be possible thanks to the use of proton therapies. Already rolled out to adult patients on the NHS in the UK in April, the superior accuracy of the method should be able to help children with tumours to preserve the healthy parts of their brains, thanks to the Danish research which has pioneered the technique. RELATED: The Bright Side – positive news from March 8. Mindfulness is helpful for carers A report in Science Daily stated that the role of mindfulness should not be underestimated when it comes to people caring for others. In research undertaken at the University of Illinois, it appears that practising mindfulness techniques can help those offering care to relax and focus on the important job they're doing. By gaining mindfulness-based cognitive therapy skills, the researchers found that their work with veterans was most useful in reducing levels of stress. Care calmly: being mindful can help those looking after others 9. A huge clean up of Mount Everest has begun According to the Kathmandu Post, an operation to clear much of the rubbish which has simply been abandoned on the world's highest mountain got underway in April. Although other clearance campaigns have operated in the past, this one is on a much larger scale. The operation has already started to clear rubbish from Everest Base Camp but it should go on to remove around ten tonnes of material from the whole mountainside. 10. World's rainforests to be helped by drones According to the Evening Standard, drone technology could make a significant impact on the fight against global deforestation. Of course, trees help to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their trunks. Therefore, speeding up the process of planting new ones can only help to combat climate change. Helpfully, an Oxfordshire-based start-up has been working on ways to do just that. It has deployed drones successfully in Myanmar to plant new trees in a mangrove forest, a global habitat which has been severely deforested in recent years. ● Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Which are the best happiness apps out there on the market? Rae Bathgate selects the top six that you'll want to ring home about. Apple coined the phrase “there's an app for that,” and it's true many of us tend rely on our smartphones and apps for so much these days. There are apps for music, dating, exercising, health, transport, learning new languages, and even tuning a guitar. But what are some of the best happiness apps out there? There are so many happiness apps these days, how do you know which are the best? Well, below I review six of the top science-based happiness apps to reveal their strengths and weaknesses. The best happiness apps are, first and foremost, free (at least for a trial run). Many also use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as a basis for their concept. While apps are indeed very different than an hour of talk therapy with a counsellor, the way that apps can work within the realm of CBT is to try to modify your thinking patterns and by helping you to change patterns of behaviour through repetition. This can be of help if you are trying to stop ruminating. Who uses happiness apps? There are various reasons why self-care apps can be a positive addition to your life and push you a little bit closer towards your quest to happiness. They're more common than you think, and people already tend to use the iPhone, an extension of themselves, as a way to learn more about and to be more in tune with their mind. Get appy: which happiness apps boost your well-being? Indeed, according to Nature, about 29 per cent of “disease-specific mobile health apps” are focused on mental health. For example, two common mental health related apps for more dire circumstances are the PTSD Coach app or FOCUS for users with schizophrenia. While these two don't illustrate why the average happy hunter uses happiness apps, they have some of the same benefits. So, can an app really make you happier? First of all, the best happiness apps are helpful for those with a busy schedule, as they are always available. After all, you never know when you’ll need help. The app also interacts positively with the user. Just like getting constant notifications or updates on social media might be stressful, receiving reminders to do a task or maybe an affirmation just when you need it could help you feel a lot better. “Apps within the realm of CBT try to modify your thinking patterns and by helping you to change your patterns of behaviour through repetition.” While not all the apps are free, many beat the cost of going to see a mental health professional, and, what’s more, the stigma of going to see a specialist unfortunately still exists. Some of the advantages of using happiness apps are: You can practice them everywhere; If you use them as much as you use your smartphone, you'll use them regularly; It can remind you to be happier if you forget; Many of them are cost effective, if not free. Of course, it's important to remember that happiness and health apps are an excellent way to keep working towards better mental health at the forefront of your everyday life and can consolidate healthy habits, but even the best happiness apps by no means replace visiting a mental health professional, or even just simple human contact. Think of these happy apps like vitamins – supplements are great, but they can never replace the real thing. So, without further ado – and in no particular order – here's our pick of the best happiness apps on the market right now. 1. Happify Android: Free iPhone: Free Happify comes in both website and app form, and claims to: increase happiness through fun activities and games; help you learn life-changing habits based on science; reduce stress and build skills for a happy healthy life. The Happify app has various “scientifically validated tracks” that are suggested to you after you take a short questionnaire detailing your life and health. Each track has a theme and is divided into parts (usually four). These are then divided into activities, ranging from guided meditations to reflective writing assignments to fun games. How many tracks depends on if you pay the monthly subscription or downloaded the free version. .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%; } Happify app: an overview of this happiness application For the more socially minded, there's a community page with inspirational comments from other users. You can add your own too to brighten someone else’s day since it’s proven to make you feel happier. There are 58 'core activities' to begin with, with different variations, adding up to an amazing 1,200 various activities in total. These activities were designed with the help of a psychology professor, and they range from asking you to write down what you’re looking forward to in general, or looking forward to doing for a friend. Each of the 58 activities has a “Why it works” icon next to it, to explain you more about the science behind the fun games. Every two weeks, your phone gives you a happiness check-in. “While not all the best happiness apps are free, many beat the cost of going to see a mental health professional.” The reception for Happify app has been overall positive. In fact, 86 per cent of the app's users reported feeling better about their lives after just two months of using it during testing, with many reporting feeling more motivated and productive, indicating that it helps people to solidify positive, helpful habits that are the framework for a more confident and happy life. Happify app allows you develop life-changing habits Users can also access Happify Daily – free content based around happiness – as well as the Happify community and forum. And, if you really feel the app is working for you, you can unlock the full range of actives and reports by subscribing to Happify Plus. So, as a recap, here's why you should download the Happify app: It helps you build resilience for stressful experiences; It helps you build happy, healthy habits tied to positive thinking; Since even reflecting on happy memories releases happiness hormones, you can boost your well-being by making a digital scrapbook to remind you of sunnier pastures when you feel blue. 2. Happy Habits Android: free iPhone: unavailable The Happy Habits app describes itself as relying heavily on the principles of CBT, and that it works by helping to “create the conditions for happiness in [the user's] life. It starts out by giving its users a 119-item test to assess their happiness based on 14 factors; then, they administer results and suggestions, through games and soothing audios to talk you through your quest for happiness. Another Happy Habits feature are Emotion Training Audios. These are to help with managing emotions so that you can be more aware and cultivate a more positive attitude, best used when you feel overwhelmed by anger, sadness, or stress. Happy Habits: a sneak peak inside this well-being app Then, if you're feeling particularly anxious, you can also use the Relaxation Audios to unwind and to learn deep relaxation. Or, for those of you who like to find out more about the concept and the history of the pursuit of happiness, there's their Choosing Happiness Audio to delve into the idea of and search for well-being. For those of you who like to cross things off of a list, the Happy Habits app also features a Customisable Happy 'to do' list. “The best happiness are free (at least for a trial run). Many also use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as a basis for their concept.” Like most of the best happy apps, it's gamified, which means using it is fun, rather than a chore, with a points feature that helps you to keep track of progress. Users who like to write and keep track of their thoughts will be happy to know that the app also has a happiness journal for writing personal affirmations and recording positive events to look back on later. The Happy Habits design is a little retro, but it uses positive colours like yellow and orange, and it’s customizable. So, a recap of why you should use Happy Habits: It's based on CBT, a method that's proven to help depression and anxiety; It has a large variety of calming audios for you to listen to in the car, on the bus, or at home; It gives you a gratitude scrapbook to look back on when you need to cheer up. 3. SuperBetter Android: free iPhone: free Building resilience – the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic – even in the face of change and difficult challenges is tough. But the makers behind the SuperBetter app believe that using their tool will unlock your heroic potential so you can overcome tough situations and achieve goals that matter most. RELATED: Happiness podcasts – 8 that we rate At the heart of SuperBetter is the Live Gamefully® method, a framework that brings the psychological strengths and mindset of gameplay to real life. The method promotes new levels of personal growth as a result of stress and change. That's why it's called SuperBetter. A key part of building happiness is developing resilience. While bouncing back from life’s challenges is important, it’s not easy. SuperBetter makes the process easier by taking you through a series of activities that help you build resilience while reducing anxiety and depression, leading to a happier life. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } XX Feeling super: SuperBetter founder Jane McGonigal The SuperBetter app has gamified the process of building happiness by creating short and simple activities that you complete as you head off on quests to build happiness-boosting skills. Completing the activities provide you with quick wins to jump-start your happiness journey. With SuperBetter you become the hero of the app, as you gain points and power by completing and tracking daily activities. Simple tasks such as taking a walk or drinking a glass of water count as a step toward your ultimate goal. You can also do it with a secret identity and superhero story of your choosing. The SuperBetter lets you collect power-ups on your quests, fight off bad guys, and get help from allies. One of our best happiness apps: SuperBetter Another unique thing about the SuperBetter app is that it's heavily science-backed. A study by the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia found that when people played SuperBetter for 30 days, their mood improved, symptoms of anxiety and depression decreased, and self-belief to achieve goals increased. So, a recap of why you should use the SuperBetter app: Gamified and fun; Helps you to build resilience, adopt new habits, improve skills and strengthen relationships; Research has shown it has positive results. 4. HAPPY Android: free iPhone: free OK, call us biased, but we really think our own app, HAPPY, is also one of the best happiness apps on the market too! One of the most significant factors to impact our happiness is a sense of community, and that's what HAPPY, our own well-being app, focuses on. Many of the apps on this list aim to improve our mental health, foster resilience and actively build our capacity to live happier lives by offering concrete personal exercises such as gratitude journals, mindfulness exercises, creating healthy habits, etc. These are all practical measures which we at happiness.com highly recommend. However, they are primarily done in solitude and through introspection. .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%; } The HAPPY app makes use of the key feature of the happiness.com platform – community. It's a happiness app that allows you to be in touch with people worldwide to share your struggles and support each other. To find strength in our shared humanity, our imperfection, and our deep care for each other and the planet. HAPPY is an app that aims to build a community and to use it to elevate your well-being through: Joining a conscious, global community. Engaging in big topics and intimate conversations. Sharing common interests and new perspectives. Building mutual support through shared struggles. Everyone experiences ups and downs, but how do we master the downs skillfully? The HAPPY app facilitates a safe and mutually supportive community where tools, practices and experiences enable everyone to live happy and fulfilled lives. HAPPY: our well-being app focuses on community For example, are you awake at 3am full of anxiety? Share your struggles live on the HAPPY app, and who knows where in the world someone else will be awake who relates to your experience and has kind words of support. Maybe you are in the metro on the way to work, and you can be the person who is offering those accepting words and emotional support. The HAPPY App is the mobile addition to happiness.com: your pocketful of happiness. Making the healing power of human connection – the happiness community – accessible on your phone. 5. Happier Android: unavailable iPhone: free Happier is an Apple app on a mission: to make sure you appreciate life to the fullest. Happier app was developed by Nataly Kogan, a TEDtalk speaker who emigrated from Russia when she was young and went through hard times, escaping oppression in the Soviet Union while her family got on their feet in the Detroit projects. Allegedly, Kogan vowed to find happiness, first looking towards success and wealth to achieve it. Quite understandably, this did not lead her where she wanted, so she turned towards her father's work – science – to see what next steps she could take. Happier app: an overview of what's inside In practice, the app works by helping you to be "more present and positive throughout the day," working like a life appreciation platform, or a personal life coach. Each day it prompts you to write what you're most grateful for, be it the sun shining on your back, a moment spent with a loved one, making every stoplight on the street, or getting your favourite ice cream – you can even add pictures • JOIN US! Discover more tips on happiness with our open and inspired community • These are moments that you might not notice if not for Happier, with which you can "create, collect and share those tiny positive moments." Ways you can use it are to lift your mood, take a meditation break, or enjoy the moments that make your day happier. “Happier app works by helping you to be 'more present and positive throughout the day', working like a life appreciation platform, or even a personal life coach.” The Happier app is portable and can be used on Apple watch as well, acting as your gratitude journal. It also offers “bite-sized, expert-led courses,” to teach you more about the practice and science of happiness on which the app is based, breaching subjects like strength, calmness, and gratitude. What's more, it works as a sort of happiness social media platform, where you can connect to those around you (if you want, since sharing publicly is entirely optional) and get inspired by their gratitude posts. There's something very zen about Happier, an app which urges you to think of happiness, not like a feeling, but more like a muscle to be trained and on which you can rely on your day-to-day life. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } So, here's a recap as to why you should use the Happier app: Instead of selling you unattainable happiness, it helps you to appreciate what you already have; To keep a picture, easily updatable scrapbook on what you're most grateful for; It helps you learn more about the science behind positive psychology. 6. Yolife Android: free iPhone: free A relative newcomer into the happiness app scene, Yolife is described as 'your personal coach to live longer in good health'. Indeed, the vision of the Yolife founders is to add 15 healthy years to the lives of at least one million people in the world. And what does great health bring? Greater happiness, that's what. Signing up via log-in or Facebook, the first stage of Yolife involves completing an engaging health consultation, answering questions about your health, habits, exercise, social life and such. Your responses determine just how many extra healthy years they suggest you'll live in good health. .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%; } Love life: Yolife wants you to live longer in great health Furthermore, with each answer you give there's a scientific explanation behind it and the chance to read more. Indeed, Yolife is thoroughly research-based, using clinical studies and advisory board for input. The design is modern and sleek, with a refreshing sense of humor in the texts, too. After completing the consultation you can see how many estimated healthy years you have. What comes next is your personalized programme of activities which aims to boost those healthy years further by helping you to discover which areas you have the greatest potential to improve. The programme includes classes on subjects such as optimal sleeping conditions, the purpose of life, sex makes you live longer (!), different ways of fasting, and plenty more. “The vision of the Yolife app is to add 15 healthy years to the lives of at least one million people in the world.” Yolife co-founder Tassilo Weber has his own definition of happiness which is very much present in the app: "I'm not only an entrepreneur, I also studied philosophy and still consider myself a philosopher by heart. Therefore, the pursuit and definition of happiness has always been a major topic in my life. And that influence cannot be hidden, as you use the Yolife app. The happiness app Yolife has a sleek, smart design “There's even one full session called “A formula for happiness”. It boils down to two things: 1. Find and follow a purpose. 2. Stay healthy for as long as possible. With these two pillars in place, happiness has the best chance to thrive. As Yolife is an app that helps you to live longer in good health and guided by purpose, I consider happiness as one of the main value propositions that we intend to bring to at least one million people.” So, here's a recap as to why you should use the Yolife: Science-backed suggestions on practical life changes; Track your progress and growth Sleek, modern design and great colours; The best happiness apps: conclusions Of course, using these happiness apps alone won't be enough to change your life. Spending too much time on your smartphone – even on happiness apps – won't give you time to put what you learn on these apps into practice. Still, there is science to back up the claims behind these programs. For example, a meta-analysis of 51 “positive-interventions” like mindfulness activities, gratitude writing, and goal-setting found them to “significantly enhance well-being and decrease depressive symptoms.” More specifically, one of the main ideas behind the majority of these apps, counting your blessings, has been proven to make you happier. We invite you to try out what we think are the best happiness apps to see what works best for you, and what pushes you to do the little things that will make your life better. Let us know below in the comments which ones have helped you the most! ● 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 courses Learning | Mindfulness | Meditation | Coaching Written by Rae Bathgate Rae Bathgate is an American journalist based in Barcelona, where she enjoys sunlight, yoga, and bookbinding.

