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Readers Respond: What was the happiest moment of your childhood?

<p dir="ltr">As a child you’d always hear your parents say “they grow up so fast”.</p> <p dir="ltr">And they’re not wrong because soon enough you were saying that to your children who are now saying it to your grandchildren. </p> <p dir="ltr">It’s insane how time flies and we decided to ask our readers to think back to their happiest childhood moment. </p> <p dir="ltr">Check out some of your responses below. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cate Titulaer - Being in the warmth of my grandparents' love.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pat White - Mum died in January when I was 11 and my aunt made me a wonderful birthday cake in June. It was Cinderella's coach with six white horses and even footmen, a magic time for me, such a caring auntie.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tracey Baker - Going to work with my dad on the freight trains or spending time with dad anywhere.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pam Ballard - Time with my grandparents. I realised now how lucky I was to spend nearly every weekend with them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gay Sharran Gold - When my father came home and told me we were going to see The Beatles perform at Sydney Hordern Pavilion! Omg I was a total fanatic!</p> <p dir="ltr">Margaret Inglis - Didn't have a 'happiest' moment. All my childhood was happy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Trisha Springbett - Not that I was aware of it at the time, but being adopted by my wonderful parents.</p> <p dir="ltr">Keralie Stack - Christmas Day was always an open house with family, friends and some who didn't have families. Lots of laughter, games for the kids and enough food for everyone. Great memories.</p> <p dir="ltr">Evelyn Hayward - Gosh, I don’t think I could pick just one. We were not ‘well off’ but neither was anyone else we knew but had a simple childhood with so much freedom and playing outside, food on the table and warm, loving home. Always someone to play with.</p> <p dir="ltr">Janine Jan Fran Kells - Living with my sister Valda and her family when l was about 7. She made me feel very special and have always loved her for it. </p> <p dir="ltr">Share your happiest childhood moments <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtyNZ/posts/pfbid02CkmmPZ3fyHN6MauaqMXJZcAdHgBSnN5yjXv9EH4B2NZX8dTp2hZBKzVih5M4wcSCl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Retirement Life

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You'll be happiest during these two years of your life, according to science

<p>Think you have already reached your peak in life?</p> <p>You might want to think again.</p> <p>We want to share some good news with you: Your happiest years are still ahead!</p> <p>According to new <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp1229.pdf" target="_blank">research</a>, we’re happiest at two points in our lives – not just one.</p> <p>Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science asked 23,000 German volunteers aged 17 to 85 to rate their life satisfaction.</p> <p>Participants predicted how happy they would feel in five years, and then, after five years’ time, reported back on how they actually felt.</p> <p>Their results? Anything but negative!</p> <p>The study found that happiness tends to follow a U-shaped curve over an individual’s lifetime, with satisfaction reaching higher levels during the extremes of the study’s age range and swinging down with middle age.</p> <p>Plus, the researchers noted the two most important years when happiness peaks: ages 23 and 69.</p> <p>If you think about it, that makes a lot of sense.</p> <p>In our early 20s, we’re energetic and excited for the changes that come along with young age: new careers, new places to travel and new people to meet.</p> <p>By the time we reach our 60s and 70s, though, we have likely retired and can now find the time – not to mention the money! – to book a holiday somewhere at a moment’s notice.</p> <p>The dip in middle age is also pretty logical.</p> <p>After all, your 40+ years are a busy time filled with “raising families, climbing the corporate ladder, and you know, life in general,” <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.brit.co/happiest-age-2/" target="_blank">Brit+Co</a> writes.</p> <p>Of course, that’s all the more reason to find easy ways to be happier without really trying, regardless of your age!</p> <p>Experts recommend prioritising small yet rewarding tasks like taking a walk or spending time with family.</p> <p>Just remember, now you have one more reason to look forward to getting older: a boost in happiness!</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article was originally published for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/youll-be-happiest-during-these-two-years-your-life-according" target="_blank">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Retirement Life

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“The happiest man alive”: Never-before-seen footage of JFK Jr’s secret wedding

