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Authenticity can seem like a risky venture in the current screen-obsessed age, wherein we constantly strive to fit in and be accepted by others. Sonia Vadlamani explains why it’s necessary to let go of the fear of being judged in order to cultivate an authentic life. Being authentic in this technology-dominated era can be challenging, especially when we’re constantly bombarded with messages of who we ‘ought to be’, what we ‘should’ desire and how we ‘must’ express ourselves. Consequently, many of us have at some point portrayed ourselves as who we think we are or want to be perceived as, rather than representing who we really are. The downside of portraying who we aren’t is that we’re telling ourselves that the real or true version of us isn’t worthy of being seen. This constant fear of being judged or rejected can chip away at our ability to be our most authentic self. Why is it difficult to overcome inauthenticity? As children, most of us were taught by parents, teachers and other shaping forces like society and religion to ‘fit in’ or conform to a prescribed set of rules and practices. As a result, we ingrain beliefs, thoughts and emotions and exhibit behaviors which allow us to ‘blend in’ and be accepted, be it to form connections, find love or pursue success. This need to fit in and do as we’re taught is stimulated by our “Adaptive Self”, which primarily plays the role of helping us function and coexist in the society in a purposeful way. However, in our constant struggle to carve our niche in the society as we balance our inner-selves and our outer aspects, sometimes we tend to suppress or hide our true selves. This can prevent us from activating our “Authentic Self” and living a meaningful life in tune with our values and purpose. What does being your authentic self involve? “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we are supposed to be and embracing who we actually are,” states Brené Brown, research professor at University of Houston. Brown has spent decades studying shame, courage and vulnerability. Authenticity can mean different things to different people, but in general it refers to the ability to live by our values, speaking our truth with assertiveness, and developing the courage to allow our true selves to be seen. Authenticity means embracing who you truly are Indeed, authenticity is a fundamental component of happiness. A study by Alex M Wood et al revealed that authenticity is an integral part of well-being. Being authentic can also improve self esteem as well as lower stress and anxiety. 8 ways to be your authentic self Discovering our authentic self is essential for happiness and forming meaningful connections. Reclaiming authenticity involves identifying our core values, letting go of borrowed notions of perfection, and changing our perspective to see vulnerability as an act of courage, instead of something to be avoided. Here are eight practical ways you can take steps to cultivate authenticity: 1. Identify your core values Creating a connection with our true nature is essential for building our authentic self. Start by identifying some values that are fundamental for you: which make you happy and which are the values you cannot absolutely compromise upon? Incorporating visualization meditation into your daily routine can help the process of value identification. For example, some of my core values for a happy and meaningful life are honesty and openness in relationships, kindness and empathy for myself and others, gratitude for the gifts I have in my life, along with constant learning for growth. Indeed, your core values arise from your own expectations, needs and experience, and need not be the same as anyone else’s. “Authenticity can mean different things to different people, but in general it refers to the ability to live by our values, speaking our truth with assertiveness, and developing the courage to allow our true selves to be seen.” Once you list down your core values, break each one down into three actionable steps that will help you live these values better. Since I value honesty and openness in my relationships I try to practise mindfulness, deep listening and forgiveness, so that I can live in closer alignment with my core values. 2. Start making conscious decisions Sometimes, we wade through the day in auto mode without even contemplating if our thoughts and actions resonate with our authentic selves. Try observing yourself keenly to learn more about how you react to challenges, what motivates you, the nature of your social interactions, etc. Notice which behaviors and settings evoke responses from your Adaptive Self, and which of these responses feel authentic to you. Once you’ve spotted the discrepancies between your actions and values, you can utilize this self-awareness to devise conscious statements and actions that resonate with your authentic self. 3. Devise and uphold your boundaries “To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves — there lies the great, the singular power of self-respect,” as Joan Didion, the renowned American writer famously quoted. Cultivating authenticity requires us to give up the temptation to appease others and the need to behave in a way that makes us more likeable. Indeed, being your authentic self is not always easy, and living by your principles may require a few difficult conversations, a potential job switch, or even ending a friendship if necessary. RELATED: Uncomfortable truths – how to say 'no' However, by being honest about our boundaries, we’re indicating to our subconscious that it’s OK to not be perfect all the time, thus developing self-validation. Authenticity allows us to share our vulnerability with appropriate boundaries in place, ie, with people who have the same values as you, and those who you feel comfortable with. 4. Instill mindfulness If you're curious how to find happiness, mindfulness can help you find contentment in the small joys that each day brings, thus boosting your mood and overall happiness levels. Additionally, being mindful allows you to observe and understand how you feel and react towards various stimuli in your environment. Keeping physical reminders of mindfulness quotes and practising mindful listening are some effective ways to improve self-awareness and slowly cultivate your authentic self. 5. Exercise compassion towards yourself and others Practising self-compassion allows us to be supportive, kind and accepting towards ourselves, in addition to boosting authenticity in relationships. That’s according to researcher Kristin Neff, who was the first to measure the construct for self-compassion. Practising loving-kindness meditation can prove to be an effective tool for reinforcing feelings of connection and kindness with oneself and others, thus aiding the development of one’s authentic self. Practising compassion unlocks authenticity shutterstock/imtmphoto 6. Embrace vulnerability We often shirk away from being authentic due to the fear of being potentially judged or getting distanced from people around us. Start by asking yourself what you are afraid may happen if you put yourself out there in a scenario that makes you feel vulnerable. Next, proceed to imagine what would happen if you avoided expressing your feelings or needs or asking for that raise that you think you undoubtedly deserve. Could the inability to share or express yourself potentially result in depression or self-sabotage? Thereupon, remind yourself why it’s important for you to live your authentic self by overcoming the vulnerability hangover. Further, you can formulate a rational approach or well-devised plan for expressing your feelings and needs, in a way that is in sync with your authentic self. 7. Practise letting go In her bestseller book The Gifts of Imperfection, Dr Brown reveals that letting go plays an essential role in cultivating your authentic self. While Brown’s research on shame and vulnerability largely reveal that most people allow their inhibitions to take over due to the fear of being emotionally exposed, she came across a group of outliers who reacted differently to such potentially uncertain situations. Dr Brown calls these outliers ‘the wholehearted’, and she named this way of living the ‘wholehearted living’. “Cultivating authenticity requires us to give up the temptation to appease others and the need to behave in a way that makes us more likeable.” According to her research, wholehearted living comprises of embracing imperfections and living life to one’s fullest potential, without letting the fear of other people’s opinions affect their beliefs and actions. Being your authentic self requires you to accept that what others think of you is none of your business, and cultivate the courage to let go of thought-patterns and limiting beliefs that no longer serve you. 8. Set goals for constant learning Developing a growth mindset and being open to self-improvement through ongoing learning can help you attain your authentic self at a sustained pace. Your goals need not just be related to the pursuit of wealth and success – in fact, research points out that non-materialistic life goals lead to happiness as surely – if not more consistently – than materialistic goals. An objective as simple as integrating awe into your daily life can inspire you to learn new things about yourself and life around you. Round-up: cultivating authentic self While we are conditioned from an early age to suppress or hide our authentic self, authenticity is essential for building a life that brings us meaning and joy. Examining our true self to develop authenticity can be a long and cumbersome process, but the rewards in terms of greater life satisfaction and improved relationships make it worth the effort. Main image: shutterstock/ESB Basic 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 with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum Moral Courage | Mediation | Coaching Written by Sonia Vadlamani Fitness and healthy food blogger, food photographer and stylist, travel-addict and future self journaler. Sonia loves to write and has resolved to dedicate her life to revealing how easy and important it is to be happier, stronger and fitter each day. Follow her daily pursuits at FitFoodieDiary or on Instagram.

Could ancient teachings the Buddha gave 2,600 years ago help to bring more happiness to our lives? Mindfulness teacher Ulla Koenig thinks so. Veronika Eicher chatted with her about finding happiness and her course, 'The Buddha's Path to Happiness.' The Buddha's Path to Happiness is a five-week course on the happiness Academy shows that covers the insightful teachings the Buddha provided us when it comes to finding our path to happiness. Creator Ulla Koenig discusses the course, her career, and her personal approach to discovering joy. 1. In your course description you write: 'We can find rest and peace within moments of calm, happiness and clarity.' Did you have any experiences of happiness today? Yes, there were many small moments of happiness during the day. Everyone by itself a small jewel. The smell of the elder in the garden. Touching my son's sun-kissed hair. Having strawberries for breakfast. A five minute chat with a friend. Pearls on a string. Such moments appear, when there is receptivity and calm. Ulla Koenig: your course tutor 2. Do we need to search actively for happiness or does it come naturally to us? We need to reflect on what 'happiness' actually means for us. What is it we are looking for? What do we dedicate our attention, our effort, our time to? Can we create, consume or search for happiness? For me, happiness arises when the circumstances are right. One part of this is the relationship to experience itself, our way of looking. We have a natural urge to explore into our relationship to life. What we realize here is the path for our practice towards more happiness, peace and contentment. A path which at times goes against the very grain of our impulses and habits. What can the Buddha teach us about happiness in the 21st century? 3. In your course 'The Buddha's Path to Happiness' you're guiding people back to experience happiness in their daily life based on Buddha's teachings. Is it possible to adapt 2,600 year old teachings to our speedy, 21st-century life? It's valid to ask whether or not ancient teachings still have something to offer. Indeed, these modern days seem so entirely different from past ways of living. Yet our psyche, our perspectives, and our ways of relating to each other haven't changed that much. "We need to reflect on what "happiness" actually means for us. What is it we are looking for?" We're still experiencing the same challenges and asking the same questions as people did thousands of years ago. We still wish to find peace of heart and mind, happiness and a sense of freedom within the challenges of our day-to-day life. Luckily, the Buddha explored deep enough into all of this to give us some food for thought. Timeless reflections, applicable independent of culture, gender and belief. 4. You work with prisoners, refugees and cancer patients. Do you want to share a special memory you experienced of your meditation and mindfulness work in the last years? What deeply touches me is the relief students feel when they learn through own experience; that there is a set of tools and techniques they can apply anywhere and at anytime to support them. Mindfulness is an immensely versatile tool, which can, with the appropriate care and caution, be adapted to many situations. I've heard the very same expressions from prisoners as from people with special needs. Sometimes it's within the environment of increased hardship and challenge where people are ready to explore the techniques and dedicate time and effort to it. These are also the environments where I have seen the most transformation in people; expressions which then deepened my confidence and gratitude for the practice. Enroll now: The Buddha's Path to Happiness "The happiness path goes at times against the very grain of our impulses and habits" 5. How did you find your personal way of happiness? It was a windy road, which started off with curiosity and a sense of longing for something more than our consumer culture with its narrow sense of right and wrong. When I was I teenager, I strongly questioned the structures, institutions and common views I grew up with. And I started a search for alternatives, with all its challenges and dead-ends. Once I found insight meditation (vipassana) I had a sense of coming closer to what I was looking for. The undogmatic freedom of exploration I found in the teachings of the Buddha. The emphasis of personal responsibility instead of blind belief resonated with me. “We're still experiencing the same challenges and asking the same questions as people did thousands of years ago.” I could link this back to my personal experience of being a mother, a co-worker, a friend, a lover. None of this conflicted or contradicted these explorations. Over the course of months and years I could see how more freedom, more happiness and more skill to meet the challenges grew within. The exploration still continues. I see it as a gift. 6. Do you find time during your daily work to meditate and be mindful? As a mother of two, applying mindfulness in daily life is a very important aspect of practice. Qualities like kindness, compassion and equanimity show their potential then and there. I try to find a healthy balance between time off and on the cushion, enjoying long walks and being in nature. The support of mindfulness reveals itself in the depth of meditation as much as in going shopping in the supermarket with two children or having a meeting with work colleagues. Interested in enrolling on The Buddha's Path to Happiness? Discover more about the course here and sign up. New in: Find out more about Ulla's new donation-based course Mindfulness in Times of COVID-19. Interview by Veronika Eicher Veronika is a freelance writer. She likes to spend her free time working on her dream of a farm. On Instagram she writes about climate crises, nature and sustainable living.

