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The power of positivity: Starting the year with a positive mindset

<p>As we step into the New Year, many of us are hitting the reset button and focusing enthusiastically on achieving our resolutions. By harnessing this welcome surge in positivity, we can begin to direct our attention towards tackling our goals and embracing a shift in mindset, even after the glitter on New Year’s has settled. But how can we achieve this? Jacqui Manning, the resident psychologist at Connected Women, a female-founded organisation dedicated to cultivating friendships in women in their midlife, shares her tips on how to foster a more positive mindset, year-round. </p> <p>“Developing a positive mindset is all about being intentional, and it begins with a good routine. Carving out time within your week for activities that fill your cup and encourage a more optimistic outlook is key to embracing age with positivity,” Jacqui says. </p> <p>“Set realistic expectations – if you have a New Year’s resolution to make more time for yourself, pencilling time in the diary for self-care is going to be essential. Or, if your goal is to build new connections this year, be sure to set time aside at least once a week for networking. Whether it’s joining a local tennis club, attending a community event, or simply striking up a conversation at your local café, enriching your social circle can bring new perspectives, enhance feelings of optimism, and boost overall well-being,” Jacqui explains. </p> <p><strong>Don’t skimp on self-care!</strong></p> <p>Self-care involves dedicating the time to engage in activities that help to enhance overall well-being. As we age, it becomes increasingly important to develop an adequate self-care routine to support both our mental and physical health.   </p> <p>“Remember that taking time for yourself is essential. Small indulgences such as enjoying a quiet evening at home, book in hand, or heading outside for a leisurely evening stroll can quiet the mind and recharge your emotional batteries.”</p> <p>“As the year progresses, our self-care practices can tend to fall by the wayside. It’s essential to invest in ourselves, which includes prioritising sleep, regular exercise, remaining engaged in hobbies or preferred activities, and maintaining social connections,” Jacqui says. </p> <p>“Dedicating time for yourself helps to create the space necessary to support mental recharge. Goal setting, implementing boundaries to avoid overwhelm, or integrating wellness practices like meditation or mindfulness exercises act as stress-relievers and boost energy levels,” Jacqui explains. </p> <p><strong>Cultivating your crew</strong></p> <p>Research suggests that our social circle holds a meaningful influence over our mood and disposition. Friends have been found to act as a buffer against ageing, positively supporting both our health and overall cognitive function. </p> <p>“The first step to finding friendship is assessing – how supported do you feel within your relationships? Remember, friends exert significant influence over our feelings and behaviours, so finding a tribe that fulfils your emotional needs is essential,” Jacqui explains. </p> <p>“Nurturing successful relationships begins with finding individuals with shared values and interests. Actively engaging in open conversation is a magnet for developing authentic and emotionally fulfilling connections with others.” </p> <p>“Be open-minded – discussing topics like hobbies, future goals, anxieties, and challenges can encourage openness and conceive opportunities to offer support to one another. Openness also lays the foundations for more meaningful friendships to blossom,” Jacqui says. </p> <p>Friendships in adulthood are well worth the investment, and curating your immediate network could be the masterstroke in ageing with positivity (and boosts overall health and cognitive function to boot!). </p> <p>If forming new bonds heads up your list of New Year's resolutions, then joining a vibrant community group like Connected Women could be the ideal place to start. </p> <p><strong>Practice positive self-talk</strong></p> <p>Take a few minutes each day to reflect on the aspects of life that you’re grateful for – whether that be your health, family, friendships, or a stellar career. By focusing on the positive, it encourages a mental shift away from the negative and toward a more optimistic outlook on life (and age for that matter!). </p> <p>“Practicing techniques such as meditation, gentle movement, and journaling regularly can help to cultivate a more relaxed mind, boost serotonin levels in the brain, and decrease feelings of anxiety or depression,” Jacqui says. </p> <p>Jacqui suggests another technique for fostering a mental shift is to incorporate regular gratitude practices.</p> <p>“Reflecting on and recording the things you’re thankful for can be a valuable outlet. Expressing gratitude regularly serves as a reminder of the positive aspects in your current life and can be a useful tool on low days,” Jacqui says. </p> <p>By incorporating these tips, not only will you be working to foster a more optimistic mindset year-round, but you’ll also be laying the groundwork to build and nurture more meaningful relationships with others. </p> <p><em><strong>For more information visit <a href="https://www.connectedwomen.net" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connectedwomen.net</a> </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>About Connected Women </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Jacqui Manning is the resident psychologist at Connected Women, bringing with her over two decades of experience. Founded in 2022, Connected Women facilitates friendships for women over 50 through a range of online and in-person events. With the rising epidemic of loneliness impacting Australians now more than ever - Connected Women aims to provide a community in which women can feel free to be themselves, connect with like-minded women and build life-long friendships. Launched in Perth, Western Australia, Connected Women now also operates in NSW and Victoria, with plans to grow its network to QLD, ACT and SA in the coming year. With a small monthly membership fee, women can join Connected Women events, share and connect over areas of interest, and connect with women in their local areas to arrange meet ups. Whether members prefer big events with lots of action and adventure, or quiet meet ups and walks around the local neighbourhood, Connected Women is committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for women to find their feet and build new friendships in a space that feels most comfortable to them. </strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Mind

