I was recently invited to MC the world’s largest conference on happiness. It’s an extraordinary event that features pioneers who are dedicated to finding science-backed answers on how we can live happier and healthier lives. It also features ordinary people with extraordinary tales to tell. So it’s little wonder that on the first day I found myself smiling from ear to ear, feeling palpable grief, and meeting new people – all before 10am. By lunchtime, I’d laughed out loud, I’d shed a tear and I’d hugged a complete stranger, who I then ended up having lunch with. Amazing things always... Read full article »

There’s a particular person in my life who is always unhappy. No matter what good things come their way, they always find a reason to be negative. As a person who tends towards the sunny side of life I often feel frustrated when I’m around this person. I want them to be different. I want them see the good in the world. I want them to appreciate what they do have instead of focusing on what they don’t have. Lately, I’ve found myself avoiding them because no matter what I do or say, they won’t change. This got me thinking... Read full article »

When I first got sick and a doctor told me he thought I had Lupus, one of the first things I started asking was, why? Why me? Why now? What have I done to deserve this?  I’ve spent the last ten years searching for answers to those questions and as regular readers of this blog will know, I’ve found many of them in the latest science of mind body medicine where researchers are studying the way things like our thoughts and emotions, our choices and behaviours, and our life circumstances interact with our physiology to exacerbate or even cause illness.... Read full article »

I will never forget the look on my two-year-old son Theodore’s face when he learned to swim during our family holiday last week. We had been swimming with him every morning and every afternoon, watching him gain the confidence to let go, trust that he could float and then finally work up the courage to start moving his arms and legs to move independently in the water. His face expression said it all – triumph, exhilaration, and the joy of being free.   The moment was magic and I wanted it to last forever. But pretty soon I felt my... Read full article »

In the last few weeks I’ve been doing a social experiment unbeknownst to the people around me. My family, friends, colleagues and even total strangers have all been unwittingly drawn into the exercise. Inspired by the work of Professor Barbara Fredrickson, a leading researcher looking at the health benefits of positive emotions, I’ve been practising the ‘Three Loving Connections’ exercise. It involves consciously trying to boost my brain and body’s experience of the power of love by seeking out three meaningful interactions each day and reflecting on them each night. According to Fredrickson’s findings, it appears these micro moments may... Read full article »

A few weeks ago something happened that knocked me for six. For the non-Aussie person reading this blog it’s the best expression I can find to describe an event triggering feelings of sudden unexpected grief that brought everything to a stop. It’s a phrase that refers to the game of cricket where the ball is hit out of the park without touching the ground.   I had sleepless nights and anxious days. I reached for comfort foods and returned to old habits. What followed shortly after was a familiar and somewhat scary physical response. I felt flat, exhausted and foggy... Read full article »