Author: Stephanie Hills

  • Misplaced card

    Vanessa had just got off work and was looking forward to the weekend. She got off the bus at her local Hamilton supermarket to buy herself a treat before heading home. In the supermarket car park, she reached for her bank card but couldn’t find it. After rummaging in her bag for several minutes she […]

  • Things to be grateful for

    How many of these can you tick off? Stephanie Hills ©

  • The Happiness Hypothesis

    The Happiness Hypothesis. Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt This thoroughly researched book gives a comprehensive overview of happiness, drawing on philosophy, psychology, ancient traditions and modern scientific knowledge, noting where they agree and where they differ. The cover features a person riding an elephant – a recurring metaphor throughout the book. […]

  • Seasonal silliness

    A little boy called Nicholas said to the Santa Claus in the Shopping Centre, ‘You and I have the same name.’ Santa replied, ‘Well, hello Harold!’ * * * * Q:  What’s a reindeer’s favourite singer?      A:  Beyonsleigh * * * * Q: What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?        A: […]

  • Strangely familiar?

    Advertising companies have long profited from a simple, but powerful psychological fact: the more familiar we are with something, the safer it makes us feel. We might think we’re unaffected by repeated exposure to ads, but the reality is that when buying a product, we’re likely to reach for the one with the familiar logo, […]

  • She knows about cars!

    Wife: “There’s trouble with the car. It has water in the carburettor.” Husband: “Water in the carburettor? That’s ridiculous.” Wife: “I tell you, the car has water in the carburettor.” Husband: “You don’t even know what a carburettor is. Where’s the car?” Wife: “In the swimming pool.”

  • Care at the car wash

    The other day I was waiting to go through the automatic car wash, when I noticed that the woman in front of me was stuck. She had entered her code and driven into the car wash, but then nothing happened. I got out of my car and gave her a wave, indicating that I would […]

  • Don’t let your identity limit you

    People often use the word identity as if it’s who they are, but really it means how you identify yourself or what groups you identify with. It’s who you are, as seen from the outside. An identity is a social construct, like a character you play. Often, it’s empowering to embrace an identity – to […]

  • The Let Them Theory

    The Let Them Theory. A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About                                                 by Mel Robbins This book manages to summarise in two words an approach to life that can free you from worry about what others think, make you immune to being manipulated and release you from the burden of trying […]

  • Looting the Louvre

    The recent theft of crown jewels from the Louvre reminds us of the time a guy in Paris nearly got away with the same thing. However, after planning the crime, and getting in and out past security, he was captured only 2 blocks away when his vehicle ran out of petrol. When asked how he […]