There have been plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during July. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. July was a great month for good news stories. There were, of course, plenty of negative things to pay attention to in the news but that doesn't mean that the month was devoid of positivity and happiness. So, what were some of the happiest news items from the past month? Here's our Top 10 round-up... 1. Hydrogen used to power the Olympic Games The current Tokyo Olympics may have been delayed for 12 months but, according to Euronews, it will be one of the greenest games ever. That's because hydrogen is being used to power the event, a green technology that Japanese engineers have been pioneering. Although not all of the power consumed by hosting the games is derived from hydrogen, the idea is to showcase Japanese technology to the world. It's hoped that hydrogen, as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, could help the aviation and shipping industries to become carbon-free in the future. 2. Huge land donation augments the New Mexico wilderness A report in the Associated Press detailed how a donation of land will vastly augment the amount of wilderness that can be preserved in the US state of New Mexico. The Sabinoso Wilderness Area in the north of the state will become about 50 per cent larger than it previously was thanks to the generous donation. The area of nature, which covers part of the ancestral homelands of the Jicarilla Apache people will now become open to the public, since the donated land makes it much more accessible to locals. Elk, mountain lions, turkeys and bears all live in the area and will now enjoy a more protected habitat. 3. Wasps inspire new surgical technique The BBC reported that a team in the Netherlands has been studying wasps to help them come up with a new way of performing keyhole surgery. It seems that the success certain wasp species have with laying their eggs as parasites is ideal for being able to get inside the human body when scaled up. Researchers at the University of Delft have developed a new keyhole surgery method with a novel piece of apparatus that lowers friction on the patient's body. The instrument was only possible because of the observations the team made on the wasps as they laid their eggs. Wasps have inspired a new surgical technique 4. New commercial battery could lead to a green future An American firm, Form Energy Inc, announced in July that it has developed a new form of commercial battery that can store renewable energy until it's needed. Such technology already exists but this usually comes in the form of lithium-ion which has its own environmental cost. However, Form Energy Inc's approach is for a multi-day battery that uses iron-air technology. Capable of being charged and discharged multiple times a day, the company thinks its new batteries are scalable and can be used to help grids store excessive energy until such times when it will be called for. A report in Solar Builder magazine said the method could work without additional costs or sacrificing energy efficiency. 5. Madrid takes action on climate change The authorities in Madrid have decided to plant a forest of trees to help mitigate the effects of climate change on the city. According to Nature World News, the Spanish capital can become unbearably hot in summer which is why a ring of trees will be planted around the city. It is hoped that Madrid will stop trapping heat so much because of the canopy of protection the trees will afford. They will also help to make air quality in the city better as well as providing shade and a means of storing some of the carbon the city creates. RELATED: Forest bathing – 6 science-backed benefits 6. Mussels help to solve the problem of microplastics Plastic waste ending up in the ocean – and the food chain – is a big problem. In fact, smaller particles of plastic are even harder to get out of the world's seas than larger items. However, according to Food Navigator, mussels are able to process microplastics and, what's more, there appears to be no knock-on effect from them so doing. In test conditions, it was found that the sea molluscs could filter microplastics just like they do their main food, plankton. Furthermore, blue mussels effectively trap plastic in their waste which can then be collected much more easily by humans. Mussels could help clear up microplastics shutterstock/Kuttelvaservoa Stuchlova 7. Paralysed man's brainwaves interpreted by a computer It may sound like science fiction, but the brainwaves of people can now be read and interpreted by technology. According to a report in the Guardian, a paralysed man who cannot speak was able to communicate thanks to a computer understanding his brainwaves and converting them into sentences. A neurosurgeon at the University of California, Edward Chang, said that it was exciting to think people are now at the beginning of a new chapter in communication. It's hoped the technique will allow many people who cannot talk or write the chance to express themselves more freely with words. 8. Mindfulness is of benefit to families with children who have ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is something that many families have to live with and it can be hard to treat in youngsters. However, a report in WebMD stated that research undertaken at Duke University in North Carolina showed that mindfulness training can help. Interestingly, according to the psychologists involved, mindfulness is not merely of benefit to the child who happens to have been diagnosed with the condition but to his or her family, as well. According to the researchers, mindfulness training helps both the child and the parents to self-regulate their responses to stressful situations. RELATED: Academy – free MBSR course 9. Indians plant millions of saplings A programme in India to plant millions of trees to help fight climate change and prevent desertification may not be unique but its scale is unprecedented. In July, 250 million saplings were planted in a single day, the second time such an astonishing figure has been reached in a single, 24-hour period. What's more encouraging, according to a report in the Independent, is that the survival rate for the saplings is approaching 80 per cent meaning that many of the newly planted trees are likely to make it to maturity, thereby storing lots of carbon that would otherwise be in the atmosphere. 10. Magic mushrooms can help with neural health According to numerous media outlets, including the Metro, a scientific study into so-called magic mushrooms suggests that new neural networks can be forged more easily by those who consume them. The psychoactive fungi help people with neural damage caused by depression to recover, the study suggests. The research was conducted at Yale University and the scientists involved think that the effects are not just profound but will prove to be long-lasting. • Main image: shutterstock/Luc Pouliot happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Positive news | Biotechnology | Nature | Biology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

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.

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.

Need a break from negative news? These feel-good stories from February highlight the positive things happening around the world. Ed Gould shares his Top Ten round-up from the month. February was a month that had its fair share of scare stories and unpleasant events. However, there were plenty of feel-good news stories that also made it into the mainstream media. Unfortunately, not all news items covering happiness and human warmth received front-page attention. Read on to discover some of the brighter stories from the last month you may have missed among the doom and gloom. 1. Mindfulness eases pain, according to science As it's #MindfulMarch, let's start with a mindfulness story. Even as little as half an hour spent on learning mindfulness techniques can help to ease physical pain. According to Medical News Today, introductory sessions into mindfulness can significantly lessen the impact of negative emotions as well as easing physical pain. Neuro-scientific experiments were conducted by a team at Yale University in the United States. They found that the results were the same even for people who have never practiced mindfulness before. Hedy Kober, an associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the university, said that mindfulness allowed people to enjoy a non-judgmental acceptance of the negativity associated with pain. 2. Soil bacteria may help the fight against climate change According to a number of news outlets around the world, a bacterium found in the soil may provide some of the answers needed to combat the changing global climate. Researchers at Cornell University have found a new group of bacteria that belong to a genus called Paraburkholderia madseniana. These bacterium are notable for their ability to degrade certain compounds and to generate root nodules that fix atmospheric nitrogen in the ground. It's hoped this will lead them to break down some of the chemicals that are released when fossil fuels are burned, promoting more nutrients for plant life to grow. 3. Children are happier in nature, study shows According to reports by CNN, scientific analysis has shown that children feel greater levels of happiness when they have the opportunity to get out and about in natural environments. Exposure to nature allows children, in particular, to feel more connected to the world. The research was published in February's edition of the journal Frontiers in Psychology by a team of researchers from Mexico. In all, some 300 school-age children took part in the study. As well as feeling happier, those who got out in nature were found to be more likely to be altruistic, too. Exposure to nature benefits children shutterstock/FamVeld 4. India turns to clean fuel In February, the Indian government announced that it would switch to one of the cleanest forms of transportation fuel in the world. The new regulations covering what Indian people can fill up their car with will come into effect from the start of April this year. From then, only BS-IV grades of fuel will be allowed for road-going petrol and diesel engines. It should help to dramatically reduce airborne pollution, especially in the country's crowded urban areas. 5. Chronic inflammation may become a thing of the past In feel-good news for anyone who suffers from chronic inflammation, scientists in the US have announced a way of flipping the way certain molecules work such that the body's immune system won't react to them. The discovery of this 'molecular switch' was published in the academic journal Cell Metabolism. It's thought the technique can be used to treat conditions like Alzheimer’s disease as well as diabetes and even cancer. Work is ongoing at the Department of Metabolic Biology, Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at UC Berkeley. 6. Want to learn while you sleep? Use your nose A team of scientists at the University of Freiburg in Germany has discovered that fragrances and the ability to smell them both play a part in the way we learn during sleep. Their study has revealed that we can make bigger strides in sleep-learning during hour hours of slumber when we have smelt something pleasant, such as a rose. Jürgen Kornmeier said that his team's work focussed on students learning foreign words. His study group was played English words to take on board during their slumber. Those who were exposed to certain odours before sleeping found their learning was more entrenched than a sample group. RELATED: Can't sleep? 14 fixes to get a good night's rest 7. Want to sleep better? Use your nose In an amazing coincidence, there was another sleep and odour related news story in February that made it into the press. This one followed a study conducted at the University of British Colombia in Canada. It found that sleeping with the natural odour of a partner close by will bring about a better quality of sleep. People who can smell their partner on their clothes or bedsheets – even if they're not present – are more likely to sleep longer and deeper, the study showed. According to the Daily Mail, sleeping in your partner's garments can mean enjoying up to nine minutes more slumber! 8. Bee population rising in North America thanks to hemp Since hemp production started to be legalised in North America, more and more hectares have been devoted to the crop. That has brought a good deal of happiness to many patients with chronic conditions. It has also led to a boost in bee numbers across areas like Colorado where hemp production is expanding. The pollen from the plants is particularly attractive for bees. Indeed, their dwindling numbers around the world may be reversed if other countries follow the example of Canada and the United States. Don't worry, bee happy! shutterstock/RUKSUTAKARAN studio 9. Comedy could help anxiety Some people have always benefited from the happiness and laughter comedy can bring about. However, one group of improvisational comedians in Chicago took it a step further by trying to treat anxiety. Their approach was based on a 2017 scientific study into anxiety and comedy. The team used a blend of group therapy sessions and improvisation classes each week to deliver what they called 'a natural remedy' for people suffering from anxiety in the city. The idea is that improvising various comedic situations makes people operate in the present with less time available for dwelling on the past. 10. Brazilian cities offer tax breaks for good deeds Property taxes in some locations in Brazil can be completely wiped out if residents there take advantage of new local laws. Under the scheme, people who adopt stray dogs or plant trees can enjoy a tax break from about a third of their usual bill and will even have it rescinded entirely if they perform enough qualifying good deeds. Places like Goiania, Belo Horizonte, Saraba and Quinta do Sol have all introduced these tax relief schemes to encourage fewer stray dogs and more foliage. Shop owners can also benefit from the scheme by renovating their historic storefronts. ● Main image: shutterstock/VAlekStudio What's your favourite story from the month? We'd love to hear your views in the comments! Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Many people believe that mindfulness makes us happier. But how does mindful living improve our authenticity (sense of self), or our happiness? New research sheds light on some of these fascinating questions. Does mindfulness really make us happier? If you've been working on living a mindful life, you may instinctively want to answer yes. Perhaps you've reduced the stress in your life, or at least improved your ability to handle it. You may have focused your effort on the things that really matter to you. Or maybe you just feel a greater sense of confidence and comfort in yourself. Although many of us can feel the benefits in our lives, there hasn't been a lot of scientific evidence so far to back up these ideas. However, that's starting to change. New studies are shedding light not only on whether mindfulness affects psychological well-being but also how. Two recent studies from researchers in Australia and the United States have examined the ways in which mindfulness affects our sense of self and behaviour. Both studies provide fascinating insights into the ways in which mindful living can affect fundamental parts of our identity. Mindfulness and sense of self A 2016 study carried out by researchers at the University of Utah investigated the "self-concept clarity" of university students. Self-concept clarity (SCC) is the extent to which an individual has a clear definition of their own beliefs and traits which remain consistent over time. Individuals with high SCC have a strong sense of self – a clear image of who they are. This view isn't necessarily accurate, of course – SCC isn't the same thing as self-knowledge, but it's stable. “The evidence so far suggests that authenticity may be one of the most important connections between mindful living and well-being.” There is an association with high SCC, positive relationships, high self-esteem and a greater sense of independence. Not much is known about where exactly it comes from. However, this study suggests that the connection is with intentional and non-judgmental awareness. In other words, mindfulness. The study revealed that more mindful participants had greater SCC, and that both mindful living and strong sense of self were correlated with psychological well-being. In fact, the relation between a mindful disposition and well-being through SCC was higher than the correlation between mindfulness and well-being alone. The authors of the study conclude that mindful individuals may improve their well-being in several ways. These individuals avoid conflicting self-images, which can lead to distress. They may more frequently identify behaviour that will improve their psychological well-being and sense of self-esteem. Mindfulness and authenticity A second study, conducted by researchers at the National University of Australia and Catholic University of Australia in 2016, shows some results that reveal further information about the connection between mindful living and values-based actions. According to the study, values-based action – action and behaviour consistent with an individual's values and beliefs – are an important part of the relationship between a mindful disposition and psychological well-being. Individuals who were more mindful tended to act more consistently with their own values and therefore tended to be happier. In fact, the researchers found that the connection between mindfulness and well-being through values-based action was much stronger than the direct link. Mindful individuals saw an increase in well-being primarily when they showed authenticity in action. Lesson to learn: authenticity equals happiness! © Ingram Image Psychological well-being Both studies suggest a correlation between mindful individuals and psychological well-being. It's worth taking a moment to examine the concept in a little more detail. Psychological well-being (PWB) basically reflects what we would think of as happiness: an individual's level of satisfaction with various aspects of their life. It's not a simple concept, though. Well-being breaks down into two further categories: hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Hedonic well-being focuses on experiencing pleasure and avoiding pain. When we're comfortable, well-fed and enjoying ourselves, our sense of hedonic well-being is high. Eudaimonic well-being bases itself more on the happiness that comes from self-actualisation. Our sense of eudaimonic well-being is high when we feel that what we are doing is worthwhile and that we can fulfill our potential. Authenticity of action is vital to this sense of well-being. Relating authenticity and self-image Both studies may show some of the connection between a mindful disposition and well-being. In the University of Utah study, mindful individuals did not suffer from some of the distress that can come from a confused or contradictory sense of self. In fact, they had clearer ideas of who they were. This may have allowed them to select actions and relationships that satisfied their values. In the Australian study, well-being came from authenticity: individuals who acted on their values tended to be happier. “Individuals who were more mindful tended to act more consistently with their own values and therefore tended to be happier.” But, of course, the two are inseparable. A strong sense of self is vital to values-based action, since people with lower self-concept clarity may not even really be sure of their own values. Putting it into practice Of course, these are just two studies, and, as always, further research is needed. But the evidence so far suggests that authenticity may be one of the most important connections between mindful living and well-being. Maintaining a mindful disposition can make us more aware of ourselves and our values, which is vital. But these values won't contribute as much to our well-being unless we put them into action. By identifying what our core beliefs are – what's really important to us – we can identify the actions that we need to carry out to put those beliefs into practice. Hopefully, putting our core beliefs into practice makes the world a better place. But it's also an important part of building our sense of well-being. When we act with authenticity – when we're true to our own sense of self – we develop the habits that contribute to our own happiness. ● Main image: Ingram Image Written by Guest Author We're happy to publish articles by guest authors that will broaden the perspective and bring new insights. If you're interested in publishing an article here on happiness.com, please contact us.

