Welcome to the website of Alastair Hazell
I am a serial entrepreneur, internet strategist and whimsical writer based in East Sussex.
Articles
The Paradox of Choice
Can you ever have too much choice? Absolutely. I discuss the Paradox of Choice, where choice becomes detrimental to our health. The Paradox of Choice is abundant in our modern lives, through consumerism and the instant world in which we live.
Don’t let others define you
Looking back at my first part-time job and how my vocation and that of my cruel line manager took such different and ironic paths. I also discuss the impact of negative remarks on those with low self-confidence and why we shouldn't let others define us.
Life is a Gamble
In 1965, forty-seven-year-old lawyer Andre-Francois Raffray agreed to buy a beautiful apartment in Southern France from its 90-year-old owner Jeanne Calment, in a 'for life' deal of monthly payments. Raffray stood to inherit the apartment at a bargain price once 90-year-old Jeanne passed away - all he had to do sit and wait. Things didn't quite go to plan, however...
Living in an Instant World
I take a look at how our lives are slowly turning into one giant vending machine and how we’re becoming addicted to an instant world. What impact is this having on us as human beings and how can we make changes for the better?
Ping Pong – a Game of Life and Death
In 1936, Alojzy Ehrlich participated in an extraordinary record-breaking match in the World Table Tennis Championships. But, ping pong would have a far bigger impact on his life than he might have predicted.
Covid-19: Anxiety, Depression and Finding Hope
Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns have removed our connections to basic human needs and exposed us to anxiety and depression. Through my own personal experiences, I take a look at how this has happened and some ways in which we can get our connections back.
Planting trees for our future
We’ve reached an important juncture in the history of our planet. A tipping point. We need to act, and I'm delighted to be a supporting partner of 8 Billion Trees' mission to conserve and plant trees in some of the most important regions of the world.
Bexhill’s 60s Revolution
On Saturday 13 July 2019, my home town of Bexhill-on-Sea joined the 60s revolution. It was a huge event to organise, and it will likely be my last, drawing a close on 30 years of Hazell-family event history. I look back at the story of the day on what was a wonderful summer festival-in-a-day.
Working together to achieve more
Whilst the instinct to compete is a natural part of being human, I believe that to really get what we want, we need to have better control of the off switch so that we can work together.
Saving our seas from plastic
It is said that the equivalent of a rubbish truck of plastic is entering the world's oceans every single minute. In this article, we look at how we can join the campaign to #PassOnPlastic and save our oceans and marine life from the deluge of plastic waste.
Taking the plunge
How a miraculous twist of fate helped a near dead skydiver survive a 14,500ft fall from the sky. This incredible story shows how fine the line is between misfortune and fortune.
Resilience in the face of setbacks
How we can follow the example of three students from Helsinki University of Technology in developing resilience in the face of adversity. I also examine the process of thinking for recovering from setbacks.
What’s your superpower?
I grew up wanting to make a difference – and that’s something that continues to drive me. I’ve come to appreciate that we can all make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the world in which we live – we don’t need to possess superpowers to do it.
Teach kids these key life skills in schools
Focussing on some of the key life skills that I believe every child should be taught; either in secondary school or by parents at home. These include basic first aid, financial planning, touch typing, interview preparation and more.
Can you measure your success in feet?
No matter what you achieve in life or how successful you are, it's important to take time to appreciate where you've come from and how you've got to where you are.
Engage your inner detective
How an unusual, mildly humorous conversation with my wife yielded an interesting and important discussion point for our online safety in the current digital climate.
Projects
The Calculator Site
Founded by Alastair in 2004, The Calculator Site is one of the internet's most popular calculator websites with over six million monthly visits.
Medical News Today
Alastair founded Medical News Today in 2003 and built a company that became a market leader for medical news on the internet, providing concise and accurate health information to an audience of patients and healthcare professionals.
Discover Bexhill
Alastair established Discover Bexhill in 2004 as an independent, non-profit-making entity, Discover Bexhill has been a leading promotional tool for Bexhill's £280m annual tourism income.
Bexhill Events
Alastair helped spearhead a new era of big events in his home town of Bexhill, providing funding and consultancy for their development into prestigious county-renowned events.
Local Causes
As an active philanthropist, Alastair has supported many local charities, heritage projects and social causes in Bexhill and the surrounding area.
8 Billion Trees
Alastair and his family are a supporting partner of 8 Billion Trees, whose mission is to save and plant trees in areas around the globe. With the monthly funding, 8 Billion Trees are planting an extra 500 trees a month, and conserving many hundreds more.
‘Whatever you do, always give 100%. Unless you’re donating blood.’
Bill Murray‘The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.’
Mark Twain‘Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.’
Albert Einstein