WellBeing Being Issue 10

Joy is such an ephemeral state of being that if we’re not being mindful of the feeling when it arises, then we may not even recognise the fleeting moment. Rather than a measure of how good you feel over time, which is the definition of happiness, joy is an indication of how good you feel in the moment. In the pursuit of happiness, you may miss a momentary experience of joy, which is why Ingrid Fetell Lee, author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, suggests that “when we focus on joy, happiness finds us”. Contemplate how the feeling of joy manifests in your body. Are you smiling? Do you have a sense of lightness? Is warmth radiating from you? When you experience joy, your body is…

Contentment often arises when you are at peace with who you are and where you are, right now. Similar to mindfulness, it is a way of being that helps you appreciate the fleeting nature of the present moment, which is also a lesson in impermanence. “To Be More Like Water”, a track on Michael Dunstan’s upcoming new album, Impermanence, is a meditation on the ever-changing nature of life. Water is fluid, yet fixed. It is an amalgamation of movement and stillness, softness and strength. “The dark is contrast to the light”, the folk artist says in the song, which encapsulates the full spectrum of the human existence. And when we can accept the nature of impermanence by embracing all moments in life — the light, the dark and everything between —…

“Simplicity is the essence of happiness.”Cedric Bledsoe It’s often only when we carve out the space to slow down that we can truly bear witness to, and appreciate, the present moment. Once we start paying attention — even to the most ordinary things — everyday moments can become remarkable. My most recent experience with this profound life teaching occurred during a stay at a farm and former family home turned luxurious coastal escape, Lon Retreat. A serene environment Perched on 200 acres of rural conservation land in Point Lonsdale on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, at Lon Retreat, I feel my body and mind start to unwind as soon as I enter. Founders Claire and Rob Gemes renovated the sandstone farmhouse in 2018 and the homestead now features seven luxurious suites, an indoor heated pool…

Do you have a pal that never leaves an op shop without an amazing, unique outfit, while you’re left sorting through piles of musty T-shirts? You too can learn how to thrift like a pro, saving you time and money in your quest for an inimitable collection of clothes. The joy of pre-loved clothes Growing up, Sally Steele’s mum — a stylish lady herself who altered second-hand garments to create outfits — made her daughter’s clothes. At 11, Sally visited the op shop with her. “I was going to a disco and really wanted to wear this lilac jumpsuit I’d seen in Vogue,” she says. “Mum found an old, quilted bedspread at a charity shop and made it into an awesome jumpsuit in a couple of days.” With her wardrobe now predominantly made…

The internet, computers and smart devices dominate the way we live, work, communicate, access and store information, shop, entertain ourselves and more. But, as any 21st-century human knows, there’s a downside to tech’s everpresent stranglehold over our time. Slaves to the machines Such hyper-connectedness to data, marketing, apps and other people has become invasive, stealing from the meaningfulness and joy of our personal lives, writes computer science professor Cal Newport in Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. The consequences of such information overload can include exhaustion, time poverty, stress, mood and relationship issues and feelings of inadequacy. Originally embraced to make life easier, our apps, programs and devices have become our masters, Cal says. Managing plagues of data, upgrades, updates, notifications, emails and so on, we’ve become slaves to…

Acceptance Know the difference between what you can’t change and what you can. It may not be possible to go back in time to the days before the information age or buy a new device, but we can make changes that matter. Non-judging The solution to our tech stress isn’t easy. So, don’t judge yourself or others. It isn’t a matter of weak will or stupidity. “People don’t succumb to screens because they’re lazy,” reveals Cal, “but instead because billions of dollars have been invested to make this outcome inevitable.” Openness and beginner’s mind Be open to and inquisitive about solutions. These may surprise you. It’s not always what first comes to mind or what everyone else is touting or doing. Also, don’t limit your ability to make changes on the basis that you’re not…