Faking it: could I go from being an introvert to an extrovert in one week?

New research has found that being an extrovert makes you happier. So I spent a week attending social events to see if I could trick myself into being more naturally outgoing

Gorpcore: why people who rarely go outside are wearing hiking gear

A new retailer is coming to the UK, specialising in clothes for the urbanite who likes to look as if they’re off to the Himalayas. It’s the natural evolution of a baffling trend

How to take care of trainers so they last

A light clean after every wear, deodorise overnight and never put them in the washing machine

Fit in my 40s: ‘I imagine paddleboarding would be easier if you were slightly drunk’

You’ll need a bit of time just familiarising yourself with not falling in

‘No sex please, we’re meditating’: peace and positivity on a weekend retreat

At a country house in West Sussex, meditation, yoga and detox come together for a weekend of mindfulness that expands your ‘protective bubble’

Home review – gutsy doc charts harrowing, heroic journey by sea

Like Cheryl Strayed in Wild, Sarah Outen bravely explores mental health issues and grief as she chronicles her four-year round-the-world adventure

Hottest ticket in town: the mega sauna hosting a Euro theatre contest

A drama competition for 200 naked people in a giant sauna? Our writer gets a sweaty taste of ‘aufgass’ in the Netherlands

Fit in my 40s: am I too old to be practising BMX in the park?

The hard part, at first, is to trust that you are not going to pitch over the handlebars

Fitness tips: handy hints for BMX beginners

Practise finding your balance, advises a professional racer – and try to overcome your fear

Kortney Olson is crushing it: ‘It’s about them experiencing true female strength’

A wave of super strong female athletes are smashing sizing stereotypes, and changing the way other women work out