Relationships | Live Happy

The Happiness Benefits of Planting a Butterfly Garden — for You and Your Kids

In a world where screens demand more and more of our attention, it can be difficult to make time for much else. This may be one reason why interest in "analog hobbies” like gardening is rapidly growing — with Forbes deeming 2026 “The Year of Analog Living”, and arts & crafts company Michaels reporting searches for “analog hobbies” on its site increased by 136% in the second half of 2025. Many people, especially families, are looking for screen-free activities to encourage slowing down and reconnecting with the outdoors. It may not surprise you that the benefits of getting outside are profound. Research from the Journal of Happiness Studies found that connecting with nature leads to higher overall well-being and feelings of having a greater sense of meaning in life. The Overwhelming Benefits of Gardening The term “biophilia” is used by researchers to describe the human tendency for seeking connection with nature and living things. And humans seek it out for good reason — engaging with nature has been shown to reduce stress levels, improve attention, and increase positive mood. Research even suggests that seeking connection with the outdoors can reduce mortality! According to Preventative Medicine Reports, gardening offers its own unique health benefits by combining time in nature with physical activity, hands-on sensory experiences, and relaxation. It also creates an opportunity for families to spend intentional time together outdoors, encouraging connection with each other and the natural world. Why a Butterfly Garden Butterflies naturally spark curiosity, drawing kids in with their bright colors, fluttering movements, and dramatic transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. Children tend to retain information best when learning is tied to a sensory experiences and emotional engagement. A butterfly garden does just that — turning your backyard into a living science lab and giving kids the opportunity to observe natural processes firsthand. They can witness pollination, metamorphosis, flowers blooming and changing with the seasons, and the tiny ecosystems at work in their own backyard. How to Get Started Find a Location A butterfly garden can be added to an existing garden, started from scratch, or even created as a container garden! The National Garden Bureau recommends starting with a space of 3 feet by 6 feet, or grouping three to four large containers together on a patio, balcony, or deck. Find the sunniest spot available — butterflies use the heat of the sun to control their body temperature and to help them fly. Choose Your Plants Butterflies are pollinators that drink the nectar from flowers, meaning you’ll want to plant flowers that provide a succession of blooms to attract butterflies throughout the season. Brightly colored flowers such as orange butterfly weed and red salvia are a great place to start for attracting butterflies. Common garden favorites such as chives, bee balm, black-eyed Susan, and echinacea are also beloved by butterflies. Annuals such as cosmos, petunias, and zinnias bloom all season long, providing a continuous source of nectar. Milkweed, dill, fennel, and parsley provide a great source of nourishment for caterpillar larvae. For more suggestions on flower species to plant, visit the National Garden Bureau’s website. Accessorize Rocks provide warm spots for butterflies to rest. Line the edges of your garden with stones, landscape with larger rocks or boulders, or create a small rock pile for butterflies to enjoy. Stepping stones can add a fun whimsical element to the space, make the garden feel even more interactive for your kids, and be a warm place for butterflies to land. Saucers, “butterfly puddles”, or concave rocks that collect water all can provide water sources for butterflies. Adding sand or pebbles can make it more appealing for butterflies to land and enjoy the space. Enjoy Grab a chair or hang a hammock to sit back, relax, and enjoy your garden. Butterflies typically are not afraid of humans, so don’t be shy! Make a habit of observing the garden daily — a great way to get kids to interact with the garden is by starting a log of the different insects you see, exploring with a magnifying glass, or even using the flowers or bugs as inspiration for an art project. Beyond attracting butterflies, these gardens create opportunities for connection — encouraging families to slow down, get curious, and reconnect with each other and the natural world. They create small moments of wonder benefiting both kids and adults alike. And don’t worry — butterflies aren’t perfectionists. A slightly weedy garden won’t scare them away, and a little wildness is all part of the magic.