There were plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during May. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. May marked a change in the fortunes of many countries around the world. Although significant conflict and virus control remained a challenge in many places, there was also a lot of progress being made in others. Indeed, May was full of feel-good news stories. Here are our Top 10 highlights from the past month... 1.Recycling water from air-conditioning units possible As water resources become scarcer, cities in the driest places on the planet will find it harder to replenish resources. However, a new technology has been developed that's able to harvest the water in air-conditioning systems and use what would otherwise simply go to waste. According to Bloomberg, air-conditioning plants are already giving up their water for low-value processes, such as flushing the toilet. The collected water is also being used to water plants and it's hoped that one day the reprocessed water could be made safe to drink. 2. Mindfulness interventions help treat ADHD Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an increasingly diagnosed condition among children but there aren't many treatment pathways. Where medications are offered, a significant minority of youngsters see only limited benefits. However, a report published in News Medical in May stated that mindfulness parenting training can make a big difference. A control group of eight to 16-year-olds were compared with a group who undertook mindfulness-based intervention programmes and one third were seen to enjoy positive effects, according to the research group based at the Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged 3. Algae used to treat blindness A new medical procedure using algae has been developed to help restore the sight of people with a form of blindness. According to a report by the BBC, a blind man had proteins restored in his retina that had been grown using nothing more than algae. The report stated that the man realised the therapy was starting to work when he was first able to detect the highly contrasting stripes of a pedestrian crossing. The man, from France, lived with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa, and it's now hoped that others with the disorder will be able to be treated using a similar technique. Algae is being used to treat blindness shutterstock/Chokniti Khongchum 4. Ocean plastics used for vessel's fuel The Manta is a yacht like no other. This catamaran seeks out the many pieces of plastic waste that are floating around in the world's oceans and scoops them up. However, this vessel is much more than a clearing up machine, as reported by Intelligent Living magazine. It also uses the energy that is embedded in the plastic it captures as a fuel source so it can continue its operations. The yacht is the brainchild of Yvan Bourgnon, a former competitive sailor, who reckons the vessel can collect over 2.5 tonnes of waste plastic per hour! RELATED: Sailing the world – 5 life lessons I've learned 5. Land protection targets on track globally According to a report in the Guardian, the world is on track to meet its commitment to safeguarding the land and inland waterways it committed to under the UN Environment Programme. A report published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature stated that 17 per cent of land and inland water ecosystems of the world along with about eight per cent of marine areas had been placed into formally protected areas. The report suggested that a landmass the size of Russia was conserved thanks to the international agreement to commit to more protection. 6. Extinct giant river otter rediscovered In a world of diminishing biodiversity, rediscovering species that were thought to have perished is a joy. To find a large mammal surviving in its natural habitat is even more exciting. And this is exactly what happened in May when a kayaker found a giant river otter hunting in Argentina's El Impenetrable National Park. Sebastián Di Martino, director of conservation at Fundación Rewilding Argentina, said that he had initially been sceptical about the discovery but now simply felt happiness. And rightly so. The thought-to-be-extinct creature had not been seen for over 30 years. A giant river otter shutterstock/OSTILL is Franck Camhi 7. Wind turbine blades soon to be fully recyclable Wind turbines may help with the reduction of human reliance on fossil fuels but this does not mean that they don't come with a carbon cost themselves. One of the main drawbacks has been the blades themselves, which have always contained some elements that cannot be recycled when they come to the end of their working lives. However, the world's largest blade manufacturer, Vestas, has announced that it will soon bring a fully recyclable blade on stream for its clients. The move will make wind-powered electricity even greener than it already is. 8. Vaccine breakthrough in the fight against malaria The world may have become accustomed to Covid vaccines in the recent past but one of the biggest human killers – malaria – remains untreatable by vaccines. However, a team of researchers at Oxford University – the same behind the Covid-19 vaccine being made by Astra-Zeneca – has come up with a treatment for malaria which it thinks is about 77 per cent effective. That's over twice as effective as Mosquirix, the only other approved preventative treatment for the disease. 9. Record for renewable energy set in UK The British Isles constitute a windy location which makes the UK an ideal place for both on-shore and off-shore generation. The first Monday in May, a bank holiday, saw the greatest amount of electricity ever being produced from renewable sources in the country. In fact, wind power alone accounted for a peak of 17.6 gigawatts at one point, which is about half the requirement for England, Scotland and Wales among households and industry, according to a report by Sky News. A wind farm in Lincolnshire, UK shutterstock/John-Kelly 10. 3-D printing technology may help save rare tropical trees It's been around for a while now, but 3-D printing is rarely considered as a technology that can save natural resources. However, a report in TCT magazine suggests otherwise. It states that a new printing technique has been developed whereby some natural hardwoods, such as teak, can be made in a totally sustainable fashion without the need to chop down rare or tropical trees. The system, known as Forust, replicates the grains of natural hardwoods such that they are supposedly indistinguishable from the real thing. • happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Biotechnology | Nature | Biology | Positive news Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

