Can we be commanded to be happy? Is happiness a state of mind that is divinely imposed upon us – with or without our consent – or is there some secret to attaining this gift of joy?

It is true that many things in business and in life in general can be attributed to good luck. But look closer and it is often the case that a lot of effort has gone into making that luck.

Imagine some of the key evidence for promotions at work being anonymous responses from coworkers who just received a bad performance evaluation from you. Something similar happens in higher education, with teachers rated by students grateful for good grades or disgruntled by low grades. That’s a bitter pill to swallow…

What do you make of the shake-up to higher education funding? Join the discussion and let us know your thoughts in the comments section

The food writer tells Prudence Wade about the joys of kimchi, kombucha and kefir, and why your gut could be crying out for some good bacteria

By analyzing a variety of populations in high-stress scenarios, scientist Amishi Jha discovered a simple, ancient practice that can increase focus: Mindfulness training.