Author: Stephanie Hills

  • Paying it forward

    April 28th is Global Pay It Forward Day, which got me thinking about the first time I was urged to pay forward a favour instead of paying it back. A keen but poor student, I wanted to enrol in an extra-curricular weekend course. With a catered lunch, the training cost more than I could afford. […]

  • The Nature of Nature

    The Nature of Nature. The Metabolic Disorder of Climate Change by Vandana Shiva In this well-researched book, Vandana Shiva describes how modern human civilisation has contributed to the problem of climate change, not because humans are bad or greedy by nature, but because global corporations (the 1%) have become rich and powerful using methods that […]

  • The good old days

    Granddad was reminiscing about the good old days…    “When I was a lad, Mum would send me down to the dairy with a shilling, and I’d come back with five pounds of potatoes, two loaves of bread, three pints of milk, a pound of cheese, a packet of tea, and half a dozen eggs.” […]

  • Frozen Stress

    Recently I saw a talk by Thomas Hübl, a specialist in collective trauma. He asked an unusual question: How often do you think about your freezer? That section of your fridge can be forgotten about for weeks at a stretch, but all the time it’s working hard to keep your foods frozen. We don’t think […]

  • Acts of kindness through the work we do

    People who work in the helping professions often go above and beyond their job descriptions to help the people they support. One example is Rosa*, whose job involves helping refugee families to settle in New Zealand. Rosa’s compassion for those who have experienced terrible conditions in their home countries and in crowded refugee camps, prompts […]

  • Maximise Your Chances in Life

    Some people constantly experience good fortune; others don’t. Research shows that much of it comes down to the things people do that attract opportunities. In this workshop, learn and practise the 12 habits that invite good fortune into your life. Contact steph@happynation.co.nz to hold this workshop in your workplace

  • Playing on words

  • Tips to help with low mood

    Tips to help with low mood: Sometimes it’s hard to shake off a low mood. Things we normally enjoy seem suddenly boring or pointless and we find ourselves filling our time with distracting, yet unfulfilling activities. When we finally face the fact that we are not okay, our first response is often, “What’s wrong with […]

  • The Biology of Kindness

    The Biology of Kindness: Six Daily Choices for Health, Well-Being, and Longevity by Immaculata De Vivo and Daniel Lumera If you follow positive psychology, you’ll know that happiness is good for your health and leads to a longer life. You may also know that people who are compassionate and serve others tend to be happier […]

  • Lighthearted stories

    A man goes into a pet shop and asks, “Do you have any dogs going cheap?” The salesman says, “No, only our birds go cheep. Our dogs go WOOF!” * * * * I went to the cemetery yesterday and there were 4 pall bearers walking around with a coffin. An hour later they were […]