A new year means new beginnings. Ed Gould shares his Top Ten round-up of feel-good news stories from January to kick-start 2020. January was full of feel-good news. If you thought that there was too little happiness and not enough to cheer you in mainstream news outlets, then read on to discover some of the positive stories you may have missed. 1. Stem cells used to combat pain in global first The use of stem cell research is controversial, but supporters of it are now likely to find more people being supportive of the technique thanks to work conducted at the University of Sydney. A research team there has claimed to have made a breakthrough with pain management, something that should bring happiness to anyone who suffers from the chronic condition. Taking stem cells from patients with injured nerves, the researchers have been able to repair them, thereby alleviating often excruciating pain without relying on drugs. 2. New process allows rubbish to be made into wonder material Engineers and product designers have long considered graphene, a carbon-based material, to be strong, durable and light. However, it has never been made out of rubbish before. According to The Engineer, this is soon to change because of a process developed at Rice University in Texas. Now, plastic waste and even old rubber tyres can be made into graphene at a fraction of the usual outlay, thanks to the work of researchers there. It's hoped that the graphene made will be industrialised and added to concrete, making it stronger and more environmentally friendly. 3. Mindfulness can help us to be less fearful According to a report in Medical News Today, mindfulness has been shown in numerous scientific studies to help people unlearn what they've learned from their fear. Of course, fear is an adaptive response that helps us to survive. However, with mindfulness, we can unlearn the traits associated with fearfulness that may be holding us back. According to the latest research in Scandinavia and China, inappropriate fear responses – such as phobias – can be addressed by invoking mindfulness techniques. Fear not: mindfulness may help shutterstock/Avesun 4. New hope for anti-cancer drugs The search for new and more targeted oncology drugs is something that continues around the globe. However, according to a report published by Reuters, US scientists have discovered that many drug therapies already in use for other conditions may have a cancer-fighting effect, too. Dr Steven Corsello of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute at MIT said that a surprising number of non-oncology drugs have the ability to see off cancer cells under laboratory conditions. His team tested some 4,500 drugs with no previously reported anti-cancer properties and found that at least 50 were successful. 5. Breakthrough in solar technology announced A research team led by Claudia Turro, a chemistry professor at Ohio State University, has found that a lone molecule could be harnessed in a way that will make solar panels more effective. The chemistry involved means that the full spectrum of sunlight can be captured by solar cells, thereby making them much more effective than at present. The idea is to develop the technique to make a much sought-after type of hydrogen fuel from sunlight. 6. Doing good relieves mental and physical pain People who are kind all the time may already realise the power of kindness, but researchers in China have scientifically demonstrated that being nice to others has a benefit to us. Their work, published during January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has shown that altruistic behaviours led to relief from acutely induced physical pain and even had a positive effect on those suffering chronic pain. Their work suggests there must have been some kind of evolutionary benefit to kindness, as humans developed into more social animals living in groups. Kindness leads to happiness shutterstock/Daisy Daisy 7. China moves against single-use plastics Some people complain that the moves many of us make – such as phasing out the use of plastic bags – is not worth it until hugely populous countries such as China do the same. However, the People's Republic announced that it would do so from the end of 2020 and hopes to remove all single-use plastics from urban centres in as little as two years. In a report published by the BBC, the restaurant industry in the country will have to do away with plastic straws almost immediately. 8. Blood flow study could help dementia sufferers A team at University College London in the UK has discovered the bio-mechanism that allows brains to monitor their blood supply in a study conducted on rats. It's now hoped this can be monitored to work out the relationship between this mechanism and the onset of dementia, which has long been associated with blood flow rates in the brain. 9. Lego is bringing about a more mindful approach The Daily Telegraph reported a particular generation was increasingly using Lego building as a way to achieve flow and greater happiness in their daily lives. In January, the newspaper said that millennials were playing with the plastic bricks to make things that had an effect on their mindfulness which was akin to engaging in practices like yoga. Some have put this down to the fact that younger adults are more aware of mental health stresses than older generations and are therefore seeking therapies they can enjoy to avoid them. Could Lego boost flow? shutterstock/FamVeld 10. Dry January being overtaken by increasing numbers of teetotallers According to Men's Health magazine, more people are getting involved with alcohol abstinence than ever before, and it's not just for the first month of the year. In increasing numbers people are opting to abandon booze all together, thanks to public health campaigns and the publicity associated with dry January. The report cites scientific research at the University of Washington as well as changing British attitudes to alcohol as revealed in a recent YouGov survey. What a sobering thought! ● Main image: shutterstock/diy13 Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Managing unpleasant symptoms and changing your lifestyle drastically – living with a chronic illness is challenging. But it needn't break you down. James Frew explains how mindfulness and meditation has given him the resilience to thrive while living with a long-term condition... All it took was a fall in the middle of a road to realize something was wrong. It was July 2013 and I'd just returned from a month-long overseas business trip. I was tired, unable to think properly, and was regularly physically sick after eating. But it wasn't until that moment on the road outside the office that I became convinced this wasn't just a severe case of jet lag. The following day, I visited the doctor and so started months of tests, false starts, and inconclusive assessments. It wasn't until January 2014 that I received an official diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). All the while, I'd been away from work, barely able to leave the house, with my symptoms worsening. Although there was relief in the diagnosis – finally having a name for the ensemble of seemingly unrelated symptoms – it was much more the beginning than the end. Truthfully, it was the start of living with chronic illness and pain. Learning to live with Dysautonomia A lot of people would say that living with a chronic illness is quite an isolating experience. That's certainly how I felt, especially in the first few years of my condition. The symptoms of POTS, a form of dysautonomia or autonomic dysfunction, vary significantly between individuals and fluctuate on a daily and sometimes even hourly basis. For me, unpredictability was, and still is, one of the most demanding challenges to overcome. When in the middle of an extreme flare-up of symptoms, it's difficult to communicate to others how you're feeling, particularly when suffering from the cloudiness of brain fog. For many years, I couldn't work because of the debilitating cognitive effect this had on me. Some people say it feels like having cotton wool in your brain; you're aware there's something there, but it's hard to find clarity in it. James lives with the chronic condition POTS This isn't uncommon for POTS patients, either. According to Dr. Lesley Kavi, Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University and Trustee and Chair of the charity PoTS UK, the most debilitating symptom of POTS “varies very much from person to person depending on the set of symptoms they have. I read many comments that say the brain fog is the worst, but not everyone says this.” This is typical when discussing chronic illnesses. Like the common cold, some illnesses are short-lived and unpleasant; chronic illnesses, though, don't have a known end-point. Although there's no way to say for sure, I'll probably experience POTS symptoms for the foreseeable future. While some people find their condition naturally resolves, Dr. Kavi notes that many, “especially those with inherited conditions that cause [POTS], can have symptoms long-term.” Living with chronic illness Chronic illnesses are generally defined as long-term conditions with no cure. However, there's no one accepted definition of a chronic illness, so its hard to get an accurate measure of how many people suffer with a long-term condition. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opts for the term chronic disease, and estimates that six in ten adults have a long-term condition which affects their daily lives. Often, the symptoms are wide-ranging, diverse and unpredictable. As a result, living with chronic illness can sometimes feel like a continual trial. For every positive moment, there are a handful of upsetting, distressing, or frustrating ones. Following the onset of my illness, I found it particularly hard to come to terms with how different my life now was. Even simple things like going out of the house require effort and preparation. “Often, the symptoms are wide-ranging, diverse and unpredictable. As a result, living with chronic illness can sometimes feel like a continual trial. For every positive moment, there are a handful of distressing or frustrating ones.” It's not helped that I tend not to look any different outwardly. The effects of POTS are primarily internal, like a sudden increased heart rate, low blood pressure and digestive issues. This type of condition is usually referred to as an invisible illness, a common trait of many chronic illnesses. As a previously well man in his early 20s when POTS first took hold, most people couldn't see the suffering I was going through. As a result, I was nervous about going out and anxious about how people may interact with me if I need to sit down on a busy bus or train or use an accessible toilet. Most days, I still feel this way. I know I tend to shy away from spontaneity, preferring low-key plans instead. But after so many years living with chronic illness, I've become used to accepting my difference. Meditation to calm anxious thoughts There wasn't an overnight transformation; I didn't wake up one morning comfortable in my skin and ready to take on the world. It was a gradual process over many years, continually chipping away at the biases and thought patterns from before. But I didn't do it alone, either. After reading about a meditation app online, I ignored my misplaced skepticism about the practice and gave it a go. RELATED: Do mindfulness apps work? In the years since, I've spent at least ten minutes a day training my mind to be comfortable with feelings and learning that I am not my thoughts and I'm not defined by my condition. Where I used to spend long periods worrying about what people may think, I've come to accept that these are the musings of an anxious mind concerned about a future that may never happen. This regular practice has also helped me feel connected to others, even while physically alone. James' 'Be more kind' tattoo Although you might never meet them in person, the internet offers a way to connect with other people living with chronic illness around the world. I've spent many hours in the /r/POTS subreddit chatting, learning, and supporting the newly-diagnosed. In fact, the benefits of this type of interaction were confirmed by a 2016 study published in Qualitative Health Research, which found that online communities strengthened relationships, exchanged knowledge, and raised awareness about specific illnesses. Finding ways to manage chronic pain My meditation practice meant that I could focus on the present moment, rather than the future or the past. But is also helped manage the chronic pain caused by POTS in combination with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a connective tissue disorder. The pain still exists, of course, but it is my reaction to it that has changed. Chronic pain is a highly challenging condition to live with. My personal experience hasn't been overwhelming, but an underlying current of long-term pain. RELATED: 9 science-backed benefits of meditation However, it can be extremely debilitating for many people suffering from it. As the mechanisms behind this agony aren't yet understood, treatments are variable, and some find them ineffective. Still, there's growing evidence, like the meta-study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine in 2016, that a regular meditation practice can help make living with chronic illness and long-term pain more manageable. Coping with mental health and chronic illness Meditation is just one technique I've come across to ease the difficulty of living with chronic illness. As Dr. Kavi points out, "it can be a challenge to cope with the fluctuations; some people don't need help with [their] mental health, some gain benefit from psychological therapies including CBT [or] mindfulness, and some have medication." Although mindfulness has been the most successful for me, it didn't happen in isolation. Not long after my diagnosis, I was prescribed SSRI-based anti-depressants to help manage my mental health. Alongside this, I took a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) course and followed that up with counseling. “There's growing evidence that a regular meditation practice can help make living with chronic illness and long-term pain more manageable.” Everyone's experience is different, but the key to living with chronic illness is to do what's right for you. These therapies and techniques were effective for me, but they might not be for everyone. You may find it's worth exploring your options with a healthcare professional. Working around your condition In an alternative world, we might be able to spend our days living with chronic illness, managing experiences at our own pace. But in many cases, there's still a financial imperative to work. Alongside this, after a few years of relative monotony, I wanted to have something practical to achieve. But, given the unpredictable, long-term nature of chronic illness, most don't feel able to return to full-time employment in an office or workplace away from home. There are alternatives to explore, though, even if they are less conventional. James is proof you can thrive with a chronic illness Some people turn their hobbies into a part-time business, allowing them to bolster their finances without the pressure of working all the time. This was the approach that led to my return to work. Writing started as a hobby before becoming part-time job, and then, years later, a career. But that's far from the only way to earn while living with chronic illness. If you do feel comfortable returning to an office, it's worth finding an understanding employer to accommodate the adjustments you need. The important thing is to do what you feel comfortable with, and at your own pace. Over the years, my illness has given me a chance to connect with my body in a way I'd never imagined. While the struggle is real, I've come to accept that this is who I am now, and in many ways, I'm better for it. After almost a decade, living with chronic illness is still a work in progress. My experience evolves each day, but so do I. For every setback, I have an opportunity to learn from it. For each day spent recovering from the onset of symptoms, I find comfort knowing that tomorrow may be different. happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Resilience | Acceptance | Courage Written by James Frew James is a freelance writer based in the UK with a focus on consumer technology, mental health, well-being, and sustainability. When not writing, he's usually listening to podcasts, enjoying music, or going for a walk. You can find all his work on Campsite.bio and follow him on Twitter.

