It's not about what you say but how you say it that creates the affect words have. So the next time you're faced with a situation that seems impossible at the time, remember that it's not about "trying," but about giving it all of your "try."

Traditionally, dropping a few pence in charity boxes has always been a popular way to give. The UK Giving Report found that giving cash is still the most popular donation method. However in recent years we carry less cash and charity boxes are not as evident.

Paying it forward is not a concept that has gathered huge momentum in the UK. I think if some random stranger paid for my coffee here in Manchester, my reaction would be more suspicious than grateful; we in the UK, are simply not used to strangers performing arbitrary acts of kindness for us.

It wasn't a particularly vicious assault, but last week I accidently, and forcefully, whacked my cheekbone with my own tennis racquet and, as a consequence, turned my blue eye black.

In the face of the horror of Sandy Hook, perhaps now would be a good time to celebrate the kindness of the American people and hope that this basic human instinct will prevail.

If this Christmas "state of mind" helps free us from stress during the holiday season wouldn't we want to keep bringing out these same spiritual elements in our lives throughout the year?

Today is World Kindness Day, and we're all being encouraged to help change the world by committing one simple act of kindness. I for one fully intend to play my part - and not for entirely selfless reasons.

The most incredible, life changing stuff I have taken from my 'spiritual path' has been the down right sensible, the obvious, the 'tips for life' that take more from a therapeutic, humanistic approach than they do a magical or paranormal one.

I have studiously avoided cool people my whole life. That's not meant as a slight on those I have been friends with. By 'cool' I mean people whose egos are largely driven by them being good-looking, or having a little bit of status.

I am one of those children for whom Advent calendars meant just one thing: chocolate - a daily dose ahead of a Christmas Day overdose. I can't rememb...

Being kind to others is as rewarding as eating chocolate and having sex, according to scientists. A recent study by the University of California, f...

I think actually this is just our subconscious playing avoidance tactics with us; always striving to find happiness outside of ourselves, not wanting to have to look closer to home and realise that all the answers lie within us (there's a famous quote there somewhere!).