relationships

Finding Awe in the Everyday Chaos of Parenting

You finally made it through bedtime, complete with multiple stories, glasses of water, and a meltdown. Right as you sit on the couch to relax, the baby starts crying. Parenting young children fills the day with a rollercoaster of highs and lows. It begs the question: Does having a child make you happier? WHY PARENTING FEELS BOTH JOYFUL AND EXHAUSTING Research shows the answer to this question is complicated. Often referred to as the “parenting paradox,” parents report greater life satisfaction than adults without children, while also reporting higher levels of stress and depression in their daily lives. How does this add up? Anthony Vaccaro, a research assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reports that a study conducted by the University of Southern California following new fathers revealed that whether parenthood makes you happier isn’t really about the children themselves; it has much more to do with feeling purpose in life. In the study, brain scans were conducted before and after the birth of their child. The brains of fathers who reported a sense of increased meaning in life after their child’s birth showed increased activity in the areas responsible for linking a person’s emotions with their sense of identity. “A father might feel overwhelmed by sleepless nights yet still contextualize this experience as part of a meaningful existence,” Anthony observes. “In other words, the challenging emotions people deal with in the short term can become independent from a long-term sense of satisfaction, potentially because separate brain processes underlie the two feelings.” New research says awe may be the cheat code to help find greater meaning in parenting. HOW AWE HELPS PARENTS FIND DEEPER MEANING Awe is the feeling you experience during a moment of overwhelming greatness or wonder. An important element of awe is its ability to take you out of yourself and connect you to something larger. It’s often encountered during life’s big moments, like witnessing the birth of a child. But awe can be experienced and cultivated in the little moments of daily life as well. A new study from the University of Rochester, led by Princeton Chee, found that experiencing awe in relation to children not only enhanced the parent-child bond but also improved overall well-being by enhancing life's meaning. “We find that awe can actually strengthen parental well-being more broadly and holistically,” Princeton notes, additionally highlighting that “these positive emotional experiences don’t diminish the challenges of parenthood. Rather, the finding suggests that cultivating and savoring moments of awe can help parents find greater joy, meaning, and richness in the parenting experience.” During moments of awe, time feels like it slows down, helping parents feel immersed in the moment. While it’s easy to experience awe in big, milestone moments, like a baby's first steps or the first day of school, you can also create moments of awe by slowing down and tuning in. Research suggests that experiencing awe in everyday life can be just as meaningful as the milestones. HOW TO FIND AWE IN THE ORDINARY Cultivating awe doesn’t mean pretending that parenthood is easy or without stress. It’s about taking a moment to notice the small ways that life is extraordinary. Parenting is an awe-generation machine — if you know how to look for it. Simple ways to cultivate awe: Take an “awe walk” Instead of taking a walk and using it as an opportunity to catch up on a podcast, try using the time to notice your surroundings. Listen to the birds or the rhythm of your child’s steps beside your own, point out a flower or tree you haven’t paid attention to before, and encourage your child to participate with you. Create small moments or rituals Awe doesn’t need to be spontaneous; you can invite it in! Bring your child outside in the evening to listen to the frogs, look at the moon together, or witness the first snowfall of the season. These simple experiences can become lasting emotional memories. Use technology for good Not all screen time is created equal. Doomscrolling might feel satisfying for a moment, but technology can be used as a method of inspiring awe or facilitating connection with the right intention. A song, video, or photo that sparks curiosity or happiness can interrupt stress and lift your mood. Pay attention to how you feel afterwards, and focus on connection — like sharing a song with a friend or texting a grandparent about a funny moment with your child. Experience awe through your child’s eyes Children are naturally wired to experience awe. A child seeing a giraffe, a shooting star, or a bubble pop for the first time can reconnect you with a sense of wonder and serve as a reminder that life is extraordinary. Take a deep breath, get on their level, and witness a moment from their perspective. Parenting will never be exclusively joyful — stress, exhaustion, and frustration are a part of the package. Awe gives parents a tool to hold both of these truths — reminding you of the beauty that exists alongside the chaos, and of how meaningful the experience of parenting can be.

