Relationship
This Christmas & New Year choose happiness
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.
- 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.’
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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https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
Aries
You are a warrior by nature, try to balance out your own needs to ensure you do not give all of yourself to another. Give yourself some love, too!
Taurus
Do not fret, the secrets being hidden are not bad and are beneficial to your future. In fact, you will be super happy when they are revealed. Then, you can make strategic moves forward.
Gemini
Your friendship circle is evolving, allowing you to meet new people who will become your best buds over time. Embrace the rare chance to connect and engage with others you meet now.
Cancer
Home is where your heart is this week. And the more reason for you to start making yourself feel cozier in your space now. Treat yourself to a few new items to decorate and spruce up your pad to get in the spring spirit. Add fresh.
Leo
Lean into your higher mind and vibe. This will give you the ultimate opportunity to achieve personal fulfillment and spiritual growth over the next few months. Doing so will encourage you to reach new personal heights.
Virgo
Standing up for yourself takes a lot of guts and confidence. Luckily for you, you are able to assert your view against others and defend yourself against those who aim to bring you down.
Libra
Making your mark on the world is challenging, but you are headed in the right direction. As long as you accept that you need to be a leader rather than an innovator in your endeavours, you can take on your goals with success.
Scorpio
You are being introspective and plotting your next moves on and off this week. Take this time and energy to strategise the upcoming sunny days, so you can use them to your advantage and achieve your desires.
Sagittarius
It is time to get creative! This means busting out your drawing board, paintbrushes and colour palette to make art. Whether it is for professional endeavours or for pleasure, you will be inspired to bring your passions to light
Capricorn
Work is becoming very chaotic at the moment and requires all of your time, but you have the chance to balance out your vibe and not focus on professional endeavours. Find your chill spot and lean into self-care.
Aquarius
You are feeling extra chatty and more able to engage with friends. Word of advice: think before you speak to avoid conflict with others.
Pisces
This week gives you the chance to restart, reboot and get motivated to take on new opportunities. The question is: Are you ready now?
Attention-Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often mistaken for laziness or indiscipline. In consulting rooms across Accra and in reports from school teachers, the pattern repeats: children who are bright but forgetful, parents who feel helpless, teachers who see incompleteness.
Research is clear-Barkley (2015) and others describe ADHD as a difference in the brain’s regulation of alertness, impulse and working memory, not a lack of effort.
The family’s role begins with structure. Regular sleep, predictable meal and homework times, and a simple visual list (uniform → books → water → corridor) provide the external scaffolding these children need. Praise what is completed—“You opened the book and wrote the first sentence”-instead of rebuking what is missing.
Schools can help by seating the child front-row and centre, giving short written plus verbal instructions, allowing brief movement breaks, using quiet nonverbal cues and, where possible, grading effort and method as well as neatness. These adjustments reduce conflict and raise submission rates without lowering standards.
Couples and caregivers should share roles: one grounds, one pivots, and both protect rest. Shame-“bad parenting, bad child”-needs replacing with fact: different wiring, needs scaffolding.
Outcomes improve not by promises of perfection but by daily routines, clear limits and warmed connection. One homework slot kept, one instruction chunked, one calm repair after blurting-these small wins shift the family climate and let the child be seen beyond the label.
Resource
• CPAC (award-winning Mental Health and Counselling Facility): 0559850604 / 0551428486
Source: REV. COUNSELLOR PRINCE OFFEI’s insights on special needs support, relationships, and mental health in Ghana. He is a leading mental health professional, lecturer, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, renowned author, and marriage counsellor at COUNSELLOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE) – 0551428486 /0559850604.
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