Taking good care of yourself is not just limited to healthy diets, exercise and grooming — there’s also your emotional and psychological wellbeing to think about as well. A good state of mental health not only enables you to fully enjoy what life has to offer, it also provides you with the necessary resilience to hold your ground during stressful situations and turbulent times. By: Melanie Lee Writer’s note: This topic hit close to home when a friend committed suicide last month near Christmas. It was such a sad, tragic shock and at first,...

A stressed out girl makes everybody around her stressed out too! We all know that it’s good for our health to find ways and time to relax and give our overcooked brains and bodies a break. But how to not spend a bomb doing so? Here are five totally affordable ways to de-stress — and in style too! By: Sharlene Tan Sure, a luxuriating spa treatment or a long vacation is a great way to calm down your frazzled soul, but what if your wallet is a little light and payday isn’t in sight? Check out these bright ideas. Work off some steam...

It’s New Year’s Eve. Is your 2010 going to be better than your 2009? You bet it is! Here’s how to hit the ground running. By Theresa Tan Most of us entered into 2009 with fear and trepidation. Economists were howling, banks were broken, and many were sure that we were headed for a Depression. Meanwhile, terrorism was still a very real threat, and there was no let-up in the natural disasters. Certainly, it seemed 2009 was one of the worst years to live through — the world’s annus horribilis. But now we enter into a new decade...

The pitter-patter of little feet usually introduces married couples to a lifestyle of sleep deprivation and screaming tantrums. This inevitably leads to a reduction of quality time and intimacy with each other. Nanz Inc shows you how you can prevent your marriage from being overly child-centred – after all, it’s important amidst all the busy childrearing to remember the lifelong partner you’ve said your wedding vows to. By Lianne Ong   When couples have kids, it is inevitable that their marriages will be presented with new challenges....

Take our quiz and find out if you’re a Bohemian Butterfly or a Prim Prude at heart. By Melanie Lee You are at a hawker centre having lunch by yourself when an elderly tissue-packet seller sits opposite you and begins rambling. You: Nod politely throughout, only half-listening while you stuff yourself with chicken rice. Move to another table. He’s probably not right in the head. Get him a kopi and buy all the tissue packets from him. He’s had such a hard life. You read a blog entry from a celebrity blogger that you totally...

Is your thought life controlling you or are you in control of your thoughts?  Letting your mind run wild without setting barriers and controls can result in tragedy. By: Theresa Tan In an ongoing court case this week, an 18-year-old young mother has been accused of abusing her maid.  The torture extended to the pulling out of her maid’s teeth.  When questioned, the accused said, she could not help herself. When she saw her maid she would get angry and, she said, her anger would take over. In another case, a two-year-old’s heart...

We all have regrets, at least a few. Nanz shares candidly about the things she wishes she did, the ones she wishes she didn’t, and why we must focus on our dreams instead of looking back. I have had many dreams and my fair share of regrets. When I was a little girl, my greatest wish was to be an astronaut and I would fantasise about my walk on the moon. I soon grew out of this, of course. In my teens, I dreamt about marrying my Prince Charming — naturally, he would be a millionaire! And he would definitely be able to indulge all my worldly...

Are you as good a friend as you think? Five questions to reflect on whether you are truly a pal for keeps. By Melanie Lee Countless movies have been made and libraries-full of books on the friendship that women have. But not all friendships are equal, fulfilling or healthy. To have good friends, one must first be a good friend. Answer these questions honestly and see if you warrant the title of “BFF” — and if not, find out how to get there. Do I accept my friends for who they are? While it’s good to be honest and stick to your...

It may seem like a caricature: the Asian woman who wails and cries at funerals. But grieving is the mind’s way of moving on with life, and there is an ideal, healthy way of doing it, says Michelle Bong. We have all had to go through the pain of losing a loved one, the breakdown of a marriage or other heart-breaking experiences. The sudden death of a loved one, in particular, can be one of life’s most traumatic experiences that many have problems overcoming. “Shock, numbness, yearning, guilt or self-reproach, loneliness, helplessness or anger...

How do you measure happiness? Michelle Bong talks to Singaporeans who are supposed to be the second most unhappy people in this part of the world! Singaporeans were recently proclaimed to be a happy lot, based on a quality of life survey conducted by a Japanese university across seven East Asian economies including China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan. The Little Red Dot topped the survey’s Happy Index, with an impressive 70 per cent of Singaporeans proclaiming they were happy. Vietnam and Japan were second and third with 64 per cent and 54 per cent...