Latest news with #happiness
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Best things about living in Worcester revealed by locals - do you agree?
Worcestershire is home to lots of pleasant areas, and Worcester was recently named one of the happiest places to live by The Guardian. But what makes the city so special? To find out, we asked Worcester News readers to share what they think are the best things about living in Worcester. From the countryside to the restaurants, here's what locals said they like best about living in Worcester. The Guardian said: 'This West Midlands city has beautiful cobbled streets as well as dozens of shops and restaurants, and plenty to see and do. The beautiful Worcester Cathedral dominates the city centre – King John is among the historical figures buried there.' It added that there is a 'low crime rate' and that it's 'affordable' when 'compared with many other cities'. See the full list of Britain's happiest places to live via The Guardian's website. One local listed several things that make Worcester a 'great' place to live, including its countryside: 'Beautiful canals, the river, parks, museums, countryside, wildlife, cafes, entertainment, festivals and concerts, museums, great restaurants and bars and plenty of them are sole traders, history, architecture, safety generally peaceful. 'Good schools and education, hobby and community groups... 'Pretty great place to live'. Another local agreed, adding: 'and beautiful people !' This person said: 'If you take time to look around the city you'll find it's lovely. Great walks along the river and beautiful old buildings. There are a lot worse places than here!' Another local shared: 'Always love the walk from town across the bridge. The cathedral view and the riverside walk are wonderful'. Someone who lived in Worcester but has since moved abroad said: 'I'm living abroad now but Worcester is a good place to live. Fantastic architecture and historic buildings. 'It's better than a lot of places that's for sure.' Someone agreed, sharing: 'not wrong there mate I now live in the usa. worcester is gorgeous if you take the time to enjoy it. if you take your head out of your phone and look up at what history we have and beautiful nature then maybe you would enjoy it more.' Recommended reading: Best villages to visit for a day out near Worcester according to locals This is Worcester's highest-rated cafe and it serves 'the best coffee' 'Must-visit' Worcestershire pub has one of the UK's best beer gardens This person shared: 'Their is lots to do in the parks and city centre, their a fabulous atmosphere in city and everyone is so friendly.' Another local said: 'The music and theatre scene and how the cathedral dominates city spreading love and kindness and a space to reflect'. What do you like most about living in Worcester? Let us know in the comments.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Use Your Body-Brain Connection To Boost Your Career
body brain connection We tend to think of success at work as largely a mental game, not just getting the right education and training and committing to lifelong learning, as this column has written before, but also controlling your mindset, such as by not over-focusing on negative feedback, for example, or viewing your work and life as being on the same team. But your body also plays a role in your career—and not just by showing up for meetings on time, professionally dressed. Learn to listen to your body-brain connection. Your body sends signals to your brain all day long; recognizing and using them can help you be happier and more productive. This is the argument made by Janice Kaplan in her new book, What Your Body Knows about Happiness, which harnesses the now-overwhelming evidence of the body-brain connection that comes from fields including psychology, neuroscience and medicine. Kaplan is a journalist, former editor-in-chief of the Sunday newspaper supplement Parade magazine, and a prolific author. Janice spoke how the research shows that happiness and success are also an outside job, meaning, you can use your body to boost your mood, productivity, stamina, focus, and creativity—the traits you need for a long and rewarding career. ' The body stuff gives you another tool in your tool box. When things are going wrong or you're having a hard time, it's a good idea to try to look for the positive, but sometimes your mind doesn't want to do that. In part, our brains are always scanning our bodies for information. If you're tense at work and trying to tell yourself you're fine, your brain is not buying it. The tool that people aren't aware of is making it work the other way, so that your body is sending the message rather than your brain.' 'When you're going into a difficult situation, you often get anxious. Your muscles get tense, your hands are sweaty, your voice starts trembling. That takes away from the strength of your case. But our brains take cues from our bodies, so if you try to tell yourself, 'I'm calm,' your brain won't believe it. Instead, think about what other emotions fit with that tension in your body, such as excitement and eagerness. You can turn around the symptoms that your body is feeling by saying, 'My body is preparing for a challenge. This is exciting. That's why I'm feeling this.' Then approach the conversation with the same symptoms, but in a positive way.' nervous woman 'You're reframing it, but with the symptoms that you have. People will try to ignore what their body is saying and instead try to talk themselves out of it. They'll say, 'I'm calm. I can handle it.' But if your body isn't feeling that way, you're in a conundrum of disconnection. Instead, recognize the symptoms, and see them in a positive way. That's the difference. When your body is stressed, it means your body is preparing for a challenge and it's positive. The anxiety means you're charged. You're ready. 'Things like asking for a promotion can make people anxious. Instead of thinking you're nervous, you can go in with the attitude of: 'I am so excited to tell you about all the things I have done. I am so excited to tell you about the positive contributions I have made. And I'm eager to do all of this.' It's a different approach than to feel like, 'I am begging someone to give me a promotion.' It's the same sensation of adrenaline and cortisol running high, but it's approaching it differently. 