How often do you decide that you deserve a treat? After a hard day, or when you're feeling down? The problem with telling yourself that you've earned something is that it's harder to feel gratitude when you get it, and gratitude is an important component of happiness. Deciding you deserve a treat may make you less happy than you'd hoped. | Read More →

You want your friends and your partner to be responsible. That doesn't mean they're not fun, but that they consider the effect they have on other people and learn from their mistakes. It's definitely no fun being in a relationship with someone irresponsible, so you should know how to spot them before you regret it. | Read More →

If social media presents you with a distorted picture of the world, unrealistic expectations or fake news, why does it seem so hard to cut down how much you use it? Rather than thinking of it as an addiction, it makes sense to see social media as a system. Cybernetics, the study of systems, emphasises the importance of feedback and the difference between closed and open systems. These concepts accurately describe the problems with social media and explain why it's so hard to do without. | Read More →

Walking is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, and in terms of the health benefits you'll gain, it's an easy win. But as with any form of exercise, a basic understanding of technique will improve your outcomes. Learning how to correct your posture, move yourself efficiently and avoid stiffness will all help to increase the benefits to your health that walking can give. | Read More →

Why bother to celebrate small achievements? It's hardly world-changing that you didn't snooze your alarm or that you cooked a healthy meal; why make a fuss about it? Because if you don't, you risk damaging your mental health, and if you do, you give your life extra meaning and build up a positive sense of self. | Read More →

Why do you keep on making the same mistakes in your relationships? Why are you stuck in a pattern of repeating behaviour, even though you tell yourself you need to change? There's no simple answer, but a look at some of the common beliefs and behaviours of people who find it hard to change can help you to finally stop making the same mistake again. | Read More →