Why chatting to strangers is good for you

Talking with strangers

Chatting to complete strangers might seem like a social taboo, but it can bring a surprising range of positive benefits More people live in urban settings than ever before. 54% of the world’s population now live in cities, surburbs and towns, and that number is expected to continue rising. The global population shift from the rural … Read more

5 science-based benefits of reading fiction

Reading fiction

The tradition of story-telling and using fiction to explain human behavior is as old as human civilization itself. Over time, storybooks took the place of the village story-teller; and provided all the same benefits. Generations of children developed a sense of right and wrong through the tales and fables their parents helped them read. Adults used novels to entertain themselves and … Read more

Money really can buy happiness – but only if you spend it right

Money-happiness-Bentley

They say it can’t buy you love, but can money buy you happiness? The money-happiness relationship is far from straightforward. In some cases, ie people living on very low incomes, researchers have found a very strong correlation between money and happiness. Other studies suggest that for wealthy people, money itself does not seem to be a source of happiness at all. … Read more

Experiencing awe in nature makes you kinder, scientists say

Awed by nature

Experiencing the awe of nature makes us more kind and generous In the Urban Dictionary the word awesome is defined sarcastically, but perhaps quite accurately,  as “something Americans use to describe everything.” Despite this lexical fall from grace, the meaning of awesome has loftier origins. The word stems from the 16th century and means “filled with awe“. So what exactly … Read more

These two words are a powerful secret to being happy

Gratitude experiment

Saying thank you can bring a range of positive psychological and physiological benefits We’d all like to have a little – or a lot more happiness in our lives. It’s hard, though, to figure out what can make us happy. And the first things you might think of, such as more money, a new car, or … Read more

The Gottman Ratio: how to predict the success of your relationship

Happy couple heart

Research reveals that successful couples have five times as many positive interactions than negative interactions Maintaining a relationship takes continuous effort. The good thing is that it seems that this process is biased towards positive experiences for both partners. Through decades of research, Dr. John Gottman, Dr. Silver and their colleagues have found that when partners … Read more

Life is like a piece music. Stop trying to race to the end

musicians enjoying themselves

Philosopher Alan Watts says we should enjoy life as we enjoy music Alan Watts (1915-1973) may or may not be a name familiar to you, but his legacy certainly is. British-born Watts was an author, philosopher and speaker with a deep interest and passion in the spiritual teachings of Eastern philosophy. After moving to the US, Watts, … Read more