People who have meaning and purpose in their lives feel more content, in control and get more out of what they do. They also experience less stress, anxiety and depression. Where we find meaning and purpose will vary for each of us but they all involve being connected to something bigger than ourselves. Keep Calm. Stay Wise. Be Kind. Join the movement. Be the change. Gratitude App – have a look on the app store, there are plenty to choose from e.g. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/gratitude-happiness-journal/id1372575227 Seligman, M.E.P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York: Free Press Ryan, C. O., et al., (2014). Biophilic design patterns: emerging nature-based parameters for health and well-beingin the built environment. ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research; Gladwell et al., (2012). The effects of views of nature on autonomic control. European Journal of Applied Physiology; Seresinhe, C.I., et al., (2019). Happiness is greater in more scenic locations. Scientific Reports; Beute, F., & de Kort, Y. A. (2018). The natural context of wellbeing: Ecological momentary assessment of the influence of nature and daylight on affect and stress for individuals with depression levels varying from none to clinical. Health & Place, 49, 7-18.

Learning affects our wellbeing in lots of positive ways. It exposes us to new ideas and helps us stay curious and engaged. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps boost our self-confidence and resilience. There are many ways to learn new things throughout our lives, not just through formal qualifications. We can share a skill with friends, join a club, learn to sing, play a new sport and so much more. Niemiec, R. M., & Pearce, R. (2021). The practice of character strengths: Unifying definitions, principles, Gilbert, P. (2013).Mindful compassion: Using the power of mindfulness and compassion to transform our lives. Hachette UK. Hall,C., & Knuth, M. (2019) An Update of the Literature Supporting the Well-Being Benefits of Plants: A Review of the Emotional and Mental Health Benefits of Plants. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 37 (1): 30–38. As human beings, we have a natural negativity bias – a tendency to focus on what’s wrong and interpret ambiguous information negatively and this can extend to what we focus on in our self. Many of us give more attention and weight to what we’re not good at than we give to what we do well or effortlessly. Yet all of us have a mix of strengths and weaknesses.

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Huppert,F.A. (2018) Living Life Well: the role of mindfulness and compassion. In Eds Forgas, J. & Baumeister, R. (2018) The Social Psychology of Living Well. Routledge The good news is research shows we can learn how to accept ourselves more [3]. Developing the skills of self-compassion, a better understanding our strengths, how to use these more, and ways to work with or around our weaknesses can all positively impact our happiness. Practice gratitude – when you get into bed reflect on three good things from your day, or if things are tough – what was one moment from the day that was better than the rest? Pause by a pond – find some pleasant water to sit or stand by and notice the reflections on its surface.

Do three extra acts of kindness today. Offer to help, give away your change, pay a compliment, or make someone smile. Character, 10(4) in Niemiec, R. M. (2019). Finding the golden mean: the overuse, underuse, and optimal As you step outside look up at the sky and see the sky and the clouds or the stars, notice the feeling of the air on your body or the warmth of the sun or sensation of the wind. Try It: Take a few moments to bring to mind someone you care about and send them a wish that they may be happy and well. Now imagine sending the same wish to your neighbours and people that live in your street then, in turn, everyone that lives in your town, your city, and the world. Now also send that same wish to yourself. Notice how this activity feels for you.

Becoming aware of your signature strengths

One of the most studied forms of strength is what is known as ‘character strength’. Positive personality traits that reflect our basic identity, produce positive outcomes for ourselves and others and contribute to the collective good. [20] Indeed it has been said that good character is not the absence of deficits, rather is a family of positive characteristics. [21] An early study showed that a group that received a happiness enhancement programme along with meditation instruction showed increased happiness compared to those receiving the happiness programme alone [17]. Likewise, studies with people experiencing depression, found that receiving Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (a well-designed and researched programme, derived from MBSR, especially for people with recurrent depression) were less likely to have a relapse than those receiving standard treatment. It may also complement the effects of maintenance anti-depressant medication [18]. Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness. Helping other people is not only good for them; it’s good for us too. It makes us happier and can help to improve our health. Giving also creates stronger connections between people and helps to build a happier society for everyone. It’s not all about money - we can also give our time, ideas and energy. So if you want to feel good, do good.

