Author: Stephanie Hills

  • A leg to stand on…

    A friend always seemed to lean slightly to the left. It bothered me, so I suggested that he see a doctor and have his legs checked out. For years, he refused, telling me I was crazy, but last week, he finally went. Sure enough, the doctor discovered his left leg was a centimetre shorter than […]

  • New Problem, New Approach

    Every day we have decisions to make.  Should I clear up these dishes now and risk being late for that appointment, or prioritise the appointment and deal with the dishes later? Or should I hurry and hope to do both? Normally we don’t think for long; we just default to our usual way of doing […]

  • What to do with an extra copy

    Sally* recently ordered a book online, but because the payment system was so quick and simple, she did not realise that she had ordered and paid for the book twice. When two copies of the book arrived, she was unsure what to do. Rather than send the second copy back and ask for a refund, […]

  • Not the foggiest idea

    The fog was so thick I could only see a few metres ahead. Luckily there was another car travelling slowly in front of me, so I followed it carefully, keeping my eyes trained on its tail-lights. We continued like this for what seemed like hours, when the car in front suddenly came to a complete […]

  • 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