<p>Viewers will be able to get a glimpse into the secret wedding of John F Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette later this year thanks to a new special.</p> <p>The special, which was first announced in 2018, will share footage shot by Kennedy’s friend during his wedding to Bessette in 1996 on Cumberland Island in Georgia.</p> <p>“On an island off of Georgia we came together on this 18th century plantation. In this dirty, dilapidated, shuttered church next to a pig sty,” a friend says in the preview.</p> <p>“No air conditioning, very little power on the island. It was the best place for them to host a secret ceremony.”</p> <p>That same friend then says afterwards: “Nobody would have expected that three years later we’d be at another church for another reason.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">More trailer footage...JFK Jr &amp; Carolyn Bessette: A Camelot Wedding <a href="https://t.co/Nl08voKU7f">pic.twitter.com/Nl08voKU7f</a></p> — Mrs. M ☀️ (@MrsMogul) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsMogul/status/1128341652773396480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">14 May 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The former first son fell victim to what many call the “Kennedy curse” and faced a tragic death. Speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/" target="_blank"><em>People</em></a> magazine in 2018, John Jr’s former assistant RoseMarie Terenzino said that the former bachelor was kept on his toes as Carolyn didn’t immediately agree to tie the knot.</p> <p>“He went into this thing about how everything’s better with a partner, not just fishing but life,” she said.</p> <p>But despite his determination, Carolyn found the fame that came with being John Jr's partner to be daunting.</p> <p>“She held off the proposal for about three weeks. I think it made him all the more intent on marrying her,” said Terenzino.</p> <p>They eventually married one another in a private ceremony, but the happiness was short-lived as three years later, the pair were killed in a plane crash as they travelled to the same island where John Jr first popped the question.</p> <p>The tragedy occurred on July 16, 1999 as the couple and John Jr’s sister-in-law Lauren were en route to the wedding of his cousin Rory, with John Jr flying the plane.</p> <p>They never made it.</p> <p>It was later revealed that extreme weather conditions caused the plane to crash, claiming all three lives.</p> <p>Their lives were cut short, during a period where the couple were still very much in love.</p> <p>“To say their relationship was on the rocks is just inaccurate,” said Carole Radziwill, the former wife of John Jr’s cousin Anthony Radziwill.</p> <p>“They loved each other – Carolyn was quite the loveable person.</p> <p>“She was clever, she was naughty and she had the balance of being able to be really serious and deep yet funny.”</p> <p>She went on to say: “I still miss her after all these years.”</p>

TV

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World’s happiest countries for 2019 revealed

<p>The World Happiness Report has just been released and the results are a little surprising.</p> <p>Finland has been crowned the happiest country in the world for a second year in a row, with another four Nordic countries following in tow and grabbing a spot in the top 10.</p> <p>The report released by United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranked 156 countries by their happiness levels based on life expectancy, social support and corruption.</p> <p>The well-being of immigrants taken in by each country was also measured and added to the list.</p> <p>Britain trailed behind the likes of Israel, Austria, Costa Rica, Australia, Luxemborg and New Zealand.</p> <p>Australia ranked 11th, just missing a spot in the top 10.</p> <p>The North African nation of South Sudan placed at the bottom of the happiness index, and America is proving to be less and less happy each year as the country falls from 14th place to 19th in just two years.</p> <p>Russia ranked 68th, falling from 59th since last year while France took 24th place and China 93rd.</p> <p>The least happy countries ranking in order include South Sudan, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Rwanda, Yemen, Malawi, Syria, Botswana, Haiti and Zimbabwe.</p> <p>Four different Nordic countries ranked in the highest ten places on the list.</p> <p>Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Copenhagen-based Happiness Research Institute said the five Nordic countries who were ranked high in the index were clearly “doing something right in terms of creating good conditions for good lives.”</p> <p>“'Briefly put, (Nordic countries) are good at converting wealth into well-being,” Wiking said.</p> <p>The finding on the happiness of immigrants “shows the conditions that we live under matter greatly to our quality of life, that happiness is not only a matter of choice.”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the top ten happiest countries in the world.</p>

International Travel

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That smile! Prince Louis is the happiest baby in newly released portrait with mum Kate

<p>Little Prince Louis has one gorgeous smile!</p> <p>In a newly released photo from his christening last Monday, the youngest royal laughed as he was photographed in the arms of his proud mum Kate.</p> <p><img src="https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpeopledotcom.files.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F07%2Fprince-louis-1-2000.jpg&amp;w=1100&amp;q=85" style="width: 441px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared the additional photograph to accompany the which took place in Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace on July 9.</p> <p>“Their Royal Highnesses hope that everyone enjoys this lovely photograph of Prince Louis as much as they do,” the office of Prince William and Kate at Kensington Palace <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1018782335360290816" target="_blank">said in a statement on Monday.</a></strong></p> <p>The picture of 11-week old Louis was taken by photographer Matt Porteous in the garden at Clarence House following the christening, offering a much more candid and relaxed glimpse into the christening.</p> <p>Porteous previously photographed Louis’ brother Prince George when he turned three in 2016.</p> <p>The official family photographs were taken by Matt Holyoak which were released at the weekend.</p> <p>Missed Prince Louis' official christening album of photos? See all the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/books/2018/07/prince-louis-official-christening-portraits-released/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>official pictures of the christening here. </strong></span></a></p>

News

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Exploring the happiest place on Earth