Having lots of sex doesn't always mean it's fulfilling or lead to happiness. Indeed, as Sienna St-Cyr argues, factors such as the quality of sex and couple compatibility are far more important when it comes to achieving a happy sex life. If you've ever been told that lots of sex will lead to happiness, you might have heard correctly! There are many factors that go into that statement, however. Frequency of sex is just one factor to be considered. Couple compatibility, quality, and type of sex are also important. So, the link between sex and being happy seems to be there, but it also appears to be more complex. After reading an article on the frequency of sex and whether couples are having enough of it on Greater Good, I began thinking a great deal about the subject and whether or not it’s sex itself or something that goes along with the sex that leads to happier people. This led me to a few concepts to examine in detail when discussing the link between fulfillment, sex, and being happy. 1. Frequency of sex While the article on Greater Good points out that for many folks having a lot of sex makes them happier, it also states that this isn't the case for everyone. In fact, frequency without other important factors incorporated may actually make people unhappy. I was once with a partner that wanted sex daily. I, however, didn't. For one, it wasn't satisfying for me. This partner rarely put the time in to make it enjoyable, and he usually focused on his release over mine. This caused a depression in me. RELATED: Why I'll never ignore my sexual needs in a relationship again Brian Joseph Gillespie of the Department of Sociology at Sonoma State University carried out a study in 2016 where he found that couples taking part in frequent sex were only more satisfied if the sex was also of high quality. So, frequency is only a part of the equation when it comes to having a happy sex life. Frequent sex doesn't equal great sex (or make you happy) 2. Couple compatibility This brings me to sexual happiness and compatibility. That ex and I simply weren't compatible. He wanted quick sex and often and I wanted less sex with more build up. When I met my husband, he loved foreplay. He enjoyed putting the energy into turning me on. This shows that we were far more compatible because this energy was what I needed. I went from rarely reaching orgasm to sometimes having more than one in a sexual escapade. According to the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, reaching orgasm releases oxytocin, which is also known as one of the happiness hormones. The article on 'The Orgasmic History of Oxytocin' covers several areas of sexuality and the release of oxytocin. So, all the extra energy my husband put into me and all the additional orgasms led to more of this happiness hormone being released into my body. “The sexual connection I have with my partner leads to far more happiness if it's a positive one. Desiring the same things as a couple leads to positivity.” This sexual connection I have with my partner leads to far more happiness if it's a positive one. Desiring the same things as a couple leads to positivity. Putting the kids to bed together and reading them a story five nights a week, while only have sex twice a week, may, in fact, make for more satisfying sex. However, other couples may prefer sex seven days a week. Finding that partner we’re most compatible with is essential for achieving a happy sex life, even if the actual frequency of sex is less than before. Healthy connections and finding a compatible partner means we must be mindful of our needs and desires. 3. Quality of sex As mentioned above, having sex twice a week may be perfect for some partners. The biggest thing I've found out for myself, though, is that's it's the quality of sex rather than the frequency that matters. Is it sex I like? I can have sex for an hour, but ten-minute, super intense, sex is far more powerful for me. Because I enjoy the latter more, it means a deeper level and quality of sex. Longer, softer sex is still good, but not as strong for me. RELATED: What work can teach us about improving our relationships As Brian Joseph Gillespie also mentions in his April 2016 study, couples that had far less sex but felt they had quality sex were more satisfied with their sex lives. Sp, satisfaction contributes to a happy sex life too, as well as your overall happiness levels. It's a match: couple compatibility is one factor of a happy sex life This isn’t so clear, though, when it comes to other studies. The Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization also carried out research. It found that when they asked participants to have more sex, their fulfillment actually decreased! What I found interesting about this study is that it didn’t include crossovers as Brian’s did. So the folks taking part may or may not have desired that frequency, and that can lead to poor and ‘rushed’ quality. 4. Type of sex I'm convinced that the more we're self-aware and mindful of our needs around sex and happiness, the happier we will be. It can be related to oxytocin release or happiness with our partner(s). Or, it might be that when we honour our needs, we will be more satisfied because we’ll be seeking out the relationships and sexual encounters that make us feel good inside. RELATED: Altruism is sexy and leads to more sex One of the things that drives me batty as a sexuality educator is that so many people feel they need to have intercourse for it to be ‘sex’. I believe that this is not true. That's because there's oral sex, anal sex, masturbatory sex, and even tantric sex. Some may get just as much satisfaction from cuddling as others do a three-hour long missionary sex session. Cuddling releases oxytocin too. So, for asexual folks, this is likely to be far more satisfying than full intercourse. Conclusion: lots of sex doesn't equal happy sex What all of this research and my personal experience has taught me is that the topic of sexual activity and happiness is complex. What I find this all boils down to is that we have to be mindful of our desires and needs. Then we need to honour those desires and needs to be happy. There's no doubt in my mind that when I've walked away from a very satisfying sexual encounter, I'm giggly and flying high. This elevated mood can even last for days! Interestingly, some of the encounters that brought on this feeling have been quite short. And sometimes they vary in frequency as well. But they are still – by far – the most satisfying and happy-making for me. Other times I've had a lot of sex and often, but I didn't get that same high from it: I didn't giggle or walk away with a feeling of euphoria. Ride of your life: quality rules when it comes to happy sex But the most important factor from the list for me is the quality of sex I'm having. All of this connects because all of this involves being tuned into who we are. It’s the self-awareness and mindfulness that leads to us finding compatible partners with similar sexual desires, with the ability to turn mediocre into outstandingly – quality-filled – sexual encounters. If you’re interested in upping your happiness through increased sexual encounters – and I guess you are as you are reading this article (!), I’d suggest keeping these things to the front of your mind: Find a partner compatible with your life goals Talk about sex and sexuality, compare your desires Remember that quantity is not the same as quality Honour both people’s needs with compassion In essence, this is simple. Pay attention and honour one another. If you find your partner isn't ready to meet your needs or if you find you’re not willing to meet theirs and you are both profoundly unable to compromise, maybe letting go of that connection and being open to someone more compatible with your needs is the healthier way to go. “There's no doubt in my mind that when I've walked away from a very satisfying sexual encounter, I'm giggly and flying high. The elevated mood can last me days.” I was often taught that couples that love each other stay together until death. But I have never really bought into this belief. If I can’t make my partner happy, then I will love him enough to let him go so he can find happiness elsewhere. I'm sure the ex that hated foreplay and loved frequent sex has found his special someone that desires those same things. If we’d stayed together, we wouldn't have been happy. And that wouldn't have been due to lack of sex: we were having plenty of that, after all! So, in conclusion, honour your needs, talk about your desires, and listen to your partner when they tell you about their needs and desires. Then, act. For me, this has been the fastest way to a happy and fulfilled sex life. ● Main image: colourbox.com Written by Sienna Saint-Cyr Sienna Saint-Cyr is an author, advocate, and the founder of SinCyr Publishing. She speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on the importance of having a healthy body image, understanding enthusiastic consent, using sexuality to promote healing, navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships, having Complex PTSD, and more. Sienna loves sharing her journey of healing and finding happiness with her readers. Along with writing erotica and romance, Sienna speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on such sex-positive topics as a healthy body image, using sexuality to promote healing, and navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships. She writes for several websites. Find out more.

