In the realm of timeless wisdom, a Chinese saying has resonated for generations, echoing the sentiment that true happiness emerges from helping others. The adage goes, "If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody." Countless luminaries throughout history, from Leo Tolstoy and the Dalai Lama to Muhammad Yunus and Winston Churchill, have converged on a common truth: happiness finds its roots in the act of helping others.

Is learning languages the new brain superfood? Let's weigh the pros and cons of growing up bilingual.

What can drinking blood with Nenets reindeer herders in Siberia, horseback riding with Kazakh Eagle Hunters in the steppes of Mongolia and taking teams across the hottest and coldest deserts in the world teach you about leadership? A lot more than you might think.

When leaders vow to build a more inclusive and diverse culture they tend to start with the company’s mission, values and promise that everyone will be given equal opportunities. But they often don’t alter how they communicate on a daily basis, missing a key way to promote DEI. Inclusive leadership means adopting and developing an all-encompassing communication style, while emphasising equity, diversity and of course inclusion.

Covid-19 has blurred the lines between work and home life. One consequence of the pandemic is a global increase in domestic violence, including intimate partner violence. Despite this new reality, the majority of employers still don’t have a plan for dealing with domestic violence and abuse.

Ready or not, the day will come when you will become women and leave our home. Nevertheless, despite the years and great distance separating us, you will always remain my darling girls. Thus, I only ask that you keep this letter close to your heart.

Remember to love yourself always, with all the qualities and imperfections you may have. Never forget that you are worthy of love, kindness and respect. Don't settle for anyone who treats you any less than you deserve. Self-esteem is the key to being whole and happy.

Amy Chua’s latest book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, which extols the virtues of Chinese versus western parenting methods, has unleashed a storm of heated controversy and has generated shock waves and intense debate on what is the best parenting style. In her contentious book, Ms Chua implies, in more ways than one, that Chinese parents are better at raising children than are western ones because of the more strict and uncompromising Chinese values, which she says are different from the indulgent and permissive western methods. Chinese parents, she believes, instill respect for authority, stress academic performance above all else, never accept a mediocre grade and insist on drilling and practicing until the child achieves the desired result. Needless to say, this topic has given rise to strong reactions amongst parents and education specialists around the globe.

When I first met my second husband, he was 34, single, never married, and out on the town for a good time. On our first meeting, little did he know that I had a six-year-old daughter and four-year-old son waiting for me at home—and an ex-husband living in a different flat but in the same building as mine. After the breakup of our ten-year marriage, my ex-husband and I consulted a child psychologist who advised us that living in such close proximity to each other would be the least traumatic for the children. It would give them some form of stability, knowing that although they now lived primarily with their mother; their father was very close and accessible at any time.

Has courtship become a thing of the past? Is it deemed out-dated to let men do the chasing? While some men seem to drag their feet in relationships, others chase and commit.

Courtship used to be vital for a man to earn a lady’s consideration. Not so long ago it was expected that the male should actively “court” or “pursue” the female, thus encouraging her notice of him and her openness to a proposal of marriage. This notion of the gender roles of males and females in courtship may have altered in today’s modern society, nevertheless, might an updated version of it not be the best way to get the right man to chase and commit to you?

About a year ago, I was lost in thought, contemplating the beauty of the sparkling Aegean Sea, from a balcony high above the cliffs. As I stared at the horizon, I felt as if I was sitting at the very edge of the world, at the foot of a heavenly gateway, far from the realities of my usually purposeful life.

Indeed, I was on idyllic Santorini, the celebrated southernmost island of the Cyclades, just a few hours from the mainland of Greece. Directly ahead of me was the spectacular caldera — a cauldron-like lagoon formed by the collapse of land following a massive volcanic eruption some 3,600 years ago.