-
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),…
-
Being right or being connected?
This week, I’m reflecting on being right. Let me start with connections. I think I’ve established that connections are important for happiness. Long-term connections like relationships provide us with good loads of the love (and happy) hormone Oxytocin. As a refresher, Oxytocin helps us to form bonds by developing trust. Humans are not specifically strong…
-
Outlander Lessons in Love
In between my last uni assignment marking and being sick, I rewatched (again) Outlander. Yes, the successful Starz series also running on Netflix. And yes, based on the very successful books. Claire and Jamie’s love and family story embedded in detailed-described historic events (a lot of battles and a lot of blood and killing) and…
-
Episode 32 – Parenthood
What about parenthood and happiness? Some parents swear that children make them happy. Others swear that their children have made their hair grey. Parenthood and happiness There is a lot of happiness in all that oxytocin released by young children needing lots of hugs and touch. Being together, having meaningful love relationships and also working…
-
Episode 22 – Connections
This episode is part of the Exploring Happiness Framework series. Connections is pillar number 3. For us humans, it is super important to connect. We feel safer in numbers. Connecting with others releases Oxytocin which makes us happy. It helps us to trust others and bond with them. There are two types of connections –…
-
Episode 6 – Prosocial Behaviour
In episode 6 of the Exploring Happiness podcast, I talk about engaging in prosocial behaviour as an intentional activity to make us happier. I like the term prosocial behaviour but I probably should rather say connecting with others, turning towards people (and not away from them). I outline the two important connection types which I…