relationships

How to Find Friends: A Guide to Meaningful Connections

Making friends is one of the most rewarding experiences in life, but it’s also one of the most difficult. Whether you have just moved to a new city and are navigating social anxiety or simply want to expand your social circle, finding friends can feel like a daunting task. However, with a little patience, effort and the right approach, building lasting friendships is entirely possible. Most importantly, we must realize the importance of experiencing these friends in person. We might meet them online, but the real friendship flourishes face-to-face. Why Making Friends Can Be Challenging In today’s fast-paced world, many factors make forming new friendships tricky. Busy schedules, digital distractions and introversion can all create barriers. According to research, many people often have difficulty connecting in person after heavily relying on digital communication. However, understanding these challenges is the first step in overcoming them. It’s essential to embrace vulnerability and make time for face-to-face interactions, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Where to Look for Friends Friendships often begin in places where you spend the most time. This could be your workplace, local coffee shops or hobbies you are passionate about. Shared interests are one of the most effective ways to build a connection as they provide natural conversation starters. Studies show that people who engage in regular activities together are more likely to form deep, lasting friendships. Online communities are another great avenue, especially for those who struggle with face-to-face interactions. Whether it’s through social media groups, gaming or niche forums, these platforms allow the first introduction to connect with like-minded people and establish bonds over interests. But we must remember that they begin a friendship, but it’s best to then grow the friendship in person. Building Meaningful Connections Once you’ve identified potential friends, the next step is building a genuine connection. It’s essential to prioritize quality over quantity. Instead of trying to meet as many people as possible, focus on cultivating a few deep relationships. This involves some active listening, showing interest in others’ lives and asking open-ended questions to keep the conversation flowing. People are more likely to connect with you if they feel heard and understood, so take time to engage deeply and authentically. A little vulnerability goes a long way. Don’t be afraid to share about yourself as well. Keeping The Friendship Alive Making a friend is just the first step: maintaining the friendship is equally important. This means following up after your initial meeting, scheduling regular hangouts and being a consistent presence in their lives. Be a good listener, offer support when needed, and make time to nurture the connection through coffee dates or nice long walks together. While making friends might feel like a challenging task, it’s entirely achievable with the right mindset and approach. Be patient, stay open to new opportunities and remember that every meaningful friendship begins with one simple step—showing up. When you take the first step, you might just find the connections you are wishing for as you work to share your life with others. Dr. Lori Whatley is a psychologist and expert on human connection with more than 25 years of experience. She helps businesses and families manage digital distractions and foster meaningful relationships. Author of Connected and Engaged and Happier Together, Dr. Lori is known for her approachable style and insight. She holds advanced degrees from California Southern, Mercer, and UGA, and has traveled to over 85 countries. Also listen to this Live Happy Now podcast featuring Dr. Lori: How to Make Friendships That Last

