Melanie Kendry

English Teacher, Tutor and Writer

Even if you've never written your autobiography, you have a life story. All of us do. If you take time to listen to other people's tales you'll hear t...

Steven Bartlett

Teenage serial entreprenuer, recently dubbed the UK's Next Creative Pioneer

It is all too easy to let your true ambitions, your dreams and consequently yourself, be consumed by the expectations of others, by life's pressures and by fear of failure. This however; is no excuse to surrender. I often say that mistakes are things I did and regrets are things I didn't do.

Paul Bailey

Confidence coach working with people to enhance business and personal performance

Building a healthy self esteem can do wonders for your life. The way you deal with people on a personal and professional level are all affected by how you perceive yourself. Having a low level of self confidence may greatly affect your life; you end up having a harder time performing at work, maintaining healthy relationships, and enjoying life.

Grainne Gillis

Interested in the art of politics, and the politics of art

Ever since childhood, I remember being fascinated by the notion of crazy people; to the extent that when a primary school teacher read a poem about a crazy woman, and asked the class what they thought, I piped up by saying "Well, maybe she isn't crazy; she just sees the world differently. Maybe we are the ones that are crazy". I was eight.

Andy Fraser

Journalist focusing on sport, meditation, well-being and compassion

As someone who discovered meditation at the ripe old age of 30, I sometimes wonder what my teenage years would have been like if I had learned mindfulness at school. If the latest research is anything to go by, I would certainly have been better equipped to cope with the anxiety of revision and exams.

Danny McCubbin

Founder of the UK San Patrignano Association

This morning I received a call from my friend in Australia letting me know that one of our friends had taken his life over the weekend. I have suffered grief and loss before and today I did not know what to do - go to work and carry on? Stay at home and take it easy? I went to work and whilst there I listened to every early 80s tune that reminded me of my friend who I now will never see again.

Realbuzz.com

An inspiring healthy active living community

Spring is the traditional time when we clear out the cobwebs and start afresh. This year, why not extend the spring cleaning to the rest of your life and get rid of your lifestyle clutter.

Adam Croft

Author and broadcaster best known for his crime thrillers

Winston Churchill called it the 'Black Dog'. Every year, thousands of people in Britain die because of it. One in three people will suffer from it at some point in their life. Why, then, are we so afraid to talk about depression? The problem is particularly striking amongst my own demographic, young men under the age of thirty.

Elaine Benton

Author and blogger; battling two chronic diseases whilst maintaining a positive attitude and sense of humour

A young child who is chronically ill or disabled in some way, weak and fragile, may easily fall victim to sexual abuse. Unfortunately a child whether physically or mentally handicapped can be at high risk; not understanding and often unable to communicate what is actually happening to them.

Matt Zitron

Father, Husband, Geek and Writerer

I suffer from depression. I have for a while, and I'm tempted to say 'on and off'; but I think it's always sort of there, waiting for a moment to rear its head. Some days it's an effort to leave the house; some days I want to run out the door and sprint to wherever I'm going, singing showtunes.

Professor Damien Ridge

Professor of Health Studies at the University of Westminster

Stories about men as toxic, as bad boys, are so much part of the cultural lexicon, that when I lecture, audiences are sometimes perplexed by the idea of providing specific services for vulnerable men. This is despite explaining that thousands of men commit suicide every year in the UK, 4552 in 2011, three times the rate of women.

Kerry Hudson

Writer, journalist, manic depressive loose in London

Being totally honest in our profiles can go in one of two directions. You either get no replies, perhaps the odd one or two after pub closing hours, or you attract someone who admires you for your honesty AND your flaws. Bingo. You may as start choosing the fabric and start table planning.

Daniel Warner

Writer and Director of www.picnicdontpanic.com

Crazy is what crazy does and when you get a room full of self diagnosed lunatics and certifiable sociopaths together, you just know it's going to be one hell of a party. Even without the cheese board.

Dr Patrick Bowler

Founder of Courthouse Clinics and founding member of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine

From what is known of the psychology of emotions and their correlation to behaviour, Botox could possibly impact risk evaluation, empathy, and communication as well. The treatment, against all fashionable opinion, seems to trigger much more than a simple confidence boost.

Sandi Mann

Dr Sandi Mann, Psychologist, University of Central Lancashire and The MindTraining Clinic

It dawned on me that Elisha's Things To Appreciate List is actually the path to contentment for us all. Taking the time to enjoy the small stuff, to notice and relish even the most basic of what we have and to fully savour the special times is surely the route to happiness.

Scottee

Award-winning performer, director, radio person, writer and gay icon

We, as a society need to rethink how we treat obesity - medically and socially. Each day when I leave my house I am confronted by fat phobia - be it shouted from white vans or the huff and puffs of people forced to sit next to me on public transport. I am fully aware my body repulses some of you- but I don't care