Grati-texts & Grati-tweets - From High Tech to High Touch

by Karyn Buxman

My alarm clock didn't go off. Someone had already used up all the hot water before I could take my shower. We'd run out of coffee (gasp!). And to top it all off... my "fat pants" were feeling a bit snug-aaaaaauuuuggghhhhhh! This was shaping up to be a miserable morning. I heard my phone chime and my heart skipped a beat. Had I gotten my times mixed-was I late for work? I snatched my phone off the table and saw the text:

"I just wanted you remind you how amazing you are and how grateful I am that you're in my life." (more…)

What is happiness and why does it seem to be so hard to achieve?

by Katrina-Jane

So many people are in the pursuit of happiness and contentment, which to me mean exactly the same thing.

What is happiness and why does it seem to be so hard to achieve?

Why do so many people seem to have to do courses and workshops trying to find what will make them happy? (more…)

How to Live a Beautifully Exotic Life in a World of Mediocrity

By Prachel Carter

exotic adj. Intriguingly unusual or different; excitingly strange:

What does it mean live an exotic lifestyle?

Exotic living can mean different things to different people, but in the context of this piece, it means to live life in a true and authentic way. To the outside world, this type of transparent living may seem weird, or strange or different.

Humans, by nature, are exotic beings.  We are all very different.  We were meant to be.  Could you imagine a world where everyone was the same?   We are all shaped by our different perspectives, views and life experiences.  No two of us are the same.  Ever.  (more…)

Sing More, Feel Better

by Amanda Clarke

Stress gets to us all. Whether it's getting stuck in traffic, dealing with an overbearing boss, or trying to juggle your busy schedule, sometimes it just gets to be too much. The daily grind can be draining, exhausting. The best remedy is to find ways to relax. Believe it or not, something as simple as singing provides both mental and physical health benefits. It doesn't matter if you have a lovely voice or if you're tone deaf. Here are five great reasons why you should belt a few tunes the next time you're feeling down. (more…)

Loneliness – How to Overcome this Elderly Vulnerability

by Daisy Anderson

"I need a break from the loneliness that is totally consuming me" - Anonymous

Aged people are especially susceptible to social isolation and loneliness, which can have serious implications on their physical as well as mental health. Hundreds of thousands of seniors are reportedly lonely and cut off from society, with over 5 million older people admitting television as their main source of company. (more…)

The Power of Positive Emotions

by Emma Filey

We Are Not Doomed to Failure

Many studies have been carried out on the beneficial effects of positivity, though whether or not a positive outlook has the power to actually improve our quality of life, has often been debated. One of the greatest obstacles facing positive psychology is the so-called 'hedonic treadmill,' described by investopedia.com as "the tendency of a person to remain at a relatively stable level of happiness despite a change in fortune or the achievement of major goals. (more…)

Understanding Stress, Anxiety and Depression

The Modern Epidemic

Despite modern life offering unprecedented technological benefits, and medical science being able to cure or alleviate many more physical ailments than ever before, somehow "happiness" seems more elusive than ever for a growing number.

Stress, anxiety and depression are a modern epidemic affecting literally millions. The effects of these debilitating conditions are made even worse by the stigma they carry.

If you're unfortunate enough to suffer a physical problem friends, family, colleagues invariably rally around with offers of help. If you're unfortunate enough to suffer a mental problem those same people frequently keep their distance as though you're highly contagious or somehow responsible for your suffering. (more…)

Finding Happiness

Happiness and sorrow are two sides of the same coin. Without sorrow there would be no such thing as happiness. And vise versa. Both are emotions of the incarnate form, devoid of intrinsic Spiritual significance.

The Spiritual concept of life is as an opportunity for experiential growth. Pleasure is not its primary purpose. Buddhism teaches that life is suffering, with the cessation of that suffering as its goal. Perhaps it is the ability to recognize the ultimate insignificance of earthly trials and tribulations and to rise above them that is meant by divine happiness. As Kipling said, “If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same…” (more…)

Improving Self Esteem

What Is Self Esteem?

Self esteem (or self worth) is a measure of how valuable a person considers him/herself to be. If we have high self esteem we feel good about ourselves, and tend to live life positively. However, many people suffer from low self esteem, believing themselves to be of low, or no worth.

Self esteem is a judgment of oneself as well as an attitude toward the self. Self esteem encompasses beliefs (for example, “I am competent,” “I am worthy”) and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame.[1] Smith and Mackie define it by saying “The self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, is the positive or negative evaluations of the self, as in how we feel about it.”[2] (more…)

Purpose and Motivation

A Personal Manifesto

The motives we display often differ from our true purpose. Finding and pursuing that true purpose is a major part of life’s mission. I hope these words may help you maximize your motivation through discovering and aligning with your true purpose, and in so doing find both happiness and fulfillment during this journey we call life. (more…)