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3 Happiness Ingredients
Before we can talk about happiness ingredients, it’s important to acknowledge who is responsible for our own happiness. Spoiler: it’s not your mum, the government, your partner or the weather. Nobody can make you happy or unhappy. That’s all your responsibility. Sorry, not sorry. Because if being happy is only our responsibility, you are also…
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About Giving Advice
Some years ago, a friend told me that she wouldn’t give advice anymore because that makes people unhappy. She had participated in a course around spirituality and self-improvement. I love giving (usually unsolicited) advice. While I could understand her reasons, I totally disagreed and still do. I think advice is great, and we should give…
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Parents and Happiness
My friend had her first baby a few weeks ago. She tells me that the baby cries a lot and that gas is probably the trouble. She’s exhausted (although the baby sleeps a lot at night) and worried. A good moment to write about parents and happiness. Not our job What I’m trying to tell…
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It’s all perception
Recently, I discovered a German podcast (in German) called Das Leben des Brain (The Life of Brain) inspired by Monty Python’s Life of Brian. It’s an entertaining educational overview of scientific studies about how the brain functions created by the journalist Bent Freiwald. I binged myself through all episodes within a few days and here…
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The Weight of the World
Recently, I met a friend. We spend a lovely evening together talking about anything and everything. One recurring theme is how annoyed my friend is at work. She has been at her workplace for a few years now and understands how the system works well. Since there are colleagues who have joined more recently, she…
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Impressions from Mandurang
No reflection this week. I took the kids on a road trip to Victoria (a southern Australian state) where I got a booking for a free cancer retreat accommodation (thanks, Otis Foundation!). So, this week is on impressions from Mandurang. Happy Nostalgia After not driving for years and not owning a car (I rented one),…
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Messiness of Life
One strong happiness maker is the feeling of control – having a say in your life. However, being able to embrace the messiness of life and the uncontrollable is another strong happiness maker. Yes, exactly this paradox describes the messiness of life well. In the following, I’m unpacking four statements to explain what I mean…
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Religion
Oh, I will dare something today. I’ll reflect on religion. But I start somewhere else: free food. My ex, low-income earner like me, often goes to the free food distribution at the Anglican Church. He has regularly shared food with me and some of that was really good. I’m also getting better in cooking large…
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Find Happiness in Unlikely Situations
I met a friend for coffee. In our conversation, I mentioned that I’m now able to live on the dole (welfare payments). I casually mentioned how much that is. My friend said ‘oh, yeah, that’s not much’ and offered me toiletries she gets for free from a friend. Maybe she just made conversation but let’s…
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Dropping Weight
It’s been a while. I had to drop out and do life stuff… dropping weight. How? Here it goes: First, on my last day of tutoring I made the decision to move out of my home of 11 years and become… well, homeless. After my now-ex-husband moved out 3 years ago, the rent was way…
