Latest news with #contentment
The National
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Palestinian singer Lina Makoul gives Arabic pop new emotional language
How does one express contentment within Arabic pop music? The genre, shaped by grand emotional declarations of heartbreak, passion and longing, is often designed to overwhelm or uplift. But Palestinian singer Lina Makoul is reaching for more subtle ways of expressing the human condition. Her latest single, Radiya, which translates to 'being content", is a quiet provocation. Not a love song, nor an anthem of defiance, the track offers something that is heard less today – a moment of stillness. Set against the backdrop of the Gaza war, it is a song about survival, not through the chaos, but by finding an inner balance. 'Trying to find this balance without giving in or giving up is contentment,' Makoul tells The National. 'It is also about being grateful for the things that you are blessed with, such as a bed, a roof above your head, food in your fridge, having your loved ones next to you and not losing yourself.' It is something the US-born Makoul often considers herself, as she struggles with the enduring grief and destruction of her homeland. Radiya opens with a washed-out vocal loop, followed by a gleaming bass-synth line. Makoul takes stock of the perceived weight she carries – 'every little and big thing, I carry so much on my shoulders' – before the song pivots to a cool, measured chorus that simply declares: 'I am content.' It is a nuanced delivery that matches the subject. 'Usually, I make music that helps me go through what I go through, and this song kept going in my head all the time,' she says. 'Every time I felt like something wasn't working out for me, I would repeat it like a mantra: 'I'm content with whatever comes. I know I'm divinely protected.'' The idea of contentment is a rich vein in Arabic spiritual and literary thought. But what makes this song interesting is that the subject hasn't really been explored directly in Arabic pop music. The classics of Umm Kulthum and Abdel Halim Hafez are layered, often charting the extremes of the emotional scale – the ecstasy of falling in love, as well as gnawing heartbreak. But even in their more reflective ballads, such as Umm Kulthum's Fakkarouni or Hafez's Mawood, the notion of inner peace is at best implied. Makoul's decision to focus a song on contentment, not as a fleeting feeling but a chosen state of being, mines new lyrical territory she deems essential in addressing the world today. 'I missed having this kind of message growing up,' she says. 'I missed hearing it in my own language, in my own dialect. As a teenager, as a grown-up, I didn't have that emotional vocabulary in Arabic music. So now I feel like it's my responsibility to offer it.' These are not isolated gestures. Taken together, they point to a subtle but growing shift – particularly among Levantine artists operating outside major commercial circuits – towards emotional transparency in Arabic music. Jordanian-Palestinian rapper The Synaptik discussed ADHD and depression in his album Al Taman, while Lebanese band Adonis reflected on dislocation in their latest release Wedyan, and Palestinian singer and rapper Saint Levant navigated diaspora identity and longing in Deira. Makoul says it is vital that her peers use their work to explore these important emotional spaces. 'I believe that art shapes the consciousness,' she says. 'If you don't consume art, it's very easy for you to become a robot that just repeats what the system wants you to repeat. So I want to liberate the mind, the soul, the heart – that's my way of resisting.' This idea of reclaiming your emotional agency has long been central to Makoul's creative process. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she launched #Yom, a songwriting project that invited Palestinian teenagers to submit original texts through Instagram. Makoul set those submissions to music, turning everyday reflections into delicate pop songs. One entry, Biji Abali, shifted her perspective completely. The lyrics read: 'I feel like stopping time, so I can focus on what the universe has to offer. Take deep breaths and just be present.' Makoul says she was floored by the couplets from author Sherry Mwai when the submission arrived in her inbox. 'I opened that message during Covid, when everything had stopped, and I realised I wasn't even being present,' Makoul recalls. 'The girl who wrote it had just come back from a chemotherapy session. She was 23. And she saw my challenge on Instagram and decided to write me this. It completely rewired my brain. 'That experience changed how I write. It reminded me how powerful simple words can be and how presence is everything. Without realising it, I think Radiya started there. That was the first time I truly stopped to reflect. It stayed with me.' That moment, and the shift it triggered, echoes in Radiya, where the idea of presence becomes a form of strength. In an industry where Arab pop songs are seemingly more interested in big emotions, to explore a feeling as measured as contentment feels almost radical. 'We need more songs that represent how we really feel,' she says. 'Even love songs, where's the complexity? Where's the need to be loved, the confusion, the vulnerability? I feel like we're missing so much potential in reshaping the next generation.' If Radiya signals a quiet shift in Arabic pop's emotional vocabulary, Makoul's live performances have amplified that message on a global stage. She joined Saint Levant on tour, performing across North America and Europe to sold-out crowds. 'It was such a beautiful experience,' she says. 'Being outside of Palestine, seeing how people turned the concerts into something spiritual, almost like a protest, it recharged me in a way I can't explain. But then when I returned home, I felt it again: the rupture. The reality here is different. There's no infrastructure for music. We do everything ourselves – manage, direct, fund, book, promote.' That contrast, Makoul notes, is part of what fuels music she describes as 'the soul beneath the surface". It also means no longer being interested in streaming numbers, in viral campaigns, or charts. True contentment, or feeling 'radiya', now stems from creating work that feels honest. 'I just want to make sure my light keeps shining,' she says. 'And maybe if it does, it attracts other lights. And maybe together, we can make some of the darkness we are going through feel a little smaller.'
