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How can I be happy when things are so bad?
One reason we find it hard to be happy is that we persistently deny ourselves permission. Faulty reasoning makes us think that being happy would be somehow selfish and wrong. For example: If someone I love is suffering, to be cheerful would feel unkind. If I’m grieving for someone I love, it seems disloyal to […]
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Survival of the fittest, not the fastest
People say that our fight/flight responses evolved because our Stone Age ancestors had to be quick to escape from predators, like sabretooth tigers. We were kept safe from life-threatening dangers by this instant response, kicking in before there was time to think. Evolution ensured that those with the quickest responses were the ones who survived. […]
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It’s Random Acts of Kindness Day!
For some, kindness is a way of life; for others, it might come and go, depending on mood and circumstances. If someone we know and like is in need, we’re usually spurred to help them out, but with strangers we might be less inclined to notice and more hesitant to get involved. How does a […]
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Logical arguments
Logic is great for puzzles and games, which take place in a finite imaginary world with known facts and rules (and usually only one right answer). But logic has its limitations; it cannot lead to conclusions outside of that world. Regular equations can’t explain quantum phenomena, just as a game of Cluedo cannot conclude with: […]
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Citizenship and contribution
I call this website Happy Nation, not because it’s about a particular country, but because nationhood implies citizenship. Citizenship is a way of belonging that includes loyalty and duty towards the group to which you belong. Just like nations, social groups – households, communities and workplaces – all thrive when their citizens are active contributors. […]
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Is your support group helping you grow?
Nowadays it’s relatively easy to connect with others who share challenges that we thought were unique to us. It can be wonderful to find people who understand what we’re going through and who can share tips for getting by. Support groups can be a great way to uplift one another, pool information and help educate […]
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Gratitude
It’s been shown that the more grateful we are, the happier we are. Yet gratitude is something we’re not particularly good at. Bad news grabs our attention more than good. If your performance review mentions ten things you’re doing well and one thing you need to improve, you’re likely to focus on the one negative […]
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Reputation
Here’s a challenging question: Would you rather be a good person with a bad reputation, or a bad person with a good reputation? In recent years, many highly regarded public figures have turned out to have very dark pasts. Decades of high standing are suddenly destroyed when the truth comes out. The higher the person’s […]
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Pink Shirt Attitude in Action
In 2007, two Canadian high school students noticed a new boy getting bullied for wearing a pink shirt. They dealt with the situation in a most creative way, buying up a load of cheap pink shirts and messaging all their friends, so that the next day the school was a sea of pink. Pink Shirt […]
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Smile – and feel better
Try holding a pencil between your teeth, in such a way that the pencil doesn’t touch your lips. This forces your face into something that looks like a smile. Years ago, experimenters found that people holding a pencil in this way rated cartoons as funnier than they did without the pencil. The conclusion was that […]