Some thoughts on getting on when life seems to be just one damned thing after another

Mark Vernon's Philosophy and Life- an interesting blog and one that is new to us- mulls over all manner of things. Which is what one might well expect from a man who describes himself thusly: "I am an English writer and journalist. My most recent book [Waldo: Douglas Adams fans take note], just published, is 42: Deep Thought on Life, the Universe, and Everything. I'm also the author of The Philosophy of Friendship, After Atheism: Science, Religion and the Meaning of Life and What Not To Say: Finding the Right Words at Difficult Moments. I used to be a priest in the Church of England, live in South London, and am an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck College, London.

"My next book, scheduled for July this year, is Teach Yourself Humanism, and I have just finished working on Wellbeing, that will be one of a new series of philosophy books called The Art of Living, which I am also editing. Do contact me."

We're struck by some bullet points he's pulled out of the coming book called Wellbeing: sensible, to the point, and, perhaps, just attractive to us at our point in life, but we pass them along as an example of why his blog's worth a look now and again:

"1. Don't focus on your happiness, focus on how you are living your life. Happiness is a by-product of a life lived well.

2. Don't ask yourself what you enjoy, ask yourself what is most meaningful to you. Dump the rest, and go for that.

3. Truly prioritize your life around what and who you love. Many would say their friends are the most important thing to them, even as they move to the other side of the world to take up a better paid job.

4. Don't be afraid of the spiritual, even if you aren't very religious. In art, architecture, music and novels human beings have always searched for what lies beyond. There is a good reason for that.

5. Pain and struggle is not necessarily bad and might be very good. Ask any parent: the agony of raising children is usually, at base, meaningful agony.

6. Take time and find a regular space to contemplate the world. Less is definitely more in the art of happiness.

7. Don't read too many self-help books. You'll end up living the programme not living your life!"