relationships

Todd Bridges Spreads Positivity and Enlightenment on New Podcast

He’s lived in a penthouse on Park Avenue (or, at least, his character Willis Jackson did on his long-running hit sitcom, Diff’rent Strokes) and clawed his way out of the depths of drug addiction. For Todd Bridges, life has been a wild series of peaks and valleys, and it all started with acting. “I definitely wanted to be in show business when I was five years old,” Bridges recalled. I wanted to be Redd Foxx, my idol. My mom always told us that we can do whatever we wanted to do, but once we started, we couldn't quit. That's the only thing she would tell us.” Born into a family of entertainers, Bridges started young, quickly earning groundbreaking roles on TV classics like The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie, becoming the first African-American child actor to have a recurring role on a popular TV show. For the world, these were game-changing moments. For Bridges, it was business as usual. “I don't think I had felt that much about it because I just thought it was just a job until much later in my life when I got older and I realized how significant these things were,” Bridges explained. “Even when I was in Roots, It was years before I realized how big that was. That was one of the biggest miniseries in history. I think it captured 77 million viewers. Still to this very day, I don't think anything has ever done that.” Then came another life-changer: Diff’rent Strokes, an eight-year sitcom sensation that achieved huge ratings success and plenty of cast drama to go with it. Much like costars Gary Coleman and Dana Plato, Bridges struggled through his own real-life challenges in the years following the show’s departure from prime-time airwaves, battling addiction and running afoul of the law on multiple occasions. These struggles are often generalized as common issues amongst former child actors, a theory that Bridges doesn’t buy into. “I don't ever blame the industry. I always tell people that for every one actor they named that has had problems or gotten in trouble, I can name 20 that haven't,” he said. "So that's just what the media does. It's not true at all. We were painted as demons, and we were good kids. We just went through some difficult situations that we didn't know how to process. And when it was processed, it was processed in the public, not by yourself.” Still, the impact of the Diff’rent Strokes cast’s collective struggles weighs heavily upon Bridges, the lone surviving member of the group. “I was the one that was the go-between for everybody. I maintained relationships with everybody,” Bridges recalled. “Then we lost everybody — Dana and Gary and Conrad [Bain] and Charlotte [Rae]. No one ever thought I'd be the lone survivor, so that’s pretty traumatic.” In 1993, after years of battling bouts of addiction to crack cocaine and methamphetamines (in addition to numerous legal charges related to drug possession and sales), Bridges made the decision to get clean and rehabilitate his life. “It was the old saying in our program — ‘you got to get sick and tired of being sick and tired’ — and I was tired of doing the same thing over again, expecting different results,” Bridges admitted. “I finally realized that something had to change. The judge helped me find a program, and I was able to make a change in my life. I was able to start realizing that I could be happy if I just worked the program and became more confident within myself.” “I’m kind of used to the world having access to my life anyway, so it was just another step to clear my own mind,” Bridges chuckled. “My program's all about me staying out of trouble and knowing how to keep my life in a good light.” A desire to pay it forward and help others has led to Dang!, the new podcast that Bridges cohosts with his wife Bettijo. Together, the happy couple chat about “life’s messy realities — everything from love and family to mental health struggles like anxiety and addiction.” “We just thought that we should do a podcast, so we could just talk about issues like what's it like to be in a mixed relationship, or what it's like to have stepchildren — how difficult it can be and how great it can be at the same time, or maybe a little bit of both,” Bridges laughed. “People really have been enjoying it a lot, which is good. I have a good outlook on life to share, being a person who's gone through so much. To see the world clearly and not have any hate in my heart is a big step, and I think people need to see that. You don't have to go around hating people. You just love yourself and everyone around you. You keep peaceful, loving people around you and your life will get a lot better.”

Wellness

Watching Live Sports May Boost Happiness and Reduce Loneliness

If you’ve ever experienced an electric atmosphere while attending a live sporting event, that feeling could be making you happier in ways you never thought of before. According to a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, attending live sports could be another tool to boost your happiness and longevity. Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University’s School of Psychology and Sport Science used survey data from more than 7,000 adults in England between the ages of 16 and 85 and concluded that watching sporting events in person increased life satisfaction and decreased feelings of loneliness. Existing research already suggests that actively participating in sports increases happiness and well-being. However, this is the largest study that suggests that just watching sports in person—or passive sports engagement—allows social interaction and bonding that can lead to meaningful connections, even for a short time. Commissioned by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the insights from the report found that attending live sporting events and identifying with a team fostered connections with other people and made people feel that life was more worthwhile. Dr. Helen Keyes, a lead author of the report and the head of the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), says that “watching live sport of all types provides many opportunities for social interaction and this helps to forge group identity and belonging, which in turn mitigates loneliness and boosts levels of well-being.” Lonely No More Loneliness, as described by the study, is a “modern behavioral epidemic” that can have negative impacts on mental and physical health. The Healthy Minds Monthly Poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that one in three adults in America say they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week this year and 10% say they are lonely every day. Even younger people are not immune to feelings of loneliness, with 30% of Americans aged 18-34 saying they were lonely every day or several times a week. According to Gregorio Lozano III, a licensed professional counselor with the online mental health platform Grow Therapy, our need for connection is hardwired and is rooted in survival. Connecting with others is a basic human need “The root cause of loneliness tends to be a sense of disconnection from others, more specifically, emotional disconnection,” he says. Researchers are optimistic that the results from the ARU study can lead to social interventions that can help mitigate the growing loneliness problem, such as offering reduced ticket prices to certain groups that may need a well-being boost.

