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Giving is the Reason for the Season

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! We encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! December's Happy Act theme is altruism. French philosopher Auguste Comte, the father of positivism, first defined the term of altruism as a social act that is the opposite of self-centeredness, even though the giver does receive personal satisfaction from giving. If you are motivated to serve the welfare of others without expecting anything in return, then you are more than likely an altruistic person. When we embrace each other with compassion and kindness, we create an opportunity to be better human beings to each other. While research into the benefits of altruism continues, many studies suggest the more generous we are, the better off we will be. December's Happy Act is to give a little extra this holiday season to someone in need. In his book Altruism: The Power of Compassion the Change Yourself and the World, Matthieu Ricard writes: “our existence is usually woven from deeds of cooperation, friendship, affection and care.” Whether it’s the ringing of the bell outside of the department store or serving warm meals for the hungry or shoveling a neighbor's sidewalk, don’t miss the call to pay a little more attention to others and make the holidays merrier for everyone. Our December Happy Activist is Carol Novello, founder of Mutual Rescue, author of Mutual Rescue: How Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too and president of Humane Society Silicon Valley in California. Carol displays her altruism by rescuing homeless animals, and in turn, placing those animals in happy homes. The result, she says, is a transforming experience for the people who adopt these animals in need. “Animals bring so much joy into our lives … part of the altruism in helping animals, is that you are really helping people too,” she says. “When you connect an animal with a person, you are enriching two lives.” For more on altruism, check out these articles: A Twist of Faith How to Be Compassionate Toward Difficult People The Giving Way to Happiness With Jenny Santi Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

#HappyActs

Kindness Counts When Sharing Happiness

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! We encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! November’s Happy Act theme is kindness. People who practice kindness show more compassion and are more willing to help people in need. According to Character Strengths Interventions: A Field Guide for Practitioners by Ryan Niemiec, Psy.D., when we add more kindness into our lives, we help alleviate some of the negative effects of stress and anxiety. Kindness is also associated with other important character strengths, such as gratitude, leadership and love. November’s Happy Act is to make the world a kinder place through good deeds, favors and helping others. This month, think about how many ways you can do something nice for someone else, for example, raking leaves or shoveling snow for a neighbor, giving extra for holiday charity drives or just holding the door for some who has their hands full. If it helps, make a plan of action beforehand, so you’ll be prepared when a moment to practice kindness presents itself. Don’t forget to write down each time you do something kind for someone else and how it made you feel. At the end of the month, reflect on your kind acts and see if your attitude and mindset changed at all. Our November Happy Activist is Marilyn Boss, aka The Happy Lady. This Floridian retired from corporate life and now focuses on bringing happiness into the lives of others through acts of kindness and happiness workshops. “You never know whose life will change with one Happy Act of Kindness,” Marilyn says. “Happiness is a choice and we get to choose it every day.” Every year on the International Day of Happiness, Marilyn sponsors multiple Happiness Walls by sharing happiness and happy acts in classrooms, before and after school programs, summer camps, Job Corps of America and the homes of veterans. Her goal is to sponsor more than 100 walls in just three years. “I have such gratitude for how Happiness Walls have changed my life,” she says. “I learned along the way how to use the tools that I share to be truly happy and I want that for everyone.” For more on kindness, check out these articles: Happy World Kindness Day! Four Ways to Grow Kind Kids 'The Kind Mama' Builds Community Practice Random Acts of Kindness Every Day Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