There have been plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during April. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. April started to feel as though spring had truly arrived in many parts of the world. Despite the many problems the global population faces, this April was full of optimistic stories and tales of human endeavour. What were some of the best news items that didn't necessarily get the attention they deserved? 1. Gardening reduces stress levels, according to a new study According to a report by Sky News, gardening even just once or twice a week reduces feelings of anxiety and stress. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) commissioned a survey to find out how much gardening was found to relax people. As most gardeners know already, it can be an absorbing hobby and relieve stress. However, the survey discovered that the impact is more dramatic than many had previously thought. In fact, the findings from the RHS suggest that gardening is just a good a stress buster as running or cycling vigorously. RELATED: The 7 mental health benefits of gardening 2. Reefs to be better protected thanks to ecologically sound sunscreen One of the principal ingredients in sunscreens is zinc oxide. This compound is harmless to skin and also offers a high level of protection against the sun's powerful rays. However, it is often derived from natural sources found within coastal reefs. Thankfully, research at Imperial College London and Sheffield University has been ongoing to synthesize the production of zinc oxide. In April, these universities jointly announced they had developed a new technique which means this is now possible, helping to safeguard delicate marine environments for years to come. 3. Peer anxiety drops away in middle age, study finds A British survey of some 2,000 people found that people are much less anxious about what others think of them, on average, when they reach the age of 46. The study results were reported in the Independent and demonstrated that British people were able to stop being so concerned about how others perceived them by this age, suggesting that they were more content in themselves. In fact, 72 per cent of the people who responded to the survey reported that they were unapologetically themselves in their mid-40s without being held back by feeling they needed to conform so much. Brits are more self-assured in their 40s shutterstock/Olena Yakobchuk 4. Microplastic trap could help to clean up waterways Rivers, lakes and oceans all suffer when plastics are dumped in them. As well as taking a long time to break down, plastic products often release tiny particles as they do so. In turn, these are often ingested by marine life and therefore enter the food chain. New Atlas reported in April that a team at Hong Kong Polytechnic University had shown that a common bacterium can be used in a biofilm to capture these microplastics. It's hoped that the trapped material can be recycled – just like conventional plastic. 5. Traumatic memories can be weakened by new therapeutic model Science Daily reported in April that research in Texas was helping patients to overcome their most traumatic memories in a new way. The idea, as published in the academic journal Nature Neuroscience, is to reactivate hurtful or problematic memories so that therapists can either reframe them or help them to disappear completely. The approach helps to eradicate deep-seated fears which can already be treated at the moment but which often bubble up back to the surface over time. It's hoped that the method will create a more effective treatment pathway for those living with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. 6. New rainforest natural reserve formed in Belize A 230,000-acre rainforest site in the central American country of Belize has been turned into a natural reserve thanks to a coalition of international organisations and local groups. It's hoped that the privately managed area of rainforest will serve to protect unknown numbers of species including the area's top predator – the jaguar. The Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area is part of a rainforest that stretches into Mexico and Guatemala, as well as covering much of Belize. The main aim of the project is to protect the area from deforestation, according to Science Times. A toucan in a Belize rainforest shutterstock/Ondrej Prosicky 7. Mindfulness interventions among students reduce stress, trial finds According to PsyPost, even relatively short mindfulness interventions among students will be of benefit to them in coping with psychological stresses. A trial among undergraduates found that brief periods of meditation were useful for all types of students. The trial focussed on Brazilian students and was published in the BMC Psychology journal. The study centred on students with no prior experience in mindfulness or meditation and studied their responses to 30-minute guided mindful meditations over a short, three-day period. RELATED: Mindfulness vs meditation – what's the difference 8. Healthy guts improve wisdom and fend off loneliness Gut health has long been known to have a physiological effect on people, perhaps impacting positively on their immune system. However, an interesting new study conducted by scientists at the University of San Diego has discovered that people with good gut health – a diverse amount of healthy bacteria in their digestive tracts – will often feel they are wiser, something that tends to present as feeling more satisfied in their life. Conversely, people who have poor gut health will often feel more socially isolated. It's thought that microbial diversity in the gut can have a profound effect on people's brain physiology. RELATED: How to heal your gut – 11 ideas to restore belly health 9. Chile to begin exporting green energy Although many countries have greener electrical production today than ever before, some – like Chile – are going even further. While major economies tend to have a mix of fossil fuel and renewable energy, Chile is already highly advanced with solar-powered technology, largely thanks to the amount of clear sunlight the country receives. According to the Financial Times, this has led the nation's energy companies to start thinking about how it might export its green energy to neighbours. Chile hit its 2025 target for renewable energy production five years early in 2020, and is still investing heavily in solar power, showing what can be achieved in a relatively short period of time. Thousands of solar panels in Chile's Atacama Desert shutterstock/abriendomundo 10. HIV vaccine is on the horizon The world has become accustomed to virology and vaccine efficacy in recent months but for decades there has been no vaccine available for HIV. However, the latest research is showing promising signs that a vaccine for HIV may soon become a reality. The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the Scripps Research Institute in California have been working on one, according to ABC News. At the clinical trial stage, the vaccine is showing all the signs of success – early findings indicating that it could be successful in as many as 97 per cent of cases. The trial is ongoing but researchers are hopeful that a breakthrough may occur when their final data is published for review. • happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Biotechnology | Nature | Biology | Positive news Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

There have been plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during March. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. March was a time of great hopefulness in many parts of the world as some semblance of normality began to emerge for the first time in months. That said, the headlines still tended to be dominated by international frictions, disease and unrest. Of course, there were plenty of good news stories that didn't get the attention they deserved, too. So, what were some of the best? 1. Cheetahs to be reintroduced to India It's about 70 years since cheetahs were last found roaming Asia. Since then, the big cat has been only found in Africa. However, conservationists are turning the tide for the creature as six sites – including the Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan and the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary – have been identified as being suitable for them. According to the Indian Express, two teams of wildlife experts, one in South Africa and one in Namibia, will choose cheetahs for the project which, it's hoped, will help to ensure their long-term survival. 2. Birdsong will make you happier, according to science It may sound obvious, but being in close proximity to birds – particularly hearing them sing – has been shown to induce states of happiness in people. As reported by Yahoo! Life, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Researchers set out to determine whether it was really true that birds make people feel happier. They discovered that all types of birdlife are able to increase the life satisfaction of people. In fact, they even put a value on it – the researchers say it raises joy levels so much that it's the equivalent of being given around £100 per week! Bird song gives you a boost shutterstock/AlekseyKarpenko 3. Cannabis extract may help Alzheimer's sufferers Scientists in the USA have been working on the cannabis extract known as CBD. During their experiments on mice, they found that exposure to the naturally produced substance had a beneficial effect on cognition. They now suggest that a two-week course of CBD among humans could help to improve the brain function of people who have an inherited form of Alzheimer's disease. According to the research, which was carried out at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, CBD promotes the growth of proteins that help to consume dead brain cells. RELATED: How to talk to a parent with dementia 4. Damaged motor neurons can be treated with new compound Another medical breakthrough was reported in various media outlets in March. This one focussed on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS. The condition often leads to a loss of control in movement as the degenerative disorder worsens over time. However, scientists now think that a new compound, known as NU-9, can repair damaged motor neurons in the brain. It could offer patients the chance of a treatment pathway in the future. 5. Coral reefs around Fiji make a better than expected comeback When many of the beautiful coral reefs around the island nation of Fiji were destroyed following a powerful cyclone, some people thought they might take decades to recover. However, according to a report in the Guardian, marine scientists have found that the reefs are once more looking vibrant and teeming with life. Fiji's coral reefs have come alive again shutterstock/stockphoto-graf A tropical cyclone named Winston struck in 2016 leaving many Fijian corals looking like rubble. The Wildlife Conservation Society has been monitoring the situation since then and said that it has been truly surprised at how the reefs had recovered. Part of the success has been down to the way in which the society has created no-fishing areas to help preserve the reefs, something it did in tandem with local communities. 6. Chimpanzees use Zoom to stay social During the pandemic, many people have learned to turn to technology to keep their social lives going. However, it' not just humans who are making increased use of video conference calling. In the Czech Republic, zookeepers have been setting up Zoom calls between chimpanzees in different locations. A report in USA Today stated that a safari park in the northern town of Dvur Kralove had started using the technology to enrich the lives of its six chimps by allowing them to see other primates in a zoo located miles away. 7. Mindfulness found to be useful for dealing with pandemic anxiety There can be little doubt that the last 12 months or so have been a more worrying time than usual. Indeed, vast swathes of the world's population have suffered from fear and anxiety relating to the pandemic. However, a recently published paper suggests that these worries can be alleviated by practising mindfulness. Of course, mindfulness techniques are already well-known for the beneficial mental states that they help to bring about. This study, published in the academic journal Global Advances in Health and Medicine, is the first to suggest it also works for pandemic-induced fears. Over 200 volunteers took part in the clinical trial. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged 8. Rare toad bred for the first time in Manchester Scientists at the Manchester Museum announced they had been able to successfully breed the endangered harlequin toad in a global first. Native to Central America, the toad is so-called for its bright yellow and black markings. After six of the creatures were brought to the UK in 2018, no breeding has occurred. The beautifully-marked harlequin toad shutterstock/goran_safarek However, by replicating the humidity, lighting and water flow of their natural environment, the team was able to see tadpoles successfully developing for the first time. The breeding programme was a culmination of three years of sustained work, according to a report in the Guardian. 9. 3D printing to be used for a school in a global first A site in southern Madagascar has been set aside for a new school. Incredibly, the difference with this project is that a non-profit NGO will be building it using only 3D printed construction materials. In an effort to show how sustainable such buildings can be, Thinking Huts will deliver the design of the school faster and more sustainably than would otherwise be possible. The NGO stated that the method would mean schools of this type could be built in less than a week – including the foundations, electrical works and plumbing. It's hoped that this process will become the norm in parts of the world where more educational establishments are needed. 10. Electronic waste is beginning to decline For decades, people have been producing more and more electronic waste. All sorts of appliances are scrapped and head to landfill sites rather than being recycled each year. However, according to Recycling Today, the tide may be turning. This is because a research team from Yale and the Rochester Institute of Technology have discovered that the amount of electronic waste that is currently being produced is in decline for the first time. Of course, humans are still making such waste but now at a slower rate thanks to increased product longevity and improved recycling opportunities. • Main image: shutterstock/Romolo Tavani happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Nature | Positive news | Biology | Biotechnology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

There were plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories to start 2021, but you may not have heard of them – until now! Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten positive news stories from the past month to uplift and inspire us. January is one of the gloomiest months in the calendar where, in the northern hemisphere at least, it's often cold, grey and wet. However, the past month was full of feel-good news to brighten your day. Not all of these stories got the mainstream attention they deserved, so what were some of the good news items you may not have noticed? 1. Mindfulness uptake boosted by lockdowns There are few good news items about the various lockdowns around the world but one has been the increased interest in mindfulness and meditation among the public. In fact, according to Buddhistdoor, the pandemic has seen a doubling of the use of mindfulness apps, especially those which draw inspiration from traditional Buddhist meditative techniques. Its report also points out that mindfulness is becoming so mainstream that it now has entire TV shows devoted to it, such as a forthcoming series on Netflix called 'Headspace Guide to Meditation' and 'A World of Calm', an HBO series. 2. Great Green Wall project ramps up Having raised in excess of $14 billion from the African Development Bank in January, an international project to protect central Africa from the Sahara desert has received a huge boost. Started back in 2005, the initiative has already seen many trees, shrubs and grasses planted in the savannah areas to the south of the desert. Stretching from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, the Great Green Wall has already saved hundreds of thousands of hectares from soil erosion, thereby helping a substantial part of the continent to remain arable. According to the Financial Times, the project helps to provide job opportunities and to promote regional peace, as well as safeguarding the environment. 3. Artificial heart approved for use in Europe In a report published by France 24, a French company named Carmat has gained regulatory approval for its artificial heart. The mechanised organ is likely to offer a lifeline to many patients who have yet to be matched with a suitable donor. It has taken almost three decades to come to fruition, but the artificial heart will go on sale in the European Union from April, the healthcare firm announced. According to Stéphane Piat, Carmat's CEO, the device is compatible with all blood types and is self-regulating once it has been placed inside the patient's body. 4. Panamanian tribe wins stewardship of wide forest region According to a report in Yale Environment 360, indigenous tribespeople in Panama have won a court ruling that will put them in charge of a vast area of almost pristine forest. The country's Supreme Court found in favour of the Naso people in their claims to the forest, situated in one of Panama's semi-autonomous regions. The indigenous Americans had feared that the area would be developed and that the ancient areas of forest would come under threat. At least two large national parks will now come under the control of the Naso people as a result of the ruling. Rain forest in Panama shutterstock/Angel deBilio 5. Mexico City bans single-use plastic As one of the largest cities in Central America, Mexico City sets the standards for others in the region to follow. Indeed, the city's authorities have certainly led the way with a ban on single-use plastics which came in at the start of 2021. According to ZME Science, the citywide ban includes items such as plastic cutlery and straws, which were once a big feature of its street food culture. Officials will initially visit food outlets and retailers to check they are complying with the new rules and to inform them of breaches, rather than taking a punitive route as the plastic moratorium comes into effect. 6. Alzheimer drug showing strong results The American pharmaceutical firm Lilly announced in January that it had good results from the mid-stage of its long-term drug trial in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. The company reckons that its experimental treatment has slowed the rate of mental decline in patients by, on average, as much as one third. Almost 300 people with the disease have been taking part in the study over the last 18 months. A beta-amyloid called N3pG is at the heart of the treatment, something Lilly thinks will be cleared rapidly by the regulators once the full field trial is completed. RELATED: Cognitive impairment – 5 key ways to reduce the risk as you age 7. Lab-grown wood could save trees Many media outlets reported a breakthrough in January that was announced by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT scientists have been able to grow a wooden material from plant cells that can be put to a wide range of uses, including furniture making. Given that wood is such an adaptable and widely used material, there is little doubt that people will need it for decades to come. However, that has always come with a cost in terms of deforestation. The lab-grown wood could offer a way forward with traditional woodwork without the need to chop down trees. 8. Renewable energy beating fossil fuels in Germany, UK and Spain A German think tank reported in January that clean energy had overtaken reliance on fossil fuels in three European countries for the first time in 2020. Germany led the way with its uptake of solar power, while wind farms were the mainstay of the UK's efforts. The think tank's report found that electrical generation from coal fell across Europe by a further 20 per cent last year while reliance on nuclear production also dropped by about 10 per cent. Less fossil fuels, more wind farms shutterstock/TedNab 9. Mysterious blue light spotted from the International Space Station A streak of upwardly discharging blue lightning has been detected for the first time from the International Space Station, according to numerous press outlets. The European Space Agency said that the phenomenon will help scientists to understand the ways in which greenhouse gases behave in the upper atmosphere because the blue flashes of light seem to be connected to them in the ionosphere. A European-made instrument on the space station has been looking for these discharges for some time because they are not observable from Earth. Until now, scientists had only been able to theorise about them. 10. Wooden satellite slated for launch Japanese scientists and engineers from Kyoto University have built a prototype of a wooden satellite, according to Universe Today. The idea is to launch the communications system into orbit as soon as 2023 with the approach meaning that less so-called 'space junk' will be created by using fewer metal parts. All of the potentially problematic components can be housed inside the wooden structure which, not being made of metal, should not interfere with radio transmissions. • Main image: shutterstock/Yanikap happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Positive news | Nature | Biology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