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New perspectives on navigating grief for owners of companion animals

<p>The loss of a pet can be difficult, but the latest research suggests we can do better to help owners navigate their way through the grief process.</p> <p>For many, the pandemic resulted in more time spent in the company of pets while working from home and because of restrictions designed to limit the movement of people. In many cases, pets became key to maintaining a sense of normality, routine and motivation, not to mention <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/dogs-sense-of-smell-detect-human-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">providing company</a> during times of social and physical isolation.</p> <p>Strangely, though, as the research highlights, society has a bias towards supporting certain circumstances of grieving over others.</p> <p>According to the authors of the review, published in <em>Human</em>–<em>Animal Interactions</em>, some types of trauma such as the loss of a pet, <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/can-we-blame-the-famous-for-their-suicides/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">death by suicide</a>, a lost pregnancy or miscarriage and death from AIDS, can be stigmatic for the bereaved. These types of loss tend to be underacknowledged by others or given less attention or empathy.</p> <p>“When relationships are not valued by society, individuals are more likely to experience disenfranchised grief after a loss that cannot be resolved and may become complicated grief,” said Colleen Rolland, President and pet loss grief specialist for <a href="https://www.aplb.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement</a> (APLB).</p> <p>This stigma can interrupt the natural process of grieving, meaning that pet owners often ‘go it alone’, without social support when dealing with the loss of their companion animal.</p> <p>“The present review builds on research in the field of pet loss and human bereavement and factors in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on human-animal attachment,” says Dr Michelle Crossley, an Assistant Professor at Rhode Island College in the US.</p> <p>“A goal of the present review is to provide counsellors with perspectives to consider in their practice when working with clients who have attachments to their companion animals. It also aims to acknowledge the therapeutic benefits of working through the grief process to resolution as a way to continue the bond with a deceased pet.”</p> <p>The review presents practical ways in which counsellors can help people grieving the loss of a pet through in-person and online approaches, such as group sessions and web-based chatrooms – “counselling interventions and coping strategies already being used in the therapeutic space,” notes Crossley.</p> <p>Practical activities such as providing safe spaces and materials to paint, draw or write about their anxieties and fears about loss are effective tools for helping children and adults navigate the grief process.</p> <p><em><a href="https://petsandpeople.com.au/about/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pets and People</a>,</em> an online initiative founded by Dr Michael O’Donoghue and Penny Carroll, seeks to provide pet owners with resources and information across a whole host of issues associated with pet loss, including those discussing social stigmas. It also provides links to counsellors with experience in pet loss and lists Australian and New Zealand numbers for the Pet Loss Support Line which connects callers with counsellors.</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=226139&amp;title=New+perspectives+on+navigating+grief+for+owners+of+companion+animals" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/australia/new-perspective-navigating-grief-pets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Clare Kenyon. Clare Kenyon is a science journalist for Cosmos. </em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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Trevor Noah brought a new perspective to TV satire - as well as a whole new audience