Here are six ways to keep your head when the internet loses it. By Zaid Jilani on behalf of Greater Good Science Center. The short video went viral on social media, as so many do. It appeared to show teens participating in an anti-abortion march confronting and mocking an older Native American man, provoking outrage by millions across social media. The clip made it to cable news. Celebrities joined in the fracas. Their school, Kentucky-based Covington Catholic, eventually responded, saying that it will take “appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.” But the initial narrative about the video collapsed when the full two-hour video of the incident became available. It’s not that the longer video exonerates the teenagers for bad behavior, but it did become clear that they were surrounded by adults whose behavior was, if anything, worse. Teen Nick Sandmann faces Native American activist Nathan Phillips in Washington, DC, on Jan 18, 2019. Hostile interactions between protesters and counter-protesters are common at these sorts of events, and it’s possible that if everyone involved were to engage in productive dialogue in a different setting, they could make amends with each other. The Native American activist in the video, Nathan Phillips, himself later offered to participate in such a bridge-building dialogue with the students. But that’s not the way social media outrage commonly plays out. Social media tribes tend to divide the world into good and evil, and seek to punish offenders, not promote understanding and change – a dynamic that is almost certainly aggravated by foreign-sponsored social media accounts that aim to play on America’s social divisions. There is even research showing that the volume of moralized tweets is linked to real-life acts of violence. As neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky writes in his 2017 book Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst, “punishing norms violations is satisfying,” because punishing a perceived evildoer releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that relates to how the brain processes pleasure. Punishment and pleasure Sapolsky cites a 2004 study to make the point. In that study, players are offered the opportunity to punish others who behave unfairly in an economic game. What the researchers found through the use of brain scans is that reward-related regions of the brain were consistently activated when players administered punishment, especially when players had to pay to punish. Punishing others feels so good, we’re even willing to sacrifice to do it. 
RELATED: Happiness hormones: the neurochemicals of happiness The neurological rewards we get from punishing people is at least one of the reasons why humans have engaged in public shaming rituals. In pre-industrial England, this took the form of maiming, branding, whipping, and other forms of physical torture. “Social media tribes tend to divide the world into good and evil, and seek to punish offenders, not promote understanding and change.” Zaid Jilani Eventually, this form of public shaming was ruled inhumane. The U.S. Constitution includes a provision barring “cruel and unusual punishment,” partly in reaction to the frequent use of torture. But the rise of social media services have offered another avenue for public shaming, with the frequent goal of making the targets persona non grata – not engaging in any sort of physical torture, but making them less appealing to employers and potential friends. “Social media might make it even more rewarding than it already is,” says William Brady, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale who studies the role of morality, emotion, and social identity online. “Because now it’s bringing on a social-feedback element. Where not only does it feel good for you to express outrage and punish, but now all your friends are saying, ‘Hey, we approve of this, we feel good.’” Given this powerful human psychology, what can we do to de-escalate our own online outrage moments? Here are six ways we can dial down our discussions and avoid snap judgments of people we only know through videos or words that are sometimes taken out of context. 1. Avoid stereotyping people based on little information Part of the reason the Covington teens provoked such a backlash online, especially among members of the political left, was the imagery of the situation in the brief online clip originally posted. The teenagers were smiling white boys wearing pro-Trump “Make America Great Again” hats facing off with a Native American protester. That’s an image tailor-made to provoke rage in today’s America. Face shook? Don't let social media enrage you shutterstock/pathdoc Many observers used a mental shortcut known as the “representatitiveness heuristic” – to make assumptions about the teenagers based off of stereotypes. One writer for The Atlantic instantly compared the incident to white mobs preventing African Americans from attending public schools in the 1950s, a comparison that became debatable once the full context of the incident was made available. It’s not that race wasn’t at play in the incident; but understanding the impact of the representativeness heuristic on how we see events will slow the rush to judgment. All human beings are susceptible to stereotyping, and in some applications stereotypes can be useful – for instance, if you're trying to decide whether it’s a good idea to bring an umbrella during a spring trip to Seattle. But when we use limited information to fit people into stereotypes, we often make negative and ignorant assumptions. 2. Be aware of “pluralistic ignorance” Sophia Moskalensko, a researcher who studies radicalization, says a phenomenon called “pluralistic ignorance” helps drive outrage on social media. Pluralistic ignorance is a situation where members of a group may privately reject an idea, but they believe most of the other members of the group believe that idea, so they decide to accept it. Since our social media networks are likely to consist of people we tend to agree with, we feel compelled to be angry when we see all of them angry about something. “When we’re online and we encounter some piece of political theater… we see people all outraged about it, and they’re using expletives and they’re using explosive metaphors, we’re thinking, ‘Wow, everybody is feeling this way about this,’” says Moskalensko. “Over time people shift their opinions to more closely resemble what they feel is the social norm.” 3. Walk in the shoes of your opponents Some of the behavior of the teenagers may indeed have been immature and emotionally harmful. However, the longer video reveals a chaotic environment in which any one of us might have lost our cool or behaved in an immature fashion — especially if we were teenagers with a limited worldview. Simply dropping our preconceived notions and imagining ourselves in their shoes can help lower the temperature of the online conversation. You may doubt this approach can work, but it is research-tested. In 2005, researchers paired Palestinians with Israelis and asked each to share the difficulties of life in their society, and then take the perspective of the other side. This form of dialogue significantly improved the attitudes of both sides towards each other. If this approach has shown promise between foes in a lethal conflict, it certainly may heal the divide between Trump-backing teenagers and those who oppose the president. 4. Don’t be afraid to admit you were wrong After the larger context of the Covington Catholic teens incident was unveiled, some news outlets who had promoted the story tried to portray the entire high school they attended as unarguably racist to keep the narrative alive. Quite a few commentators doubled down on the original narrative, ignoring new information. This isn’t surprising. Human beings are naturally averse to admitting they were wrong. But our first impressions are often understandably inaccurate, and we should have the humility to admit our errors, and to be generous towards others when they make errors, as well. Tweet sweet: think before you bang out a reply on social channels While it’s hard to admit a mistake to another person, writes the psychologist Rick Hanson, there are benefits: “It cuts to the heart of the matter, reduces a cause of their anxiety or anger, let you move on to other topics (including your own needs), takes the wind out of their sails if they’re lambasting you, and puts you in a stronger position to ask them to admit fault themselves.” RELATED: The six steps to an effective apology On social media, admitting fault has another benefit: It will encourage an ethic of reflection and apology that will almost certainly make your network a more pleasant place to be. 5. Practice mindfulness to approach politics with less anxiety and anger Part of the reason online outrage takes a hold of people is because they are having a hard time controlling their personal anxiety. But research has shown that even a brief period of meditation may make you more generous and less angry towards others. In one 2013 study, participants who took part in a short meditation showed reduced prejudice towards the homeless; a study released the following year found similar benefits in terms of reducing prejudice towards African Americans and the elderly. RELATED: Do mindfulness apps work? In some ways, however, mindfulness has a much simpler social media lesson for us: Take a breath before hitting return on that tweet or status update. In that pause, you might ask yourself: What’s happening in my body? What are my intentions? Are these words consistent with my intentions? How do I want my friends and family to feel? What kind of person do I want to be? 6. Focus on individual characteristics, not group identity Should Phillips and the teenagers have the meeting he has proposed, they could start their conversation by talking not about Donald Trump or Native American political issues, but about themselves. “Take a breath before hitting return on that tweet or status update. In that pause, you might ask yourself: What kind of person do I want to be?” Zaid Jilani Research shows that people are more sympathetic towards an identifiable person than towards a group. If Phillips and the teenagers can learn to humanize and respect each other as individuals, they may be able to have a more nuanced and empathic discussion about Native American rights and why some vote for the Republican Party, without taunting or insults. Punishment might feel good in the moment — but restorative solutions to social conflict are what will create a country that all of us can live in. ● Main image: shutterstock/Olena Yakobchuk How do stay calm using social media channels? Let the happiness.com community know below... 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

Feeling unhappy is usually viewed as something to be avoided, but as Calvin Holbrook writes, studies show that cherophobia – the fear of happiness – is real. So, why are some people afraid of happiness, and can the condition be treated? It’s probably true to say that many of us are searching for happiness throughout our lives, be it from loving relationships, career satisfaction, or a safe and comfortable home. So, the idea that someone could suffer from a fear of happiness sounds hard to believe. But, in fact, there are some people who completely avoid any feelings of happiness and are indeed afraid of the consequences of being joyful. This phenomenon is known as cherophobia, or the fear of happiness. The term comes from the Greek word chairo, which means ‘I rejoice’. Now, we can all empathize with a fear of flying, snakes or heights – we may even share some of those phobias ourselves – but an aversion to happiness? It’s tricky to get to grips with the idea that a person could be afraid to be happy. Cherophobia: the definition In truth, people living with cherophobia are not always fearful of the pleasant feelings happiness can bring, but are, in fact, more concerned about the possible negative effects – disappointment, sadness, loneliness – which can follow when whatever is causing the happiness stops. Indeed, some people with cherophobia have problems to grant themselves the slightest joy or pleasure as they feel undeserving of it. The assumption is that happiness cannot be stable or constant, and only bad luck will follow, so there’s little point believing in happiness and well-being in the first place. Unfortunately, worrying about being happy blocks a healthy way of life. That’s because humans need positive experiences to reinforce and refuel ourselves, both mentally and physically. Additionally, the production of so-called ‘happiness hormones’ (endorphins such as serotonin and dopamine), is important for our well-being. Those of us who do not produce enough of these endorphins may develop depression. Life on the edge: those with cherophobia are often depressed Indeed, the attempt to deliberately avoid or oppress feelings of happiness has a counterproductive effect on the human body. Working against nature causes stress, which in turn sets free stress hormones (instead of ones linked to well-being). Depression and fear of happiness Scientists assume a connection between cherophobia and depression, although, as it's a recent study area, it’s still not entirely clear whether the fear of happiness is the cause, result or side effect of depression. However, a 2013 study did identify different correlations or connections of fear and happiness. Researchers in New Zealand and England, UK, incorporated a ‘Fear of Happiness Scale’ to measure to what degree participants associated feeling happy to then having something bad happening afterwards. The results, published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, suggested that those people with depression often avoided activities that could potentially lead to happy feelings, such as meeting with friends or going to parties. “People living with cherophobia are not always fearful of the pleasant feelings happiness can bring, but are, in fact, more concerned about the possible negative effects.” Furthermore, the researchers suggested that a spiral develops in which the common depression symptom of social withdrawal reinforces the worry that if a person experience fun or happy feelings during an event, it will only follow with disappointment, loneliness or other negative letdown. Cherophobia and memory link The fact that our brain is hardwired to focus on the negative rather than the positive also comes into play when exploring aversion to happiness. That’s because people living with cherophobia may have previously experienced life events in which happy times were swiftly followed by a negative or upsetting event. Indeed, those with an aversion to happiness have often filtered their perceptions to remember only the bad thing that happened after a happy time, rather than the joyful experience itself. Painful events, be they physical or emotional, can often create such a strong memory that they overshadow other important or happy times. And if these strong emotional memories develop around happiness being somehow linked to disappointment or pain, this can lead to people avoiding opportunities for happiness due to the fear that something bad is bound to follow. Fear of happiness and culture link Of course, happiness is evaluated completely differently depending on the respective cultural background. For example, in a 2013 study, 'Cross-Cultural Validation of Fear of Happiness Scale Across 14 National Groups', Joshanloo, Weijers and other researchers identified four key reasons for fear of happiness: a belief that happiness will cause bad things to happen a belief that happiness will cause you to become a bad person a belief that expressing happiness is somehow bad for you a belief that pursuing happiness is bad for you and others Interestingly, on this last point, the authors wrote: “Some people – in Western and Eastern cultures – are wary of happiness because they believe that bad things, such as unhappiness, suffering and death, tend to happen to happy people.” In another study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, US-Americans and Chinese participants predicted the expected course of their curve of happiness over their entire life span. While the Americans believed in a continuous course of happiness, the Chinese proceeded more in waves, back and forth, believing in happiness fluctuations. RELATED: Happiness across different cultures The reason for this might be found in Taoism, because according to Taoist philosophy, one is supposed to accept that everything is constantly in flux. Indeed, the pursuit of happiness in countries pronounced by Taoism is less common than in Western countries. The aforementioned Joshanloo, a scientist from Chungbuk National University in South Korea, also carried out a global study about fear of happiness in 2014. The study was made up of 2,700 students from different countries, including Iran, Russia, Japan, USA, Netherlands and ten others. Don't suffer in silence: cherophobia can be treated The results showed that except for participants from Kenya and India, those people in all the other countries did exhibit some fear of happiness. However, there were no major differences in this among the countries themselves. It turned out, however, that in cultures which are more in line with conformity, the fear of envy is bigger than in compared countries. Hence, people in Eastern Asia have more inhibition to show their happiness than, for example, Americans. Happiness aversion: solutions? Studies show that, for the most part, the ability to be happy is innate. While there are people who are threatened to become broken by bad strokes of fate, others overcome them with amazing strength. But not every person missing the happiness gene has to surrender to this fate. Experts talk about so-called ‘happy habits’, the small routine ways we can learn how to increase happiness. For those with cherophobia, this is a great way to expand their personal perception of happiness. Attentiveness and mindfulness are the magic words in this context. That’s because it’s not the big feelings of happiness from, say, falling in love or when a child is born, but rather the little daily things which nourish us psychologically. Things such as the first warm sunbeams on the skin after a long winter, the smell of fresh coffee in the morning, or just-cut grass: all of these can make us happy, if we just allow it. RELATED: Finding happiness – 11 science-backed ways to increase well-being For those living with cherophobia or the fear of happiness, the learning experience from enjoying these small, regular moments of happiness is key. That’s because such moments can usually only be positive – there can be no negative result – no disappointment, envy, punishment – or other negative emotion attached to them. “Those with an aversion to happiness have filtered their perceptions to remember only the bad thing that happened after a happy time.” Some therapists assume that the fear of being happy should be treated like other phobias: with a gradual approach to the fear-triggering moment. Psychologists in this case talk about exposure as it is applied in treating the fear of flying. Little by little the patients face their fear until finally, and in the best case scenario, they can even master an entire flight fearless. The fact remains there is no one-size-fits-all solution for those affected by cherophobia. However, there are sources for happiness from which everyone can draw. First of all, self-knowledge is important: knowing what you like or want in life and and how you can achieve it. Also, the benefits of gratitude include boosting our well-being. Those of us who learn to appreciate what we have got tend to be living a more satisfied life. Cherophobia: conclusions If you have an aversion to happiness or generally having problems finding happiness, consider talking about it with a therapist. Likewise, it’s important to question your own perception of happiness more accurately and ask yourself some basic but important questions: what is happiness for me? Who or what helps me to be happy? How do I handle my feelings of happiness? How do I want to find happiness? All of these are exciting questions, and knowing or just considering the answers can lead you on your way to escaping cherophobia and your fear of happiness and experiencing joy on a day-to-day basis – because everyone deserves to be happy. ● Main image: shutterstock/ESB Professional 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 ■ self-develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Gratitude | Compassion | Resilience Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits the happiness magazine, as well being an artist and lover of swimming, yoga, dancing to house/techno, and all things vintage! Find out more.