relationships

De-stressing for the Presidential Debate

As America prepares to watch this week’s presidential debate, many are feeling the stress of this year’s unprecedented election cycle. New research from the mental health app Headspace and the nonpartisan initiative When We All Vote shows that the elections are impacting our well-being. Nearly 80% of respondents said they are paying more attention to politics this year than they usually do. While that can lead to better informed choices, it can also create more feelings of anxiety and nervousness: an annual survey by the American Psychiatric Association found that 73% of adults are feeling “particularly anxious” about the 2024 U.S. election. Constant alerts on social media, trying to sift through conflicting information to find the facts, and concerns about the election’s outcome all contribute to what is being called election stress disorder. While about 30% of adults say their sleep has been negatively affected by anxiety about the elections, among Gen Z that percentage jumps to 40%. What’s stressing us out? According to the Headspace/When We All Vote findings, inflation is the issue creating the most anxiety for Americans during the election season, with 53% of respondents reporting it stresses them out. That’s followed by immigration (37%) and healthcare affordability (34%). Women’s reproductive rights are the main stressor for about one-third of Americans. How to manage election stress Regardless of what is stressing you out this election season, there are simple practices you can choose to help soothe your anxiety. One of the most important things you can do is register to vote and be sure to vote on or before election day. While you alone can’t control the outcome, being part of the democratic process can help with your overall mental health. You can also try a practice like mindfulness or meditation to help when you feel the stress start to rise. Headspace has created a free Politics Without Panic election guide to help you put your mental health first this season. To walk you through the feelings you might be having, Live Happy has teamed up with clinical psychologist Dr. Lauren Cook to offer a free email series, Overcoming Election Stress. Sign up here to get this four-week course delivered to your inbox and help you understand the causes of election stress, receive tips for managing your anxiety, and learn how to manage difficult conversations during this tumultuous season. You can also hear Dr. Lauren talk about election stress in this podcast episode. And remember, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the news or the election season, seeking the help of a professional therapist or counselor can help.

two young women having a tough conversation.

relationships

10 Tips for Talking to People with Different Beliefs

This is a time of immense division, and that often leads to heated and harmful conversations. No one really wants to have uncomfortable conversations, but if we don’t prepare ourselves for when the moment arises, we aren’t going to make any progress to overcoming our differences of opinion. Here are 10 tips on how to have a conversation with someone from the other side. Tip 1: Be Clear with Yourself. What are you hoping to achieve with this conversation? Is it to convert someone to your way of thinking? Defend your position or try to understand their thinking? Having that self-awareness will help keep you focused during the conversation. Tip 2: Actively Listen and Reflect Back. What happens when a toddler isn’t being heard? They scream louder or start to flail around. People just want to be heard and seen. As you listen to someone, repeat back what they said in the same way that they said it - words and tone and ask them to verify if you got it right. This helps people feel confident they are being understood and provides cognitive empathy. For more training on this technique, check out Edwin Rutsch’s Empathy Circles. Tip 3: Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Empathy for Yourself. It can be useful to say to someone “I hope you can see where I’m coming from…” and ask them to have some cognitive empathy with you. It helps move someone from repeating their talking points to having to reframe and reflect back what you are saying. And it gives you a chance to clarify your position to them. Tip 4: Take a Curious Breath. As many of them as you need. The act of a big inhale/exhale can help make space in your mind to figure out how you might respond instead of reacting in a way that is going to escalate the conversation instead of defuse it. Tip 5: Share Personal Stories. I’ve always found it’s much harder to be judgmental about someone you know rather than a large anonymous group. There’s a lot of ‘othering’ in politics. Break through that by sharing your own experiences or those of people you know. Share why a political issue is personally important to you. Tip 6: Agree Where There is Agreement. Defuse the ‘us v. them’ mentality by agreeing where there is common ground. Perhaps immigration reform is something you both agree on but the way to do it remains at issue. Acknowledge that you agree on the larger topic and then steer the conversation into ‘what can we do about it’. Tip 7: Remain Respectful through Empathy. Keep in mind that just like you feel strongly about your issues, the other person does too. Try to connect with an issue on a personal level that is informing their political views. Tip 8: Get Curious. Ask questions about their views, where they came from, what they’ve experienced in relation to that. It will help move the conversation from a stand-off back into a dialogue. Tip 9: Remember Your Connection Points to the Other Human. Recall what you know about the person you are talking to. Remind yourself of the things you have in common. Tip 10: Having Empathy Doesn’t Mean That You Have to Agree. Many people hold this idea that having empathy with someone means that you agree with them. That’s not true. It just means you understand where they are coming from or connect with their feelings. It doesn’t mean that you have to give up your own views. Rob Volpe is an empathy activist, consultant and thought leader and author of Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time. To sign up for his bi-weekly newsletter, click here. To reach out to him directly, email him at rob@robvolpe.expert.

woman creating vision board with cup of coffee.