<p>After seven years of hosting <a href="https://www.cc.com/shows/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Show on Comedy Central</a>, a hit comedy show produced in the US but with global reach, South African born comedian Trevor Noah has announced <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/29/entertainment/trevor-noah-daily-show/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plans to leave</a> and focus on his stand-up comedy. During his tenure as host of the political satire series, which he took over from the revered <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jon-stewart/?sh=35f2ad793fbc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jon Stewart</a>, Noah has offered important takes on issues in the US – and the world.</p> <p>Considering that the late-night television satire scene in the US remains <a href="https://theconversation.com/trevor-noah-is-leaving-the-daily-show-how-did-he-fare-191699" target="_blank" rel="noopener">populated by white men</a>, Noah has offered unique “black” African insights into issues that affect black Americans. He has also been lucid in talking about issues that have an effect on Africa and Africans. Noah’s knowledge of Africa and African politics has helped him demonstrate that there are few differences between America, lauded as one of the greatest democracies in the world, and global south countries that Trump once called “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcMFmoTCdcU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shithole</a>” states.</p> <p>Noah’s approach attracted more African Americans than was the case during Stewart’s tenure. A 2017 study <a href="https://decider.com/2017/10/16/trevor-noah-tds-nielsen-ratings-analysis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by Nielsen Media Research</a> showed that during Stewart’s final season, 84.5% of the viewers were white. Noah lost 40% of the white viewers and gained 16% more black viewers than his predecessor.</p> <p>He spoke with great clarity on issues such as the <a href="https://theconversation.com/black-lives-matter-protests-are-shaping-how-people-understand-racial-inequality-178254" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Lives Matter</a> protests against racism, discrimination and racial inequity experienced by black people, the turbulent Trump presidency, the rise in white supremacy and the global COVID pandemic. By commenting on these different issues, he was able to bring home the inequalities that continue to be seen and experienced in the US.</p> <p>Noah has defied the odds, offered a youthful, “black” perspective and drawn in a new audience. He will be a hard act to follow - which is what people said of his predecessor.</p> <h2>Noah’s particular past</h2> <p>Growing up and coming of age in South Africa has undoubtedly shaped Noah’s worldview. In his book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29780253-born-a-crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Born a Crime</a> (2016), and in his numerous stand-up comedy shows, he set out what it meant growing up in apartheid South Africa, with its white-minority rule and policies of racial segregation. Because his father was white and his mother black, he could not have a normal childhood in which he could grow up in the same home as both his parents. It was legally impossible. the <a href="https://omalley.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv01538/04lv01828/05lv01829/06lv01884.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immorality Act</a> prohibited sex between people of different races.</p> <p>Noah drew on his experiences in South Africa in his role as chief anchor of The Daily Show. In particular he was able to show the striking parallels between present day America and apartheid-era South Africa. He explains this reality in one of the <a href="https://www.ccn.com/trevor-noah-frightening-us-south-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">episodes</a> of the show at the height of the global coronavirus pandemic:</p> <blockquote> <p>Living in this period in America, as much as I hate to say it, a lot of the things that I’m seeing are similar to what we experienced in South Africa. Mass unemployment, a government that doesn’t seem to have the best interests of the people at heart. People who are getting angrier and angrier.</p> </blockquote> <p>He explained in another <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FPrJxTvgdQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">episode</a> of the show during the run-up to the 2016 US elections that</p> <blockquote> <p>as an African, there’s just something familiar about Trump that makes me feel at home.</p> </blockquote> <p>He went on to talk about striking resemblances between former US president Donald Trump and several former African presidents such as Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Idi Amin of Uganda and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.</p> <h2>Comedy and political satire</h2> <p>I argue in a <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-81969-9_3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book chapter</a> on political satire that the comic offers important ways of criticising those in power. During his tenure at The Daily Show, Noah has used comedy and satire to discuss diverse pressing contemporary issues, in the US and globally. As he has <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-08-27/daily-show-trevor-noah-emmys-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>I believe in the importance of jokes. I will never lose that. I always tell people, ‘Jokes are what made me’. That’s how I see the world.</p> </blockquote> <p>Before joining The Daily Show, Noah was an established stand-up comedian. In South Africa, he was known for satirising Jacob Zuma during his presidency for corruption and his role in state capture.</p> <p>Comedy has allowed him to deal with difficult subjects in a lighthearted way. He has <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/29/entertainment/trevor-noah-daily-show/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that:</p> <blockquote> <p>I’ve loved trying to find a way to make people laugh, even when the stories are particularly s—, even on the worst days.</p> </blockquote> <p>Noah has infused the comic into his anchoring of The Daily Show and managed to tackle controversial topics in a cheerful yet hard-hitting way.</p> <h2>Poking holes in American exceptionalism</h2> <p>Being a foreigner in the US, Noah has the necessary distance to offer sobering analyses of current affairs in that country. Through his examination of the Trump presidency and the Black Lives Matter movement, he has shown that the idea of America being “exceptional” is an illusion.</p> <p>At the height of the Black Lives Matter protests in the US, he took to The Daily Show to give a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb4Bg8mu2aM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grim yet poignant monologue</a> about race in the US. Noah traced the chain of events that went beyond the killing of George Floyd, a black man who was suffocated to death on the side of a road by a group of white policemen, to show the precarity of black lives in contemporary America.</p> <p>The monologue is sharp, knowledgeable and nuanced in its explanation of what was happening in the US. He grounded it on historical events to show that nothing was new. The US was not exceptional. The US democracy was as imperfect as that of the many countries that it had preached to for many years.</p> <p>It has taken a late-night host from outside the US to point to the failings of the US and its democracy.</p> <h2>Late night TV without Noah</h2> <p>The late-night circuit will be different without Noah, the only black and African host of a late-night show in the US. Because of his intimate knowledge of global popular culture, he has had a youthful viewership.</p> <p>His peers do not have the same perspective or viewership. If Noah replacing Stewart was seen as a daunting exercise, filling the shoes of Noah might prove to be even more challenging.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/trevor-noah-brought-a-new-perspective-to-tv-satire-as-well-as-a-whole-new-audience-191800" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

TV

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The most common deathbed regret that can change your perspective on life

<p>A healthcare professional has shared the most common life regret she hears from people who are on their deathbed.</p> <p>Camilla Rowland, CEO of Palliative Care Australia, said that "death is the last taboo" in this age of over-sharing online, and is trying to break down that stigma by helping people reevaluate how they go about their day-to-day lives.</p> <p>She told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/surprisingly-common-deathbed-regret-that-could-change-how-you-live/news-story/209319c4137122812f0e91e52b38cb6c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, “We’ve become so great at discussing things that used to be taboo, but we’ve lost the ability to talk about death with one another.”</p> <p>After a 30-year career in palliative care, Ms Rowland said there is one regret she hears continuously from people who are at the end of their life.</p> <p>“Without a doubt, the regret I’ve heard time and time again is that people wish they’d spent less time working, and more time with the people they love,” she says.</p> <p>“The other thing people might find surprising is that money doesn’t seem to have any effect on the way you look back at your life at the end."</p> <p>“I once looked after an incredibly wealthy man at the end of his life and he had been one of those really busy guys – working 18 hours a day, achieving great success."</p> <p>“I remember him saying to me: ‘You know what? I would give up all my boats, my houses, everything that I have just to have spent more time with my kids when they were young.’ I heard that time and time again from people."</p> <p>“No matter which walk of life they were from, it was the quality of their relationships that mattered above all else.”</p> <p>While Ms Rowland knows that talking about death and the end of our lives is a morbid, difficult topic, she says it's important to have those discussions with the people closest to us.</p> <p>Having these conversations can help us share our end-of-life wishes with our family and friends, but also help us learn how to truly appreciate life from the people who came before us.</p> <p>“When I think of those common deathbed regrets that pop up repeatedly, it’s a great reminder for us all to live more in the moment, with the people who matter most.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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The science behind Jackson Pollock’s art