#HappyActs

Be Positively Optimistic

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! Every month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! October’s Happy Act theme is optimism. Optimistic people feel good about their future and are confident they will achieve positive outcomes. When we adapt to a positive mindset, we enjoy many mental and physical benefits, including lower stress and anxiety, stronger immune systems, better quality sleep and better coping skills. That’s not to say that we put our heads in the sand when bad things happen, but as optimists, we have the power to accept the negativity, deal with it and then move in a positive way. October’s Happy Act is optimism. People who see the glass half full also have better relationships and social interactions which can spread exponentially to other people. This behavior can create a ripple effect of happiness. Throughout your day, try making as many positive connections as you can. It can be a small gesture, such as a kind smile; or something greater, such as seeking out someone who is feeling down and out and letting them know how much you value them as a person and care about the positive outcomes of their future. Your kind gesture just might be the catalyst to turn someone’s day around. A recent study shows that our optimism can extend vicariously to other people, even strangers, when we hold positive and hopeful views about them. Our October Happy Activist is author and mental health advocate Mark Simmonds. His latest memoir Breakdown and Repair: A Father’s Tale of Stress and Success tells the story of how Mark went from suffering a mental breakdown due to stress and on the brink of suicide to championing for destigmatizing mental illness. Despite several setbacks, including helping his daughter Emily battle anorexia, Mark’s hope, resilience and optimism have kept him moving toward his goals for better mental health. After six long years, Emily has overcome the illness and is now thriving. “You are going to get confronted with lots of different situations in life,” he says. “When you come out of them, the reward and recognition you will get for showing resilience will be well worth the effort.” For more on optimism, check out these articles: The New Definition of Happiness Cultural Change and Moral Power A Positive Approach to Problems Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

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#HappyActs

Resilience Clears the Path to a Meaningful Life.

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! September’s Happy Act theme is resilience. The ability to persevere and reach your goals no matter what obstacles stand in your way is attributed to your resilience. Like many strengths, resilience builds like a muscle for the times when you need it the most. People who are resilient tend to find more positive outcomes in life, see hope in dire situations, view adversities as challenges to overcome and are more likely to help others achieve their goals. September’s Happy Act is to strengthen your resilience by being supportive. If you are a resilient person, then odds are that you have overcome adversity in your life and have developed the coping skills to get you through those hard times. According Dr. Morley Glicken’s book Learning From Resilient People, using your skills to help other people through their time of need not only eases their stress, but strengthens your social bonds with the people you are helping. This adds meaning to your life and increases your happiness. Think about someone in your life that can use your support and write out an action plan with steps on how to accomplish that goal. Leave some room to write down how you feel after completing this task. Our September Happy Activist is champion boxer and mental health advocate Mia St. John. Mia has endured serious tragedies in her life. In 2014, her son Julian, a long-time sufferer of mental illness, fell victim to suicide. Earlier this year, her ex-husband and father to Julian, Kristoff St. John passed away. Soon after, she lost 30 years of sobriety. “There was a point where I thought that I would not recover and I was at my lowest low,” she explains. “There was nowhere to go, I felt, but up. That's my personality.” She says when she finds herself having to make the choice of hope over despair, she has no choice but to keep up the good fight. “I never stop fighting my way through the storm.” Now, Mia is making it her mission to help parents, educators, friends and spouses identify the signs of mental illness so loved ones can get the help they need. She created the Mia St. John Foundation to help empower people suffering from mental illness, addiction, poverty and homelessness. Because of her advocacy and dedication, she is giving people an opportunity to overcome adversity and restore self-worth. “All of us have suffered in our lives," Mia says. "Change comes always and nothing stays the same—not the good or the bad. By overcoming our obstacles, we evolve as humans.” For more information on resilience, check out the links below: When Resilience Meets Agility The Bounce-Back Effect Building Resilience and Well-Being With Karen Reivich 5 Essential Factors for Raising Resilient Kids Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