Wellness

Create Your Own Self-Love Vision Board

The most important relationship that you will ever have in your life is your relationship with yourself. Creating a self-love vision board is a creative and relaxing exercise that offers an opportunity to cultivate a strong sense of love and acceptance through creativity and the power of visualization. Vision boards are a collection of images, words, and memories arranged to inspire you and help you manifest your goals or vision. Visualization and manifestation are empowering tools to create a positive and more accepting connection with yourself.  When we have a healthy level of self-love and self-esteem, it significantly impacts our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Vision boards are an amazing tool to help you tap into Love for Self. Ask yourself: Who am I? What am I calling in? What brings me joy? What do I love most about my life?  Once you create a vision board, we recommend placing it where you will see it often — such as near a mirror or on the wall in a room you use frequently. Remember to take a moment each day (or several times throughout the day) to look at it and reflect on what it means to you. Vision Boarding Materials: Poster board, as big or small as you desire. Pro tip: you can leave space to add on throughout the year whenever inspiration strikes you. Stickers! Give yourself a gold star! Magazines, postcards, cut outs. You may be surprised where you’ll find inspiration and what messages or images you’ll find on everything from receipts to old flyers once you begin looking. Scotch tape, scissors, glue — or even better: glitter glue! Markers, gel pens, colored pencils, crayons. (Yes, crayons!) Childhood photo. Connect with little you, and make time to PLAY! At no extra cost: your own imagination and creativity.  Listen to our podcast episode on Embracing Self-Love to hear how we create self-love vision boards in our workshops — and to get more ideas on how to create yours!

Dawn McMullan and Gorethy Nabushosi with some of the students in the Congo Restoration sewing school.

Philanthropy

Restoring Women’s Lives in the Congo

When Dawn McMullan visited Africa in 2007, she never dreamed it would change her life in so many ways — or change the lives of others. “I went to Rwanda on a trip with my church and saw things I didn’t know existed,” says Dawn, a freelance writer and editor in Dallas, Texas. The country had been ravaged by civil war in the mid-90s; more than 1 million people died in Rwanda and 6 million were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I’d seen deep poverty [on other mission trips], but I hadn’t seen a lack of infrastructure where basic human needs were just unreachable.” That experience was still fresh in her mind when she met Gorethy Nabushosi less than a year later. Gorethy, a refugee who had fled the Congo in 1997 and raised her six children in Dallas, had visited her home country to see how she could help. A decade after the genocide, she saw a system that was completely broken. [caption id="attachment_19859" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Gorethy Nabushosi with twin fifth grade students from the Congo Restoration sewing school.[/caption] “She went to a village and basically found a lot of orphans and took in all 30 kids,” Dawn says. “Then she called her husband and said, ‘I need $1,000 to figure out what to do with these kids. I can’t leave them.’ And that’s how it began.” Unsure of where to turn, Gorethy returned to Dallas and reached out to a Methodist church for help. The church connected her with Dawn, who immediately jumped on board. “When Gorethy came into my life, I was already somewhat familiar with the situation and had this great, inexplicable passion for it,” Dawn says. “From there, we started what became Congo Restoration.” Changing Africa One Woman at a Time The first order of business was to secure a home with caretakers for the 30 orphans Gorethy had taken in. Then, they focused on empowering women through education. In 2010, they started a sewing school that provided girls with a skill and a six-month education. In the Congo, girls and women are usually sent to work in the fields; Gorethy knew that offering them an education would be life changing. “Not only does that give them a way to make money that they didn’t have before, but it also raises them up in society,” Dawn explains. “They’re no longer the lowest ranks of society; they are respected women, because they have a business. They can send their kids to school. They’re in charge of their financial destiny. And that is not a thing in the Democratic Republic of Congo that a woman would usually be in charge of.” Initially, it was a hard sell to convince parents to take their daughters away from working in the fields to teach them a skill because it meant the girl wouldn’t be bringing home money during that time. Sometimes, Dawn says, they had to offer the family things of value like soap or salt to seal the deal. But the sewing school has now graduated more than 800 women, supplying each one with a sewing machine and a sewing kit with everything they need to start their own business. Creating a Brighter Future “Now when we're about to graduate a class, hundreds of women line up wanting to be in that next class,” Dawn says. “Their families cry when they get their diploma. It’s a shift in how the community sees these women.” She also sees dramatic changes in the women who attend the school: “We teach them a lot of things in those six months. Sewing is one of them, but there are other things we teach them about how valuable they are. And by the time they graduate, you can see that in their eyes.” Congo Restoration continues changing the lives of families in the Congo, but Dawn says she is the one who has gained so much from the work. “When I go to Congo, when I’m doing things for the schools, I get so much thanks from the people there,” she says. “But they have no idea how much they’re changing me, how much they’re teaching me. I wish everyone could find the one thing they can do like that that lights them up. “If everybody did something with a passion to do good in the world, there’s just no way the world’s not benefiting from all that good energy.” [caption id="attachment_19865" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Gorethy Nabushosi with recent graduates of Congo Restoration's sewing school.[/caption]

