Connor Lambert

Researchers from Harvard, MIT, and the University of Colorado have observed that people who wake up earlier tend to be less depressed.

Though the study has only been among European descendants, the study shows that going to sleep early and waking up an hour or two early lowers the risk of depression by 23-40% respectively.

When a 15-year-old Paul McCartney met a 16-year-old John Lennon in 1957, the world was about to be turned upside down.

Lennon invited McCartney to play the rhythm guitar in his skiffle band, The Quarrymen. Later, the band was joined by George Harrison and original bass player Stuart Sutcliffe. Original Beatles drummer Pete Best joined the band, but following criticism, Best was replaced by Ringo Starr in 1962. Sutcliffe left the band in 1961, and McCartney replaced him on bass.

Often we have everything in our life planned out, but rarely does it ever go in the direction you'd want it to go. We are never going to get everything we want at the time we want it to happen and that's okay.

Life takes us somewhere we would never anticipate but timing is everything. When we are patient, humble, and dedicated, we can attain success through and through.

A habit is a routine or behavior that is carried out repeatedly and most of the time automatically.

When you are faced with a problem repeatedly, your brain starts to automate the process of solving it. Your habits are sets of automatic solutions that solve the problems you come across regularly.

As you step into a new job, reflect on your last job.

• What worked well?
• How can you build on your strengths?
• What specific actions will you take to put what you learned into action?

Before, during or after an important event, we often perform symbolic behaviours, or rituals, that are of different shapes and forms. These acts often look superstitious and irrational. Many are practised in either a communal setting or in complete solitude.

The desired outcomes for these rituals can be to remove anxiety, boost confidence, or for improved performance in a competition. The surprising thing is that rituals are more rational and scientific than they appear on the surface, and are also effective.

Listen to your thoughts — but don’t necessarily believe them.

They're suggestions, possibilities. But they’re not gospel. You can’t control what thoughts pop up, but you can decide what is helpful and choose not to give the unhelpful thoughts any more attention than they deserve.

Anti-goals represent a palpable set of values and actions that we don’t want to have and do. For example:

• Not wanting to be buried in debt or living above my means
• Not wanting to be stuck in the office until midnight
• Not wanting to be unfit or over a certain weight by 50.

• Let your body do the talking. Body language and facial expressions can be just as important as your words. Your posture is key. 
• Be mindful of your tone of voice. You make others feel at ease if your voice is calm and/or friendly. 
• Be a good listener. How you listen is just as important as what you say. Leave any distractions alone and maintain eye contact from time to time. 
• Take a reality check. If you find your mind going to the opposite of confident thinking, stop and check the facts. 
• Smile. Smiling generally lightens your mood and makes other people respond more positively to you.