As winter turns to spring, new hope can start to emerge in all sorts of ways. And in March there were plenty of feel good news stories in the media. Ed Gould shares his Top Ten. 1. Eye test may help in the fight against Alzheimer's An article in The Daily Express raised awareness of a potential early diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease. Prompt intervention can be crucial in controlling this ultimately incurable condition and would help many people to slow down or halt its progression. The newspaper's report stated that not being able to see colours clearly and distinguishing them from one another were two of the tell tale signs of the condition, something which could be made into a simple test that opticians could check for. 2. New study points out the benefits of mindfulness There have been multiple studies into the advantages of practising mindfulness. Another, published this March, came out following research at the University of Bristol. Conducted over four years, 57 medical students were asked to engage in mindfulness for two hours a week plus a daily personal routine of half an hour. Those who took part almost uniformly reported better coping strategies for stress and emotional problems. They also said that they made fewer snap judgements as a result of taking part in the programme, with greater levels of empathy being noticeable, too. RELATED: The Bright Side - positive news from February 3. Babies teach school children about empathy According to a report in The Daily Record, school kids are being exposed to babies by their teachers in an effort to help them understand empathy. One Scottish primary school teacher has been taking her infant, along with two other babies, into classes and allowing pupils to interact with them every couple of weeks. Charlene McClusky, the teacher involved in the empathy sessions, said it helps her pupils to understand different emotions and to appreciate each other's different family situations. While on maternity leave, she has regularly attended the lessons with her son, Calvin, pointing out that the experience is beneficial for her toddler, too. Kids' stuff: babies can help teach empathy to school children 4. Climate change fund set up to help Africa In addition to a $200 billion fund it has set up to combat climate change, The World Bank has set aside money specifically to help African countries deal with this pressing issue. According to several reports in the press, there's been a further $22.5 billion set aside specifically for the continent which will be spent on various projects. Bids for the money will be accepted between 2021 and 2025. The World Bank is currently working with the governments of Mali, Namibia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya and Rwanda to help fight global warming. 5. Global shoemaker boosts recycled plastic The world-renowned trainer manufacturer, Adidas, launched a new line of footwear a couple of years ago which featured a plastic derived entirely from recycled material. In March, the sports brands announced that it was significantly upscaling the scheme due to its success. Indeed, last year, Adidas sold around five million pairs of trainers made from the recycled material. It now says it plans to double production and hopes to shift at least 11 million trainers this year, thereby doing its bit to prevent plastic from going into landfill or the world's oceans. 6. Mushrooms help to prevent dementia Cognitive decline can be staved off if you eat sufficient mushrooms, a new study has found. Fox News reported that the condition of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is a forerunner of certain types of dementia, is less likely to occur in people who eat two portions of mushrooms per week. In fact, according to researchers at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, people who consume fungi are half as likely to suffer from MCI as those who don't. Mushroom for improvement: funghi could fight dementia 7. Drugs for cancer made cheaper in India The prices of over 40 different anti-cancer have been slashed in India, bringing a great deal of hope to those living with the illness in the country. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority of India decided to take steps which will see an average price reduction of over a quarter. People with cervical cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and leukaemia should all benefit from March onwards. RELATED: The Bright Side – positive news from January 8. Renewable energy performing better than ever in the UK According to a report in The Guardian, wind and solar energy – so-called green sources of electricity – outperformed coal in the United Kingdom over the last two summers. During those months, when demand for energy is lower than in winter, the UK's remaining brown coal-burning power stations were barely used. The news story came as a result of data published by an Australian organisation that monitors the energy market around the world. Additionally, the UK's green power network also made more megawatt hours of electricity than were produced by burning natural gas last summer, too. Wind of change: alternative power boost in the UK 9. Man living with HIV potentially 'cured' According to the BBC and many other news outlets, a man living with HIV may have been 'cured'. The London-based patient has an undetectable level of the virus following ground-breaking stem cell treatment. Having been diagnosed as HIV positive in 2003, the patient's treatment has proven itself to be successful, something that will offer further hope to millions of people living with HIV around the world. Thanks to antiretroviral medications, people living with HIV can now live a healthy and near-normal lifespan. 10. Brain stimulation can help fight off depression Although chronic depression can be treated in a number of ways including drug therapies, physical activity is often recommended as a way of combatting it. In addition, non-invasive brain stimulation has been shown to help in a new study from King's College London. According to reports in Medical News Today, low doses of electrical stimulation to the cortex can help people who fail to respond to other treatments. The technique used is called trans-cranial alternating current stimulation. Over 6,750 patients comprised the study which drew together data from over 100 clinical trials. ● Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Are you overthinking about past mistakes? Rumination, an element of OCD, is an unhealthy form of worrying that can lead to depression. If you're stuck in the past, learn how to stop ruminating thoughts with these three techniques from Dee Marques. Rumination is a dangerous habit that has been linked to serious psychological conditions such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and acute anxiety. But it's never to late to break away from this damaging (and common) habit and take control of your thinking patterns. Indeed, there are ways to stop ruminating and restore your well-being, peace of mind and happiness. Ruminating and overthinking: why it's unhealthy People have ruminating thoughts for a variety of reasons. Some of the common explanations for rumination, according to the American Psychological Association, include: belief that by ruminating, you’ll gain insight into your problem/life a history of physical or emotional trauma dealing with ongoing stressors that can’t be controlled Overthinking negative thoughts is also common in those of us who possess certain personality traits such as neuroticism and perfectionism. Indeed, for most of us, it's completely normal to replay or go over past events in an attempt to understand where we went wrong: the lessons we can learn from past mistakes. In fact, according to research by Matt Killingsworth, incredibly we spend almost half our waking hours thinking about something other than what we're doing! This includes contemplating on what happened in the past (positive or negative). Stop rumination: unhealthy worrying can lead to depression When taken to the extreme, this leads to rumination, which is the compulsive overthinking or dwelling on the negative aspects of one's past or future. This type of over-thinking is associated with obsessive tendencies and has very elevated cognitive and emotional costs. For instance, psychological research has shown that there's a link between rumination and negative psychological states, like anxiety and depression. Sooner or later, ruminators fall into an obsessive cycle of negative thoughts, which in turn lead to feelings on helplessness, guilt, anger, or regret, as well as to heightened stress and anxiety levels. A link between rumination and depression has also been suggested: a study in the US found that ruminators were more likely to become and remain clinically depressed after traumatic life events, such as the loss of a loved one. So, it appears that rumination and depressive states reinforce each other. In fact, they can send individuals into a spiral of uncontrolled negativity. Rumination and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) In clinical psychology, rumination or brooding is classified as an element of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). The intrusive and distressing thoughts brought about by rumination soon become impossible to stop. It's precisely this loss of control over one's thoughts that has led many psychologists to make a connection between this condition and OCD. “Rumination is the obsessive overthinking or dwelling on the negative aspects of one's past or future. This type of thinking has very elevated cognitive and emotional costs.” Researchers have also found a connection between rumination and harmful behaviour, such as binge drinking and binge eating. A study published in 2014 suggested that rumination may cause binge eating or increase its severity in cases where this behaviour already exists. • JOIN US! Need support? Sign-up to happiness.com and join a community that cares • In the case of binge drinking, a longitudinal study carried out among US university students found a causal link between rumination, depression, and heavy drinking. It appears that rumination leads to this type of uncontrolled behaviours. They become a coping mechanism, a figurative escape valve, and a way to regulate the negative emotions that are exacerbated by rumination. Rumination: negative interpersonal effects Eventually, rumination causes an inability to handle basic tasks in daily life. Since ruminators are so absorbed in unhealthy thoughts, these interfere with their ability to perform a job and to handle personal or professional relationships. RELATED: What is NLP? These 4 techniques could change how you think In addition to mental health consequences, rumination has serious interpersonal effects, as ongoing brooding may erode support from friends and relatives and cause a frustration and withdrawal cycle that becomes a cause for further rumination. Rumination: impaired brain function More importantly, rumination and overthinking is harmful because those who suffer from it focus exclusively on the minute details of a problem instead of finding a solution. Much like it happens in clinically depressed patients, brain function in ruminators is impaired in that it hinders their problem-solving ability. Instead, negative neural networks cause an unrealistic sense of despair: they doom along with the belief that there's no solution in sight. See the light: free your mind and stop rumination How to stop ruminating: three great techniques There's no doubt that rumination is a psychological burden. If you suffer from negative overthinking, you need to know that others in the same situation have managed to put a stop to unproductive thoughts. In fact, there are many strategies available to help you out in the struggle of breaking a thinking pattern that has become a habit. Here are three techniques that can teach you how to stop ruminating and take a step forward towards a healthier existence marked by happiness and appreciation, instead of worry and anxiety. 1. Mindfulness training Recently, psychologists have developed cognitive therapies that help patients stop ruminating by incorporating elements of mindfulness practice. This is effective because mindfulness requires us to think about how we think, instead of simply jumping into a spiral of negative thoughts. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged Mindfulness also brings an increased awareness into your own thinking patterns and reinforces your ability to identify triggers or to realise when negative intrusive thoughts reach a point of no return. “Rumination and overthinking is harmful because those who suffer from it focus exclusively on the minute details of a problem instead of finding a solution.” Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy often involves psychological intervention and educational sessions, as well as training in yoga and breathing techniques. The objective is to help ruminators gain insights into how their own brain functions, and by making individuals focus on their present state. They help suppress the impulse of obsessively focusing on past events. 2. Problem solving techniques Rumination has been sometimes described as “problem solving gone wrong”, so it only makes sense that one of the key ways in which you can stop ruminating is learning problem-solving techniques so you can address and reverse the paralysing effects of rumination. The first step is to ask the right questions: for example, instead of asking “why did that happen?”, you should choose an action-focused question such as “what can I do about it?”. Then move onto the basic steps of problem solving: identifying the problem deciding on your objective listing the resources that will help you tackle your goals tracing a step-by-step action plan putting it into writing if necessary 3. Distraction The third technique involves not giving your mind time or space to engage in harmful brooding. Instead, keep your mind occupied with something that you find interesting or motivating. This could be anything from singing, volunteering, or exercising. The important thing is to choose a constructive distraction instead of falling into unhealthy distractions like drinking or over-eating. Don't dwell: distract your mind from rumination Admittedly, keeping your mind occupied with something else can be hard. It's all too easy to unconsciously drift into rumination. But do your best to replace thinking patterns and it will get easier the better your get at mindfulness practice. Another suggestion is to only allow yourself to ruminate for a short period of time, setting a time limit or “scheduled rumination” sessions (but keep them short and stick to the schedule). Stop ruminating and overthinking: the benefits If you've decided to stop ruminating and focus on replacing this habit with positive thinking patterns, you can look forward to many physical and psychological benefits. Overcoming rumination will give your freedom from harmful and unproductive thoughts and have a positive effect on your overall well-being. Just like rumination, depression, anxiety, and other destructive behaviours reinforce each other. So, breaking away from this circle can reinforce confidence in yourself and in your ability to take the reins of your own life. Interestingly enough, ruminators are often on a never-ending quest for insight (asking questions that rarely have an answer), but only those who manage to break away from this habit can look forward to finally achieving a sharper awareness and a better understanding of themselves. With effort, practice, and support, you can conquer the heavy burden of rumination, overthinking and worry. You can move from a vicious circle of inaction to a position where you're in control of your thoughts and future. If you can learn how to stop ruminating thoughts then you will be on your way to enjoying a more balanced view of your past, present, and future. • Main image: colourbox.com happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up free to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine ■ share and support in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online Academy courses Compassion | Friendship | Charity 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.