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The #1 Unexpected Trick to Feeling Happy—Even When the Odds Are Stacked Against You
Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. The #1 Unexpected Trick to Feeling Happy—Even When the Odds Are Stacked Against You originally appeared on Parade. Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. These days, there's a lot of chatter about genuine contentment versus simply the appearance of happiness. "Instagram vs. reality" has even become a popular social media caption and theme, with some users poking fun at the curated aspect of the feeds we follow and post ourselves. For many of us, it can be difficult to truly feel happy when various aspects of our lives are challenging, and/or when we're unable to get something we really want—such as a clean bill of health, a new car, deeper relationships with friends, an updated wardrobe, more affordable childcare or any other desire that's currently out of reach for whatever instead of being honest about how we're feeling (whether it's rooted in not wanting to complain or trying to keep up appearances), inauthenticity or toxic positivity takes its place. However, true happiness is rooted in something deeper than your circumstances—even though our society might disagree."Our society has lied to us about what happiness is and how we should pursue it. That's the topic of my forthcoming book, New Happy," author and well-being expert Stephanie Harrison tells Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong shuts down common falsehoods about happiness—like having to be perfect, focusing on achievement and success, and doing it all solo. After a 10-year journey of studying positive psychology, Harrison is here to share one unexpected trick to feeling happy, as well as other top recommendations for habits that make a difference in true aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a Ready for the happiness hack that Harrison swears by? "The best way to increase your own personal happiness is to help someone else to be happy!" she tells that this is the top trick? You're not alone. "It always surprises people when I share this advice, largely because of the way that our society has misled us as to the sources of happiness," Harrison shares. "I call this Old Happy: the messages that we receive about what we need to do and who we need to be in order to find happiness, as well as the culture we have built that enforces them." According to Harrison, these messages include: "You need to improve and perfect yourself." "You need to achieve more and more." "You need to be completely independent and do everything on your own." "Helping other people violates these Old Happy messages, and that's why it's surprising," she explains. "In fact, helping others is scientifically proven to benefit our well-being, it connects us to one another, and it's how we find a greater purpose in life."Related: "There are a lot of joyful moments in our day (of peace, of connection, of excitement and of beauty), but we often miss them," Harrison shares. "Make a note when something goes right and try to really allow any positive emotions to fill you up." "Old Happy culture teaches us that it's our end achievements that matter most for happiness, but what's far more important is that we acknowledge our daily efforts," explains Harrison. "If you respond in a new way, stand up for your boundaries, try something new or make progress towards a goal—celebrate it! It's also wonderful to do the same for others; we all need recognition for our hard work."Related: "Some studies have found that spending just fifteen minutes in nature can lower your cortisol levels," Harrison says. "Reconnecting to nature also helps us to rediscover our interconnectedness with others and the world around us." Up Next:Stephanie Harrison is the creator of the New Happy philosophy. Her work has been featured in publications such as CNBC, Fast Company, Forbes and Harvard Business Review. She is the founder of The New Happy, a company that helps individuals, companies and communities apply this philosophy in their lives. The New Happy's art, newsletter, podcast and programs reach millions of people around the world every month. She has a Master's Degree in positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, she was the Director of Learning at Thrive Global. @newhappyco @stephaniehson The #1 Unexpected Trick to Feeling Happy—Even When the Odds Are Stacked Against You first appeared on Parade on Jul 2, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
News.com.au
24-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Avoid Complacency. Seek Contentment.