<div> <div class="copy"> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whatever you think of Jackson Pollock’s abstract art, it seems there’s a bit of science to it. In fact, a Google Scholar search unearths nearly 19,000 papers on the subject.</span></p> <p>The latest research by Roberto Zenit, from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, and colleagues adds a detailed technical analysis from a fluid dynamics perspective.</p> <p>Their key discovery, <a rel="noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223706" target="_blank">published</a> in the journal PLOS ONE, reveals that Pollock’s technique is carefully executed to avoid what is known as coiling instability.</p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“When a jet, or filament, oozes down into itself, it may coil,” Zenit explains. “The best example is honey dripping onto toast – the filament forms coils when it lands.</span></p> <p>“Coiling happens when the fluid is too viscous,” he adds. “Gravity pushes down, but the liquid doesn’t want to flow… so it coils to find a balance.”</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.jackson-pollock.org" target="_blank">Pollock</a>, who died in 1956, is considered one of America’s most influential artists of the Twentieth Century, with his radical works captivating art buffs, historians and scientists alike.</p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Films of him in action lend themselves to scientific analysis of his technique, which involved rhythmically pouring a continuous stream of paint onto a horizontal canvas, using a device such as a stick, knife or brush to regulate the flow.</span></p> <p>It eventually came to be known as <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444509444500128" target="_blank">fractal expressionism</a> – a representation of nature’s patterns, inspiring scientists to make comparisons with nature’s systems and to explore how he managed to achieve this.</p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zenit, who was intrigued by the technicalities of the fluid method, saw the historical videos as an opportunity to gain insights into how Pollock painted.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">He and his team carefully observed the speed and height of the artist’s unique painting action, then recreated it so they could zone in on what he was doing. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We can vary one thing at a time so we can decipher the key elements of the technique,” he says. “For example, we could vary the height from which the paint is poured and keep the speed constant to see how that changes things.”</span></p> <p>Thus, the researchers made a connection between his technique and classical hydrodynamic instability (coiling instability), contradicting previous suggestions that the curved lines resulted from this instability.</p> <p>“What we found is that he moved his hand at a sufficiently high speed and a sufficiently short height such that this coiling would not occur,” says Zenit.</p> <p>They also showed that the paint filaments did not fragment into droplets – suggesting that descriptions of his painting style as a “dripping” technique are not accurate: dripping implies that a fluid breaks up into discrete droplets whereas Pollock’s fluid filaments tended to be continuous rather than fragmented.</p> <p>That analysis showed that another hydrodynamic instability was avoided, Zenit explains.</p> <p>It gets more technical. Like many painters, Pollock used solvents to alter the fluid properties of his paints, creating varying thicknesses. The researchers found that with more viscous paint he would reduce the height and increase the speed of his movements, and vice versa with thinner paint – in all instances carefully avoiding coiling instability.</p> <p>The results of this research could help authenticate the artist’s coveted paintings.</p> <p>“If you see a painting with filaments with too many coils or droplets, it is unlikely that Pollock painted it,” says Zenit.</p> <p>The study is also part of a new line of research aiming to understand painting from a fluid mechanics perspective, which the authors suggest could have practical applications for instances where coiling is undesirable, like inkjet printing or fabricating optic fibres.</p> <p>“Painters are experts in manipulating fluids, so are fluid mechanicians,” says Zenit. “This gives us an opportunity to learn from each other.”</p> <p>How – and how not – to do it</p> <p>In the first video below, paint is deposited on a moving canvas from distance low enough and at a speed high enough to avoid coiling.</p> <p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the second, something is out, and the result is clear to see.</span></p> <div style="position: relative; display: block; max-width: 100%;"> <div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://players.brightcove.net/5483960636001/HJH3i8Guf_default/index.html?videoId=6098936274001" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> <div style="position: relative; display: block; max-width: 100%;"> <div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://players.brightcove.net/5483960636001/HJH3i8Guf_default/index.html?videoId=6098938078001" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> <p><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.6px; text-transform: uppercase;">CREDIT: rOBERT zENIT</span></p> <em>Image credits: Shutterstock                         <!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --> <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=27088&amp;title=The+science+behind+Jackson+Pollock%E2%80%99s+art" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> <!-- End of tracking content syndication -->          </em></div> <div id="contributors"> <p><em>This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/the-science-behind-jackson-pollocks-art/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Natalie Parletta. </em></p> </div> </div>

Art

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The optical illusion that has stumped the internet – can you work it out?