February may be the shortest month, but it wasn't short of positive news stories. From a smart new way to reuse plastic bags to mindfulness classes in schools, here's the Top 10 happy news round-up from Ed Gould. 1. New use for plastic bags You might think that single-use plastic bags offered no hope, but according to reports in the USA, they may soon be used to help power gadgets, such as mobile phones. A team from Purdue University in the States and the Universidad Tecnológica de Querétaro in Mexico have developed a way to collect the carbon from the polythene such bags are usually made from. By harvesting it rather than binning it, they can be made into electrical components used in the sort of batteries found in smartphones. Who would have though it possible? 2. New patch system can fight tumours The battle against cancer takes many forms. In a new approach, medics in Boston have developed a patch which will work to destroy tumours in certain situations. The patch can be applied onto a patient’s skin – close to the affected area – which doctors hope will reduce the levels of discomfort patients feel from conventional treatments. Dr Manijeh Goldberg worked on the idea to try and help patients with ailments like oral cancer, which often results in intrusive surgery. Her use of nano-technology tries to target chemicals just where they are needed in a more targeted approach. Trials are ongoing according to reports by CBS. 3. Reptile back from extension In news that will bring happiness to all animal lovers, a species of tortoise that was long thought to be extinct has been spotted again. Last seen at the start of the 20th century, the Galapagos tortoise has been seen on the archipelago. The announcement came from Ecuador's Environment Ministry and was welcomed around the globe. Shell shocked: the Galapagos tortoise is back! 4. New technique to store solar energy developed It’s long been the hope of engineers to find a way to store electrical power derived from renewable sources without using conventional batteries (which have their own environmental issues). In positive news from the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, a group of researchers have developed a new liquid which can store energy from the sun. The so-called Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage will be able to run through many cycles before it stops functioning effectively. Stored at room temperature, all that’s needed is for a catalyst to be added to release the energy-giving power of the liquid. One variant of the fluid has been found to be very effective. Indeed, it can store around 250 watt-hours of energy per kilo, the researchers claim. RELATED: The Bright Side – positive news from January 5. Ecological breakthrough in textile dyeing One of the big problems with dyeing fabrics for clothes and linen is that it takes a lot of chemicals and water. In order to come up with a greener solution, a Dutch company, DyeCoo, has developed a commercial system which, instead, harnesses carbon dioxide. According to GreenBiz, by pressurising it, the cleantech company has been able to fix colours to textiles without using so much of the world's resources. What's more, the carbon dioxide is recycled and doesn't escape to the atmosphere. Smart stuff! 6. Mindfulness classes to be taught in English schools The Department for Education in the UK announced that English schools will take part in a trial of mindfulness and relaxation, which will run until 2021. The techniques that children will learn include deep breathing and emotion regulation. It’s hoped this will lead to some positive news concerning the country's mental health crisis among teenagers, as youngsters become better equipped to handle the pressures of growing up and school life. According to ITV, over 350 primary and junior schools will take place in the trial over nine different educational authorities. Class act: kids in England will get mindfulness classes 7. Acupuncture could help women in menopause A Professor at the University of Exeter, Edzard Ernst, has claimed that symptoms caused by the menopause have been scientifically proven to improve with acupuncture treatments. The academic was reported in The Times as saying that sweating, hot flushes and mood swings – among other symptoms – were all less severe following treatments. The study involved a trial of 70 women going through the menopause. 8. Floating bins used to clean up the seas As widely reported, a group of Australian surfers have come up with a novel approach to keep the ocean clear of rubbish. In positive news for marine life everywhere, they’ve developed a bin that floats on the surface and captures rubbish, much like a lobster pot. The prototype Seabin – as they call their device – has been tested in a marina. In little over a week, more than a dozen types of plastic were captured. Cleverly, the Seabin makes a noise as it floats in the water, deterring fish and other creatures from going inside. Many hope the system can be upscaled to provide the marine environment with a chance of being rid of the rubbish that currently pollutes it. RELATED: The Bright Side – positive news from December 9. The world is getting greener If you think the planet is becoming more and more deforested you’re not alone. However, NASA has brought a little happiness to this gloomy view. Its satellite imagery has shown that there are more trees, not fewer, than a few years ago. As reported by CNN, the US space agency has noted that both India and China have been planting trees and agricultural crops that have created more vegetation overall. Since 2000, it’s estimated that leaf-covered spaces of the planet have risen by some 2,000,000 square miles. Green is go: there are more trees than ever before 10. Science shows self-kindness has mental and physical benefits In an announcement made in February, a team of researchers from the Universities of Exeter and Oxford, UK, said that being kind to yourself not only helps your mental well-being but aids your physical state. According to Dr Hans Kirschner, who led the study in Exeter, being kind allows the mind to relax which, in turn, puts the body into a state where it can heal itself better. It’s even thought that kindness may lead to an improved auto-immune response in people who show more self-compassion. The scientists trialled their ideas with a group who were given audio recordings to listen to, some of which suggested greater self-compassion and others of which did not. Those who were not in the control group responded favourably. ● Main image: shutterstock/Pavle Bugarski Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

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

Who exactly is Tara Brach? Ed Gould takes an in-depth look at the career of this respected writer, psychologist, spiritual teacher and meditation and mindfulness expert. With a PhD in Clinical Psychology, Tara Brach is an American psychologist and writer, mostly associated with advocating for the role of Eastern spiritual practices in Western contexts. She grew as a Unitarian and lives in Virginia with her husband, a teacher of meditation and yoga. Tara Brach helped found the Insight Meditation Community in Washington DC in 1998. This spiritual community teaches and practices insight (or Vipassana, as referred to by Buddhists). Her teaching focuses on drawing attention to the mindful attention to the inner life of people, as well as developing a full and compassionate engagement with the world. Tara Brach: meditation and teaching A spiritual teacher who travels all over America, Tara teaches online, in written form, and also in person. She has visited Europe to discuss her views on meditation and Eastern spirituality in psychology. Her teaching focuses on the application of what are essentially Buddhist teachings to bring about healing at an emotional level. Her first published work, Radical Acceptance, dealt with how practices such as mindfulness can be effective in healing trauma. Other written teachings offer similar suggestions, such as how tapping into inner peace and wisdom can help people who are going through psychological difficulties and stressful situations. “Imperfection is not our personal problem: it's a natural part of existing.” Tara Brach, from her book Radical Acceptance In person, Tara Brach is well-versed as a presenter. In addition, she teaches classes, provides workshops and leads silent meditations. Brach is also well-known as a teacher of mindfulness and meditation on the internet. She even produces a regular podcast which is so popular it's downloaded around one million times every month! Education and background Tara Brach gained her qualification in psychology from the Fielding Institute. Her dissertation centred on a ground-breaking analysis of the effectiveness of meditation in the healing of certain eating disorders. As an undergraduate, she received a double major in psychology and political science from Clark University. Tara Brach travels globally teaching on meditation and mindfulness © Facebook/Tara Brach It was at this time in her life that Brach began attending yoga classes, something which led to an interest in exploring Eastern approaches regarding inner transformation. After graduation, she chose to spend a decade in an ashram (a spiritual hermitage) where she developed techniques in concentrative meditation. Later, she attended a Buddhist Insight Meditation retreat run by Joseph Goldstein. During this part of her life, Brach trained her mind in unconditional and loving presence. “I knew this was a path of true freedom,” she says. Brach bases many of her past teachings around the processional development in her life. It's from her direct personal experiences with the role of Eastern spirituality in her own life, as well as her academic understanding of clinical psychology, that has led to her particular vision for blending Buddhist ideas with psychological ones. Written works Among the many notable works of Tara Brach is her book, Radical Self-Acceptance: A Buddhist Guide to Freeing Yourself from Shame. The book looks into how crippling self-judgements and inner conflicts can lead to futile perfectionism, loneliness and an over-reliance on self-worth based on work. In it, Brach offers interpretations of Buddhist tales and meditations to show how to overcome such judgements by a radical acceptance of one's self. “Tara Brach is well-known as a teacher of mindfulness and meditation on the internet. She even produces a regular podcast.” Another title worth seeking out is True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart. It deals with subject matter such as obsessive behaviour, life-changing illness and relationship breakdown. Brach has also produced a free guide to meditation which is available in several languages. This easy-to-read guide provides entry-level advice for establishing a meditative regime. It deals with hindrances to meditation and guidance on how to sustain meditation as a practice (we have some ideas of our own; check out Five strategies to help you develop a meditation practice). Online resources for Tara Brach As mentioned, many of Brach's teachings and ideas in psychology are accessible via the net, much of it for free. Although she frequently teaches in person, for many people it's the online world which has brought her vision of a blend Western psychology and Eastern spiritual teachings to the fore. You can find several online courses on mindfulness, which she developed with Jack Kornfield, at Soundtrue. We've already tried Mindfulness Daily – an app which provides daily lessons and shot meditations. Tara Brach bases many of her teachings around her life development © tarabrach.com Brach's audio podcasts, which include led meditations, can be opened in iTunes for free. Another place to listen to her talks and other audio freely is via her website which includes an integrated audio player. The archive goes back several years, so there's plenty to hear and learn from. Some of Brach's past talks are also available on video. They offer many insights into matters such as awakening consciousness, seeking internal and external truths and spiritual empowerment. While addressing from a lectern, Brach's style is engaging and often compelling while never becoming overly technical in either psychological or spiritual terminology. Her website hosts a number of these videos. She also has her own YouTube channel which includes a fascinating free-to-watch playlist named 'Finding True Refuge'. .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%; } Tara Brach: meditation talks and events As a practising psychotherapist and meditation teacher, some of Brach's talks and training sessions are for professionals only. For example, some of her groundbreaking work in showing how psychotherapists can integrate mindfulness strategies into their clinical work is conducted in academic institutions in the United States only. However, public events are online. Other than Brach's frequent work with Vipassana meditation instruction, occasional retreat teaching sessions are listed on her website. She also maintains regular updates of her Facebook page which details upcoming talks and public events. ● Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

Looking to develop or improve your mindfulness practice? Tine Steiss reviews Mindfulness Daily, an app that aims to do just that. In Mindfulness Daily, Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach are presenting a 40-day introduction for mindfulness and meditation. You can access the daily lessons via an app or online. Mindfulness Daily app: what is it? The lessons are usually around 10 minutes long and are either taught by Jack or Tara. An explanation about today's subject is followed by a guided meditation to dig deeper into the subject. It's wrapped up with a daily practice to try throughout the day. Finding some space to incorporate your Mindfulness Daily practice during the start of your day could be a great idea. RELATED: Morning meditation – the secret to a great day Once you've completed a lesson you can access the following one the next day. This creates a nice pace and means that you can't rush through the course. You're given the time to explore each lesson throughout your day and you can always revisit the lessons you've already completed. These lessons are currently divided into four main topics: Mindfulness Basics Emotional Intelligence Resilience, Healing and Inner Freedom Mindful Living With the latest update of the Mindfulness Daily app, each lesson also has a name. This makes it much easier to revisit your most influential lessons when you feel like you need them. With this, you can tailor your sittings to your daily needs once you've finished the course by starting out with a subject you'd like to focus on. Which means the app keeps being your little helper, even after having finished the course. “Once you've completed a lesson on Mindfulness Daily you can access the following one the next day. This creates a nice pace and you can't rush through the course.” The course has a great structure that guides you through all the relevant areas of mindfulness without being boring or too demanding. It's suitable for beginners as a first introduction to mindfulness, but if you're more experienced you will still find this course helpful and structured and are likely to discover new aspects of mindfulness for yourself. Get 'appy: Mindfulness Daily offers 40 lessons Going through 40 aspects in 40 lessons you'll most likely encounter some that seem to be an easy ride and some that touch you on a deeper level. So, this is also a great way to explore where to focus on more in your future practice. Pricing and benefits Mindfulness Daily is distributed by Sounds True, an independent multimedia publishing company focusing on spiritual traditions, arts and humanities. I paid $38 for the app, so each lesson came down to less than $1. If you download Mindfulness Daily you also get access to other free Sounds True content. Even its regular newsletters come with free content, so the marketing is actually a win-win deal; they remind you to spend your money with them and give you something nice for free. Fair enough if you ask me. [UPDATE] Mindfulness daily is now available for free! RELATED: The 5 best happiness apps to improve well-being The Sounds True library app is a similar deal. It provides you with easy access to meditations, music, Mindfulness Daily and whatever else you may buy there in the future. It also tracks the time you've been meditating with the app, offers a meditation timer with different bells, and a journal for your experiences. This keeps me from not deleting the app from my phone and even using it on a daily basis. Mindfulness Daily: my personal experience Due to the briefness of each lesson, it's easily incorporated into your morning routine. At least for me, it was easy to sit down for ten minutes each morning and I didn't skip or postpone a single day. Most of the time I'd even revisit a lesson in the evening again to wrap up my day. “The Mindfulness Daily app course has a great structure that guides you through all the relevant areas of mindfulness without being boring or too demanding.” I started with meditation many years ago, but it wasn't until about two years ago that I developed my personal daily routine. Having a structured program is very helpful for me to keep up a daily practice. Even better if it helps me revisit and expand my knowledge and practice. So, the structured daily lessons were really up my alley to start with. I also realized how I got a bit slack after the course had finished. But I started using single lessons matching my needs that day as an intro to my daily practice. High praise: daily meditation using Mindfulness Daily works Furthermore, I admit to being a bit of a Tara Brach fangirl. She has a lot of free content out there that I listen to regularly. Normally it's harder for me to concentrate on a subject if I'm just listening and I prefer reading about it. In her case, it's the other way around. I had some troubles reading her book True Refugee. On the other hand, listening to her talks is a great experience, as the way she explains things really resonates with me. So, that's one of the main reasons I chose this course. If you're unsure about whether or not you like Tara Brach's or Jack Kornfield's style, just check out the free content they provide. Some of it you can also get for free on Sounds True. ● Main photo: colourbox.com Written by Tine Steiss Tine is part of the happiness.com team. She's an artist, meditator, media engineer and MBSR teacher. If she's not traveling she's working on turning her rooftop terrace into a garden paradise. Find out more about her on Instagram.