<p>The Bhutanese are not happy. After having been in the so-called land of "gross national happiness" for a little less than 24 hours, this is a surprising discovery. But, as I lunch in a restaurant in Thimphu, where the bumper-to-bumper traffic outside is beginning to challenge the city's status as the only world capital without a set of traffic lights, it's all there in black and white in a local newspaper.</p> <p>Bhutan is beset with a major chilli shortage. This may not immediately strike the privileged visitor to this quasi-hermit kingdom as the stuff of national crisis, but the Bhutanese devour chillies with an enthusiasm similar to Americans and french fries – they can consume whole bowls of the fiery fruit at a single sitting.</p> <p>But when they have to buy chillies at exorbitantly inflated prices from markets due to the government's rejection of a consignment of them from India (in Bhutan they must, by government decree, be organic), they become, well, let's say, grossly unhappy.</p> <p>Chilli, after all, forms the basis of the national dish, ema datshi, a concoction made from chilli and cheese with the latter usually derived from the milk, or dri or nak, of the female yak. In its purest form, ema datshi can have more firepower than the occasionally successful Kim Jong-un ballistic missile test launch.</p> <p>But I have not come all this way for a culinary adventure (probably just as well). I'm more interested in the concept of gross national happiness, coined by the fourth king of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in the early 1970s when the country received fewer than 300 foreign tourists compared with today's ambitious target of 100,000 by 2020.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39233/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (380)"/></p> <p>Gross national happiness was conceived as a Buddhism-based socio-economic doctrine that metamorphosed into an even more enduring de facto tourism slogan than New Zealand's "100 per cent pure" equivalent. Nowadays it's been refined as "happiness is a place". In its entry on Bhutan, the United States Central Intelligence Agency's sober though informative Factbook guide to the nations of the world, makes no reference to gross national happiness in its Bhutan entry, while on the index of the world's happiest countries the "land of the thunder dragon" languishes at a rather sullen ranking of 97. This idealistic mountainous kingdom may struggle for altitude on the more scientific world happiness indices but, as a destination it still manages a lofty rating in terms of traveller bragging rights.</p> <p>In terms of my own gross personal happiness index, I couldn't be more delighted – elated even – to be here, in what has become something of a trophy destination, albeit one that may have shed a degree of its original allure in recent years. And on this, my first visit to Bhutan, it's from Paro, site of the sole entry point by air for international visitors, that I embark on my journey around the kingdom.</p> <p><strong>The landing: Bangkok to Paro</strong></p> <p>Certainly, Bhutan is no ordinary place and getting here is no ordinary undertaking. All of the flights on Druk Air from Bangkok and Singapore come with surprise stops at Indian airports such as Kolkata.</p> <p>Eventually, back in the heavens, we make our approach to Paro International Airport. At an altitude of 2235 metres with surrounding mountains reaching heights of 5500m, the facility invariably makes it to top 10 lists of the world's most terrifying airport landings. Unless you journey overland, this is the only way to reach Bhutan.</p> <p>My Druk Air Airbus A319, having, thrillingly, flown past an entirely visible Mount Everest, skirts perilously close to the edge of craggy peaks as it dips and dives its way deep into the narrow valley in which Paro lies.</p> <p>Safely on the ground at Paro International, I disembark the plane into the thin air and look back and marvel at the mountains through which our pilot has somehow managed to negotiate a flightpath.</p> <p>Outside, I'm greeted by my guide and driver. It's a Sunday with Paro (population, just 20,000) even more deathly quiet than it is during weekdays. In the shadows of the town's gigantic Rinchen Pung Dzongi, one of the impressive monastery and governmental forts usually built on high ground, that are a dominant feature of Bhutan's towns, there is an archery tournament, attended by a scattering of spectators, under way.</p> <p>It's briefly interrupted by a toddler who momentarily and frighteningly strays into the line of arrow fire. Eventually, it's time to transfer to Zhiwa Ling, my accommodation for the night. Managed by a New Zealander and his French wife, the Bhutanese-owned lodge is conveniently close to Paro Taktsang, or Tiger's Nest, a 17th-century Buddhist monastery perched on the side of a rocky, nearly 3200m high mountainside.</p> <p>Architecturally imposing, the lodge is designed along Bhutanese building principles with the second floor of the main building an in-house Buddhist temple fashioned from timbers sourced from a 450-year-old Bhutanese monastery. Tomorrow we leave Paro and embark on a journey around this mysterious, mythical land of the thunder dragon and the inflated organic chilli pepper.</p> <p><strong>On the road: Paro to Thimphu</strong></p> <p>Although it is possible to avoid the national chilli and cheese dish during your travels, one aspect that is inescapable is the prodigious amount of driving required to get anywhere. Even though Bhutan's gross domestic product is growing at a healthy 7 or so per cent a year, many major roads remain unsealed in this small country of just shy of 800,000 people; a rugged, mountainous land and valleys, wedged, vice-like, in the uncertain embrace of the two most populous nations on the planet.</p> <p>India, Bhutan's pre-eminent ally, has embarked on an ambitious project to seal the national highway, engaging, in the process, unskilled labour to perform the mammoth task. In the meantime the official national speed limit of 40kmh still operates.</p> <p>Even though the distances between the main centres of interests are relatively small, the travelling times are not, with journeys of under 150km taking bone-jarring hours. Then again, the eventual sealing of the road network may soon rob Bhutan of some of the adventure that characterises a visit to it.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39232/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (379)"/></p> <p>After a while I take pity on my driver and guide and desist asking them to stop so I can get out and take photos of the signage ("Driving faster can cause disaster"; "After whiskey, driving risky"; "Safety on road is safe tea at home") though I do insist on pausing to snap an elderly Buddhist pilgrim, his face as weathered as one of the distant ancient mountainsides, seated perilously close to the edge of the road, twirling a prayer wheel and chanting, sotto voce, under the searing high-altitude sun.