Mindfully Healing

Brain scans reveal that just a little of this personality trait boosts happiness. Even a small amount of generosity towards others makes people happier, psychological research finds. In fact, merely promising to be more generous is enough to trigger changes in our brain that lead to greater happiness. People in the study did not need to be extremely generous to see the benefits to happiness levels. Dr Philippe Tobler, one of the study’s authors, said: “You don’t need to become a self-sacrificing martyr to feel happier. Just being a little

People in the study were encouraged to think about conflicts in their relationships in a new way. “How will I feel in one year about this current conflict in my relationship?” Asking a question with a future-orientation helps people feel more positive about their relationship, a study finds. People feel more forgiving and interpret their relationship in a more positive light when they think about it from a future perspective. Mr Alex Huynh, the study’s first author, said: “When romantic partners argue over things like finances, jealousy, or other interpersonal

Some types of mind wandering may be highly beneficial to our brains, and our futures. Intentional daydreaming is linked to a thicker cortex (a good thing) in certain key areas of the brain, new research finds. Directing the mind to wander is a cognitive skill that can be beneficial in some contexts. For example, it can allow us to mentally rehearse upcoming events, or solve problems we might encounter. In other words, it allows the brain to work out possible futures for us. So, mind wandering is not always a

The emotion helped people make healthier choices. Curiosity is a powerful way to motivate people, research finds. It can even help people make healthier choices. Across four experiments, researchers found that people’s curiosity encouraged them to take the stairs and eat more healthily. Dr Evan Polman, the study’s first author, said: “Our research shows that piquing people’s curiosity can influence their choices by steering them away from tempting desires, like unhealthy foods or taking the elevator, and toward less tempting, but healthier options, such as buying more fresh produce or