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

There were plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in December, but you may have missed them given all the negative news currently in the press. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten positive news stories from the past month to uplift and inspire. December is the traditional time for family get-togethers and merriment. Although the final month of 2020 may have been somewhat different from usual, there were many good news stories that were full of happiness, positivity and the human spirit. Read on to discover more about some of the best ones. 1. Plastic additive makes packaging biodegradable A British firm has announced that it has developed an additive that can go into new plastic products that will render them biodegradable. Polymateria has come up with a way that could end the crisis the world faces in plastics that take hundreds of years to break up. Both flexible and rigid forms of plastic can be made using the additive which, it is hoped, will do no environmental damage once disposed of. 2. Food waste targeted by tech giant With so many people around the world suffering from hunger but with global food production at an all time high, there is an undoubted problem with waste. According to some estimates, as much as a third of all groceries are thrown away by people in wealthier countries. It was reported in December that Google plans to do something about the issue by getting involved in Project Delta in the United States. The tech giant will bring its algorithmic prowess to bear in an effort to get food where it's needed when it's needed so that Americans end up throwing away less of the food they buy. At the moment, the project is focussed on commercial kitchens but it could also be advanced to help ordinary retailers and consumers. 3. Polar bears saved by court ruling A controversial offshore oil drilling project in the Arctic region has been stopped by a US federal court, according to EuroNews. The decision will safeguard the habitat and ranges of polar bears in the area, in a move that has been warmly welcomed by campaign groups. The court ruling said that the National Environmental Policy Act had not been sufficiently taken into account by the current administration when it said the offshore project could proceed. Polar bears tend to be disturbed by the noise such drilling inevitably creates. Arctic polar bears to be protected shutterstock/outdoorsman 4. Stranded truckers assisted by compassionate groups When lorry drivers were stuck in Kent, UK, unable to take cross-channel ferries to France, they were left stranded without access to basic services. However, according to local news sources, their plight was not overlooked by the local Sikh community who rallied around to deliver hot food to them. Under police supervision, the Gravesend Gurdwara delivered hundreds of free meals to the incapacitated truckers while they waited for the port to reopen. The group was assisted by Khalsa Aid, a Sikh charitable foundation. In addition, Ramsgate Football Club showed a similar level of compassion to the drivers by delivering hundreds of pizzas free of charge. 5. Mental ageing can be reversed, study suggests According to a new paper published by UC San Francisco scientists, the age-related cognitive decline that is noted in many older people need not be permanent. Indeed, SciTech Daily reported that the group had come up with a drug therapy that would mean such brain decline could be reversed. The scientists' work has focussed on a drug called ISRIB which, it was found, could restore memory function among a raft of other cognitive abilities. What's even more positive is that the drug tends to provide rapid results where brain degradation had previously been thought to be permanent. RELATED: Cognitive impairment – 5 ways to reduce the risk as you age 6. New Zealand's vaccine response includes its neighbours A report in The London Economic claimed that New Zealand had purchased enough of the anti-coronavirus vaccines to treat all of its population – as well as those of its neighbouring Pacific islands. New Zealand has a population of 5.5 million but it has bought more vaccine doses than it needs for its own citizens. This means that the Oxford University/AstraZeneca and Novavax jabs will now be issued to island states such as Tokelau, Niue, Samoa and Tuvalu. It's also thought that Tonga and the Cook Islands will benefit from the generosity of the New Zealand government. According to the country's foreign minister, the move will allow these smaller nations faster access to the vaccines as well as making the entire region safer for ordinary New Zealanders. 7. New hope for Florida's coral reefs According to the Miami Herald, the introduction of the Caribbean king crab into its coral reefs is starting to preserve them. By reducing algae growth, the corals have become healthier. The crabs have been nicknamed as reef goats because of their ability to eat everything that is unwanted and develop healthy growth. Once grown for human consumption, these crabs will now play a big part in maintaining marine biodiversity in the area. Coral reefs in Miami are becoming healthier shutterstock/Matt9122 8. Electronic devices must be tagged as repairable In a landmark move, the French government has voted for a law that will make all electronic goods manufacturers tag their products with how repairable – or otherwise – they are. The idea is that when people buy devices, they will know which ones will be repairable if something goes wrong down the line and which ones won't. In turn, it's hoped this law will encourage manufacturers to make their products longer lasting, thereby cutting down on waste and the need to constantly upgrade with newer versions of the same product. According to Times Now, it's expected that several other European Union countries will follow France's lead and introduce similar legislation. 9. Mindfulness reduces burnout among healthcare staff There can be little doubt that 2020 has been a tough year for everyone in the healthcare sector. Stress and burnout among some health professionals has been part of the problem in several countries. However, according to a report in Becker's Hospital Review, mindfulness has been deployed successfully in many healthcare settings to help caregivers. Researchers in the United States found that practising mindfulness techniques reduced burnout rates and increased engagement at work among a range of healthcare workers. Mindfulness reduces burnout in healthcare workers shutterstock/ARTFULLY PHOTOGRAPHER 10. Pygmy possum found alive and well in Australia Because of the bushfires that have engulfed Australia in recent years, it was feared that the tiny pygmy possum – the smallest species of possum – had been wiped out. Previously found in certain habitats in Tasmania and surrounding areas, the diminutive creature was thought to have become extinct by many naturalists. Indeed, The Guardian reported that almost 90 per cent of the creature's habitat had been lost to bushfires.However, a discovery on Kangaroo Island in December has raised new hopes that the species is doing better than previously thought and may make a comeback so long as it can be adequately protected. • Main image: shutterstock/LeAndr happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Positive news | Nature | Biology | Biotechnology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

None of us is perfect. Yet, perfectionism isn’t a rare trait and often overlaps with anxiety, research suggests. Sonia Vadlamani recommends effective ways to cope with perfectionism and anxiety, so we can lead productive, happier lives. Most of us have a friend or colleague who claims to be obsessed with achieving perfection – someone who just can’t help doing it the ‘right’ way, be it at their workplace, in the kitchen, or at a hobby they pursue. Perhaps as you read this, you will realize that this describes you quite accurately as well. While most people intend to do well at the tasks and goals they want to accomplish, some individuals set exceedingly high standards for everything they set out to achieve, firmly believing that to strive for perfection in this manner is ideal. At the outset, perfectionism – or the innate desire to be ‘flawless’ at everything one does – seems like a positive personality trait. After all, it’s natural to want to be our best version every day, and we often equate perfectionism to being a high achiever. However, constantly maneuvering over each detail and wanting to nitpick every aspect while hoping for a ‘nothing-less-than-perfect’ outcome can be exhausting and stressful, thus impacting one’s mental health in the longer run. As a food photographer and writer, I feel a compulsion to track down the tiniest mistake and correct the same in all my pictures and posts. It can be said that perfectionism is a useful and even desirable trait in the field of photography and writing. However, I came to understand the traps of perfectionism as a personal trait all too well when a friend pointed out how it spoils one’s overall experience or ability to enjoy the present moment – something we talk a lot about here at happiness.com! We were exploring a stretch of the most picturesque trails along Cinque Terre, which comprises of five fishing villages strung along the Ligurian coast in Italy. The stunning green-blue sea, colorful quaint houses built into the cliffs, the delicious Ligurian fare can be a delight for the visitors. But here I was, fumbling with my camera all along, stressing to avoid the ‘aesthetically imperfect’ details like chipped paint, potholes on the streets, etc, anxious to get as many perfect pictures as I could. Do your perfectionist ways make you anxious? Hours later as the sun began to set, my friend walked over to where I stood with my tripod to ask in a gentle tone that belied his irritation, “Would you mind just soaking in the sight and live this gorgeous sunset, instead of worrying about capturing it perfectly on your camera?” The question proved to be a reality check: what else was I missing out on in my mad quest for perfection? Years later and after a lot of introspection, I now consciously try to never let perfectionism and the anxiety that accompanies it to take control over me. What exactly is perfectionism? American Psychological Association defines perfectionism as the "the tendency to demand of others or of oneself an extremely high or even flawless level of performance, in excess of what is required by the situation." Depending upon how one lets the ideals of perfection affect them, perfectionism can be a positive or ‘adaptive’ or negative or ‘maladaptive’ personality trait. Here are a few ways to recognize some aspects of perfectionism that pertain to you: always feeling highly competitive a rigid outlook or way of thinking feeling insecure, shame or guilt over your less-than-ideal performance sensitivity or resistance to constructive feedback feeling the urge to constantly criticize others experiencing uncontrollable anger when things don’t go the planned way According to a literary review by researchers Silvia Bigatti et al, perfectionism can foster unrealistic standards and expectations from ourselves and others. These idealistic – and frankly impractical – expectations can further intensify negative emotions and feelings like stress, anxiety, increasing dissatisfaction with the self and imposter disorder. The constant rumination about what things ‘could be’ or ‘should be’ can increase stress levels and affect productivity, thus impacting one’s psychological well-being as well. What exactly is anxiety? Anxiety is a state of negative expectation, signs of which can be characterized as apprehension and increasing state of distress or worry, or unfavorable physical sensations such as elevated heart rate and jitteriness. While anxiety can occasionally result in a positive outcome, persistent or prolonged anxiety can hamper one’s day-to-day function, often resulting in high stress levels and depression. How are perfectionism and anxiety linked? Research reveals a substantial correlation between perfectionism and anxiety. The National Institute of Mental Health reveals that about 1 in 5 American adults experience the overlap of perfectionism and anxiety in a given year, wherein the fear of making mistakes, underachievement and failure compels individuals to devise unattainable high standards to value their success in terms of attainment of the goals set for themselves. “Grounding yourself in your body is an effective way to overcome the obsessive thoughts related to perfectionism and anxiety.” Indeed, perfectionists find it difficult to hand over control of an outcome or scenario until everything is flawless or perceivably perfect in their eyes. As psychologist Thomas S Greenspon describes, “perfectionistic people typically believe that they can never be good enough, that mistakes are signs of personal flaws, and that the only route to acceptability as a person is to be perfect”. RELATED: How to Stop Beating Yourself Up: 7 Techniques That Work Ironically, this obsession with excellence can get overwhelming and all-consuming, wherein the resulting anxiety and fear of judgement can convince you to do nothing at all if you can’t do it with utter perfection. This condition is known as ‘analysis paralysis’, in which the fear of a less-than-perfect decision or action leads to prolonged avoidance of action, or procrastination. However, it’s important to know that you can cope with, or even break free from the perfectionism trap, regardless of whichever aspects of perfectionism you associate most with. Dealing with anxious perfectionism Coping with perfectionism and anxiety doesn’t always mean that you must lose sight of your goals or give up on your dreams. It just means that you need to change your perspective and realign your approach, so that you can still chase your goals and strive to succeed, albeit not at the cost of your mental health or well-being. Here are some tips to help you cope with your perfectionism and the anxiety that often accompanies it. 1. Identify your personal tendencies The first step towards tackling perfectionism and anxiety is to recognize the signs that your high standards are impacting your normal daily functioning, thus perhaps affecting your well-being adversely. Take periodic reality checks to consider if your tendency to be perfect is affecting your interpersonal relationships, work life or social calendar. Recognizing how your standards impact these aspects of your life will help you regulate the burden you impose on yourself, eventually enabling you to be productive while leading a happier, more content life. 2. Set small, realistic goals “Tackling perfectionism requires disrupting all-or-nothing thinking,” says Dr Karen McDowell, a psychology specialist. Breaking your goals into smaller, achievable objectives will help you approach the tasks at hand in a realistic manner, thus preventing overwhelming and unrealistic standards getting in the way of your dreams. “Self-compassion can prove to be an effective remedy for perfectionism and anxiety. Being kind to ourselves entails acknowledging our limitations and shortcomings.” Use SMART goals to keep yourself motivated and focused on the process, while keeping perfectionism and anxiety at bay. Take time to periodically look at the big picture to prevent getting bogged down by the smaller, relatively inconsequential details as perfectionists often tend to do, and reflect on how far you’ve come. 3. Accept that it’s OK to be imperfect While most of us consider mistakes and imperfections as weaknesses, Brené Brown, the author of Gifts of Imperfection reveals that “imperfection really is a gift”, as it’s what renders us authenticity and makes us unique and interesting. Accepting this for a fact can help us relax our pace from relentless obsession over our efforts and results, thus keeping anxious perfectionism at bay. Brown further suggests that embracing your imperfections by incorporating the 3C’s – courage, compassion and connection can be the key to a happier self and wholehearted living. 4. Practise self-compassion Self-compassion can prove to be an effective remedy for perfectionism and anxiety that stems from it. Being kind to ourselves entails acknowledging our limitations and shortcomings and accepting that it’s perfectly acceptable to fail at a task at hand. Practicing self-compassion helps keep self-criticism and the fear of failure under check, allowing us to be present and act consciously, instead of being preoccupied with perfection. 5. Practise mindfulness Mindfulness exercises can prove to be a great way to manage perfectionism and anxiety. Being aware of self-sabotaging thoughts and patterns that occur to you repeatedly will help you devise coping skills which are more effective for you. Indeed, bringing awareness and focus to your thoughts in this manner can be a gradual process. However, with consistent practice you will develop the skill of self-validation and self-acceptance, which will enable you to gradually overcome your obsession with perfection. 6. Create a grounding ritual Grounding yourself in your body is an effective way to overcome the obsessive thoughts related to perfectionism and anxiety, suggests Emilea Richardson, a licensed marriage and family therapist. Engaging in conscious breathing can help divert your attention away from overwhelming thoughts regarding your efforts and results. Similarly, establishing a regular meditation practice, daily journaling to jot down thoughts, patterns, and resolutions can direct your awareness towards progress you’ve made so far. 7. Know when you need outside help Sometimes it may be difficult to cope with, or even come to terms with one’s impossibly high standards of perfection. Understand that it’s perfectly acceptable – and recommended, even – to seek professional help when perfectionism and anxiety begin to interfere with your daily tasks and performance. A professional can help you identify your self-limiting thoughts and behaviors, in addition to devising the right coping methods that can help you overcome your fear of judgement and failure. Takeaway: Perfectionism and anxiety Perfectionism can undoubtedly raise your performance levels and take you closer to achieving your goals. However, when fueled by a crippling fear of failure and conditional self-worth, a perfectionist is likely to experience detrimental mental health conditions like anxiety, imposter syndrome and depression. Harnessing the positives of perfectionism, while preventing or overcoming anxious perfectionism isn’t an impossible feat, but requires prompt identification and acceptance, followed by constant and persistent efforts towards the same. • Main image: shutterstock/Andrey_Popov 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 with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum Communication skills | Friendship | Compassion Written by Sonia Vadlamani Fitness and healthy food blogger, food photographer and stylist, travel-addict and future self journaler. Sonia loves to write and has resolved to dedicate her life to revealing how easy and important it is to be happier, stronger and fitter each day. Follow her daily pursuits at FitFoodieDiary or on Instagram.