Positivity can often seem in short supply during the New Year and winter, but January was actually full of great news. Here's our regular Top 10 positive story round-up from Ed Gould. 1. US coal usage drops significantly Coal is one of the worst fossil fuels when it comes to both air quality and the release of carbon dioxide. And although the US has a leader who's open about his scepticism towards climate change, there is hope. Since 1979, coal consumption in the country has never been lower, according to 2018 data published by the US Energy Information Administration. Most coal is burned in the US in order to generate electricity and it's the growth in renewable and other sources of power that has led to the drop. 2. Coral reef stabilising after mass bleaching Marine life is never more delicate than when it uses coral reefs for its habitat. Four years ago, many people feared for the future of a beautiful stretch of coral in Hawaii following a mass bleaching, considered to be an environmental disaster. However, marine scientists have offered new hope thanks to their study which shows that the reef in question is starting to stabilise. It's regarded as the first step to the potential recovery of the underwater environment in the area. 3. Is rocking to sleep a cure for insomnia? According to Psychology Today, being rocked to sleep in a hammock or a similar device can help adults get to sleep. It's long been a technique for getting infants to drop off, of course, but a new study shows that the effects of rocking can work just as well with grown-ups. Not only do the scientists concerned think it's a good way to get to sleep, but it can help those who suffer from insomnia too, something that has to be positive news for anyone who's reading this late at night because they cannot get to sleep! Rock on: hammocks could help with sleep issues 4. Reduce your stress by thinking about those you love Thinking of loved ones can lead to sensations of happiness, especially if you can picture them in positive ways. However, it doesn't end there! A scientist from the University of Arizona studied over 100 cases where people were given a stressful task to complete. His work – published in the journal Psychophysiology – demonstrated that people who focussed on a mental image of their partner during their task were able to lower their blood pressure, thereby relieving any stress. In fact, the approach seemed to work just as well as those who actually had their partner present. 5. Uber rides with mindfulness Uber may be one of the world's best-known technology and transportation companies but its use of mindfulness is much less heard of. In January, the Independent reported that Uber had teamed up with Calm to produce a meditation app which its customers could make use of. The company said it wanted to provide travellers with a range of mindfulness exercises to help them relax during journeys. Uber's new app contains four different exercises that passengers can use according to the length of time they expect to be travelling. 6. Nepal has positive news for its tiger population The tiger is an icon of wildlife protection. Its numbers have been maintained only after extensive efforts to look after its habitats in Asia. However, Nepal has recently conducted a check of the numbers of wild tigers it has and come up with a rather surprising result. There are about twice as many as previously thought, with an estimated 235 big cats throughout the country. The cat's back: there are more tigers in Nepal than previously thought 7. Liver transplants could be revolutionised According to a report on the BBC, scientists have come up with a new procedure for conducting liver transplants. This, it's hoped, will help to speed up the rate at which they can be transplanted, helping to slash waiting times. Donated livers are normally chilled, which mean they can degrade. The new idea is to use perfusion machines in order to keep livers in good condition for longer, offering greater flexibility for finding suitable recipients. 8. New treatment being developed to tackle dementia As published in Science Daily, work by researchers at the University of Southern California has been conducted into a potential new treatment for dementia. The approach is designed to hone in on leaking capillaries in the brain, known to be an early sign of Alzheimer's Disease. The five-year study is ongoing but it hopes to enable sufferers to be identified at an earlier stage than is currently possible with treatments being administered sooner than they otherwise would be. 9. Mindfulness helps with menopausal symptoms The Daily Mail reported that scientists have been working on how mindfulness can help menopausal women to alleviate the worst of their symptoms. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota conducted a study of over 1,700 women, asking them about their symptoms, stress levels and habits with mindfulness. The use of mindfulness was found to be positive in many aspects of the menopause, according to the chief researcher, Dr Richa Sood. Pause for thought: mindfulness could help the menopause 10. New technique may make chemotherapy more bearable A team of American medical researchers has been looking at how chemotherapy can be made more effective by concentrating it in the parts of the body. The idea is to insert tiny sponge-like materials into the patient's bloodstream so that the chemicals used in the therapies cannot pass through. The technique has been referred to as a 'chemofilter' and is something that could potentially improve the lives of many cancer sufferers. The study was conducted by Professor Nitash Balsara from the University of California at Berkley. ● Main image: shutterstock/everst Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

The final month of the year is a time for happiness, hope and reflection on the 12 months that have just passed. In his final installment for the year, here are Ed Gould's Top 10 positive news stories from December... 1. US takes a big step for a renewable energy future The United States may be seen on the international stage as a country that's not fully lined up with climate change policies, but that hasn't stopped the country from announcing its largest federal wind farm plans. No less than 390,000 acres of government waters are to be set aside for wind turbines close to the coast of Rhode Island. Several energy companies will now bid for the right to use the area for sustainable energy production. The deal has been reported to be worth an astonishing $405 million. 2. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can help back pain Scientific research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has made the claim that MBSR can help the body handle a range of pain symptoms including those that impact on the lower back. The study involved eight two-hour sessions per week. As a result of following an MBSR programme, around 60 per cent of participants found that they gained some relief from the pain they'd been feeling. MBSR can help back pain © shutterstock/F8 studio 3. University of New South Wales develops winning solar car While car makers the world over are offering hope of a fossil fuel free future with the development of electric car technology, student designs are continuing to break new ground. A team from the University of New South Wales set a world record for their solar-powered car for driving across the country with the lowest ever use of energy. The university reported in December that its team had covered the 4,100km trip without any problems, even arriving in Sydney two days ahead of schedule! 4. Scientists develop anti-cancer spray In news that made headlines around the globe, research undertaken at UCLA in California has led to the development of a treatment which is applied to cancer sufferers post surgery. When a tumour is removed by a surgical procedure, all too often there can be a recurrence of the condition. Now, a biodegradable gel has been made which, in tests, has shown to reduce the risk of post-operative complications. It's simply sprayed on and helps to boost the body's own immune system. 5. Yoga's benefits for older people to be studied According to associate professor of Exercise and Health Sciences, Garry Tew, at Northumbria University, yoga has many benefits for older people. They include better strength, flexibility, balance, and the overall happiness one feels due to improved quality of life. In order to prove it, Tew's team of researchers have secured funding worth £1.4 million, which will allow them to probe further into yoga's impact on those suffering from long-term conditions into older age. It's hoped the research will help to save the UK's National Health Service money in the long run. Yoga has lots of benefits for seniors © shutterstock/vectorfusionart 6. Plastic bag usage drops dramatically in Australia It's one of those things that is so easily done: turning up at the shop to buy groceries without bags to take them home in. To encourage shoppers to consume fewer bags, two large supermarket chains in Australia banned single-use plastic bags. In positive news for the environment, it was announced in December that the use of such bags had dropped by 80 per cent across the country over the last quarter. In fact, the country's National Retail Association said that in some areas of Australia, use of these bags had by up to 90 per cent in that time period. 7. Shrinkable technology may be with us soon Research undertaken at MIT in Boston has moved into the realm of science fiction after academics there announced they were working on systems which could reduce objects to a thousandth of their original size. Lasers are used to shrink items down to what's known as the nanoscale and it's hoped that there will be many industrial applications for the technique. Likely ones include several medical techniques which could be used in the brain without surgery, and even in areas like DNA therapy. 8. Mindfulness may help boost weight loss The widely respected Nursing Times reported in December that adopting mindfulness techniques could help a range of public health programmes that focus on weight loss. Ongoing research is being undertaken in the UK by the Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism, as well as at the University of Warwick. It aims to augment weight loss programmes in the UK with elements of mindfulness, so that people undergoing them are able to manage their conduct in improved ways. Mindfulness could help weight loss 9. Shipping company commits to a carbon-free future The world's biggest shipping company, Maersk, says it wants the whole industry to go carbon-free. According to CNN, the freight business is aiming to stop using unsustainable fuels by 2050. The CEO of Maersk, Soren Toft, has called on competitors in the sector to make similar changes. The shipping industry currently accounts for about the same level of carbon release from its fuel usage as the international aviation sector. 10. Free public transportation for all in Luxembourg In a world's first, the Benelux country of Luxembourg has announced that it will provide public transport without any cost throughout the entire state. As reported in The Guardian, the country's authorities hope the decision will help in the fight against global warming as well as being a positive way to improve air quality and to reduce congestion. Charges for using trains, trams and buses will all be done away with by the summer of 2019 under the scheme. ● Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

In November, the media was focused on political turmoil, but it was actually a great month for positive news stories. Here's Ed Gould's round-up of the ten best, full of messages of hope and happiness. 1. Australian town leads the way with plastic capture The city of Kwinana in Australia has positive news in the fight against plastic waste ending up in the sea. The authorities there have placed nets on their town's culverts to try and prevent plastic from flowing into the ocean. The results exceeded expectations with around 370 kilos of waste plastic being captured during a period of just a few months – a simple yet effective solution! 2. New brain treatment may help tackle depression According to reports in Science News, scientists from California have found that electrical stimulation to parts of the brain can reduce depression symptoms. The neuroscientific approach involves zapping the lateral orbitofrontal cortex with minor doses of charge from electrodes. Those without depression, or who had mild forms of it, reported no change but, on average, those with severe or intermediate levels of depression said the process left them feeling better. Work is underway to see how longer lasting effects may be possible. 3. Huge new nature reserve created in Central Africa The Democratic Republic of the Congo may not always be associated with happy events, but in November, several press outlets reported on a major achievement for the country. It's taken almost 14 years to come to fruition, but the Ogooué-Leketi National Park – covering an area of over 1,300 square miles – has finally opened. It will help to protect the country's diverse wildlife, including many endangered species such as mountain gorillas. Congo: A new nature reserve for gorillas © Shutterstock/CherylRamalho 4. Bamboo housing prize awarded to young designer Widely reported around the world, a design for using low-cost materials to form housing in the Philippines has been awarded with an award in the UK. With prize money donated by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the award recognised Earl Patrick Forlales' use of bamboo, a resource widely available in the Philippines, so that slum housing can be replaced with cheap and an eco-friendly accommodation. According to the BBC, the 23-year-old Forlales' modular home design could help up to 12 million slum dwellers in Manilla alone. 5. Cleaner fuel capacity from developing countries Clean technology for generating electrical power is nothing new, but it was only in November that the developing world added more capacity in this regard than it did with outdated fossil fuel technology. In positive news for the environment, less developed countries added 114 gigawatts of clean energy production in 2018. That's compared to only around 60 gigawatts added by developed countries which, in fairness, were already starting from a higher base level. That said, the fact is that – according to a report published by Bloomberg – developing countries are now playing their part in much more dynamic ways to fight climate change. 6. Mindfulness study shows it benefits PhD students According to a number of reports, the benefits of mindfulness techniques were studied by an in-depth scientific programme run in the United States. This particular study focussed on a large sample of some 2,000 graduate students from around the globe, with the results published in Nature. The research revealed that over 80 percent of students who used mindfulness as a part of their daily ritual didn't feel the need to seek help from university support services. The researchers suggested this is because they were more resilient to the stresses of PhD programmes as a result of their mindfulness practices. Learning lessons: mindfulness helps students © Shutterstock/Jacob Lund 7. Treatment for deadly peanut allergy possible Peanut allergies can kill, especially if emergency responses to anaphylactic shock are not administered rapidly. In news that has brought hope to many, a new treatment is being developed that could mean such severe allergies may become a thing of the past. As reported by the BBC, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, by Professor George du Toit, may mean that small, controlled exposure to peanuts is the way forward, so that the potentially catastrophic results of accidental exposure are avoided. 8. Denmark leads the way on green car policy Denmark is already an expensive place to buy fuel for your car – if it's derived from an oil. However, the country is going one step further and will now ban all new fossil-fuelled cars within 11 years. The country's Minister for the Environment, Lars Christian Lilleholt, said that the way forward was electrically-powered cars and he encouraged the EU to take similar steps to reduce harmful emissions. 9. Dogs recruited in the fight against malaria The New York Times reported in November that dogs are being deployed to sniff out the presence of mosquito-borne parasites. In a pilot study, researchers found that the incredible sense of smell that many dogs have can be put to use by sniffing socks. If they detect the parasites, then they can alert humans to potential infection even before a human might show the feverish symptoms of the disease, thereby helping to treat people before malaria takes hold. Smells good: dogs can sniff out malaria parasites 10. The ozone layer is healing, says the UN And finally, some great environmental news. Action taken globally over recent decades to prevent further damage to the ozone layer in the atmosphere has been working. According to the UK's Evening Standard, a UN report has stated that the layer is not just being protected from further erosion but is, in fact, repairing itself. It's hoped the level of ozone will return to its rightful state by the 2060s. This is largely due to the global phasing out of chlorofluorocarbons which was agreed in 1987. ● What do you think of this month's positive news? What efforts are happening where you live? Share your thoughts with the happiness.com community below... Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

