Whether you've got a runny nose, a broken leg, or a chronic disease, if you’re like me you’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve been told to “cheer up,” “look on the bright side” and “think positive thoughts” in order to get better faster. Talk shows, magazine articles, and self help gurus only reinforce this idea, so it’s little wonder that many of us believe that being positive can make us healthier. As a health journalist who has been diagnosed with a chronic illness, I wanted to delve into the scientific evidence to see if there is any... Read full article »

As I sat down to write this blog post, a voice interrupted me. “Shannon, Shaaaanon…,” it called sweetly. I ignored it and delved into reading a scientific paper that I was interested in. After a few minutes the voice started again, this time more adamant, “Shaaaaaaaanon!” Again I ignored it and kept reading until the voice grew so pushy that I had to give in. The voice was coming from the block of dark chocolate in my pantry. It had little bits of crunchy caramel through it and it insisted I eat a piece. So I did. (Well, three pieces... Read full article »

One afternoon recently I was feeling a little droopy and rundown when I bumped into a friend at our local shops. This particular friend radiates positivity and enthusiasm for life. As we hadn’t seen each other for a few weeks, we promised to schedule time to catch up properly soon, but as we parted ways I noticed a new spring in my step. After just five minutes of chatting with my friend, her boundless energy had rubbed off on me as if I’d taken caffeine pills or had 30 minute nap. I buzzed through my afternoon and carried renewed cheerfulness... Read full article »

I woke up yesterday and immediately knew something was different. A familiar but unusual feeling came over me. Like kindling a fire, at first it was delicate and tentative, but as I began my morning routine, the feeling grew until it was a roar. That feeling was energy. I was switched on. Alive. Motivated. Before I’d even had my breakfast, three great ideas had popped into my head.   Energy is not something I’ve had in abundance lately. In fact, some days I’ve felt wiped, especially in the early evenings when I’ve been turning into a zombie. So what was... Read full article »

The other day I found myself in an unusually bad mood. It was witching hour in my house – the time when I try to cook my family dinner while my “threenager” toddler is whining, my 8-week-old baby is in need of a cuddle before taking a nap, and I’m feeling ravenous. I usually approach this time of day as a lively challenge and I enjoy coming up with novel ways to handle it, but on this occasion it was all too much. I was overwhelmed, anxious and snappy.   One explanation for my moodiness is that I had a... Read full article »

As I write these words I’m sitting in my sunlit kitchen with a freshly brewed cup of warm tea, my seven-week-old son is sleeping in his bassinet… and my next door neighbor is intermittently blasting a low pitched rumble and a high pitched buzz with some kind of mechanized contraption used for cutting timber.   My neighbor is an owner-builder, which in Australia means he has a special license that allows him to carry out his own construction work. He’s been building his house for the last three and a half years – a time frame I’m all-too aware of... Read full article »