</p> <p>In Thimphu, the world's third highest capital at 2320m above sea level, I check into the 66-room Taj Tashi Hotel, where guests receive a blessing from a Buddhist monk on arrival.</p> <p><strong>Onward and upwards: Thimphu to Gangtey</strong></p> <p>It's a working day in Thimphu when I rise early to go in search of an ATM that will accept one of my cards for some of the local currency. I get to see much of the tiny central business district by the time a machine spits out my card and some local ngultrum.</p> <p>My wanderings also allow me to mingle with Bhutanese men and women on their way to work. The men wear gho, a knee-length robe tied at the waist by a traditional belt known as kera, while women are resplendent in kira, a long, ankle-length dress accompanied by a light outer jacket known as a tego with an inner layer known as a wonju. After a visit to a sanctuary to view a takin, Bhutan's ungainly national animal, a cross between a goat and antelope with an unflatteringly large head, it's time to hit the road on the longest journey of my visit.</p> <p>We stop at a mountain pass called Dochula where there is a lookout featuring perhaps the alpine panorama to end all alpine panoramas and where the air feels as thin as a Neapolitan pizza crust. "There is our army," says my guide, pointing to the group of jagged Himalayan peaks, etched against a gloriously clear early winter sky.</p> <p>They're lined up before me side-by-side like a team of rugby players during a national anthem, none of them below 7000m. The peaks act as a natural barrier between Tibet and Bhutan to any prospective invading army. The name "Bhutan" is said to mean, "the end of Tibet", and, standing here, on a hillside studded with more than 100 chortens or stupas, I witness a powerful illustration of it as I run my gaze across the outline of Gangkar Puensum, at 7570m Bhutan's highest peak.</p> <p>The Bhutanese famed penchant for controlling tourist numbers also extends to its tallest mountains, with none of the kingdom's 20 "virgin peaks" allowed to be scaled. It's a contrast to neighbouring Nepal where Mount Everest has become something akin to a deadly high-altitude freeway funded by the rich.</p> <p>The Bhutanese explain that their peaks cannot be climbed because they are considered to be "abodes of the gods".</p> <p>After what seems like a whole day in the four-wheel drive, twisting and turning around hairpins, we arrive at Gangtey at dusk, a village in the upper extremities of the Phobjikha Valley, dominated by Gangtey Gonpa, a magnificent 17th-century monastery.</p> <p>Inside the 12-room Gangtey Lodge, my accommodation for the night, a hot, traditional Bhutanese stone bath and a dinner of yak steak awaits me. A product of the visionary Australian-Burmese founders of Balloons over Bagan in Myanmar, the gorgeous lodge is perfectly positioned overlooking the vast remote valley, dotted with three-storey black and white farmhouses, and is one of the most captivating in Bhutan.</p> <p><strong>Coming down the mountains: Gangtey to Punakha</strong></p> <p>It gets progressively and noticeably milder as we make our own back down to Punakha, the ancient capital of Bhutan, set in a fertile valley.  My next night's stay is at the exclusive Aman Punakha Lodge.</p> <p>To reach the lodge, it's necessary to first cross a suspension footbridge over the Mo Chhu River. The lodge is framed by a stunning centrepiece traditional Bhutanese farmhouse once owned by a former chief abbot. In the courtyard at night, cultural performances are held around a crackling fire. One of a circuit of luxurious Aman properties scattered across Bhutan, this well-appointed accommodation is designed by the acclaimed Australian resort architect Kerry Hill. The lodge is nestled amid rice fields and orchards. Punakha is known as Bhutan's food bowl; it's the source of most of the kingdom's fruit and vegetables, all of which are, of course, organic.</p> <p>One afternoon during my stay I visit the superbly located 17th-century Punakha Dzong, only the second to be built in Bhutan. It, too, is reached by walking across a bridge built over the fork of two rivers, Pho Chhu (father) and Mo Chhu (mother). The sprawling dzong is still home to Buddhist clergy, being the winter residence of the kingdom's head abbot, the Je Khenpo.</p> <p><strong>To the tiger's nest: Punakha to Paro</strong></p> <p>No visit to Bhutan, at least for the able-bodied, can be truly complete without a pilgrimage to the kingdom's most recognisable attraction. For tourists, the Bhutanese like to leave the Tiger's Nest, or Taktsang Monastery, to the penultimate day of any tour when visitors are fully acclimatised to the altitude, and hopefully fitter than when they arrived.</p> <p>Back in Paro, having completed a circuit of part of the country, early on my penultimate morning in Bhutan, I dutifully trudge up the mountain, hoping that I'll cope with the altitude and make it all the way to the monastery, nearly 1000m above the densely forested valley floor. As I go, I'm inspired by one of those road safety signs back on the highway; it reads: "no rally in the valley." I make this my motto, a reminder that there is no rush to reach the top.</p> <p>Some of the pilgrims who undertake this rather strenuous walk, including the heir to the British throne who complained of a gammy knee, choose to go only as far as a lookout from where the Tiger's Nest can be viewed on a precarious perch, framed by faded yellow prayer flags. But that would mean missing out on not just the monastery, but the sign just before you enter. It requests that visitors not bring prohibited items such as guns and explosives inside, adding that they will be returned to you on your departure.</p> <p>Elated and, yes, proud, at having made it all up and down the mountain, my gross personal happiness levels have now reached giddy heights. I return to my final accommodation, COMO Uma Paro, loftily located for spectacular views of the valley town of Paro, it features private villas scattered through an idyllic forest setting. After a week of Bhutanese food, having largely dodged the national dish, I'm pleased to learn that the yurt-like Bukhari restaurant provides a choice of Indian menu.</p> <p>After a week or so in Bhutan it would be tempting to dismiss it as a quaint, backward, traffic-light free land renowned for its novel measure of national contentment and achievement. But, with the rest of the world in more turmoil than usual, you depart with the feeling that Bhutan's concept of gross national happiness, while fading in relevance, may, just like that much-maligned national dish, still have more than a little bit of a kick left in it yet.</p> <p><em>Written by Anthony Dennis. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