Community

Spread More Happiness in Your Community This March

With global unhappiness on the rise and more people experiencing feelings of worry, stress, loneliness, and sadness, it’s clear that we all need to pitch in and to do our part to make the world a happier place. Since 2013, Live Happy has been celebrating the International Day of Happiness (IDOH) on March 20 with a month-long #HappyActs campaign to bring awareness to happiness and well-being. This year’s #HappyActs theme is all about building stronger communities because improving the places where we live, work and play benefits us all. Community can have many definitions but at its core, it is people helping people. When we all work together, we can enjoy a more harmonious life. Whether it’s checking in on an elderly neighbor, cleaning up your local park, or volunteering your time at a local animal shelter, we all have the responsibility to make a positive difference. Every act of kindness has the chance to not only make the beneficiaries happy, but also the people who perform these acts. That’s a winning combination. During the month of March, Live Happy is calling on all Happy Activists to go to livehappy.com/happyacts to learn how to participate in this year’s IDOH 2023 celebration. Here are just a few things you can do make sure you are spreading happiness to those in your community. Host Your Own Happiness Wall At, LiveHappy.com, you can find several ideas on how to create your own Happiness Wall, download a printable Happiness Wall that can be posted almost anywhere, or order Poster Happiness wall from the Live Happy store. It doesn’t matter what type of wall you create, just as long as you register it with us here. Join thousands of Happy Activists around the world by hosting Happiness Walls in public viewing areas, including parks, shopping malls and businesses. Classrooms and offices can be also great places for a Happiness Wall. Celebrating IDOH 2023 is a fun way to share happiness with your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and community members. Make #HappyActs a Happy Habit All Month Long While acts of kindness should be positive habits practiced all year long, Live Happy is encouraging all Happy Activists to download their very own free #HappyActs calendar with a different act of kindness idea for each day of the month. That’s 31 #HappyActs all dedicated to making your community stronger. You can plant some flowers or vegetables in your community garden, leave a positive review for your favorite neighborhood business or just give someone a sincere compliment. These #HappyActs will not only make other happy, but your happiness will increase too. Don’t forget to let us know through your social media by using #LiveHappy and #HappyActs.

The Happiness Benefits of Planting a Butterfly Garden — for You and Your Kids

Finding Awe in the Everyday Chaos of Parenting

How to Find Friends: A Guide to Meaningful Connections

Todd Bridges Spreads Positivity and Enlightenment on New Podcast

Watching Live Sports May Boost Happiness and Reduce Loneliness

De-stressing for the Presidential Debate

10 Tips for Talking to People with Different Beliefs

Create Your Own Self-Love Vision Board

Restoring Women’s Lives in the Congo

Spread More Happiness in Your Community This March

Store

Articles

Quick Links