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As New Year approaches, you might be looking for some inspiration to help you ‘turn a new leaf’, or ‘be the best you’ or maybe even ‘add life to your days, not days to your life’.

Whether it is a quote from Einstein, a zinger from Marie Curie, or a simple reminder to Live, Laugh, Love, it will probably appear with a picture of a warm sunrise, or flowers blowing in a breeze. Glib? Perhaps. Life changing? Also, perhaps. The perfect topic for a fun investigation around an ever-growing trend? Definitely.

India Rakusen wants to get under the skin of this seemingly harmless international phenomenon and find out if one quote can change her life. She is joined by journalist and sceptic Anisa Subedar as they both try and live by a mantra. On the way, she discovers how the brain responds to inspirational siren calls by talking to behavioural neuroscientist Patricia Riddell, and shel meets a therapist who tells us when we need to remain wary. She also meets those, like eternal optimist Basma Fawzy, who swear a quote really can work, as well as those who want to see them disappeared by the great delete button in the sky. Author James Fell explains epiphanies and Japanese writer and lawyer Yutaka Yazawa explores the power of the proverb.

(Image: Inspirational quote over a picture of the sunset. Credit: Â鶹ԼÅÄ/Getty Images)