International Travel

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6 habits of the happiest people

<p>Finding a way to be happy can be difficult sometimes, but there are things that happy people do that contribute to their joy. Whether you try all of these, or just give one or two a go next time you’re feeling bad, these techniques should lift you up and help put a smile on your dial.</p> <p><strong>1. Smile with your heart</strong></p> <p>A <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-02/msu-sfa022211.php" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>study</strong></span></a> has shown that simply smiling can actually increase your happiness levels. Interestingly, though, the research also showed that an insincere smile can actually put you in a worse mood – so don’t just smile like you mean it – actually mean it.</p> <p><strong>2. Practice gratitude</strong></p> <p>There is <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263669224_How_Gratitude_Influences_Well-Being_A_Structural_Equation_Modeling_Approach" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>research</strong></span></a> to suggest that people who spend time being thankful are happier and healthier than those who don’t. Taking a moment to take stock of the positive things in your life is a powerful way to bring positivity into your life.</p> <p><strong>3. Joy in small things</strong></p> <p>Embrace your happy however you find it. It doesn’t have to be something huge to make you feel good – it could be the joy of a quiet cup of tea in the morning, or the wag of a dog’s tail as you go for a walk. It could be the beauty of a newly opened flower in your garden, or the smell of rain on concrete. Whatever it is that makes you feel warm inside – revel in it.</p> <p><strong>4. Work work work work work (out)</strong></p> <p>It seems a shame that so many people never find joy in exercise because they associate it with the negative feelings of PE in school. But holding onto those feelings will deny you of a chance for one of the purest highs available to you – the joy of working out. According to one <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression-and-exercise/MH00043" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>study</strong></span></a>, exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and it obviously contributes to improved physical health at the same time.</p> <p><strong>5. Reach out and touch</strong></p> <p><a href="http://go.lifehack.org/?id=26904X855817&amp;site=lifehack.org&amp;xs=1&amp;isjs=1&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs10902-011-9267-5&amp;xguid=43dfb2e09186ae7be59b849cdb6822ce&amp;xuuid=a34e4353054ed8d6cad3f9bb4acf3a5a&amp;xsessid=f02ce1427a0758c7d6a415bebde88a8f&amp;xcreo=0&amp;xed=0&amp;sref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifehack.org%2Farticles%2Fcommunication%2F10-morning-habits-happy-people.html&amp;pref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.au%2F&amp;xtz=-660" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Studies</strong></span></a> have shown that taking time to help others will increase your own happiness. While some feel that the act can be burdensome, the opposite is actually true.</p> <p><strong>6. Work at being happy</strong></p> <p>The study of happiness is fascinating and complex, and one prominent researcher, Martin Seligman, has theorised that around 60 per cent of our happiness is due to genetics and environment, meaning that the rest is dependent upon ourselves. So if you don’t take the time to focus on increasing your own happiness, it’s unlikely you’ll find the great happiness you may be seeking. So take time to focus on yourself and what makes you happy.</p> <p>What’s the one thing you can always count on to make you happy?</p>

Mind

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The grandparenting trick to steal from the happiest country in the world