Reitz, M., & Chaskalson, M. (2016). Mindfulness works but only if you work at it. Harvard Business Review. Retreived from https://hbr.org/2016/11/mindfulness-works-but-only-if-you-work-at-itGilbert, P. (2014). The origins and nature of compassion focused therapy.British Journal of Clinical Do something that you know will make you feel good. Listen to music, watch something funny, get outside or call an old friend. Germer, C. & Neff, K. D. (2019). Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC). In I. Itvzan (Ed.) The handbook of Teychenne M, Ball K, Salmon J. Physical activity, sedentary behavior and depression among disadvantaged women. Health Educ Res. 2010;25(4):632–44; van Uffelen, J.G.Z., van Gellecum, Y.R., Burton, N., Peters, G., Heesch, K., & Brown, W. J. (2013) Sitting-time, physical activity and depressive symptoms in mid-aged women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 45(3), pp. 276-281; McDowell, C.P., Dishman, R.K., Gordon, B.R., & Herring,M.P. (2019) Physical Activity and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 57 (4); 545-556. Algoe, S. B., Dwyer, P. C., Younge, A., &; Oveis, C. (2020). A new perspective on the social functions of emotions: Gratitude and the witnessing effect.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,119(1), 40.

Think about a friend messing up or failing at something. What would you say to them and how would you say it? Now think about yourself making a similar mistake or failing in that way. What would you say to yourself and how would you say it? Is there a difference? In which situation are you more likely to be tougher? We need a varied diet, ideally mostly of unprocessed foods including vegetables and fruit. Foods that are as close to their natural state tend to have more nutrients and fibre which support health and happiness longer-term. Nutrients such as omega oils (found in oily fish, some seeds e.g. linseeds, nuts, olive oil, avocados and eggs) are associated with better moods and a lower likelihood of depression. Vitamins and minerals are important for how we feel too. The range of B vitamins for example are thought to be important for the health of our brain and nervous system and so help keep our minds functioning well [16]. These are found in whole grains, yeast, mushrooms and dairy products. Non-judgmentally’ - refers to having an attitude of kindness, openness and curiosity to what what we notice as we focus our attention. This might include sensations in the body, emotions and/or thoughts. When we are practicing mindfulness we notice these in a kind, gentle way without interpreting them as good or bad, just accepting what we notice as it is, a thought, sensation or emotion. It’s like we are a benign observer of our experience, not caught up in the middle or drama of it. Visible greenery, both indoors and out, has been shown to reduce stress and increase our concentration and productivity [14]. Even if we live in a town or city, there are lots of different ways we can nurture our connection with nature. Neff, K. D. (2011). Self‐compassion, self‐esteem, and well‐being.Social and personality psychology compass,5(1), 1-12.

Resilient thinking – Watch out for thinking traps

Learning how to meditate is just one way (albeit a very good one) of learning and practicing mindfulness. You can bring mindfulness into your day at any time when you're awake. For example as you eat, walking to school or work, sitting in a garden or park or even in the shower. Here are some ideas to try: The first five keys (GREAT) are about how we interact with the outside world in our daily activities. The second five keys (DREAM) come from inside us and depend on our attitude to life. GREAT DREAM GIVING: Do things for others We can train our brain to look for the good around us, increasing the number of pleasant emotional moments we experience so over time we benefit from the ‘broaden and build’ effect outlined above. This doesn’t mean ignoring what’s wrong, but noticing what’s right. For example, studies show that simply reflecting and writing down three good things we experienced over the course of the day (however small), for seven days, boosted how happy people felt and reduced feeling down, and this impact lasted as long as six months! [3] We might think of mindfulness practice as brain conditioning. Research suggests that regular practice literally changes our brains for the better. Mindfulness seems to have positive changes in the brain in those areas associated with regulating stress and the fight or flight response. Changes, such as the density of grey matter in the neuronal networks of the brain associated with attention, learning, memory, emotion regulation, self-awareness and compassion have been seen at the end of 8 weeks of an MBSR programme [22]. When you are doing something pleasurable such as taking a warm shower or bath, petting your dog or cat, stroking your child's hair or sitting down for a moment of peace, be really present. Really notice what it is you find pleasurable about the experience and how it makes you feel.