And how to cheat The Sock Monster — We all strive to be happier and healthier at the start of the New Year. Here’s 13 happiness hacks to help you on your journey in 2023. 1. Walk towards the sun Apart from just making us feel better, sunlight has a huge effect on our circadian rhythm which then benefits our sleep and general…

Call it Synchronicity or Serendipity — chance events can be magical and meaningful. — Even if you shrug off synchronistic events as just chance, at some stage in our lives, most of us will experience serendipitous moments that leave us dumbfounded. Is the event pure coincidence or is the universe trying to tell us something? …

Life’s too short to harbour regrets, or too long to keep replaying them. — Regrets come in many forms, from ‘I wish I hadn’t broken up with my first boyfriend,’ to ‘If only I’d looked again before pulling out from the junction.’ There can be huge life-shattering consequences of our actions or there may be mere inconveniences. …

The Fortunicity of Birdie Dalal Audiobook is now free to mark 50 years since the Ugandan Asian Expulsion — Diwali would have been a bleak time 50 years ago for the thousands of Ugandan Asians who were thrown out of Uganda by the tyrant Idi Amin. All their land, homes and possessions were seized, and they were forced to leave the country with only one suitcase and £50 each…

And what exactly is a Cherry Tree Moment? — The cherry tree has powerful connotations in Japanese culture, although I wasn’t aware of this when I first coined the phrase: Cherry Tree Moment. Firstly, the cherry tree itself In Japan it’s seen as a symbol of purity and abundance with the blossom serving as a reminder of the beauty…

Is a friend in need really a friend indeed? Are you? I handed Angela a tissue as another wave of sobbing overcame her, then waited quietly for it to subside. There was nothing I could say. To the outsider, Angela appeared to be perfect. She had beauty, success as an…

This Japanese philosophy can guide us towards happiness and fulfilment — Most of us hope for a long and healthy life. We aspire to wealth and security, along with a satisfying job and happy home life. And when we retire, what then? How many people hang up their work keys with a feeling of emptiness and a sense of being placed…

While the world may seem like it’s falling apart, gardening helps us feel more in control — When my mother died, I gardened. It was the only thing that helped ease the grief. I bought two pyracanthas while we were waiting for the funeral and transported them 300 miles back home. Then I planted them either side of our garden gate. …

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is easy, free and can have an enormous positive impact on our wellbeing. — It all started with a woman called Mary. In the late 1970s, the psychologist Roger Callahan was treating his patient Mary for her deep phobia of water. This wasn’t just a case of just being afraid of swimming. Mary could barely take a shower and even the sight of a glass of water would raise her heart rate.