March is the third month of the year and is named after the god Mars. This month marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere and the start of autumn in the southern hemisphere. Make sure to note the changes in the season, no matter where you are in the world. March is International Listening Awareness Month. Since good communication promotes happier relationships, we will consider the art of listening. Brain Awareness Week also takes place this month and as such we will consider the benefits of learning to …

An easy way to enhance your curiosity is to learn more about something that already interests you.  Think about your favourite hobby. What is there that you still know little about or have yet to try?  As you attempt to find out these answers, your curiosity hopefully will increase your enthusiasm for something you already enjoy and of course, your happiness.

Get curious about the things that already interest and engage you. Take your hobby to a whole new level and learn something different about it. You may want to begin by listing all the things you know very little about. Then choose one and get involved. You could just read up on it or try giving it a go.

Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.  Louis E. Boone
Do you enjoy learning? Is it a pleasure to discover new things, or do you associate the word ‘learning’ with being sat behind a desk at school being fed information you have no control over? Happily, as adults we can choose what we want to learn and the skills we want to develop. …

Varying what you not only keeps things interesting, it also helps you meet all your nutritional needs.  When you next go shopping, keep an eye out for something you have never had before. If you’re not sure how to cook it, search through your cookbooks or look on the web. Also, when in a restaurant, take the chance on eating something different. If you don’t like it, you never have to eat it again.

It seems sad to me that adults tend to stop playing, instead adopting a serious approach to life. Yes life can be very stressful, but playing can be a great way to , have fun and experience joy. It can also provide you with a , which is where you are so absorbed in an activity that everything else is forgotten. This is a great way to increase happiness in your life.
Martin Seligman, one of the founders of regards playfulness as a key personal . Also, play can provide …

If you want to increase your happiness, one way is through nurturing your character strengths. Positive psychology has identified 24 strengths which can be divided into 6 distinct virtues. In this article I will talk about the strengths which make up the virtue ‘wisdom and knowledge’: curiosity, love of learning, open mindedness, creativity and perspective. In addition, I offer tips to help you develop each strength.
Curiosity
Curiosity refers to having an interest in the world. Curious people are open to experience. They are flexible and take steps to actively engage in …

The majority of people watch television. It is such an easy thing to do. Press a button on your remote, sit back and enjoy. However, does it bring us happiness?
The problem with watching television
If you want to increase your levels of happiness, watching hours of television is probably not the way to go. The nature of TV means we are not actively engaged in the activity. We just sit there, watching.  A great way to bring about happiness is through a flow experience. These are those experiences where you are …

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust
What is curiosity?
Curiosity is about having an interest in the world. Curious people do not sit back and accept the world and everything in it. As such they will not assume that what they are told is true. Being curious allows a person to be open to experience and not see the world in black and white. It involves a desire to more. This will include being curious about other people, places, …

Having goals can help you live the life you want. It can give you a focus and some direction. This article outlines why setting goals can be beneficial for your wellbeing. It also discusses how your character strengths can be used to assist you in setting and achieving goals.
The benefits of goal setting
Hope and optimism
Goals give you a focus and something to look forward to.  They give your life a purpose and increase your feelings of hope and . Whether your goals are long term or short term, you are …