'We're always striving for that next shiny object,' says Ashley Adamson, a three-time Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster and entrepreneur. 'The way that I finally landed on contentment versus complacency is with gratitude.'
BreakingNews.ie
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Fearne Cotton: ‘I'm a million times more confident than I was in my 20s'
Fearne Cotton is redefining what happiness looks like in her 40s. 'It's just maybe a level of average contentment that I'm aiming for – I don't even know if I'm needing to land on happiness,' says the podcaster and author. Advertisement 'I'm pretty happy these days when I just feel even and average. I'm not looking for euphoria. 'It's about those moments where there's a bit of mental peace and I just feel kind of balanced,' the 43-year-old explains. 'It's not circumstantial. Before I'd think, [happiness is] being on a holiday with a beautiful beach and no laptop and having a nice cocktail. But actually I could do that and be going mad in my head.' (Happy Place/PA) The former BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 presenter, who rose to fame first on children's TV and later Top Of The Pops in the early Noughties, says her old TV and radio life 'hugely' affected her mental health. 'I wasn't doing so well mentally in my old career,' says Cotton, who announced her split from husband Jesse Wood in December 2024 after 10 years of marriage. The pair share two children, Rex and Honey, and Cotton is stepmother to Wood's two children from a previous relationship, Arthur and Lola. Advertisement She's largely left the TV and radio world behind, and says live broadcasting is not a position she wants to put herself in at the moment. 'I think it's so exposing, people are incredibly judgemental. 'There's no room in traditional media, certainly not when I was growing up as a teenager in the early Noughties, in my 20s, to be thoroughly yourself. 'There was no space to fade up the microphone on Radio 1 and say, 'I'm feeling like death today'. You've got to be jolly and play music – so people probably only saw that side of me, and I was terrified to show the other side of me.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fearne (@fearnecotton) Cotton – who has been open in sharing her struggles with depression and OCD – started the Happy Place Podcast in 2018, interviewing famous faces and notable people, exploring themes of mental health, wellbeing, and happiness. A year later she launched the Happy Place Festival and now also writes self-help, healthy eating and children's books. Advertisement 'I believe that what I've created, very luckily, is a career where I'm not waiting around to be chosen by anyone because I'm deemed good enough, or popular enough,' she says. Cotton considers herself an introvert, but says, 'I wonder how much of it is naturally, authentically who I am, and how much of it is almost a response to the more troubling times I've had being in the public eye – where you're so instantly judged and people so easily make assumptions, and you're so hyper alert to what you've said, in case someone takes it the wrong way. 'So sometimes I wonder, am I an introvert? Am I naturally someone that likes to be in my own company, or is it just because it feels safer? But, she admits: 'I crave being on my own with nothing to do, and then when I'm in it, I'm a bit lost, so I sort of have to push myself, because I actually feel great when I've had a good experience with other people.' Advertisement Connecting with other people is a big theme of both her podcast and festival (now biannually in London and Cheshire). 'I hope [people] leave feeling a bit better really. (Happy Place/PA) 'I know when I'm going through something that feels mentally trying, I always assume I'm the only person on the planet that's ever felt like that, because you get into that sort of narcissistic vortex of hell where you just think no one else has ever had these awful thoughts or felt so low.' From guest speakers and workshops to meditation, sound healing and yoga classes, 'People have deep conversations off the back of hearing talks, it might make you feel more connected to other people who have been through tricky things. I want people to come together and feel like it's a safe space to explore whatever they're going through in their lives and their heads and [know] they're not alone in it. 'Once you have said that thing that you feel awful about in the past, or you're worrying about in the future, or the thing that you're very uncomfortable with, that you couldn't say out loud, I think there's so much power in that, there's an immediate sense of relief.' Advertisement Cotton says she'd be 'in trouble' if she didn't go to therapy every week. 