<p><span>Optical illusions have the uncanny ability to manipulate our eyes to see things in a certain way.</span></p> <p><span>A new optical illusion is warping people’s minds with an image of a street.</span></p> <p><span>Internet users are struggling to comprehend two pictures posted on image sharing site Imgur, that claim to be the exact same photo.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span><img width="500" height="295" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7268009/1_500x295.jpg" alt="1 (87)"/><br /></span></p> <p><span>“This is the same photo, side by side,” the caption reads. “They are not taken at different angles.”</span></p> <p><span>“Both sides are the same, pixel for pixel.”</span></p> <p><span>However, the majority of people believe that the photos are taken from two different angles.</span></p> <p><span>“For me it looks like the roads are going in different directions, like one road forking off,” wrote one Reddit user.</span></p> <p><span>“For me my first reaction was the right side was on an angle and the left was more of a straight shot,” said another.</span></p> <p><span>One person has explained how this optical illusion is playing tricks on the viewer.</span></p> <p><span>“It's because the 2 streets come together at the bottom of the pictures,” wrote one user on Reddit.</span></p> <p><span>“Your brain tries to perceive this as one image with a fork in the road and therefore the street in the picture on the left must be at a different angle than the picture on the right.”</span></p> <p><span>For those who struggle to believe that they are the same photo, one user decided to place both images on top of each other to see what would happen.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span><img width="435" height="647" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7268011/2.png" alt="2 (61)"/></span></p> <p><span>Did you initially think that the photos looked different to each other? Let us know in the comments below.</span></p> <p><em><span>Image credit: Reddit</span></em></p>

Mind

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Changing your mindset could be the key to changing your life

<p><em><strong>Sophie Scott is the national medical reporter for the ABC, in addition to being a prominent public speaker. Sophie has won numerous awards for excellence in journalism and is the author of two books, Live a Longer Life and Roadtesting Happiness.</strong></em></p> <p><em>"Better is possible. It does not take genius. It takes diligence. It takes moral clarity. It takes ingenuity. And above all, it takes a willingness to try." – Atul Gawande</em>, Better: A Surgeon's notes on Performance.</p> <p>At the start of this year, did you do what many of us did (myself included)?We make great plans and set out an impressive agenda for the year, with key goals, important achievements and projects to undertake.</p> <p>There's a sense of optimism and renewal that comes at the start of each year. "This year I'm going to [fill in the blanks]."</p> <p>But are you like me — that so often the busyness of life interferes with your plans and hopes for a happier, healthier life? We get into a rut and run on auto-pilot.</p> <p>I spoke about this recently to a lovely group of people. One woman who came up to me after my talk said it summed up her life completely. "I have so many important goals but I feel stuck by the day-to-day responsibilities that over-run my plans," she said.</p> <p>But what if changing your mindset was the key to changing your life? And the key to transformation could be accepting that, yes, you can be busy but you can also make important steps towards reaching your goals and dreams.</p> <p>Dr Alia Crum, a psychologist from Stanford University, believes our mindset has a dramatic impact on our health and can even play a part in determining our wellbeing. And she has the scientific data to prove it.</p> <p>In a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17666008" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">study</span></strong></a> by Fabrizio Benedetti, a professor of physiology and neuroscience at the University of Turin, patients were either openly given medication by a doctor or given medication through an intravenous line.</p> <p>What they found in the patient's response to treatment was remarkable and consistent, Dr Crum said. "When patients were aware of the treatment and expected to receive a benefit, the treatment was highly effective," she said.</p> <p>In fact, patients with anxiety reported a 25 per cent improvement, while those with Parkinson's disease and high blood pressure achieved 15 per cent improvement.</p> <p>Dr Crum set up her own fascinating study to test the power of mindset, or, "the lens or the view in which we see the world," as she calls it.</p> <p>She tracked a group of female hotel housekeepers, all of whom were highly active and spent most of their time at work on their feet. "We asked them: 'Do you exercise regularly?' And two thirds said 'no'," Dr Crum said.</p> <p>She wanted to see what would happen if she could change their mindset to help them recognise they were active. "We took measurements like weight, body fat and how satisfied they were with their jobs, then split them into two groups," Dr Crum said.</p> <p>Half were given a presentation about how their work was good exercise and detailing how many calories they were burning.</p> <p>When they retook their measurements four weeks later, the women who didn't receive the presentation hadn't changed in weight or body fat. But the women who had received the information dropped weight, reduced blood pressure, and dropped body fat.</p> <p>"It was fascinating, that just as a result of a simple 15-minute presentation, the whole game changed, producing a cascade of effects on their health and wellbeing," Dr Crum said.</p> <p><strong>It's all in the mind, researchers find</strong></p> <p>A further study reinforced this effect. University students were told they were drinking either a luxury, decadent milkshake or a fat-free diet milk shake.</p> <p>In the students who thought they were drinking a decadent shake, the hormone that tells the brain you feel full increased significantly. But for the students who were given the fat-free, diet version, their hunger satisfaction hormone increased just slightly.</p> <p>But as you may have guessed, all the participants were given the same drink. The first group believed they were getting a filling, luxury drink and felt fuller, while the diet shake group thought theirs was a slimmer drink, so they felt less full.</p> <p>In other words, it was their mindset, not the reality and facts, which was key to how their bodies reacted in both studies. So that means telling yourself you have time in your life, and the ability to achieve whatever you want, really is the first step to making it happen.</p> <p>What if you shifted your mindset to accept it's OK to be busy and that it won't stop you reaching your goals?</p> <p>In fact, being busy and having a full life could actually move you closer to ticking off your to-do list and projects. That's what I decided to do.</p> <p>Instead of seeing business and potential stress as a negative, I resolved to see it as enhancing, invigorating and essential towards drive and performance.</p> <p>So from now on, as we hit the middle of the year, I'm focusing on my mindset and accepting that, yes, I can be busy and still move towards my goals.</p> <p>How have you made changes to your mindset to transform your health and happiness? Let us know in the comments.</p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.sophiescott.com.au/" target="_blank">Click here</a></strong></span> to subscribe to Sophie Scott’s popular blog on health and happiness.</em></p>

