Author: Stephanie Hills

  • The many layers of forgiveness

    Forgiveness is considered an important ingredient for a happy life. It’s a saintly quality, which frees both perpetrator and victim from the effects of past cruel actions. But since most of us have not yet reached saint status, the whole concept of forgiveness can be fraught with confusion. Should I forgive someone who is still […]

  • Kindness at the Supermarket

    Recently I did my weekly grocery shop quite late on a Friday night. Many shoppers were going through the self-checkout area with just a few items, but for those of us with full trolleys, there was only one checkout open, and quite a queue. I noticed the woman in front of me was smiling despite […]

  • Some funny signs spotted

    On a maternity room door, “Push, Push, Push.” At an optometrist’s office, “If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.” In the front yard of a funeral home, “Drive carefully, we’ll wait.” In a nonsmoking area, “If we see you smoking, we will assume you are on fire and […]

  • Maximise Your Chances in Life

    Online workshop. 6.30-9.00pm Monday 6 May 2024 NZ Time. NZ$65 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 online workshop, learn and practise the 12 habits that invite good fortune into your life. All proceeds to Relief […]

  • A brighter future for the world

    As it becomes increasingly clear that the ways we have organised ourselves in the industrialised world have been bad for us as humans, as well as destructive for the planet, more and more people are thinking for themselves about what is truly important. And now that the internet can connect people across the globe, individuals […]

  • The Values-Driven Organization                 

    The Values-Driven Organization. Cultural Health and Employee Wellbeing as a Pathway to Sustainable Performance. by Richard Barrett We’ve all worked in organisations where we wish that management would do a better job: treating workers fairly, appreciating us more and generally trusting us to do our job well. Even better is a workplace where we can […]

  • Silly advice?

    A friend suggested putting horse manure on my strawberries. I’m never doing that again! I’m going back to whipped cream. My mum told me to put on a clean pair of socks every day. By the end of the week I couldn’t get my shoes on.

  • Fear of trying new things

    I heard on the radio recently that a significant number of New Zealand 12-year-olds refrain from an activity they would like to do, out of fear that they won’t be good at it. That’s sad, not just because kids are missing out on something they might enjoy, but also because avoiding things you’re nervous about […]

  • Finding the way

    A little boy waiting for his mother was approached by a man who asked, “Son, can you tell me where the Post Office is?” The little boy replied, “Sure! Just go straight down this street two blocks and turn to your right.” The man thanked the boy kindly and said, “I’m the new pastor in […]

  • The Resilience Project; Finding Happiness Through Gratitude, Empathy & Mindfulness

    by Hugh van Cuylenberg In this heartwarming book, author Hugh van Cuylenburg tells how he went from a typical Australian kid with no understanding of his sister’s struggles with an eating disorder, to a man with a passion to help young people become happier and more mentally well. His own reflections and his experiences teaching […]