'I feel lucky I get to do it because it's not always accessible and it's expensive, but I really need that time to talk to someone about what's going on in my head and sift through all the obsessive thinking that I can get stuck in, and [the] negative thought loops'. Still says she's 'a million times more confident than I was in my 20s – I'm perhaps learning the most about myself than I ever have.' (Ian West/PA) When Cotton is feeling off balance, 'I usually start to not like myself quite quickly. Like self loathing is never far away, so I have to really watch that… 'I start to look at the past and that becomes a bit obsessive, and my OCD kicks in. I might start getting into a bit of an obsessive thought loop, I do some of the more cliche things, like I have to check all the windows are locked and check the ovens are all turned off. But more so, it's the loops of thought that I get stuck in. The OCD is still on off, it's not debilitating.' To counteract and rebalance, she loves smaller social occasions. 'I like really small dinners, like one on one with a mate or two mates. I love painting – it makes me feel absolute euphoria like nothing else, if the painting's gone well. And even cleaning. 'I love having my house really tidy. If it's a mess, I cannot cope with life. I have to have everything in its place, neat, with a candle on. I just need everything visually to be in place, so I feel like my head's not such a mess. 'I actually enjoy the process of doing that. Every morning, I get up, clean the kitchen before the kids get up, get their lunch boxes sorted or their snack boxes, do a couple of emails. I just like everything being in order. When everything gets a bit chaotic I don't cope very well.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fearne (@fearnecotton) Walking helps, 'which sounds so basic', she says, 'but there's something about getting out of the house and not being trapped in it all – walking, getting a bit more perspective, seeing other humans. 'I'm constantly trying to recalibrate and work out what the best thing is in those moments. I know that yoga is going to suit me better than a HIIT workout.' But like any working parent, she does 'whatever I can fit in, because the mornings are just absolute chaos!' 'So many things you read, it's like, oh, just get up earlier, do half an hour of yoga, make a smoothie. Yeah, if you've got kids and a job… good luck with that one!' Tickets for Fearne Cotton's Happy Place festival are available at .
BBC News
16-05-2025
- BBC News
What it's like to live in the happiest country on Earth
Finland has topped the World Happiness Rankings for the eighth year running – but the real appeal for travellers lies in the country's deeply-lived values of balance, nature and everyday contentment. Finns tend to accept the accolade of supreme happiness, bestowed on them by the UN's World Happiness Report in March 2025 for the eighth time in a row, with a collective shrug and eye roll. But Finnish travel operators are celebrating as travellers increasingly make the connection between Finland and happiness, hoping to come and experience that Finnish brand of happiness for themselves. However, don't expect to be greeted with howls of laughter and cheerful quips when you land at Helsinki Airport or disembark from one of the Baltic ferries in the capital's harbour. There is some truth in the perception of Finland being a no-nonsense, down-to-earth kind of nation. Generally, Finns are flattered – happy, even – to be honoured by the report's conclusions, but while graciously accepting them, they feel "happiness" isn't really the right word. Instead, "contentment", "fulfilment" or "life satisfaction" are widely considered more appropriate terms. As Finnish President Alexander Stubb recently posted on Facebook: "No one can be happy all the time, and sometimes circumstance makes it difficult. But getting the basics right – security, freedom and equality – is a good start." But while the concept of happiness in Finland may be nuanced and culturally specific, it is deeply embedded in the fabric of daily life. Rather than seeking constant highs, the Finnish approach is rooted in balance, connection and quiet contentment – qualities that increasingly resonate with visitors. And for travellers, this state of being is not just something to observe but one to get involved with first-hand, through embracing the country's nature, sauna culture, food, sustainable design and lifestyle. "We see Finnish happiness as a summary of these five elements," says Teemu Ahola, director of international operations at Visit Finland, "but we don't measure or collect data to evaluate happiness as a single attraction in itself". To experience these tangible, authentic aspects of Finnish life that underpin its consistent happiness ranking, Ahola suggests Finnish sauna culture as an increasingly popular, most globally identifiable attraction; and stresses that Finland is a safe country, naming the risk of bumping into free-roaming reindeer in northern Lapland