Mind

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How you can shift your outlook on life (and why you should)

<p>No one will dispute that life can get pretty tough. Whether you’ve just heard the starting pistol, or feel you’re nearing the finish line, every phase of life comes with its own set of challenges. The real problems tend to begin, however, when we focus almost exclusively on these challenges and ignore the rewards they yield. This is a mistake – what’s the point of putting up with the bad if you’re going to forget the good?</p> <p>If this sounds like you, then it could be that you have a pessimistic outlook on life. Please understand that this is in no way a criticism – you’re not doing anything wrong. But, aside from missing out on enjoying some of life’s more wonderful aspects, are more likely to succumb to serious health issues after a heart attack. A study carried out at University College London showed that pessimists were twice as likely as optimists to suffer a second, more serious health condition (heart attack, surgery, angina) in the years following their first heart attack.</p> <p>There are many ways you can shift your outlook to a more positive view, and different methods will have varying degrees of success depending upon the person. But perhaps one of the most important one is finding the strength to silence your inner critic. According to <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/compassion-matters/201411/3-ways-change-your-outlook-the-better?utm_source=FacebookPost&amp;utm_medium=FBPost&amp;utm_campaign=FBPost" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Dr Lisa Firestone</strong></span></a> (Ph.D.), our inner critic “subdues us and holds us back.” To be special, it tells us, we have to be worthwhile. This nagging, nasty little voice in our heads fosters pessimistic feelings. It cultivates the belief that nothing we do will be good enough, that it’s better to stay on the sidelines than to try and fail.</p> <p>The best way to silence your inner critic, Dr Firestone tells us, is to actively ignore and take action against it. She cautions, however, that doing this can cause the voice to become louder (initially), increasing feelings of anxiety you might have. But, she says, persistence is key, because fighting back against the inner critic is the only way to silence it for good.</p> <p>So how does one fight back against this inner voice? If it tells you you’re uninteresting, tell someone a story or anecdote. If the critic attacks your appearance, do something to make yourself feel pampered and special. When it says you’re stupid, strike up a conversation you know you can actively participate in.</p> <p>Shifting one’s perspective from a pessimistic outlook to that of an optimist can be difficult. But it’s something you absolutely can do. Day by day, thought by thought – you’ll get there. I have no doubt.</p> <p>Have you noticed yourself feeling pessimistic? What did you do to combat those thoughts?</p>

Mind

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Turning 60 changed my perspective on life

<p><em><strong><img width="101" height="236" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34452/wikitoria-smith_101x236.jpg" alt="Wikitoria Smith" style="float: left;"/>Wikitoria Smith is a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She’s held a variety of different jobs over her lifetime, and now she’s currently an aspiring artist. She’s self-published one book and is working on another, to be published in June. Her life motto is do unto others as you would have them do unto you.</strong></em> </p> <p><br />I just turned 67, and life is great; busier now than I have ever been and this time it is a good kind of busy.</p> <p>Turning 60, I did some thinking about where my life had arrived at, and what I was going to do with the years I have left.</p> <p>Less in front of me than there used to be...</p> <p>The good thing though is that at this age, after you sift through life, there is that place of “wondering”. The where have I been, what have I done, where am I going to questions.</p> <p>It’s really a conversation with one self.</p> <p>Clear as day, when those questions popped up, there was always a clear clarity of thought. Knowing what I really wanted, for me in my twilight to dusk years. My mind raging as if the glass had shattered and freedom came. While I was never a high achiever on the academic scaling, it was never the measurement for me. I set about redefining my level of standards, applied myself diligently, and accepted that lower academic scores would be my range, but a pass was a pass, and in the meantime, learning always continued to teach.</p> <p>I took myself off to the local Institute of Technology (as I didn’t want to travel too far). Clear as day I knew what I wanted to study, and where… only to find that there was no creative writing course being offered at the local level, while recommending that I look at alternative learning. That's the marvellous thing about being 60-plus, you know your own mind very well. Wairua works in mysterious ways...</p> <p>A week later an advertisement came out, the same Institute was running creative writing classes! Oh such bliss! Finally! Four years later I graduated, but there was no master’s course on offer. Grrrr.</p> <p>My mantra became, “Don’t let the grass grow under your feet.” Tick tock clock. On completion of my degree, my focus turned to writing a book. It’s quite amazing things move into place when one makes their intentions clear. I completed my self-published book for my mokos, because at least if I was to kark it, there would be some of my memoirs left behind for my grandchildren. My life, said, my way.</p> <p>Concentrating on me I delved into painting oils on canvas, looking, looking for the ever elusive mojo while having fun learning about one self in the process.</p> <p>Finally, my small dream of exhibiting my art came true. Getting over one self was the first step as I took it out of the garage and into the public eye. Currently my art is being displayed at a small gallery in the art deco city of Napier, part of my hometown. In November adding another element to my educational repertoire, that of personal life coach, and how I can share the wisdom and learning of my years into an income.</p> <p>You become less patient as you realise that time is of the essence. If I have 24 hours in a day, how do I portion it up? Doing the breakdown, told a story in and of itself, as to how much idle time I had squandered and needed focus to make time work for me. Goal setting to achieve through effective time management is important.</p> <p>I am currently working on my second book to be self-published in June this year. It’s about my view of life itself, and its shaping up to be something that I can be happy with.</p> <p><em><strong>Do you have a story you’d like to share with the Over60 community? <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/community/contributor/community-contributor/" target="_blank">Write for us here.</a></span></strong></em></p> <p> </p>