<p>For the last four decades, Denmark has consistently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world, and we think we’ve finally found the reason why. Danes, who this year took out the number one spot on the world happiness rankings, have a special secret when it comes to parenting and grandparenting, and it comes down to one word: <em>hygge</em>.</p> <p>According to a new book by Jessica Alexander and Iben Dissing Sandahl, <em>The Danish Way of Parenting</em>, hygge (pronounced “hooga”) is the secret to raising confident, capable kids. It means “to have a cosy time together”, generally with close family members and other loved ones, and it’s so engrained in Danish culture that a conversation rarely passes without a mention of hygge.</p> <p>So, how can you incorporate hygge into the lives of your children and grandchildren? Alexander has six smart tips.</p> <ol start="1"> <li><strong>Take a hygge oath</strong> – the next time you get together as a family, take an oath that your gathering will be about “we time” rather than “me time”.</li> <li><strong>Get cosy</strong> – create a warm, loving family atmosphere with nature, candles, delicious food and absolutely NO screens or other distractions.</li> <li><strong>No more negativity</strong> – hygge is all about positivity, safety and warmth, so there’s no room for complaining, judgement, bragging or dragging your personal issues into family time.</li> <li><strong>Team up</strong> – whether it’s cooking, cleaning or playing a game, hygge is synonymous with teamwork, so band together and get the job done.</li> <li><strong>Share your history </strong>– what better way to connect with the family than sharing wonderful stories from your past? Talk about those fun times you’ve had together and the positive memories you share.</li> <li><strong>Play</strong> – Danish families love to sing and play together and live in the moment. Making each other smile should always be a priority at family gatherings.</li> </ol> <p>Tell us in the comments below, how do you like to connect with the family?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/09/exasperated-toddler-scolds-dad-for-leaving-toilet-seat-up/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Exasperated toddler scolds dad for leaving toilet seat up</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/09/couple-wait-nine-years-to-open-wedding-present/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Married couple wait 9 years to open wedding present</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/09/toddlers-crash-car-trying-to-visit-grandma/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Pre-schoolers crash parents’ car in an attempt to visit grandma</strong></em></span></a></p>

News

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How to become the happiest person you know

<p>Happiness is a state of doing, not a state of being. You can’t expect happiness to just happen – you need to actively work towards creating your own happiness. Here are six ways to become the happiest person you know.</p> <p><strong>Do things you love</strong></p> <p>Fill your time with things that make you happy. Everyone has responsibilities that can’t be avoided (like work or chores) but outside of those find things that lift your spirits and practice them as much as you can. It could be spending time with your family, walking with your dog, playing guitar, baking – anything that brings a smile to your face.</p> <p><strong>Give back</strong></p> <p>It was Aung San Suu Kyi who said “if you feel helpless, help someone”. The same theory applies to happiness – helping others has been proven to make people feel happier. This doesn’t have to be financial help. Spending time on others has a greater impact on our happiness than spending money on them. Volunteer with a charity, work with a local sports club or just help out someone you know. In the process you’ll be changing two lives.</p> <p><strong>Be grateful</strong></p> <p>A recent study found that one of the primary sources of unhappiness is unfulfilled expectations. So, instead of focusing on what you don’t have, be grateful for what you do have. Try keeping a gratitude journal of everything you are thankful for every day. They don’t have to be big – even writing down just one small thing each day can increase your happiness. Plus it’s been shown to boost other aspects, like energy and optimism.</p> <p><strong>Get outside</strong></p> <p>There’s not much that fresh air and sunshine can’t cure. Studies have found that being outside for as little as 20 minutes per day can boost not only your mood, but also sharpen your memory and broaden your thinking. People consistently report feeling happier when they are outside in a natural environment as opposed to an indoor, urban environment. So take a walk, eat your lunch in the park or head to the beach at every opportunity. Extra points if you want to exercise outside – it’s proven to increase happiness too.</p> <p><strong>Don’t take responsibility</strong></p> <p>One of life’s most difficult lessons is accepting that we are not responsible for the happiness of others. Thinking you can make someone else happy is an unwinnable game. While you can be a good friend and help them in any way you can, ultimately they must choose to be happy for themselves. Once you have freed yourself from this responsibility, your own happiness will soar.</p> <p><strong>Meditate</strong></p> <p>Meditation has become hugely popular in recent years, but studies as far back as the 1960s have shown that it makes people happier. And there’s science to back it up. Each person’s brain has a natural “set point” for both good and bad emotions. Even if your happiness point is naturally low, consistent meditation can raise your natural happiness set point. It will also alleviate depression, anxiety and obsessive thinking, leading to a happier you all round.</p> <p><strong>Bonus round!</strong></p> <p>Did you know that people get happier as they get older? Studies have shown that once people pass middle age they naturally develop a more positive outlook and feel happier. Great news!</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/health/mind/2016/04/key-to-success-is-failing-first/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Key to success is failing first</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/health/mind/2016/04/10-signs-youre-too-self-critical/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 signs you’re too self-critical</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/health/mind/2016/04/why-we-should-let-go-of-the-pursuit-of-perfect/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Why we should let go of the pursuit of perfect</strong></em></span></a></p>

Mind

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10 happiest countries in the world

<p>The results of the UN’s 2016 <em>World Happiness Report</em> are in, revealing the world’s 10 “happiest” countries. In this report, happiness is measured over a range of data including social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices and levels of corruption.</p> <p>Each countries is given scores and assigned a number out of 10. All in all 156 countries were surveyed and ranked as a part of the report. And the top 10 are revealed below:</p> <p>10. Sweden</p> <p>9. Australia</p> <p>8. New Zealand</p> <p>7. Netherlands</p> <p>6. Canada</p> <p>5. Finland</p> <p>4. Norway</p> <p>3. Iceland</p> <p>2. Switzerland</p> <p>1. Denmark.</p> <p>Do you agree with the results? And have you visited any of the above countries?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/worlds-best-restaurant-locations/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 best restaurant locations in the world</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/01/strange-street-foods-from-around-the-world/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>9 strange street foods from around the world</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/04/lifetime-ban-british-airways-flight-for-getting-up/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Woman gets banned from airline for life for getting up too often on flight</strong></em></span></a></p>

