-
What is Tolerance and How Do We Achieve it?
The International Day for Tolerance is observed this week, although the devastating conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere show that we have a long way to go before there is much to celebrate. From our relative safety and distance, we can see international conflicts with detached clarity; naming the atrocities as unacceptable without having to […]
-
Kindness on the Bus
Taking the bus recently, I’ve noticed a very positive bus culture. Passengers thank the driver as they leave, while drivers greet passengers and wait until they’re seated before starting to move the bus. Recently a young mother got on, with a small baby in a pram. She parked the pram in the wheelchair/pram section of […]
-
The Benefits of Not Complaining
The average day provides a myriad of blessings to be grateful for, along with multiple niggles and challenges – all of which are opportunities to complain, if that is our focus. People who constantly complain are hard to be around and don’t attract warmth from others. The sad thing is that their focus on the […]
-
The role of goodwill in communication
Some people seem to have no trouble making new acquaintances, whereas others find it difficult to navigate ‘small talk’ and getting to know people. Research has shown that people who have more social connections are happier than those with few, and people with a habit of chatting to strangers tend to attract more positive opportunities […]
-
Random Acts of Kindness
On 1st September, New Zealand celebrates Random Acts of Kindness Day, a tradition started in 2005 by Josh de Jong and some friends. After witnessing a road rage incident, Josh thought how good it would be if people could be kind to strangers, even if only for one day of the year. The result was […]
-
Encourage the Changes You’d Like to See
Puppy training courses emphasise the importance of rewarding the behaviours that you want your dog to do more of; a focus markedly more effective than simply punishing unwanted behaviours. Once the dog has learned what’s expected, it doesn’t need a ‘treat’ every time, but an approving nod or pat will let your pet know that […]
-
A lovely library experience
Ute from Ngaruawahia sent in this gem: “With all the things computerised, I loved the personal attention I got from our lovely library ladies when I was looking for a special book. They made me feel like a person and we joked and chatted also about stuff that was not related to my search. It’s […]
-
Workplace culture includes you!
What makes the difference between a job you love and one you hate? Research has shown that while low salary and poor working conditions can lower your job satisfaction, the things that make you feel good about work are not the material things but the human factors. Recognition, responsibility and believing that you are doing […]
-
Happiness is a Serious Matter
“Too many people confuse being serious with being solemn.” These are the words of comedian John Cleese. He’s right; we tend to associate importance with solemnity and to assume that cheerfulness belongs only with amusing trivialities. I believe the reason comes down to our language, which conflates two different meanings in the word ‘serious.’ On […]
-
Happiness in Your Workplace – A workshop for the whole team!
If you’d like to lift the mood in the place where you work, this half-day workshop is something you could suggest to your boss. After all, a happier workforce is a more productive workforce, not to mention the increases in co-operation and creativity. This workshop gives an overview of happiness research and why happiness is […]