#HappyActs

Changing the Future With Positive Education

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! August’s Happy Act theme is positive education. Psychologist and founding member of positive psychology Martin Seligman, Ph.D., defines positive education as “the intersection of traditional education with the building of well-being.” The goal of positive education is help young people find and develop their character strengths so they can thrive in life. Research shows that students who participated in programs that taught both academic and social and emotional health, had a 10% improvement in grades and well-being as well as a buffer against anger, anxiety and depression. August’s Happy Act is to lead by example by developing your own character strengths while teaching young people about the character strengths they need to flourish, such as kindness, forgiveness, leadership and perseverance. By providing tools to improving social and emotional health, they have the ability to improve their well-being and live a happier life. Psychologist and bestselling author Lea Waters, Ph.D. spoke at the 2018 Festival of Positive Education in Fort Worth, Texas and said, “parenting is a really important piece of the positive education puzzle.” Check out the VIA Institute on Character to find out more about character strengths and how you can apply them to your life as well as those around you. Our August Happy Activist is elementary school teacher Lucie Buissereth-Lindner in Stockholm, Sweden. She says she tries to make the world a happier place by making small impactful changes in her students’ lives every day. “Teaching kids the importance of a relentless work ethic, authenticity and self-belief is the way I give back in hopes to create an army of leaders and a legacy of excellence!” she says. Lucie and her students are working toward competing in the World Inter-School Rope Skipping Championship 2019 in Belgium. “Not only will they test their strengths, and power, but also build self-confidence, make new friends, and broaden their horizons!” Their team is called 'The HusbyGårds Hopprep Starzzz ' which translates to “Super Enthusiastic, Hard-working, Talented Girls and Boys of Sweden!” For more information on positive education, check out the links below: Character and Well-Being 4 Ideas Shaping the Future of Education The Importance of Positive Education The Power of Character Strengths With Ryan Niemiec Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

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#HappyActs

Build Happy Communities Through Acts of Kindness

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more people who join the #HappyActs movement, the greater the positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! July’s Happy Act theme is community. Research shows that strong, engaging communities are safer, healthier and happier. Making positive connections with our neighbors makes us feel like we are part of something bigger than ourselves and we are less likely to live in isolation, which can have adverse effects on our mental and physical well-being. July’s Happy Act is to do something positive to make a difference in your community. Amy Blankson, author and Live Happy contributor, writes in her article, “Start a Ripple of Kindness in Your Community,” that “you do not have to have a lot of time or money or status or even connections—you just have to have a willingness to make someone’s day just a bit brighter and the follow-through to accomplish it.” Even small gestures can add up in a big way, such as volunteering for your local Habitat for Humanity or take the time to welcome a new neighbor to the neighborhood. These good deeds not only make the people we help happy, but we get happiness from helping others, too. Community helps makes you feel balanced. It makes you feel a connection with everyone." — Mariel Hemingway Our July Happy Activist is Jaxson Turner, an 11-year-old from Plano, Texas. This youngster is already wise beyond his years and understands that a thriving community means helping those in need. For his 11th birthday, Jaxson has raised more than $12,000 through GoFundMe to help give the homeless an Easter dinner. In 2018, in lieu of Christmas gifts, he asked people to donate to a local homeless shelter so the children can enjoy the holidays. He clearly has gone above and beyond to help others. “It brings me happiness to help others in need and touch their heart for a lifetime and hopefully make them smile for a day,” Jaxson says. According to Jaxson, it is very important to care about those in need, because you never know when we will need a helping hand in life. He says helping others “makes the community happy and it helps the less fortunate feel like the community cares about them.” Jaxson's latest endeavor involves selling lemonade to raise funds for back-to-school necessities, including haircuts, school supplies and backpacks. Way to go, Jaxson! To find out more about Jaxson and his charitable actions, check out his Facebook page. For more information on how to give back to your community, read the articles listed below. 10 Ways to Build Community 31 Days of Community Community Gardens Grow Happiness Revitalizing Community for Renewed Happiness Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

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Let Perseverance Guide Your Happiness