There have been plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during August. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. Not all of the news stories that hit the front pages were what you might call positive in August. However, there were plenty of news items that were undeniably rosy in their outlook. If you missed some of the good things that happened in the last month, then read on to discover some of the positivity from around the globe that you may have been yearning for. 1. IKEA moves into renewable energies IKEA may be one of the most recognisable Swedish brands around the world but it hasn't been associated with renewable energy – until now. The home furnishings retailer has entered the domestic renewable energy market, according to numerous international reports. The idea is to supply energy from renewable sources to Swedish consumers and then to break out into other European markets. IKEA already sell solar panels for home installation. 2. Cheap device developed to help breathing problems The world has seen a big rise in respiratory problems since the pandemic took hold but a new device being trialled in Uganda could improve the lives of many sufferers. It's hoped that this relatively cheap system will help people with a wide range of respiratory conditions more effectively and with a much lower cost than the main alternatives. As reported in the Engineer, the device is likely to be of most benefit in the developing world which has limited resources available for such treatments. 3. Mindfulness reduces COVID-related stress A report published in Medical Xpress suggested that people suffering from the mental health fallouts associated with the pandemic saw better outcomes if they practised mindfulness techniques. A group of volunteers was asked to take part in a daily ritual of mindfulness through an app that lasted as little as ten minutes. Those people who did the sessions every day reported a happier mood than those who did not in the control group. Crucially, those who were happier reported being less affected by COVID-related news. Staying mindful is proven to reduce COVID stress shutterstock/maxpetrov 4. Could we charge electric vehicles as we drive them? One of the drawbacks associated with electric cars is that they need longer to charge than refuelling at a pump. However, if they could be charged while driving, that could be a game changer. According to the automotive press, a German firm has developed a type of concrete that can be used for road surfaces which will charge electric vehicles as they pass over it. There's already a test bed in operation over a stretch of road which charges cars wirelessly via coils embedded in the road. It functions well over a distance of a quarter of a mile and could soon be upgraded. 5. Ecological steel being used commercially Making steel comes with an associated high energy cost. It's a material that's incredibly useful but steel makers have long sought more environmentally sound ways of producing it. In August the Swedish carmaker Volvo accepted its first batch of so-called green steel from a producer in the country. As reported in the Guardian, a company called Hybrit has managed to make steel of a commercial grade without burning any coal and it's hoped this will become the new way many steel makers produce it in the future. 6. Thailand takes steps to protect rare coral reefs The Kingdom of Thailand has placed an outright ban on the use of certain sunscreens in the entire country. This is because certain chemical agents in some of these products are known to damage corals. Given that corals are largely endangered globally, the move could set a precedent in that other countries will now follow. According to a report in Oceanographic, oxybenzone, butylparaben octinoxate and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor are the banned substances. People who are found to be applying a sunscreen with the forbidden chemical ingredients could now face a fine of over £2,000. The move follows a similar one in force in Hawaii. Protection of Thailand's coral reefs is being stepped up shutterstock/solarisys 7. Robot filters plastic particles from beaches efficiently A new robot has been developed that's said to be able to pick up tiny fragments of plastic from sandy beaches at a rate that's around 30 times more efficient than collection by hand. The so-called BeBot works down into the sand to collect plastic and other rubbish that's on the surface and beneath. Making use of on-board solar panels to power it, the robot is semi-autonomous and controlled by an operator who can be up to 300 metres way. According to Design Boom, plastic parts as small as 1cm wide can be sifted from beaches using the bot. 8. Exercise impact greater on depression A report in Science Daily highlighted a scientific study into physical activity and depression in August. According to the findings of the research, exercising does more to the brain than merely releasing endorphins that give the brain a sense of neural reward. The German researchers have found that physical activity increases the brain's ability to change itself. Although it's long been known that exercise reduces the severity of symptoms of chronic depression, it now seems that it can have a more deep-rooted and long-term effect, as well. Exercise is a great anti-depression tool Syda Productions 9. Illegal trawling halted by art in Italy In a model that could be repeated around the world, illegal trawling by fishermen has been stopped in an Italian bay because a conservationist there has placed sculptures beneath the waves. According to the Telegraph, the move has encouraged a raft of sea life to return to the Tuscan bay. This, along with the underwater artwork, has made the area more attractive to divers. However, it's also meant trawlers have stopped using the bay to fish in because their nets cannot slide easily over the statues. 10. Innovative cooling technology developed A professor in California has developed a type of radiator panel that's able to create a localised cooling effect. Simply by installing them nearby, it's possible to drop the temperature by around 12 degrees Celsius, a significant difference. What's more, unlike conventional air-conditioning systems, the technology requires no external power source. It works passively, a little like the large ears of animals that live in hot parts of the world that are used to radiate heat away naturally. According to a report in the National Geographic, this system could be a big player in the fight against climate change. • Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Finding peace and quiet in modern times can be a challenge, but the health benefits of doing so – including stress relief and improved clarity – are proven. Meena Azzollini discovers 10 ways in which the power of silence can help to heal your mind and body. We live in an increasingly noisy world. The constant drone of traffic, household appliances, music, television and sounds in public places is disturbing sleep and increasing stress levels for many people. Escaping noise is a modern-day challenge, but doing so could be essential to our well-being: the power of silence is scientifically proven when it comes to the benefits it can offer our minds and bodies. In 2011 the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report that studied the impact of environmental noise from planes, trains and vehicles, and other community and leisure sources. The ten-year study looked at links to health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment in children, annoyance and tinnitus. It found that in Western Europe alone the total burden of health effects from environmental noise was greater than one million years of healthy life lost collectively each year. This figure does not even include the impact of industrial noise pollution in workplaces. Indeed, modern life is full of noise. There are sounds from the environment and a general lack of quiet that comes with a hectic life. Distractions and interruptions during the day have now become the norm, adding to the noise in our lives. Cultivating peace with calming walks in nature Even sounds we are not aware of – particularly those sounds which we hear when we are asleep – can have a tremendous impact on our well-being. The human ear never goes to sleep and is constantly listening to sound. It is a sensitive organ and while we are deep in slumber, the ear is still picking up and transmitting sound to the brain. The brain receives electrical signals of sound and promptly activates a stress response in the amydgala – neurons responsible for processing fear and emotions – with the immediate release of cortisol, along with elevated blood pressure and heart rate. • JOIN US! Sign-up to get support from our caring community • In fact, studies show that exposure to nocturnal sounds can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Long-term exposure to noise can lead to a variety of health issues including high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep problems, tinnitus, and cognitive impairment in children. Furthermore, noise also causes stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue in both humans and animals. Noise expert Bernie Krause says that the incessant sounds of modern day living are making people unhappy and driving them to take sleeping pills and antidepressants. The benefits of silence Our lives are busy, and a few minutes of silence is a rare treat for most people. Many of us don’t get to embrace silence as much as our world has become increasingly digitized and we are more dependent on our devices: many of us are constantly ‘on’. Even conversations with family members, work colleagues, kids and friends do not give us the respite we need from noise. In fact, it just adds to the mental clutter going on in our minds and creates more frustration, anger and an imbalance in our physical and mental health. “Escaping noise is a modern-day challenge but essential to our well-being: the power of silence is scientifically-proven when it comes to the benefits it can offer our minds and bodies.” The obvious answer is to take a break from external noise and internal chatter and aim for some silence and solitude. But, for some people, silence can be uncomfortable and scary as they are left alone with their worrisome thoughts, which can be stressful. For others, the fear of silence can be profound, because they are now used to a noisy world. The power of silence: 10 benefits of cultivating peace Silence is important for our health and well-being, just as exercise and nourishment are. So, what are the benefits of silence and how can the power of silence help us? 1. Stimulates brain growth Two hours of solitude and silence every day could potentially rejuvenate your brain. In a 2013 study scientists exposed mice to three types of sound, including baby mouse calls. They included silence as a control and expected baby mouse calls to stimulate development of brain cells. To their surprise, scientists found that two hours of silence per day prompted greater healthy brain cell growth in the hippocampus – an area of the brain responsible for memory formation, learning, motivation and regulation of emotional responses. 2. Improves sleep and fights insomnia The importance of quiet sleep cannot be stressed enough as it helps restore the body and the mind, and is important for your physical, emotional and cognitive health. Periods of silence during the day can also improve sleep quality and lessen insomnia, highlighted in a 2015 study where older adults practised mindfulness meditation for six weeks. 3. Improves memory Ten to 15 minutes of sitting in silence can boost your memory. The remarkable memory-boosting benefits of quiet contemplation also have positive implications for those who have a neurological injury, such as a stroke, and may release a latent capacity to learn and recall for people with amnesia and some sorts of dementia. A 2014 study on patients with amnesia showed that a ten-minute rest in a quiet darkened room boosted recall from 14 to 49 per cent. The study also found similar results for healthy participants boosting memory recall from ten to 30 per cent. Embrace the power of silence through meditation shutterstock/fizkes 4. Relieves stress Stress can disrupt the natural processes of your body, but taking a break and embracing the power of silence can lower blood cortisol level and adrenaline and relieve stress. RELATED: What Is a Sound Bath Meditation and What Are Its Benefits? In fact, silence is more relaxing than listening to meditative music and just two minutes of silence improves blood circulation and reduces blood pressure to ease tension from the body and brain. Furthermore, when you’re not stressed, your natural biological mechanisms can heal and repair your body. 5. Awakens awareness Silence is not only the absence of sound and speech, it is also refers to the quietening of your ‘monkey mind’ – the relentless stream of evaluative thoughts and emotions that plague our minds. When you learn to quieten your mind with mindfulness and meditation, you will notice a distinct shift in your awareness and sensitivity to the environment around you. 6. Improves heart health Interestingly, moments of silence can also benefit your heart. The American Heart Association says that taking some time out to practise meditation and mindfulness can do wonders for heart health as it lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and thus lowers the overall risk for heart disease. 7. Improves clarity Taking a moment to breathe, calm your inner mind and get away from noise has the potential to regulate your breath, and do away with stress which you may not even be aware of. When you are not distracted by noise, your brain returns to its default mode and integrates internal and external information “into a conscious workspace,” promoting mental clarity. 8. Boost cognitive resources According to Attention Restoration Theory, spending more time in an environment that is restorative, rather than one which has high sensory input, restores the brain’s cognitive resources. “Embracing the power of silence does not have to be about the absence of sound, but also about getting away from distracting noises that stimulate your brain and trigger a stress response.” That is why when you take a walk in nature away from urban areas, your stress levels reduce and you feel happier afterwards. A low sensory environment provides the solitude and silence you need, which helps clear your mind, reduce mental fatigue and internal noise, and helps you to rejuvenate and relax. 9. Better decision-making When you're in a noisy environment, it becomes difficult to make any decisions, as your brain is constantly being bombarded with stimuli. But just five minutes of silence not only reduces the stress response of the amygdala but it also releases serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin — known as happy hormones. This restores your well-being and your mind becomes calmer. With that, you can make better decisions as you process information with clarity and awareness. 10. Enhances creativity Solitude and periods of silence allows your mind to wander, which is essential for 'incubation' – one of the four stages of creativity where you let go of what you're working on or thinking of. • JOIN US! Sign up today and make new friends at happiness.com • Studies show that during incubation, even though you're not thinking of any particular thing, there are unconscious processes taking place in the brain, searching for a solution. And it is during this stage that you come up with creative solutions. Daydreaming, taking a walk in nature and good sleep are all wonderful sources for incubation, thus boosting your creative potential. Ways you can enjoy the power of silence Clearly, science shows that silence gives our mind and body a break from the noise of the modern world and brings with it many powerful benefits. So, how can you embrace silence in your life? What can you do to find solitude and instill it into your daily practice? Walk in nature Take a walk in nature for some peace and solitude. Find a park, a walking trail, or go to the woods or the beach to enjoy some time alone, and take in the beautiful sounds of nature, which can help you relax. Meditation There is plenty of evidence of the benefits of meditation, inner peace included. Meditation does not have to be complicated: all you need is five to ten minutes to sit in silence and focus on your breath: gently let go of any thoughts from your awareness. Sacred pauses Sacred pauses are mini-meditations you take during the day when you are involved in a goal-oriented task. Take a break from what you are doing and sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths and with each breath let go of any thought or worries and let your body relax. You can do this many times a day to give your mind and body a break from noise and stressful thoughts. Stay in bed an extra five minutes in the morning Wake up early to enjoy the quiet and solitude before the day begins. Bask in the silence, with no particular thoughts as you awaken slowly to the day. These precious moments can set the mood for the rest of the day and give you the boost you need to carry on with a peaceful vibe. Digital Detox Set a day, perhaps on the weekend, to stay away from your digital devices. Although it may sound like an impossible task, keeping away from digital stimulation will help you center yourself and give you the time to attain inner quiet. Practise yoga Yoga gives you the opportunity to shift your focus from your thoughts to the poses you are practising. And as you move from one pose to the other, your mind settles down with every breath that you take. Yoga is known to make you feel calmer as it releases happy hormones, relieving stress and anxiety. The takeaway: the power of silence The World Health Organization has called noise pollution ‘a modern plague.’ And rightly so. Many studies and experts have warned us about the harm that excessive noise causes not only to our health and mental well-being but also to the health of this planet. Not to mention the disruption caused by the noise that goes on in our minds as we stumble through a busy life. Cultivating silence then becomes imperative: there is a power in silence that results in multiple body and mind benefits. Embracing the power of silence does not have to be about the absence of sound, but also about getting away from distracting noises that stimulate your brain and trigger a stress response. Depending on where you you live and your lifestyle, you may find it hard to escape from noise at all. But you can always cultivate a habit to find a few moments of powerful silence and calm in your day. And, as you do so, you should notice a world of difference to your health and well-being. • Main image: shutterstock/Vitalii Bashkatov 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 Meditation | Nature | Self care | Retreats Written by Meena Azzollini Meena Azzollini is a health and wellness content writer from Australia. She takes a heart-centred approach to help businesses make meaningful connections with their audience through effective content marketing solutions. You can connect with her at www.meenawrites.com.