Retirement Life

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This post written from a dying dog’s perspective will break your heart

<p>Anybody who has ever lost a pet knows the deep heart ache that comes with their passing. While time passes and the pain eases, you never stop missing them. Or loving them. </p> <p>Perhaps that’s why a Facebook post written from the point of view of a dying dog is capturing the hearts of people all around the world. The post is from the perspective of canine Benny Pointer (but written, presumably, by his owner John), and charts his feelings in the last months of his life. It’s poignant, beautiful and absolutely heartbreaking. You will shed tears, but like the thousands of comments on the post say, it's a reminder that losing your furry friend is hard, but loving them has always been absolutely worth it.</p> <p>The post follows: “Yesterday was a weird day. I couldn't get myself out of bed. The guy I live with lifted me up. I tried to get my legs under me, but they wouldn't cooperate. He said, "Don't worry, I gotcha buddy," carried me downstairs, and out the front door. That was so nice of him. I needed to pee so badly, I just had to go right there where he put me down. Normally I wouldn't, but we both decided to make an exception to the rule.</p> <p>I started walking down the parking lot toward that place where all the dogs like me go to poop. I felt my paws dragging on the ground. "How strange," I thought. Then suddenly, I just had to go, really badly. In the middle of the parking lot. Normally, I wouldn't do that. It's against the rules.</p> <p>My person cleaned up the mess. He's good at that. I felt embarrassed, looked at him, and he said, "Want to keep walking, buddy?" I did, but it was surprisingly tough. By the time we reached the end of the parking lot, my head was spinning. I tried to climb the little hill, and nearly fell over. I couldn't figure out what was going on.</p> <p>He reached down again, and ran his hands over me. That felt good. He picked me up, and carried me home. I was still confused, and my head was light, but I was glad not to have to walk all the way back. It suddenly seemed like an impossible distance.</p> <p>I was so glad to lay down on my bed. My person petted me, saying, "I gotcha covered, buddy. I gotcha." I love the way that makes me feel. I know he does. He makes everything better.</p> <p>He felt my paws, and pulled up my lip. He said, "Oh buddy, are you cold?" I was. My face was cold, my paws were cold. He texted a few people, and came back to pet me.</p> <p>A few minutes later, another person arrived. He's one of my favorites, and his name is Jay. He petted me, and said to my person, "Do you want to get a blanket?" They put a blanket over me, and wow... that felt good. I relaxed, and they both petted me, but they both started to choke back tears.</p> <p>I never want them to cry, it breaks my heart. It's my job to make them feel better, and I was just a little tired, and cold. I drifted in and out of sleep, and they were always there, making sure I was okay, and chatting with each other.</p> <p>Throughout the day, my person made some phone calls, and spent a lot of time with me. I heard him say, "9 am tomorrow... ok... yes... I'll tell you if anything changes. Thank you Dr. MacDonald." He called someone else, and said, "I'm sorry, I have to cancel tonight." Then as I was drifting off to sleep, I think I heard him cry a little again.</p> <p>In the evening, more of my favorite people came by. They were all so loving. I licked their tears away when they would get close enough to my face. They whispered sweet things in my ear, and told me I was a good boy.</p> <p>Later in the evening, I felt well enough to stand up and walk to the door to see who was coming in. It was more exhausting than I'd remembered it being, but I loved seeing them all. I heard my person say something like, "That's the first time he's gotten up under his own power today." Everyone seemed glad that I was out of bed. I was too, but wow... after the excitement wore off, it was so exhausting to move around.</p> <p>After the last visitor left, my person took me outside to do what he called, "my business." We went back inside and when we reached the bottom of the stairs, they looked twice as steep and ten times as long as I remembered them being. I looked at my person, and he looked at me. He said, "Don't worry, I gotcha buddy," and carried me up.</p> <p>Then it got even better! Instead of sleeping in my bed, he called me up to sleep on *his* bed. Let me repeat: *I got to sleep in the bed with my person!* We normally have our own beds, but last night we snuggled, and it felt so good to be that close to him. I thought, "This is where I belong. I will never leave his side." I didn't feel very well though, and it was hard to breathe sometimes.</p> <p>It seems like it started a few months ago. We were playing fetch and I just blacked out. I don't know what happened, but I think I stopped breathing. I could hear my person calling my name. I couldn't move a muscle. He lifted my head, and looked into my eyes. I could see him right there, but couldn't lick his face. He said, "Benny, are you in there?" I couldn't respond. He looked at me, and said, "Don't worry buddy, I gotcha. I gotcha covered." I started to spin into darkness, but then my lungs took in a deep breath, and I could see again.