Life's happiness path = who cares? > grumpy > I can't be bothered?

Is happiness is 'U-shaped'? Are the middle-aged more grumpy? The Telegraph reports on research by

Mr van Landeghem to be will presented at the Royal Economic Society annual conference at Royal Holloway, the University of London, this week. It suggests that happiness follows a U-shaped curve during a person's lifetime, according to research showing that middle-aged people are the unhappiest.

Happiness is pain-free without drugs

Scientist are at last catching up with mind control over pain (report in NursingTimes.net) - in this case, for arthritis. They are using a computer-generated imagery to 'trick'  patients into feeling less pain in their fingers.
The patients put their hands in a box (er, still attached to the arm) with a camera inside. They are shown a falsely exaggerated picture of their fingers being stretched and shrunk. Bingo, pain halved. (I teach hypnosis for the same result, and can save you the computer!)

A third of those taking part in the trial said the treatment stopped them feeling pain completely. To be published in the medical journal Rheumatology.

Action For Happiness - the pragmatic way

If you want safe, pragmatic guidance on happiness then you might take a look at this initiative launched today Action For Happiness.org (err, well it crashed so search out the 'cached' version if still not back up). Totally secular of course (watch out - this emphasis will change one day, as it has repeatedly through history). Here are their ten top tips:

1. GIVING
Do things for others - volunteer to work for a charity in your spare time
2. RELATING
Connect with people - get in touch with friends with whom you have lost contact
3. EXERCISING
Take care of your body - go for a run.
4. APPRECIATING
Notice the world around - take time to appreciate wildlife in your area.
5.TRYING OUT
Keep learning new things - learn a new language.
6. DIRECTION
Have goals to look forward to - make resolutions and stick to them.
7. RESILIENCE
Find ways to bounce back - learn from defeats to do things better in the future.
8. EMOTION
Take a positive approach - focus on the happy moments of your life rather than the sad.
9. ACCEPTANCE
Be comfortable with who you are - do not dwell on your flaws.
10. MEANING
Be part of something bigger - join a society or club.