Not every news story to hit the headlines in October could be said to be full of happiness – far from it. However, in an uncertain world, there were plenty of feel-good news items that broke into the public domain. Ed Gould shares his Top Ten from the month. There were many stories of hope and happiness in October. Read on to discover some of the more optimistic news items which did not necessarily always get the attention they deserved. 1. New pizza box uses less material Pizza deliveries may bring happiness to many of us (!) but we sometimes feel guilty when we consider the large amount of packaging needed to get them to our door. However, according to CNN, Pizza Hut has developed a new system. The pizza giant has said it plans to launch a round box which uses less material than conventional, square ones. What's more, the pizza franchise company reckons it will be possible to compost this new delivery system. 2. New enzyme helps recycle multiple plastics One of the great challenges for recycling more is the fact that so many plastic items need to be sorted out in order to turn them into the raw materials for new products. Different types of plastic, such as polyethylene, will not always by recyclable if they're disposed of with other plastics. However, a microbiologist has found an enzyme which appears to break down all plastics in a similar way. The news, as reported by the Science Times, means that fewer processes should be needed in future to recycle a variety of plastics, thereby meaning less of it goes to landfill or – even worse – into the world's oceans. 3. Hugging is great for mental health You may have known it all along but hugging really is good for you – and a group of researchers believe they've proved it. In a study of over 400 individuals, people who hugged were shown to feel less negative responses throughout their entire day after they'd received one. People who had been hugged showed lower blood pressure as well as augmented levels of happiness hormone oxytocin. Interestingly, single people and those in partnerships were found to demonstrate the same sorts of responses within the study. Can you hug your way to happiness? 4. Artificial leaf developed, British chemists claim Academics at the University of Cambridge announced in October that they'd hit upon a way of turning carbon into oxygen in the same way that nature does, through leaves. The idea is to turn the artificial leaf into a means of generating carbon-neutral fuel. The 'leaf' is dipped into water and powered by nothing more than sunlight. It's hoped that it can be used to make syngas, a man-made gas that's a combination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen which is used widely in industry. It should make the industrial processes it's used for greener than they ever have been if the idea can be scaled up successfully. 5. Glasgow University to study mindfulness According to The Scotsman, Glasgow Caledonian University will run a nine-week study into mindfulness that aims to find out how it can affect moods. The research programme, known as Heads:Up, will focus on various mindfulness techniques which include meditation, the ability to visualise and physical activities insofar as they impact on mood disorders. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged Dr Maggie Lawrence said that her programme was based on the teaching of Jon Kabat-Zinn's mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques. In particular, Dr Lawrence wants to examine how MBSR can be used to alleviate moods following certain health disorders, such as stroke, for example. 6. Songbird no longer endangered thanks to conservationists The happiness songbirds bring people is well documented, but more and more species are threatened. However, thanks to a five-decade-long effort by conservationists in the United States, the wonderful Kirtland's warbler has moved off the officially endangered list, according to Science. It's hoped the work done in Michigan to protect it will be rolled out elsewhere for other bird species. Kirtland's warbler Jeol Trick/WikimediaCommons 7. Robots to learn about empathy In an effort to make robots more able to care for geriatrics, a scheme to teach them empathy has been announced, according to Health Europa. The idea breaks new ground because empathy has long been considered to be a human trait that even most animals do not possess. That said, machine-learning techniques have become so advanced in recent years that the idea of an algorithm for empathy is now not considered to be beyond the capabilities of robots. It's hoped the idea will be developed for rollout in elderly care homes. 8. Denmark opens power plant with a difference CopenHill has been billed as the cleanest energy plant in the world. Located on an industrial waterfront, it's designed to make electrical power from nothing more that waste that's been collected from around the country. In fact, the plant's owners claim that it will be capable of turning 400,000 tonnes of rubbish into clean energy each year. And yet, what makes it even more remarkable is that its newly unveiled sloped roof has been turned into a climbing wall, a ski run and a series of hiking trails! 9. Drinking water may bring greater happiness In a report published in the New York Post, people report that they feel happier if they drink water regularly. Research has been conducted with 2,000 people being asked about their well-being and their water consumption. Over two-thirds of people who said they were very happy in their life also claimed to drink more than enough water. However, only around 20 per cent of people very happy people thought they didn't drink enough. Could more water equal more happiness? shuttertsock/Elena Nichizhenova 10. Could a headset cure depression? According to TNW, a headset is being offered to people living with clinical depression in an effort to alleviate their symptoms. Made by a company called Flow Neuroscience, it stimulates the brain with electrical signals meaning it's an alternative to taking traditional remedies, such as drugs. Ten clinics in the UK are trialling the unit. It's hoped similar results to conventional drug treatments will be achieved but with fewer side-effects. Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.