as one of the few potential hazards for visiting tourists. Meanwhile, he adds, a new and confident generation of Finnish chefs has earned international respect for and interest in the Finnish culinary scene. Finland is home to the world's northernmost Michelin star restaurant, Tapio, in Ruka-Kuusamo; and the Saimaa Lakeland region was named a European Region of Gastronomy in 2024. Many restaurants across Helsinki celebrate the edible riches – mushrooms, berries, fish and game – that are accessible to all in the country's endless forests, coastal archipelagos and inland waterways through Finland's Jokaisenoikeudet or "Everyman's Right", a law that grants everyone the freedom to roam and forage. Connect with nature Helsinki, where most visitors start or end their trip, offers a first-hand glimpse of this national contentment. This is a seaside city, spread over a beautiful natural archipelago and reclaimed land. It's easy to grab a city bike from one of the dozens of stands around town and head off to explore the coast-hugging cycling routes or disappear into Central Park, a belt of forest that stretches from the city centre to its northern periphery. The endorphin boost experienced by this kind of freewheeling adventure and access to plentiful natural resources ties directly into the UN's happiness metrics of life expectancy, freedom and positive emotions. This connection can be found at the heart of SaimaaLife, a nature and wellness company in eastern Finland's sprawling Saimaa Lakeland region, run by mental health expert and guide Mari Ahonen. Ahonen is an enthusiastic advocate of the mental balance that Finnish nature and lifestyle have to offer and leads her guests through shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), traditional lakeside saunas, wild swimming, foraging trips for mushrooms and berries and cooking over an open fire. "We Finns can be too modest," she says. "We should notice the World Happiness status in a positive way. I'm a living example of having been able to develop a business with the support that has been available for my entrepreneurship. Some people say it's a lottery win to be born in Finland." A lottery win, that is, in the form of life satisfaction and balance; of living comfortably and having "enough" in a material sense. This ceiling of expectation shouldn't be confused with a lack of ambition or resourcefulness. After all, this is the birthplace of mobile communications pioneer Nokia, the distinctive garden tool and scissor brand Fiskars and textile and clothing icon Marimekko. Stoic and stubborn Finland isn't immune from economic pressure or controversies, however, and the long, dark winters can put a strain on mental health. The Finnish idea of happiness also includes a dose of sisu: a hard-to-translate concept of resilience, fortitude, courage and grit. Finnish-Canadian author Katja Pantzar, who has written extensively about this perceived national quality, explains that it's "a mindset that allows people and communities to work together in the face of challenges rather than give up or blame and attack others". More like this:• The 25 best places to travel in 2025• The European region where young people are happiest• Turku: Finland's under-the-radar Nordic destination She notes that the top four nations in the World Happiness Report are all Nordic countries with strong welfare systems designed to support the collective good. "Happiness is very culturally specific," she said. "In Finland, there are many examples of everyday happiness that are available and accessible to everyone, whether it's nature – every person in Finland is on average about 200m from the nearest forest, park, seashore or natural body of water – saunas, public libraries, safe and efficient public transport, free clean drinking water, education or healthcare." Pantzar also highlights the mood-boosting properties of contrast therapy – hot saunas followed by cold dips – as an accessible, every-day mood booster. "It's incredibly easy to do in Helsinki, surrounded by the sea," she says. "When you don't need to travel great distances or pay large fees to have a quick dip, it's easier to do more regularly, before or after work or on your lunch break." And while some Finns remain sceptical of the "happiest nation" label, most seem to appreciate what they have. "I don't find it easy to think of Finland as the happiest country in the world," says pensioner Juha Roiha. "In poorer countries like Thailand and Nepal, people seem relaxed in spite of any hardship. In Finland, you might sometimes hear people say that they'd be happier somewhere else. But within ourselves, with what we have, we're happy." Happy Land - Finding the Inner Finn, a travel memoir by Tim Bird, will be published by Eye Books in the UK in January 2026. It takes a "sideways" look at Finland's happiness status. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