Welcome, Happy Activists! What is a Happy Activist? A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more who join the #HappyActs movement, the more positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! June's happiness theme is perseverance. In Ryan Niemiec’s book Character Strengths Interventions, perseverance is defined as the ability to take pleasure in getting things done. Studies have repeatedly shown that perseverance has been tied to academic, personal and professional success. When we engage in perseverance, we are actively engaged in our lives, which can often lead to a state of flow. During this experience, all of your stressors melt away as you focus on the task at hand. All it takes is time and effort. June’s Happy Act is optimism. A key factor in perseverance is maintaining optimism. If you feel good about yourself and your abilities to complete your goals, then you are more than likely going to cross the finish line. Small defeats are just bumps in the road on your journey to success. Plus, the more optimistic you are, the greater chance that the people around will be too. Happiness attracts happiness. The next time you experience any setbacks, think about the positive angle to having these adversities: What have you learned from the adversity? How can you grow from your setback? How will this new knowledge help you in the future? Spend 15 to 20 minutes pondering these questions, then write down how you may benefit from it. Ryan calls this exercise benefit-finding. Research has shown that people who practice benefit-finding often become more forgiving, which is another character strength that can make you happier. Our May Happy Activist is Paula Francis. She is the co-founder and president of Gross National Happiness USA (GNHUSA), as well as a Chief Happiness Walker. A little over a decade ago, she became one of the original founders of GNHUSA, an organization that champions and encourages the use of Gross National Happiness to measure human progress and flourishing. She then traveled to Bhutan, a country that adopted GNH in 1972, to see how it all works. Since then, she has dedicated her life to promoting happiness for all people. In 2014, she committed to The Happiness Walk, a 10,000-mile trek across the country, interviewing people and to bring awareness to human happiness and what matters most in life. She is scheduled to complete her journey this fall in New England, where her happiness journey began. “It has been an incredibly rich journey for me personally. I have learned many things along the way,” she says. “One of them is to not hold on to fear and to allow things to happen. And when they happen at their own time it’s usually in the best possible way.” She says she has also learned that people are kind, generous and want to connect with one another. “That’s a very positive message for me. And what this brings to people that I meet, I hope, is the opportunity to reflect on the things that are truly important in life.” For more information on how perseverance can help you thrive, read the articles listed below. 3 Strategies to Build More Perseverance Do You Have Enough Grit The Power of Grit Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

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Mental Health Care is Self-Care

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! Each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more who join the #HappyActs movement, the more positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! May's happiness theme is mental health awareness. According to a recent survey from Harris Polls on behalf of the American Psychological Association, Americans are more open to talking about mental health, believing that people suffering from mental health disorders can get better and should not be ashamed of their situation. Through awareness we can continue take away the social stigma surrounding these issues and realize that mental health is a part of our overall health. When we address our problems head on, we can illuminate the path to healthier, happier lives. Mental health disorders can be common and we may not even realize we are suffering from one. Symptoms such as excessive worrying, lack of energy and social avoidance may be warning signs that something is not quite right. It’s always good to check with your physician or mental health provider to find out if you need a simple mental health screening or any mental health treatment. May’s Happy Act is reaching out to a friend in need. Too often we let technology isolate us from the rest of the world. Studies show that this type of behavior is antisocial and could lead to loneliness and depression, which is bad for your mental health. We encourage you to reach out to a friend or family member that you may not have talked to in a while and reconnect. You’ll both be glad that you did. Our May Happy Activist is Priscilla Herd from Pennsylvania. Priscilla is a counselor at a substance abuse and mental health treatment center where she spends her days giving to others by conducting individual and group therapy for intensive outpatients as well as various levels of care. According to her, “the population we serve is in need of changing their mindset, their environments, their friends and need to engage with happy, positive people, thoughts and things in life. It’s a very real and difficult challenge.” She helps her patients change their addictive thought process into a more positive and other-centered process, while simultaneously teaching the importance of self-care as well, which helps the most in recovery. “Many people may have never known anything positive before entering treatment and recovery,” she says. For more information on mental health, read the articles listed below: How to Go From Recovering to Really Thriving 5 Tools for a Healthy and Happy Mind Finding Mental Wellness with Tipper Gore Mental Health Mission What Do You Live About Yourself? Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall. Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

