Last week, Dalia and I went on a Gold coast holiday to escape the Melbourne Winter. However, on arriving at the hotel, I was faced with a conundrum. The hotel had clearly stated that we were on a ‘no smoking’ floor and yet each room had an ashtray carefully placed on every balcony.

This got me thinking about how in life we commonly question how we go about our daily lives. Are we saying what we really feel or just what we think others expect or want of us?

A common theme for many people is that “there are not enough hours in the day”. Comments such as feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or stressed confirm that the person is experiencing conflict. Sometimes this is due to an internal cause, such as poor health or a clash in obligations or responsibilities. Other times, it is due to external demands from other people, either at home or at work. Here is a simple activity that you can test out and apply. It is especially relevant in the workplace.

Most people like the idea of being happy, but how does one define it and is happiness the exception rather than the rule in our modern prosperous society?

It is clear that a lot of people are not happy. Depression is a major cause of disability in our society. Pharmaceutical treatments are often helpful, but are limited by high drop out rates and recurrences on ceasing the medication. Counselling and lifestyle strategies are also useful, but once again are not going to help everyone.

So often, people tell me that they have agreed to a request or command when their inner voice was telling them that they did not feel right about it. What can you do about it?

There are three tactics or strategies which have been hot topics in my seminars and useful to many of my clients.