October may mark the mid-point between summer and winter, but it remains a good one from the point of view of positive news. This October saw many new stories that were full of hope and happiness: here's Ed Gould's round-up of the ten best... 1. Boost your happiness with a short review of your day The BBC reported in October that a simple exercise to appraise your day can improve your happiness and well being. Its report focused on Sandi Mann, a lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, who suggested that the habit offers a straightforward psychological boost when completed regularly. She suggests conducting a review of your day in which six questions, including what experiences gave you pleasure, are asked. By focusing on your answers you can gradually shift your mindset, no matter how bleak, to a happier one. 2. New hope for fossil fuel free energy A fuel that's packed with energy just like coal would make a huge difference to electrical energy production – if it didn't release so much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and add to global climate change. Incredibly, exactly this could be on the horizon thanks to Spanish company Ingelia. The Valencia-based company has developed an industrial process called hydrothermal carbonisation. Essentially, this means it can make biocarbon named 'biochar', which can be burned with zero emissions. What's more, there should be a plentiful supply of biochar's raw material: it's made from nothing more than sewage, meaning we can all contribute! 3. Toy giant to harness to power of mindfulness You might not put Lego and mindfulness in the same headspace but that may change according to reports in The Daily Telegraph. The Denmark-based toy brand has decided to use a new marketing ploy in which its simple bricks are used to help achieve a sense of inner calm. A spokesperson for the company said that the idea was to highlight the benefits of mindfulness through Lego, since playing with it offered a “challenge that's at once relaxing and creatively stimulating.” The campaign is primarily aimed at young adults rather than Lego's core audience of children: perhaps it's time to break that tub of bricks open! Building blocks of happiness? Lego could help... 4. The era of single-use plastic is coming to an end In more positive news for the environment, the European Union has taken steps to ban the use of plastics which are designed for single use only. Many media outlets reported that MEPs had voted to ban things like plastic cotton buds, knives and forks, drink stirrers and straws. Many such plastic products end up in the ocean and enter the food chain when eaten by fish (which are subsequently caught and consumed by humans). The move is expected to take effect from 2021. 5. French city leads the way in public transport revolution During October, The Guardian reported how the citizens of the coastal city of Dunkirk were taking up public transport in ever greater numbers. Not surprising given that the city's authorities decided to offer all bus services to its community for free. What's newsworthy is the fact that buses have since become places of social interaction, meeting points and even places to get work done: Dunkirk's buses offer complimentary Wi-Fi. Research suggests that as bus use rises, so fewer cars head into the city, freeing it up and generating cleaner air for all: a win-win situation. 6. Could mushrooms treat depression? In America, where the use of substances is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), permission has been granted into a scientific study into the effects of psilocybin mushrooms. Long known for their psychedelic effect, these fungi may unlock some clues as to how to treat mental health disorders like depression. It took some time for the FDA to come to its final decision, but the path now appears to be clear for researchers to progress with their studies. Mushroom for improvement: fungi could treat depression 7. Cannabis may hold the key to treating Crohn's disease Medical News Today reported a story that should bring some happiness to those with Crohn's disease. A debilitating condition that impacts negatively on the digestion system, people living with Crohn's may soon be able to make use of the properties of cannabis to lessen the severity of symptoms. The medical uses of cannabis are well known, but this Israeli-led research indicates that the drug may soon be widely used to help treat pain caused by the condition. Project lead Timna Naftali, a gastroenterology specialist at Tel Aviv University's Meir Hospital, said it's yet to be determined how a treatment might work but its effects are already there to be seen. 8. Solar farm created on former disaster site Chernobyl may forever be linked with the worrying outcome of a fully-blown nuclear power plant disaster, but it's making power once more. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the old power plant – which was thought to be completely unusable following its meltdown – has now been converted into a solar energy farm. It still may be too radioactive to live there, but workers can safely set up solar panels which create green electricity. So far, the Ukraine has installed in excess of 3,700 solar panels at the site. 9. UN recognizes Indian state's farming achievement Affording new hope to anyone who believes in the future of an agricultural sector which does not rely on pesticides and antibiotics, the Indian state of Sikkim has officially become 100 per cent organic. Over 60,000 farms have adopted the practice, which, according to Reuters, has boosted tourism in the state, as well as setting an example of what can be achieved with a collective effort. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN recognized the achievement by awarding Sikkim with its most prestigious prize. Congratulations! Indian farmer with eggplants © Hari Mahidhar/shutterstock.com 10. Police beat stress with mindfulness techniques Few jobs can be as stressful as working for the police. In response to the needs of officers, the United Kingdom's College of Policing has developed a 'Mindfit Cop' programme to teach officers how to use methods derived from Buddhist meditation to help face up to their work difficulties and anxieties. The eight-week course has already been taken up by officers from South Wales, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Somerset and Avon. It's hoped the course will see fewer cases of burnout within the service, so that officer retention rates are improved. ● Do you think Lego could help you be more mindful? Have you ever tried an end-of-day appraisal? Share your thoughts on October's positive news stories with the community below... Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

Some people resist compassionate support from others. Here’s why — and what they can do about it. By Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, science director of the Greater Good Science Center. What gets in the way of compassion? Many of us aspire to be more compassionate in our own lives, and to build a more compassionate society. In doing so, we work hard to overcome barriers that keep us from being motivated to help those around us — the overwhelm, apathy, and divisions. But we don’t often think about the obstacles that might keep someone from comfortably receiving compassion. Yet research suggests that some people actually fear becoming the targets of compassion, and it may be hurting their mental health. Here’s why some of us resist help — and what we can do to open ourselves up to compassion from other people. What’s scary about compassion? A recent study published in the journal Mindfulness explores how the fear of receiving compassion can affect people’s behavior in difficult times. Researchers surveyed 85 female undergraduates from a large Canadian university about compassion-avoidance, measured in statements like, “If I think someone is being kind and caring to me, I put up a barrier.” Those who reported being more afraid of compassion also said they were less likely to share their struggles with friends and family. Why should this be a problem? Social support in times of distress helps us cope with and recover from life’s difficult moments. On a practical level, support can help us resolve or correct the circumstances that lead to the difficulties in the first place. One nationwide study found that lack of social support increases vulnerability to psychological disorders and disease, and imposes a risk factor to physical health greater than a lifetime smoking habit. Supportive friends and family also put the brakes on excessive self-criticism. We rely on others to remind us that we are safe, important, and promising — a critical aspect of coping. In fact, studies by the University of Derby’s Paul Gilbert have shown that self-criticism in combination with fear of compassion puts people at a markedly greater risk of depression. Other research suggests that people who have a greater fear of receiving compassion tend to suppress their emotional responses to difficult experiences, a habit that is tied to cardiovascular risk and alexithymia: a diminished capacity to recognize emotions within oneself and in other people. Finally, fear of receiving compassion has been tied to lower mindfulness, a characteristic associated with myriad benefits to health and well-being. Given the benefits, why do some people resist receiving compassion? Some worry that the other person will not respond supportively; they’ll reject or dismiss the issue. The situation may also arouse a nascent distress that comes from a person’s formative childhood memories of being ignored or treated with hostility, rather than compassion. For example, some research suggests that people who recall their parents as less warm have a greater fear of receiving compassion. “Social support in times of distress helps us cope with and recover from life’s difficult moments.” Even if support is offered, it may feel awkward, uncomfortable, or even painful to be under the spotlight of compassion. Receiving compassionate support may challenge a person’s sense of alignment with social or cultural norms around keeping a stoic grip on one’s emotions, or being seen as individually self-sufficient, “together,” or “low-maintenance.” Receiving compassion inherently involves an acknowledgment of personal vulnerability, which may make it harder to “hold it together” or (if things get emotional) add shame to the equation. Some may also avoid feeling like a burden, obliging others to waste their precious time and energy. Finally, some people are less inclined to talk about personally humiliating or defeating experiences — times that feel like proof of our absolute failure. For them, disclosing these feelings feels too risky; they fear that sharing personal difficulties is more likely to worsen, rather than improve, how they feel. Do any of these reasons sound familiar to you? Keep reading. The healing power of self-compassion The Mindfulness study identified one way to reduce the fear of compassion from others: kindness toward yourself. The researchers asked participants to write a paragraph about a personally unpleasant experience, one that they remembered as humiliating and shameful, for ten minutes. They were randomly split into three groups. Researchers told the first to think about their experience self-compassionately. Self-compassion involves relating to our own difficult experiences from the outside looking in, extending kindness and support towards ourselves as we might toward a grieving friend. The second group was instructed to think about preserving their own self-esteem as they wrote. The last could write freely, exploring and describing their experience in detail. “Other research suggests that people who have a greater fear of receiving compassion tend to suppress their emotional responses to difficult experiences, a habit that is tied to cardiovascular risk and alexithymia.” Participants rated how “upset” and “distressed” they felt before and after this writing exercise. The result? Those who practiced self-compassion seemed to feel better. The self-compassionate writing decreased bad feelings even more among participants with a high fear of compassion, compared to the self-esteem and free-writing approaches. This suggests that writing about a difficult personal experience through a self-compassionate lens may be more emotionally restorative than other approaches, including trying to preserve self-esteem or just letting it all out. Could self-compassion also help people reach out for support, despite their fear of receiving compassion? After the first exercise, researchers asked participants to write something else: a letter about their difficult experience, which they would ultimately share with another participant whom they had never met. Afterward, researchers claimed, participants would be paired up to exchange letters and discuss their experiences together. Before writing the letters, participants reported how risky it felt, in that moment, to share their story. (Despite this forewarning — perhaps as a welcome surprise — the experiment ended at this point: no actual discussion occurred.) In general, the more fearful participants were, the riskier it felt to write and share the letter. But for participants in the self-compassion group, that link diminished. Thus, self-compassion not only lessened participants’ negative feelings in the moment, but also made a subsequent opportunity for self-disclosure seem less risky. “Moreover, as self-compassion has been linked to feeling more secure and connected to others within one’s social world, practicing self-compassion might have led these individuals to feel safer, less threatened, and thereby more trusting of others, loosening the connection between their fears and the perceived risks associated with self-disclosure,” the researchers wrote. To reduce fears around receiving compassion, people who are willing may also benefit from training in offering compassion to others. As former Greater Good Science Center postdoctoral fellow Tristin Inagaki’s 2016 study shows, compassion decidedly rewards the giver, too. For others, treatments like Compassion-Focused Therapy may be the best approach. The bottom line: graciously receiving compassion is a skill, one well worth developing. ● Stop beating yourself up for flaws and mistakes. Try this self-compassion letter from Greater Good In Action 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 them with the kind permission of the Greater Good Science Center. greatergood.berkeley.edu

