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This Christmas & New Year choose happiness

Published

9 months ago

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A family spending quality time together

Don’t we all dream of a life that is filled with laughter especially at Christmas; that magical time of the year.

Not everyone may have the perfect story for this festive season but we shouldn’t allow the struggles of life including severe malfunctioning of our pockets, purses and bank accounts to steal our joy.

This Christmas, New Year and beyond we can consistently practice basic things that will make us happy in the midst of turmoil. I refer to these as “happiness hacks.”

I will introduce a few of these ‘hacks’ that are guaranteed to make you happy if you continue practising them. You definitely do not need to live in Finland to experience happiness even though many people agree that is the “headquarters” of happiness.

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  • Wake-Up Ritual
    • Say to yourself that today will be a beautiful day or a great day.
    • Ask God what He has in store for you. Use me Lord (if not a Christian what you believe in will be useful as well).
    • Remind yourself of your purpose in life and get out of bed.
    • Do not grab your phone as the first thing for the day.
  • Pray
    • Talking to God has a way of calming our nerves. It brings about unexplained peace and when we add praise and worship then the floodgates open.
    • That is how to win battles against unhappiness.
  • Smile
    • Definitely floods your body with feel-good hormones and insulates you from stress.
    • Smiling is infectious so the more you smile the better and you set off a smiling or happiness domino effect.
  • Meditate
    • Extremely good for your brain and an easy way to start is to do deep-breathing and just focus on your “breath” excluding all others. That is what some will prefer to call mindfulness. Being in the moment has immense benefits. Things you never knew existed suddenly spring up.
  • Exercise
    • That wonder drug that trumps virtually all others. Like smiling it does pour out feel-good hormones. Strength training even goes an extra mile, causing our muscles to act as “pharmacies” that pour out life-changing signals every time they contract.
  • Be kind to yourself & to others
    • We are often too harsh on ourselves. Give yourself a break. Self-care is the real deal!!
    • Being harsh to others has no benefits.
  • Spend some time doing nothing
    • We need to re-set from time to time. Spend about 10 minutes a day doing absolutely nothing. There is happiness and innovation in “idling.” Do not abuse idling though.
  • Spend time with loved ones
    • This is another powerful happiness “hack.” You have to make time and be intentional about this; talk on phone, send messages, arrange to meet for a drink or meal. Social wellness ranks very high on the happiness index and it’s fairly easy to plug into it.
    • While spending time together remember that your choice of food and drinks also impacts on how happy or sad or anxious you may feel.
  • Indulge in a hobby
    • Our bodies and brain love variety. Do you have a hobby? Get one.
  • Write in your gratitude diary
    • That is all it takes – keep doing it regularly and read it periodically. Whenever I feel “stuck” I flip through my gratitude diary and I am always amazed by what I have covered by the grace of God.
  • Watch what you feed your body
    • Eat health food and avoid loading your body with food-like substances often paraded as fast-food. You need at least one meal a day that is as close to the natural as possible.
    • Keep hydrated at all times.
    • Do not abuse caffeine, alcohol, hard drugs, aphrodisiacs and sugar all in the name of a festive season.
    • Be careful what you watch and listen to; that eventually determines who or what you become.

This list is not exhaustive but definitely a good start. Share your happiness hacks with me via email and together we can keep the world smiling and happy.

At the end of each day ask yourself if you did better than the previous day. That is all it takes. Doing better than the previous day for 365 days, for 5 years, 10 years… How amazing that will be!!!

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

DR. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd / Mobissel (Dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)

Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine. He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition, and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’

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Thought for the week – “There is no magic formula to being happy but making a conscious effort to be happy goes a long way.” – Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel

“I am hard pressed to choose the greatest legal performance enhancing drug. Is it good quality Sleep or Exercise?”

Look out for our premier Virtual Relaxation Retreat coming up in January 2026.

…… From now till 31st January 2026, huge discounts on Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP). Send an email for more detail and lock in these rates for a whole year.

BY DR. KOJO COBBA ESSEL

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…Tips to mentally prepare your child for the school year

Published

2 weeks ago

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September 5, 2026

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1. Talk early and often

It is never too early to start talking with and listening to your children about the first day of school. Ask them what they think school will be like and see if they have any specific concerns so that you will have time to address it over the next couple of weeks. It is totally normal to have first day jitters.

2. Go to the orientation

If your child’s school is hosting an orientation or back-to-school night, take advantage of it. Often children are worried that they will not know how to get to the bathroom, where to eat lunch, or how to get to a locker. If your school does not offer one or you are unable to make it, ask the teacher if it would be possible to stop by for a visit. Teachers are usually in their classrooms prepping for the new school year in advance.

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3. Meet the teacher

For kids, wondering if they will like their teacher is a big source of fear. If your child isn’t comfortable in the teacher’s classroom, he or she will be less likely to be ready to learn. Many teachers will make themselves available for a phone or video call or will return an email if a visit is not possible.

4. For younger children, read books or watch educational cartoons

In August, local libraries will often display books about starting school or going to a new school. These materials can help children read about and see what a typical day will consist of and what they will learn in school.

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5. Take your kids shopping with you

Your kids will be more excited to use their back-to-school supplies if they picked them out. Doing so will help them feel prepared and will also provide an opportunity to talk about how the new supplies might be used in the coming year.

6. Set up school “zones” and establish clear expectations

At home, establish a location for school materials such as a place to put backpack and lunchbox, and set up a distraction-free homework zone (like the kitchen table with the TV turned off and phones/tablets put away). Set up homework and study times (for example, Monday–Thursday from 3:30–5 pm) to help manage expectations and build and maintain good routines.

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7. Practice your new routine

Both children and adults can benefit from practicing the new school routine one to two weeks before school actually starts. Stage a morning dry run to see how long it takes you and your children to get out of the door in the morning. It will not only help you predict how early you and your kids need to get up, but your children will benefit from learning what to expect each weekday.

SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS

You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.

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…tips for building a good parent-teacher relationship

Published

4 weeks ago

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August 22, 2026

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Having a good relationship with your child’s teacher will make it easier for you to share concerns and work together to help your child thrive. Here are some tips for building a partnership. Here are some tips to help parents build a good relationship with their child’s teacher.

1. Meet with the teacher and staff early

Teachers are usually swamped at the start of the school year. But try to meet as soon as the teacher can. At your first meeting, find out how the teacher prefers to communicate it can be either by phone, email, or some other method.

2. Help the teacher get to know your child.

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Sharing information is key to a good parent-teacher relationship. Tell the teacher about your child’s interests, strengths, and challenges. If your child has an special need, make the teacher a aware, and let the him or her know about situations outside of school that might impact your child’s learning or behaviour.

3. Be respectful of the teacher’s time.

Be on time for appointments, whether they are phone calls, video meetings, or parent-teacher conferences. Try to wrap things up within the allotted time. The teacher may have other parents scheduled after you or other meetings and commitments. You can always set up another call to finish up.

4. Recognise the teacher’s efforts.

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If you are meeting in the classroom, look for displays of students’ work or teaching materials that you can compliment. If you are somewhere else, start things off with a positive statement, like something your child enjoys about the teacher’s class. 

5. Never talk negatively about a teacher in front of your child.

Showing your respect for a teacher will set a good example for your child.

6. Participate in school events.

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Take part in school events when possible. This shows that you’re part of the school community and want to be supportive. Offer to volunteer in a way that works for you, whether it’s at school or at home on your own time.

7. Say “thank you.”

Show your appreciation for the big or little things the teacher and other staff do for your child. Thank-you notes and emails can go a long way toward building positive relationships.

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