</p> <p>We went to see some doctors, and since then I've heard a lot of words like, "cardiomyopathy," "cancer," and, "kidney failure." All i know is that sometimes I feel okay, and sometimes... you know... I just don't. My person gives me pills.</p> <p>This morning, I heard my person get up and take a shower. He came back in the room, and smelled so nice. He helped me get up, but this time, I could do it on my own. We got to the top of the stairs, and wow... they looked long and steep again. He said, "I gotcha buddy," and carried me down. I did my business, and we came back inside. He opened a can, a really, really delicious can of wet dog food. Oh man... I love that stuff!</p> <p>Jay showed up again. What a nice surprise! He and my person seemed concerned, but everyone was petting me. It seemed a little like a play, where all the actors were sad, but pretending to be happy. Pretty soon after that, another person showed up. She was wearing doctor pants, and I leaned on her.</p> <p>I heard them talk. Everyone looked at my gums, and felt my paws. I heard the doctor pants lady say, "It's your decision, but he's definitely in that window. I don't want to push you, but looking at his lack of color, I am honestly shocked he's even standing up. In addition to the paws and jowls, look here..." she pointed at my face, "This should be pink. It's almost white, and verging toward yellow."</p> <p>My person and Jay went inside to talk about something. When they came back out, I heard my person say, "I agree. I don't want to wait till he's in absolute agony." So we went inside. Truth be told, I was feeling pretty badly, even though I was up and walking. It seemed like my whole head was cold, my paws were freezing, and my back legs weren't working right.</p> <p>The doctor pants lady said, "I'll just put this into his muscle. It's a sedative. Then I'll come back over here, and you can just love on him till he's asleep." My person kissed my face, and looked in my eyes. He was trying not to cry. Doctor pants lady gave me a shot of something in the leg. I just looked at my person. He is so awesome. I will always be right by his side.</p> <p>He and Jay petted me, and said the nicest things - what a good dog I am, what a good job I've done, how thankful they are to have me in their lives. After a while, my mind started buzzing. FOCUS! I looked back at my person. I love him so much.</p> <p>I drifted again. FOCUS! I can see my person. I love him so much. I will always be right by his side. He knows that. Am I sleepy? FOCUS! I'll always look at him with my whole heart...</p> <p>Doctor pants lady said, "He must have an incredible will to stay with you. He is really powering through. That's impressive." My person choked back tears and said, "I know. This guy lives for me. He is the most devoted soul I've ever met..." We put our heads together, and closed our eyes. I felt good. I can't really describe it. We looked at each other again. I just felt like riding that buzz, but maybe lying down was better. My person helped me down. Man, that felt gooooooood.</p> <p>I felt him and Jay petting me, and heard them talking to me. They love me so much. How lucky am I? Then I felt thousands of hands petting me. Everyone I'd ever known and loved was there, petting me, scratching my ears, and that spot under my collar that makes my leg move. Everyone should try this. It's just amazing!</p> <p>Then I felt the doctor pants lady touch my leg. Did I tell you that my person had to have both of my knees repaired? They're titanium, and have served me well, but you know... I've been feeling a little creaky lately.</p> <p>With everyone petting me, the doctor pants lady put another needle in my leg, but this time, as the fluid went in, my legs were healed! My knees were perfect! And as I felt it move through my body, my cancer disappeared! And then my kidneys felt better! And finally, even my heart was whole, and healthy! I felt like I had sprung away from all of my sickness. Amazing!</p> <p>I saw my person, and Jay, and the lady who lives at our house, Shelly. They seemed to be huddling over something. I walked over to look. It seemed like... I don't know. It kind of looked like me, but the way I looked when I was feeling really sick, or exhausted. The face was blurred out, so I couldn't really tell, but that poor guy looked like he had been suffering.</p> <p>I could tell my person was both relieved and very, very sad. I love him so much. I looked at that me-shaped shell, and I looked at him... I think he was sad about that shell. I jumped around the room, like a clown, but it seemed like they wanted to be somber, and focus on whatever that thing was they were petting and kissing.</p> <p>But my person was definitely sad. I leaned on him, like I've done a million times before, but it wasn't quite the same. It felt like his body was a cloud and I passed right through him. So I walked up next to him, sat like a good boy, and my heart whispered to his, "Don't worry, buddy. I gotcha covered."</p> <p>I will never leave his side. He knows that.” </p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/dogs-with-no-concept-of-personal-space/">These dogs have no concept of personal space</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/inside-a-1950s-tea-factory/">Inside a tea factory from the 50s</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/30-common-plants-that-are-harmful-to-pets/">30 common plants that are harmful to pets</a></em></strong></span></p>

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