If you've experienced negative thoughts constantly replaying in your mind, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, it’s much more common than you think.

But there are times when negative thinking could take over your life and become destructive. It can severely affect your mood, breed pessimism, distort your outlook on life, and prevent you from making objective decisions.

Repetitive negative thoughts can constantly infuse cynicism, dread, anger, and many other destructive emotions and attitudes. And these are toxic combinations that can drive people away from your life.

Think about it. We all enjoy the company of those gleaming with positivity. A few days ago, I discovered Trista Ainsworth’s profile. And I was blown away by the optimism, compassion, and joy in her work. It kept me drawn to her writing. …

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” said Confucius once.

But if that job entails working for someone else, career advancement could seem like a rollercoaster at times. There will be plenty of moments you could feel lost, frustrated, and stressed. Having to deal with colleagues and bosses, a stagnant career, and constant work pressures, and keeping your spirits high when things look bleak could all seem too much to handle.

The employees who progress in their careers not only work hard but have also mastered the unspoken rules of the workplace. These are almost like the immutable laws of nature. …

Complaining has been at epic levels way before COVID-19 hit town. The weather, traffic, poor service, slow WiFi, long queues all add up to the endless list of modern-day gripes. In fact, an average person complains around 15–30 times a day. Yet many are completely unaware of how they grumble.

Here are some interesting findings from a UK study about our complaining habits.

• 1 in 3 complained less during the weekend.
• 1 in 5 respondents admitted to blocking out people who whinged about first-world problems.
• 40% complained more as adults compared to when they were kids.
• 45% of people waited until they got home to complain in private. …

Business rivalries have existed for thousands of years. Where there was trade, there was competition. And the higher the stakes, the more intense it gets.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with some healthy competition — it can prevent brand complacency, push businesses to innovate, and deliver better value for the customer.

For onlookers, they can provide great entertainment. For the media, they create epic headlines. And the potential to go viral has even made them curated publicity stunts.

Here are some iconic campaigns sparked by rivalries and the bittersweet lessons from their witty quips.

Romania vs. Britain

Country brands are just as important as product brands. But we rarely see countries thrashing each other with ad campaigns. …

In my nearly 20 years working with brands, I’ve come across many seasoned marketers who’ve treated marketing as a delicate art to master. Then there are those who would tell you it’s more of a science.

Yes, marketing is both an art and a science. Yet why is it that brands fail, sometimes at an epic scale?

Because marketing is also about simple logic — human logic that’s often wrapped up in glitzy phrases like consumer psychology and buyer behavior.

It’s the one missing ingredient that’s often forgotten by many brands.

“But humans are irrational beings,” many would be quick to point out. …

If you just watched this video, did you catch yourself smiling? That’s most likely a genuine smile bundled with a warm and fuzzy feeling and very real amusement.

So how did it feel? These moments are hard to come by since we adults genuinely smile a meagerly 20 times a day compared to children who smile 300–400 times.

But did you know that smiling or laughing, even without emotions, could have some staggering effects on your body and mind? Well, that’s what science is telling us.

#1 Laughing can reduce stress

Laughing can trick your brain to reduce the stress response.

In fact, a study by scientists from the University of Kansas shows that smiling can significantly reduce the body’s stress response compared to holding a neutral facial expression. …

Today marks the completion of 2 weeks since I last stepped out of my home. And so, I thought of taking the time to sit and reflect on how it’s been.

Quite honestly, I’m beginning to get used to it. My work has continued from home without a hitch, although I realize not everyone can say the same.

Not being able to go out seems a bit of a bummer. But I’ve found other ways to keep myself busy.

I’ve had more time to read. Have taken up gardening. Everyone’s been super active on WhatsApp because of the pandemic, so I’ve had the chance to chat with people I’ve been out of touch with for a while. …