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Empowerment to the People

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more who join the #HappyActs movement, the more positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters! February’s happiness theme is empowerment. Helping others feel a sense of empowerment can be a powerful thing. In a recent Live Happy article, actress Britney Young, described how portraying Carmen “Machu Picchu” Wade on the hit Netflix show GLOW, really taught her about her inner strength and how much she could help others. “I hope audiences are inspired to break down their own barriers and go after things they have always been dreaming of, or have been afraid of attempting. Because once those boundaries are broken, anything is possible,” she says. We couldn’t agree more. Our February Happy Act is to help people feel empowered. In Paula Felps’ Live Happy article, Shower Trucks Helps Nashville’s Homeless, she tells the story of a couple who started a mobile shower stations for the homeless. The idea was so inspirational, soon, hair stylists and barbers pitched in offering free haircuts and shaves. These are regular people using their talents and skills to help people in need, turning despair into dignity. Look for the ways in your life where your talents to be a source of inspiration and empowerment for others. If you are musically gifted, you can piano lessons for free, or if you are handy, then help build houses with Habitat for Humanity. There are plenty of ways you can help people feel confident and hopeful again. Our February Happy Activist is Luc Swensson from Boise, Idaho. This impressive 13-year-old, has been helping others feel good about themselves for almost half of his life. At age 8, he started raising money for patients suffering from pediatric cancer, and just recently, he launched the I Love This Life Foundation. With this foundation, Luc travels the country encouraging kids to be their best selves. To find out more about Luc and his work, go to ilovethislife.org. For more inspiring stories about empowerment: Stitching Lives Back Together Rowing the Pacific The Empowered Britney Young Find Your Tribe Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall for the International Day of Happiness (March 20). Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.

Celebrate International Day of Happiness on March 20 with fun and festivities.

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Host a Wall to Share Your #HappyActs!

Join Live Happy and many Happy Activists as we celebrate the annual International Day of Happiness (IDOH) on March 20. In addition, all month long, we’ll be sharing ideas, stories, videos and more on how to spread kindness, compassion and love with your friends, neighbors and co-workers. Here’s what you can do to get in on the action: Host a Happiness Wall Help us get a record-breaking number of Happiness Walls around the world. We have everything you need to spread joy right where you are. Whether you're a do-it-yourselfer or a keep-it-simple kind of person, you can create your own Happiness Wall with ease. Let’s get started! Invite family and friends, the community and even the media to share the moment. Be creative—use decorations and balloons—make it a festive event. Find some inspiration from past Happiness Wall events. Bring your very own Happiness Wall home with our new Wall Poster—it’s that easy! Teach your kids the importance of kindness, compassion and giving back. Finally, take pictures and share them with us on social media using #HappyActs and #LiveHappy! Attend a Happiness Wall Event Find out where your closest Happiness Wall is and attend a local event—make it a family affair! Perform #HappyActs Get inspired by daily themed happy acts such as posting a video of your happy dance, thanking your boss or co-worker, or donating your time to a worthy cause. Do, learn and share your #HappyActs on social media (make sure to use the hashtag!). Become a Happy Activist Join our Live Happy #HappyActs Wall Hosts Facebook group to find other Happiness Activists near you, listen to inspirational wall stories and get great wall ideas. Encourage others to perform #HappyActs. Sign up for our e-newsletter to learn more about why you get that warm, fuzzy feeling when you share #HappyActs. Go to happyacts.org to learn more!

Giving is the Reason for the Season

Kindness Counts When Sharing Happiness

Be Positively Optimistic

Resilience Clears the Path to a Meaningful Life.

Changing the Future With Positive Education

Build Happy Communities Through Acts of Kindness

Let Perseverance Guide Your Happiness

Mental Health Care is Self-Care

Empowerment to the People

Host a Wall to Share Your #HappyActs!

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