'It works for me. Before I give a speech, I feel a little anxious. I remind myself, 'I'm really excited to share this with people. To tell them what I know and present it to them.' It's a little twist but it's amazing how well it works.' 'If you're really diligent and working hard, you make yourself sit at your desk, hunched over your computer, until you get your work done. You're like, 'I'm not going to get up until I figure this out!' That's the worst thing you can do. There is great research showing that movement inspires creativity more than anything else. A Stanford study found that when people were asked to come up with ideas, they came up with 50% more ideas when they were on a treadmill than when they were sitting. Other studies show an 80 to 100% increase in ideas. This is not new. The poet Wordsworth wrote about how he could only write his poems when he was walking. Henry David Thoreau talked about the motion of his legs inspiring the thoughts in his brain. The fluidity of our bodies contributes to the fluidity of our minds. We forget that because the normal position is hunched over. 'Different people come up with different schedules, but allow yourself to realise that you're not procrastinating or being lazy when you take that walk or going for a run. You are increasing your productivity and creativity. There are little things you can do that I talk about. Stand or sit up straighter, and you feel more positive. Again, the brain is scanning the body. You slouch when you're depressed, and that gives your brain messages of despair. When you're having a hard time, stand up straight, and walk around the room with a straight back. Give a fake smile; the facial feedback hypothesis says that your brain is constantly checking the feedback of your face. ' Recognise and harness the signals your body sends to your brain and use this body-brain connection to improve your performance and boost your career.
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The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Simon Reeve: ‘Travel helps us to question who we are and where we're from – that's how we learn'
'I left a little bit of my heart in Norway,' says Simon Reeve, speaking between shows on his current UK tour. 'I think a lot of Scandinavia is proper, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. I was in a sports café by the coast in the Lofoten Islands in Norway, and I sent my family a video saying, 'I really hope we'll make it here someday,' ideally in an electric campervan. That would be my nerdy green dream,' he says. Reeve recently released the three-part series Scandinavia on BBC, which charts his journey through pockets of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and its honorary Nordic members Finland and Iceland to discover what drives the region's reputation of being so happy, organised and successful. 'I think we've been dragged into the divisions of the United States. Of course, it's interesting and there are big characters,' says Reeve. 'But if we look at areas of the world where people are happiest and the most content – it isn't the United States, it is Scandinavia. 'We met lots of great characters there who were changing lives and trying to change the world. We've stuffed it all into three programs.' Looking from the outside in, the Scandi countries seem almost utopian-like, with the levels of trust in society demonstrated through honesty shops and leaving babies outside in prams, pioneering green technology such as wind farms and carbon capture machines, and a deep connection to outdoor 'Friluftsliv' living and a love of nature. Unlike the United States, Scandinavian countries stay relatively out of the world's headlines. Yet what Reeve discovered is that the region is also full of surprises, from Finland's large investment in military at NATO's longest border with Russia, the constant threat of volcanic eruptions in Iceland, to the wave of gang violence using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the Swedish suburbs. While no part of the world can claim the title of a perfect utopia, free from challenges and injustices, Reeve did encounter almost fairy-tale-like landscapes throughout his journey to the land of snow, picturesque fjords and colossal glaciers. Yet, there was one location that left him spellbound, and that was Norway. It has the second longest coastline on the planet; ludicrously jagged and broken up with thousands of tiny islands.' Cities such as Stockholm and Malmö were featured in the series, but the main focus was Scandinavia's magnificent rural vistas, which show us why so many people are be drawn to off-grid escapes over urban mini-breaks. 'Stockholm is often rated as the most beautiful city in Scandinavia, admittedly, mainly by the Swedes,' Reeve recalled himself saying during one episode. 'That was a little cheeky, because [Sweden] is gorgeous and it was breathtaking to film there. 'I'm not undermining the beauty of the cities either, but I do think that the countryside in Scandinavia is glorious. They've got much more space than we have on our crowded little islands. 'But of course, people there don't take the p*** the way people sometimes do in the UK. They don't wander about having spontaneous festivals or fires on other people's land. You can walk and camp almost anywhere in Scandinavia, which is an amazing freedom.' The lure of the Arctic has previously seen travellers head to Scandinavia for winter sports activities and adventure tourism, and Reeve explains that the region is now more accessible than ever. 'In the past, it wasn't easy to get hold of the kit you needed to visit, and the clothing wasn't as readily available either. And in truth, it is a bit cheaper now as well. Whether it's Lapland, Svalbard, or Iceland, oh my goodness, the sights you'll see, the experiences you'll have are intensely memorable, and that surely is one of the best things about travel.' Flying out into colder landscapes calls for more preparation than just throwing your swimsuit and flip-flops into your carry-on, as Reeve explains: 'Follow the advice I was given by an elderly woman selling vegetables outdoors at a market in Siberia. She said, 'You need to dress like a cabbage', that is the key to dressing for the cold.' Reeve recommends getting to know the area through a local. 