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In counselling, we often focus on the individual – your thoughts, your feelings, your experiences. And rightly so. But sometimes, understanding wellbeing requires us to zoom out and look at something bigger: the environment we live in and the people we share our lives with. One of the most powerful examples of this comes from a story often referred to as The Roseto Mystery, explored in Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s a story that challenges many of our assumptions about he

We’re often told that setting clear goals is the key to success. From career advice to self-help books, the message is consistent: define what you want, pursue it relentlessly, and you’ll achieve a better life. But like many well-intentioned ideas, this can be taken too far. When goals become rigid, overwhelming, or all-consuming, they can start to work against our wellbeing rather than support it. There’s a well-known study from Harvard University in 1953, where graduating s

Many people who come to counselling describe feeling caught in cycles of worry. Their minds repeatedly return to the same concerns – about work, relationships, health, or the future. Sometimes the worry is about real problems that need attention. At other times it is the mind trying to prepare for possibilities that may never happen. While occasional worry is a normal part of being human, constant worrying can quietly drain our energy and disturb our sense of peace. Learning

We often hear the familiar proverb: “ If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Persistence is usually presented as an unquestioned virtue. We are encouraged to keep pushing, keep striving, and never give up. Certainly, some degree of persistence is important. Without it, we might abandon things too quickly and miss opportunities for learning and growth. But like many qualities, persistence can become unhelpful when taken to extremes. When we are repeatedly told that g