September is the ninth month of the year, yet is named after the word septem, meaning seven as it was originally the seventh month of the year in the Roman calendar. This month a new season begins, whether it is spring in the southern hemisphere or autumn for the north.
This month we will consider the impact your thoughts have on your life. This is in recognition of Albert Ellis who was born on the 27th September. Albert Ellis was a psychologist who devised Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, and his work …

April is the fourth month of the year and may have been named after the goddess Aphrodite. Celebrated this month are World Creativity Week, World Health Day and International Dance Day.
This month I will consider how everybody can be creative and how using your creativity skills can be a great mood booster. In recognition of World Health Day, I will provide ideas to help you look after your own mental and physical health. Related to both your creativity and your health, I will encourage you to take advantage of International …

If you want a happier, more fulfilled life, take the time to learn about flow experience. Take a look at this presentation by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who has spent years researching and writing about the experience of flow. As you watch, think about what things in your life bring about flow.

If you are keen to learn more, get hold of his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.
It would be great to hear what things bring about a flow experience in your life. For me, generally it’s writing,  and family history …

Multitasking means our attention is compromised. Try to become aware of when you multitask, and make an effort to just focus on one task at a time. It will get your undivided attention, which means you may do the task better. It also increases your chance of experiencing  which is a great way to experience happiness.

How easy is it for you to be yourself? Do you ever pretend to be someone you are not, just to fit in? It is not always easy being yourself, especially if you know it goes against popular opinion. However if you have the  to be yourself, you will invariably see yourself in higher esteem. You are no longer ashamed to be you. No more pretending or about what others are thinking of you.  You may need to spend time getting to know yourself better, to help you on …

We all hope to get more time from our day. Most of us, I imagine also want to be happier. This article discusses ways to better manage your time that will help increase your overall mood.
1 Limit television watching to one hour a day
By setting this time restriction on your , you have retrieved so much more time to do all those things you want to be doing. What’s more, time spent away from the television will be far more fulfilling and meaningful then merely watching others do their thing.  …

Can watching sport increase happiness? I would like to think so, but the reality is, I think this is just wishful thinking.
I am a member of Adelaide United and pretty much since I’ve been in Australia, I have turned up to every game. If you know anything about the A League, you will know how bad a season they’ve just had. Yet we’ve had some stunning seasons and they have been a joy to watch. Unfortunately this season was not one of them and last Wednesday night’s performance in the …

So I had my first game of golf for the year on Sunday and I really enjoyed myself. As I sent balls in various directions (I never said I was good!), it occurred to me that playing golf is the perfect way to inject a little happiness. These are some of my realisations:
1)    Golf can suit all personality types. Because you can play it on your own, or with a group of people, it can be suited to both introverts and extraverts. Introverts will value the opportunity for some quiet …

If you are unsure whether to spend your free time doing things alone or with others, recent research suggests doing things with others results in greater feelings of joy. Although any flow experience can increase happiness levels, people tend to feel even better when carried out in the company of other people. So choose an activity that challenges you and go for it.

If you want to be happy, one way is through a . You choose the activity but it should be something that actively engages you ( doesn’t count). You will need to set a goal that is challenging enough for you to aspire to, but not so difficult it is nearly impossible to achieve. Finally, take steps to ensure you get regular feedback on your progress. Easy!