International Travel

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5 beliefs to steal from the happiest people in the world

<p>On the whole, Kiwis aren’t the happiest bunch. Despite living in a country that, for all intents and purposes, could be considered far above average in the climate/welfare/employment/resource stakes, many of us are struck down regularly with low mood. Experts in the field think that one of the reasons for our lack of happiness is the belief that certain things have to change before we can permit ourselves to feel full of joy. It’s the old story of “when I get a new job/lose weight/gain weight/earn more/cut my hair I’ll finally be happy.” Unfortunately, happiness doesn’t work that way.</p> <p>Fortunately we can harness what happy people know and employ it in our own lives. Here are five things happy people truly believe that most of us rarely consider.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Happiness doesn’t always feel the way we expect it to</strong> – Feeling happy is very different to being happy. Being happy is having the knowledge that life is full of goodness that can strike at any time.</li> <li><strong>You are who you spend time with</strong> – Happy people tend to radiate happiness. It’s contagious and worth celebrating. Surrounding yourself with people who enjoy life and know what content is will end up helping lift your own happiness levels.</li> <li><strong>You don’t have to love your job</strong> – Whether you love or loathe your job (or how you choose to spend your days), the chances are good that you’ll need to keep doing it in some capacity if it provides you with necessary income. That doesn’t have to mean, however, that what you actually love doing isn’t a possibility. Making time for your creative passions is crucial. Happy people believe in carving out time to do the work that satisfies them.</li> <li><strong>Banish the fear</strong> – Fear is one of the biggest barriers to happiness. If you’re waiting around for the fear to vamoose, you’ll never be completely happy or at peace. Heard the saying ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’? Let that be your mantra.</li> <li><strong>You don’t need permission</strong> – Waiting for permission to be happy is a recipe for long-term discontent. Happy people know they have the power to shape their reality. They give it a go and are happy with their best efforts. Follow their lead.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2015/12/exercises-to-strengthen-your-willpower/">Simple exercises to strengthen your willpower</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/things-you-need-to-know-about-fear/">7 things you need to know about fear</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/how-to-stop-feeling-guilty/">How to stop feeling guilty</a></em></strong></span></p>

Mind

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These are the happiest countries in the world

<p>The happiest country of 2015 wasn’t in the sunshine-laden tropics but the cold, snowy country of Switzerland.</p> <p>In fact, the top eight happiest countries were located in the global north, with Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden following Switzerland.</p> <p>In the ranking of 158 countries, Australia just made it in the top 10 of happiest countries in the world, coming in tenth.</p> <p>The third annual World Happiness Report is not without scientific basis. Led by an international team of economists, neuroscientists, and statisticians, the researchers based their findings on six factors: gross domestic product (GDP), life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom to make life choices, and level of corruption.</p> <p>The 2015 report noted that happiness helps us live longer, healthier, and more productive lives, and that world leaders should consider the happiness of their citizens whenever they make policy decisions.</p> <p>"The aspiration of society is the flourishing of its members," Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, said in a statement. "This report gives evidence on how to achieve societal well-being. It's not by money alone, but also by fairness, honesty, trust and good health. The evidence here will be useful to all countries as they pursue the new sustainable development goals."</p> <p>Here are the 30 happiest countries from the study. Each colour represents one of the six key factor, which is below.</p> <p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/13283/happiness-report_500x333.jpg" alt="Happiness Report"/></p> <p><img width="491" height="90" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/13284/happiness-report-key_491x90.jpg" alt="Happiness Report Key"/></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2015/12/signs-you-had-a-good-year/"><strong>20 signs 2015 was a good year (even if it doesn’t feel like it)</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2015/12/quotes-to-inspire-a-more-positive-you/"><strong>15 quotes to inspire a more positive you for 2016</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/health/mind/2015/12/definition-of-happiness-changes-with-age/">Your definition of happiness changes with age</a></strong></em></span></p>

Mind

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How to make this your happiest year yet