'I think you always want a guide if possible. We've been taught for a while now to do things spontaneously,' says Reeve, 'which you can do, but you'll miss out on that local knowledge. It doesn't have to be horrifically expensive.' 'A lot of people want to share their area with you. We just had a guide when we were in Laos as a family, and the experience we had as a result was so much richer.' During Reeve's journey through Scandinavia, he was led by several guides, from a Sami reindeer herder in northern Sweden to a young volcanologist in Iceland, and he explains how these encounters with local communities were enriching. 'My favourite form of travel is when wealthy folk take their hard-earned money and spend it in parts of the world that need it; giving back to local communities and helping to support wilderness areas,' he adds. 'Scandinavia is an ethical place to go on a holiday, if you do it carefully. You can travel cleanly and greenly on public transport, much more so than you can in many other parts of the world. It's not guilt-free travel, that doesn't exist. But I certainly think, because they've made great strides towards becoming cleaner and greener, we can benefit from that as travellers.' While Reeve's series uncovers that not all is paradisiacal in this region, he also took a lot from the way Scandinavians live their lives. 'It made me question where I'm from, and the direction of travel that we're [the UK] on.' 'Maybe we need to take inspiration from how they're living in Scandinavia and consider how that way of life could benefit us. 'Travel helps us to question who we are and where we're from. That's how we learn.'
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Metro Detroit native breaks world traveling record after visiting every country
On Friday afternoon, Michael Zervos received an incredibly warm welcome at the Detroit Metro Airport. Several of his closest friends and family members flooded the terminal, celebrating the completion of a record-setting journey that had been years in the making. Zervos visited 195 United Nations-recognized countries in just 499 days. "It felt long, terminable, difficult, frustrating, but at the same time, it was beautiful. It was mesmerizing. It was captivating, meeting people from all walks of life everywhere in the world," Zervos said. This vision is part of his brainchild called Project Kosmos. He says it's a way to see as much of the world as possible, while asking natives in each country one crucial question: "What's the happiest moment of your life?" "I've always been a thrill seeker and wanted to test my limits. I guess challenging yourself makes you better, but on the other side of things, I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to collect stories across the world about happiness and help other people," he said. The idea was born in his pursuit of happiness. He says he overcame years of depression and got inspired after the pandemic. When he decided to change his life for the better, he wanted to explore what it truly means to be happy. "The smallest thing, a breeze a cup of coffee sitting down with loved ones those can give you as much happiness as winning a contest, breaking world record, even though it really is all about perspective and when you look at things small things, you can have those experiences of happiness pretty much every day and you don't have to climb a mountain to do it," Zervos said. You can follow his journey on social media and his website.
Entrepreneur
3 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
JPMorgan Releases Summer Book List for Wealthy People
JPMorgan released its annual summer reading list, geared to high-net-worth people who are curious about technology, art, and finding true happiness. For the past 26 years, JPMorgan has released a summer book list that caters to the interests of its high-wealth clientele. This year, a special committee looked at more than 1,000 reading suggestions from JPMorgan's client advisors and came up with their 16-book list. Darin Oduyoye, chief communications officer for JPMorgan Asset and Wealth Management, who also oversees the list, told CNBC that this year's selections were focused "around the power of curiosity." "You can think of it from a reflection standpoint or transformation standpoint," Oduyoye said. Related: 5 Books Every Small Business Owner Should Read Oduyoye said that they took input from family offices and looked at titles that aimed to prepare the next generation of leaders. Family office respondents were concerned with finding a balance between growing wealth and doing things that positively impact communities. The list includes Shigehiro Oishi's "Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life," which explores happiness and finding meaning in life (the Wall Street Journal called the author's enthusiasm "infectious"), and Suzy Welch's "Becoming You: The Proven Method for Crafting Your Authentic Life and Career" and its related 13-step plan. The list also includes "Raising AI: An Essential Guide to Parenting Our Future" by De Kai, which explores AI's impact on how we live now (and will live in the future). Here are seven more titles from the list. For the complete summer syllabus, click here. Reset: How to Change What's Not Working by Dan Heath Iron Hope: Lessons Learned from Conquering the Impossible by James Lawrence The Tell: A Memoir by Amy Griffin Coming of Age: How Technology and Entrepreneurship are Changing the Face of MENA by Noor Sweid The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West by Alexander C. Karp and Nicholas W. Zamiska Inevitable: Inside the Messy, Unstoppable Transition to Electric Vehicles by Mike Colias MirrorMirror: The Reflective Surface in Contemporary Art by Michael Petry Related: Four Books Recommended For Current and Aspiring Entrepreneurs
