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Can team sports boost self-esteem?

Andrew Badham - 2018-08-29 12:42:44

A lot is said for physical exercise and its mental health benefits. Whether you choose to lift weights or run on the treadmill is immaterial, so long as you’re working hard for a decent amount of time, you will see improvements in depressive and anxious symptoms. This is a concept I’m very familiar with and enthusiastically an advocate of. What I was less familiar with was how sports, or more specifically team sports, would have an impact. So, when a student asked whether encourag... Read more

Your mindset: Predator or Prey

Andrew Badham - 2018-08-21 11:36:22

Picture a scene. A springbok stands calmly but vigilantly eating grass. A cheetah lurks in the thick veld, trying its best to remain unseen, unheard and downwind. The cheetah missteps and a patch of grass crunches underfoot. The springbok perks up, wasting no time deliberating the potential threat, and launches itself away from the sound. The cheetah explodes from its concealment to pursue the startled prey. Both animals tear across the plains as fast as they possibly can. If you’ve eve... Read more

Stress: the good, the bad, and what to do about it

Andrew Badham - 2018-08-13 12:28:48

There is a strange paradox in life that our weaknesses can also be our strengths. In certain circumstances, what was once a hindrance is suddenly a clear advantage. Now that I’ve opened with a sufficiently vague statement, allow me to be more specific; I’m talking about anxiety. It’s an important topic to cover considering the sheer volume of people who suffer from it. But, I catch myself when I say “suffer” because anxiety comes packaged with some benefits. You... Read more

What you wear affects how you feel. What about what you don't wear?

Andrew Badham - 2018-07-10 15:59:57

My approach to what I wear to gym has always been fairly practical, old shirts and shorts that I don’t mind getting worn out are my staple. So, naturally, these are not always the most flattering items in wardrobe. But who cares, right? It’s the workout that’s important, not how you looked doing it. I was the type of person who would chuckle at gym goers ogling themselves in the mirror while they exercised. I would deride folks who wore immaculate and carefully selected work... Read more

The most eager students already know the most

Andrew Badham - 2018-06-26 15:42:16

The most qualified people are the most eager to learn. That sounds obvious, and to a large extent, it is. People who are eager to learn become more qualified; they’re excited to find out new information, techniques and ideas, and so they do. The less obvious trait of these folks is that they’re eager to learn even if the content isn’t new, even if they are already extremely well versed. I’ve experienced this countless times in class; the most knowledgeable student is b... Read more