September was a great month for positive, uplifting news. Ed Gould shares the top ten news stories that you may have missed, to help bring some hope and a smile to your face... As the summer winds up in the northern hemisphere and autumnal days are in the air, it can mean that we naturally become less focussed on happiness and the hopefulness that is abundant in the world. So, to keep the feel-good train running, here's our top picks of happy news stories from September. 1. Hope for those with celiac problems Viennese academics announced in September that they had developed a new therapy which might help to lessen the hypersensitivity many people have to gluten. This is a normal protein found in cereals like wheat and barley, but it can cause great discomfort to sufferers when they eat something as commonplace as bread. Professor Oliver Spadiut, who works at the Integrated Bioprocess Development Research Group at TU Wien, said that the breakthrough could lead to a complete cure by as early as 2021. Rise up: bread could be on the menu for those with celiac disease 2. US coal consumption is down Among the biggest polluters of coal in the world, the United States has taken several measures to reduce its reliance on this fossil fuel. Reuters reported that the US has, in fact, managed to drop its coal consumption down to a 30-year low. This is partly due to the increased take up of wind and solar energy production in many states. Fewer hours are spent burning coal in the country these days to generate electricity. 3. A big Pacific clean-up operation has begun According to CNN, a new vessel has been launched with the sole aim of clearing up much of the rubbish which has ended up in the world's largest ocean. The so-called Ocean Cleanup System 001 has two large floating booms which extend either side of the vessel which literally scoop up anything that is near to the surface. The U-shaped system will clear tonnes of plastic, it's hoped, which it will then transfer to smaller boats to return to land. That has to be positive news for any sea lovers. 4. Weight loss is all in the mind? A positive mental attitude to diet and exercise is one thing but can mental imagery really improve weight loss? According to a recent report in Science Daily, it can. Work undertaken at the University of Plymouth and Queensland University has shown that Functional Imagery Training (FIT) can lead to improved results with losing weight. Those who used the motivational technique were found to have up to five times more success with shedding the pounds. FIT makes use of multi-sensory imagery to teach people how to elicit and practice motivational imagery for themselves. Think fit: positive imagery can help weight loss 5. Paralysed people offered new routes to walking Joint work by scientists at the University of Louisville and the Mayo Clinic has led to some happiness for paralysed people. Those with severe spinal injuries that have left them unable to control their legs may now be able to learn to walk again, thanks to novel electrical implants which help join up the lost nerve signals. The BBC said that those involved with the trials had been upbeat about its potential. Dr Kendall Lee, who co-led one of the teams, said that the therapy is very exciting but that it remains at a very early research stage. 6. New mindfulness techniques gaining popularity in London The Evening Standard reported on a mindfulness technique which it said was taking the UK capital 'by storm'. So-called 'shaking mindfulness' combines a mental approach with a physical one and encourages participants to loosen their limbs in order to release tension. Londoners are, by all accounts, taking up the method in increasing numbers. According to Steve Haines, the man who developed the approach, people can become disconnected from their bodies, and this new mindfulness technique attempts to rectify this. 7. Battery power may reduced carbon dioxide output Researchers at MIT in Massachusetts announced in September that a new form of lithium-based battery they've developed could make use of carbon before it even reaches the atmosphere, where it would otherwise do harm as a greenhouse gas. The idea is that the battery would be able to convert carbon dioxide into a solid mineral carbonate as it discharges. In other words, as you use it, the battery would capture carbon from the environment. The applications would be in carbon capture and storage programmes, hopefully on an industrial scale at power plants. 8. Cheese is good for your heart Cheese may be a delight in many people's eyes but it's never had much of a reputation as a truly healthy food. However, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published a paper which looks into the links between whole dairy products, like cheese, and cardiovascular health. In particular, the work involved studying the consumption of the sorts of saturated fats that are most commonly found in cheese. The study suggested that cheese fat was found to significantly lower the levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol when compared to butter, for example. So, now you can feel not so guilty when tucking into your next slice of the stuff! Brie happy: cheese isn't so bad for you, afterall 9. Hydrogen-powered transportation has arrived It's been the dream of many for so long: a form of fuel which relies on nothing more than hydrogen. In a world first, European rail engineers have developed a fully functioning train which runs on a hydrogen fuel cell. This system was developed by the French firm Alstom but the trains have been put into service in Germany. The Guardian reported that 14 of these zero-emission locomotives are expected to go into service in Lower Saxony by 2021. 10. Groundbreaking diabetes drug trialled in Wales According to Wales Online, patients there are among the first to trial a new therapy that could bring much hope to type 1 diabetes sufferers. Work has begun on a new drug at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and it's expected that analysis of the results will soon be published. It's hoped that the new therapy could reduce the amount of insulin that this type of diabetes patient will require for them to control their condition. The approach tries to get insulin-making cells to regenerate themselves in patients. ● Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's a practitioner of Reiki.

Members of the press often refer to August as 'silly season' as there tends to be fewer items that are seen as being genuinely newsworthy. As such, 'silly' stories get more coverage. However, there was plenty of positive news in August too. Here's Ed Gould's top ten pick from the month... 1. Free Sanitary Products for All Students In a move that's not been seen anywhere in the world before, Scotland has become the first country to provide free sanitary products for anyone in full-time education. This means that schoolgirls and higher education students are able to access these products cost-free. According to The Scotsman, the move will cost the Scottish government up to £5.2 million but will be of huge assistance to girls and young women who come from low income families and who, consequently, cannot always afford sanitary items when they are studying. 2. Revolution in Painkilling Announced Dealing with pain is a major medical and scientific project. The problem is that so many painkillers on the market are derived from opioids and are, consequently, highly addictive. According to Live Science, a team of researchers in Japan and US have discovered an alternative which is effective and non-addictive. AT-121 has seen some successful trials and will soon be tested on humans, it's hoped. What's more, the drug is considered to be safe with respect to respiratory side effects, something that's associated with other sorts of painkilling medications. 3. Move Against Fishing Nets In the Pipeline It's often reported that plastic in the ocean is detrimental to the world's wildlife but it's not so commonly stated that much of the sea's plastic comes from fishing nets. According to One Green Planet, nearly half of the material that swirls around the ocean is derived from such netting. Thankfully, the United Nations has positive news for the oceans because its Food and Agriculture Organisation has agreed that such nets should be tagged in future so that those who release them can be held accountable for the pollution they cause. Net gains: fishing tools like these could soon be tracked 4. China Hits Pollution Reduction Targets The Independent reported in August that researchers from the University of East Anglia have presented a report that offers environmental hope with regards to China's increasing industrialisation. The country has long-committed to carbon reduction and other ecological measures but many have thought that it would continue to pollute heavily for years to come. According to the researchers' work, China has achieved its environmental goals 12 years ahead of schedule and emissions are said to have peaked as far back as 2013. That must be positive news for environment campaigners who have little leverage in the country. 5. The End of Plastic Bags? They might be convenient, but plastic bags lead to waste and landfill sites filling up unnecessarily. In the UK, the government announced in August that its levy on the sale of plastic bags could rise to 10p – instead of the current 5p – and even be extended to small and independent shops. In New Zealand, CNN reported that the government is even more proactive and that it will look to ban the use of single-use plastic bags entirely to protect the environment. The move has the backing of the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, and may come as early as 2019. 6. Fruit Found to Improve Memory In Scientific Study According to a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, combining blueberries with grapes can have a beneficial effect on those who suffer from memory loss. As well as the happiness they cause by tasting good, the polyphenols in both fruits were found to improve 'episodic memory' among elderly people who had already been diagnosed with lower than usual memory function. A total of 215 volunteers took part in the research which compared those who consumed the two types of fruit with those who took a placebo. Berry good: combining blueberries with grapes could boost memory 7. Theme Park Trains Birds to Clear Away Rubbish Trained animals are nothing new, but a story from August demonstrated that even birds can be used to carry out tasks like picking up litter. A French theme park has been using rooks to pick up rubbish in order to keep the place clear of litter for some years. Recently, the squadron of litter pickers was expanded to six birds. They place the litter into a bin and are rewarded for their efforts with food, which means the happiness of the park's attendees and the rooks is maintained. 8. Mindfulness Continues to Grow in Popularity Thanks to Science Although a piece in Medical News Today acknowledged something of a backlash against mindfulness in some quarters, it argued that the practice continues to be taken up not because it's a fad, but because it's backed by scientific research. The story, which was published to counter some claims about mindfulness made in The New York Times, pointed out many studies which have highlighted the usefulness of mindfulness in work and private lives, especially those which looked in to people who had been using mindful techniques for eight weeks or more. The article argued that mindfulness was good for focus, stress reduction and emotional well-being, among other benefits. Hocus Focus? In fact, mindfulness is backed by scientific research 9. New Song Shown to Reduce Anxiety According to the British Academy of Sound Therapy, neuroscience has demonstrated that listeners to certain types of audio stimulation can feel less anxious as a result. To that end, researchers there wrote a new song called 'Weightless' which provided listeners with the sort of stimulation they need to help relax. As reported by Good News Network, the hope is to use it in clinical situations where anxiety relief is desirable. 10. Churches Leads With Uptake of Renewable Energy The Church of England has announced that many of its churches and cathedrals will run exclusively on renewable energy from now on. The Guardian reported in August that the move was coordinated with churches of other denominations, such as those of the Methodist and Catholic faiths. In all, over 5,500 churches in the UK will take part in the scheme which will see them use electricity that has been generated from sources other than fossil fuels. Praise be! ● Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He is a practitioner of Reiki.

Corney Harnish examines how playing games can actually improve your life, leave you feeling better than ever, and create a social impact. Are you someone who is skeptical about games? Do you believe that they are bad for our youth or can cause social issues among people? You’re not alone. This debate over whether or not video games negatively affect us has been going on for years. However, it turns out that it depends on what games you're playing. There is great evidence that some games actually are good and can positively impact us! These are called Games for Change. There’s a community of amazing people who have been working on these types of games for the last 15 years through the Games for Change festival that’s happening right now in NYC. Creators and social innovators are driving real-world change by empowering people to take social action through games. These savvy techies are working on cutting-edge technology that leverages games for change making an impact in the civic sector, directly addressing issues around social justice, human development, as well as environment and responsible citizenship. “Creators and social innovators are driving real-world change by empowering people to take social action through games.” Beyond this, games are being used to transform education in and out of school, making learning a fun and easy process! And, even more, gaming is being explored to improve health, fitness, cognitive skills, and mindfulness through interactive experiences and new technologies. Pretty versatile or what?! So what kind of positive impact do games have? Playing games can bring together fundamental aspects of psychology, sociology, and technology to engage people for social change. For starters, it allows children to develop and experience life in a safe environment. Additionally, it encourages people in general to pursue their ambitions, develop a realistic framework for achieving them, and improves our emotional intelligence. [1] Fair game: playing video games does have benefits And, what’s great, game designer Mary Flanagan outlines four ways video games can have a positive behavioural and social impact: Encourages open-mindedness Provides an easier way to spread messages and tell stories Develops new mental associations Provides multiple perspectives for people to view situations [2] Any cool examples of these Games for Change? Yes, of course! One that Better World International has developed, and that I have been working on directly, is a great example: The Good Cards: a digital platform and mobile app that empowers and motivates people to do good deeds and track the ripple effect they’ve inspired. Through partnerships with schools and community groups, we create customized missions for social action like our environmental clean-up mission we did with EliteYouthTour. The Good Cards also guides individuals in doing good for themselves and those around them to make a positive impact in their community. Game on: playing some types of games can have a positive impact Or, there’s SuperBetter, which is a meaningful creation from Jane McGonigal, a leader in the field of gamification. “SuperBetter increases resilience – the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic, even in the face of difficult obstacles. Playing SuperBetter makes you more capable of getting through any tough situation — and more likely to achieve the goals that matter most to you.” [3] One other impressive example is Zombies, Run!, a mobile app that makes fitness and running fun. Players have to complete a sequence of missions to rescue survivors, pick up supplies, and defend their home all while trying to avoid the zombies. It’s a neat little way to make running more exciting. Woah, that’s awesome! What does the future look like? This is something that is absolutely limitless with the technological advancements we are experiencing. At the moment, the field of gamification is trending. Briefly, gamification is the application of motivation psychology with game mechanics to inspire people to engage in a specific behavior that they might not have been motivated enough to do on their own. This has the potential to result in applications that help improve productivity and office culture in companies, empower people to build the daily habits they strive to have, and make learning a seamless process. Yet, there’s more. Virtual Reality (VR) is going to change the future of gaming. This rapidly-evolving technology will have an incredible impact, whether in healthcare, entertainment, or space exploration. For example, VR is to be used to train surgeons, helping them receive substantial practice before they move on to live humans. [4] “This is something that is absolutely limitless with the technological advancements we are experiencing. At the moment, the field of gamification is trending.” So, there’s a lot of groundbreaking stuff going on. It’s not just about making money anymore; there are a lot of people and organizations out there who want to make a difference to the world we live in. One last thing, how can I get involved? Grab a Good Card and see how far your ripple effect of kindness will last. Find a game from the list at Games for Change and start making a difference by having fun! ● Written by Corey Harnish The poster child of community, Corey is a great listener and huge believer in humanity. Currently the CEO of Better World International a 501c3 tech nonprofit, Corey is leading The Good Cards development; an innovative online-gaming platform and app that engages people worldwide in doing good deeds for happiness and global sustainability. Corey is an AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni, an Honorary Rotarian of Rotary International, as well as a volunteer of Defy Ventures, providing business coaching to EITs (entrepreneurs-in-training), and an active personal life coach. Corey empowers individuals and communities and help them to flourish through personal development coaching and community service involvement. An aspiring Social Justice activist with a passion for community/sustainable development, service learning, juvenile justice rehabilitation, and brain-based coaching.