<p>There’s nothing like a new year to refresh your attitude to being healthy and happy. So while we’re nearly at the end of January now, it’s never to late too set yourself on new path. Whether your goal is to lose weight, get fit or give up a vice, these tips will help you stick to it whatever you choose to take on…</p> <p><strong>Choose something meaningful</strong></p> <p>Connect your goals to something personally meaningful to you. There’s no point deciding you’re going to lose weight just because the TV is full of diet adverts shaming you into it. You’re far more likely to stay on track with goals when they’re important to you. Have you had a health scare and want to be in the best shape you can be? Do you have a special occasion you want to look amazing for? Do you need more energy and suspect your lifestyle isn’t helping?</p> <p>Your goal needs to be tangible to you. Envisage the healthier you – the you in a dress size smaller at your special occasion or having energy to get out and do more. Forget the models in the media and the general expectation to lose weight in January. This needs to be about you, personally, to have any staying power.</p> <p><strong>Do the opposite of what you normally do</strong></p> <p>Never stick to your new year’s resolutions? Then don’t keep making the same mistakes. Like a muscle, your resolve can be strengthened over time and with practice. The more often you resist that piece of cake or cigarette, the easier it will become. Don’t give up if by January 12 you’ve already had a few wobbles. Give yourself time to learn this new skill of resistance, and assess your progress each month rather than each day.</p> <p>If you’re struggling to stick to your guns, try this: if you’re right-handed, brush your teeth or open doors with your left hand (and vice versa). You’ll soon find it becomes second nature to you, and so can resisting those temptations.</p> <p><strong>Choose a reward in advance</strong></p> <p>Yes, yes, yes, we’ve all been told a million times that exercise releases feel-good hormones and makes you feel great. But what if it, well, doesn’t? Actually doing exercise, like sticking to a diet, can be hard when we just don’t feel like it. So promise yourself a little treat, whether it’s a movie or an hour on the sofa with a good book, and keep the reward in mind when you’re lacing up your runners and getting out there.</p> <p>Fake it til you make it, and before you know it, exercise – or whatever it is you’re trying to stick to – will get easier and more enjoyable until you might find yourself actually looking forward to it for its own rewards.</p> <p><strong>Let it go</strong></p> <p>One of the single biggest obstacles we come across in sticking to a healthier lifestyle is falling off the wagon and feeling you therefore can’t get back on again, that you’ve failed.</p> <p>So what if you give in to temptation or even have a blowout and throw all your hard work away? Start again. Get back on the horse and remember that sometimes you will take two steps forward and one step back. Accept it, don’t beat yourself up about it. Let it go! Move on.</p> <p>But be sure to take note of why you succumbed, where your weak points are and what you can do to reduce the risk of you making the same mistake again. </p>

Mind

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Happiest type of marriage revealed

<p>The key to a happy marriage is having a partner who’s also your best friends, according to a new study on marital satisfaction by National Bureau of Economic Research.</p> <p>Researchers have long sought the reasons behind why married people tend to be healthier and happier than others. Is it because marriage makes you happier or because happier people are more likely to marry?</p> <p>Using data from the British Household Panel Survey, researchers studied premarital wellbeing and concluded that marriage leads to more happiness in people.</p> <p>“We find that the married have a less deep U-shape in life satisfaction across age groups than do the unmarried, indicating that marriage may help ease the causes of the midlife dip in life satisfaction and that the benefits of marriage are unlikely to be short-lived,” study authors Shawn Grover and John F. Helliwell wrote.</p> <p>The paper also noted that friendship was the main factor in marital happiness, finding that those who consider their partner their best friend showed double the life satisfaction and happiness than those who don’t.</p> <p>“An important role that a spouse continues to play in a successful marriage is that of a close friend and confidant,” Grover and Helliwell wrote.</p> <p>Surprisingly, although women are more likely to find satisfaction in being married to their best friend compared to men, they are less likely to consider their spouse their best friend.</p> <p>"This paper provides evidence that the long-term benefits of marriage are substantial and worth further exploration,” Grover and Helliwell wrote. “While all friends are important for happiness, those who share beliefs or are married to each other are super-friends, with wellbeing effects apparently much larger than for friends on average.”</p>

Relationships

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Which families are the happiest?

<p>If you’ve ever wondered which families are happiest, you now have your answer. Families with four or more children enjoy the greatest life satisfaction, a landmark five-year study has found.</p> <p>Perth’s Edith Cowan University researcher, Bronwyn Harman, spent five years interviewing hundreds of parents from a wide range of family types about resilience, social support, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Dr Harman then ranked the different groups of parents based on the scores. The findings indicated that parents with four or more children had the highest ratings across each area.</p> <p>“With large families, we think they have social support within the family,” Dr Harman said. “The kids are never bored, they have someone to play with and they get independence quite early on.”</p> <p>The downsides to having a larger family, such as financial stress and workload, were negated by the happiness their large brood of children gave them.</p> <p>“Parents accept that there is chaos in their lives but it does not negate the happiness they get from their families,” Dr Harman explained.</p> <p>The families who came second in the life-satisfaction scores, separated by a mere 0.25 per cent, were parents who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.</p> <p>“These children are not accidents — the parents have to go to a lot of trouble and expense and forethought – so the child is very much desired,” Dr Harman said, adding, “They see the child as an absolute blessing and something they may not have considered as being possible for them."</p> <p>And the least satisfied parents? Single dads, who often feel like they are seen as the lesser parent and the instigator of the family break up.</p> <p>“There is this perception that mothers are the real parents and fathers just sort of help,” Dr Harman said. “There is still no understanding in 2015 that fathers are co-parents that have just as much responsibility for kids.”</p> <p>While the study finds that family type does affect parent’s happiness and satisfaction in life, Dr Harman is quick to point that there was no “best” family type and in fact, it’s not important to a child’s upbringing.</p> <p>“It's not the family make-up that makes a difference to how a child is parented, it is the family processes,” Dr Harman said, “Everyone – chill out. It's not important.”</p> <p>"What is important for kids are things like consistency, boundaries and to know that they are loved, no matter what.”</p>

Family & Pets