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Give someone a sincere compliment.

Give Someone a Sincere Compliment

Compliment someone and let them know they are sincerely appreciated. DISCOVER 3 Ways to Spread Success and Happiness Positive inception is not just about spreading happiness but about helping others see the reality in which success (and happiness) is possible. LISTEN Become Your Own Biggest Cheerleader With Mel Robbins What if you could change your entire day—every day—with a high five? Mel Robbins latest book, The High 5 Habit, introduces a fascinating, scientifically proven new way to become your own biggest cheerleader.
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Eight Years Later and We’re Still Making the World a Happier Place

Live Happy continues to be your guide on your journey to finding authentic happiness. In 2013, Live Happy launched with a mission of promoting and sharing authentic happiness through education, integrity, gratitude, and community awareness. As we celebrate our eighth-year anniversary this month, we are continuing to bring the happiness movement to you by keeping you informed on the science of happiness and well-being as well as providing you with the tips and tools to live a flourishing life. Founded in 2013 by veteran entrepreneur Jeff Olson and CEO Deborah Heisz, Live Happy has accomplished many milestones over the years, including being the first mainstream lifestyle magazine based in the science of positive psychology, the opportunity to address the United Nations on the importance of happiness, multiple industry awards and garnering more than 1 million downloads of our Live Happy Now Podcast. While we are certainly proud of everything we have achieved (and achievement is important to happiness), it’s not so much what we have done that is important, it’s what we have learned over the years. We have taken the science of happiness out of the halls of academia and shared it with you. Here is a list of happy practices you can do every day to make your world a happier place: Be Kind Kindness is the goodness glue that holds us all together. When we practice kindness, we are telling others that they matter. Kindness is also associated with other important character strengths, such as gratitude, leadership and love. It takes very little to make someone's day a little brighter. The next time you see someone, try viewing them through kind eyes and less judgment. You don’t even have to be verbal about it. You can just wish them well within the confines of your own mind. Of course, random acts of kindness are great, too, because it creates a ripple effect of niceness that spreads happiness. Be Grateful Practicing gratitude is more than just saying, “thank you,” it is a mindset of thankfulness that is quite possibly the magic elixir to happiness. According to science, when practiced regularly, gratitude can improve your mental and physical well-being. Gratitude strengthens relationships, improves life and work satisfaction and increases happiness. Once you get into a groove, it can even keep those happy vibes going for weeks and even months. Best of all, gratitude doesn’t cost a thing, so the emotional investment is well worth the return. Be Humorous Humor is a strength that literally lightens your mood. That’s what it is designed to do. Humor brings out a playfulness that eases our stress and lets us know we are in a safe place. What’s more, a good belly laugh can release all the happy hormones in your body, such as oxytocin, endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, and opens up the reward centers in your brain. You don’t even have to be inherently hilarious to benefit from humor, you just have to look for the funny. Studies also show that you can even fake your laughter and you’ll still get the same benefits. Eventually, your fake chuckles will turn into real bonafide yucks. Don’t believe us, give it a try. We’ll wait. Be Resilient The global pandemic has surely tested our mettle. Stress levels have been pushed to a tipping point, isolation has made us lonelier and many have experienced extreme grief from losing loved ones to COVID-19. If there was ever a time in your life when you needed resilience, it’s now. Resilience is the ability to persevere through adversity, no matter what obstacles stand in your way. People who rely on resilience find hope in dire situations, view setbacks as challenges and not a failure and oftentimes end up being stronger for having prevailed. If you are a resilient person, then odds are that you have overcome adversity in your life and have developed the skills to get you through it. Be Happy The most important lesson we have learned at Live Happy is that happiness truly is a choice. While it does take work, you can choose the happiness you want in this world. Happy people find more positive outcomes in theirs lives, enjoy higher life satisfaction, find more success at work, and are generally healthier. We at Live Happy have spent the last eight years giving you the information you need to live a happier life. We will continue to do so because whether you are living in a small village at the end of the earth or in a large booming metropolis, we believe everyone deserves more authentic happiness in their lives. For more on our conversation about what we have learned about happiness, check out our latest podcast on Live Happy Now.
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8 Easy Practices to Enhance Gratitude

These simple exercises will improve your sense of wellbeing all year. We have read it over and over again in positive psychology research, from Martin Seligman to Shawn Achor: If there is a one-word answer to the secret of happiness, it is gratitude.Gratitude may just be the strongest tool in the kit when it comes to pulling ourselves and others out of a funk, or rebooting a terrible blue mood. Here are some simple exercises that can enhance your sense of gratitude and all year round. 1. Savor Slow down! Stop, breathe, take notice, and delight in the present moment. Let yourself get excited about little things. Cultivate tiny moments of joy, and notice those times when they spontaneously happen. 2. Plan experiences What can you plan this season that will make your holidays more memorable? Be purposeful about planning and creating special experiences, and you will reap the rewards. Is there a tradition you can renew? An activity you can plan with your family in town that will create a cherished memory? It could be as simple as taking a photo of extended family or tossing a football together in the backyard. 3. Play music Listening to music can make us feel more alive. When you play music that resonates with you, it heightens your senses and gives you a greater feeling of awe and reverence for life. Create a playlist that you feel deeply connected to personally. Tune into it when you need a gratitude lift or a shift in perspective. 4. Write a letter to your younger self Happiness researcher and author Shawn Achor suggests writing a letter to your younger self with the wisdom you have today.  This simple act can transform your past (by showing yourself compassion) and can transform your present. Read your letter and you will likely find advice you can still use today. 5. Make a highlights list What are your stand-out experiences for each month of this year? Capture those in a simple list. You will experience more gratitude as you recall special experiences, trips and treasured memories. Sometimes time moves so fast we miss the gratitude that comes from reminding ourselves of how fulfilling our lives already are. 6. Fall asleep to gratitude In a journal, write down what you feel thankful for each day. Capture specifics and small details. Make this the last activity you do before you fall asleep. Not only are you immersing yourself in all that brings you joy, you are putting your mind in a thankful and positive place before you drift off to sleep. 7. Make a resilience list Write down five tough times and how you made it through. We all need reminders that we are stronger than we think. When you know you can cope with what comes your way, you can put worry down and more fully live in the present moment. 8. Take the focus off you Do something nice for someone else that is totally unexpected. Leave a happy note for your waitress, pay it forward and buy that eggnog latte for the car behind you in line at Starbucks, or call someone you haven’t talked with in a while. Happy acts for other people give you a sense of contentment, too.
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In the News

Home » In the News August 9, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on Yahoo Entertainment re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 9, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on Standard Republic re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 9, 2017- Live Happy mentioned on ABC7 Chicago re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on Celebrity Insider re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on E!news re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, again. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on FOX News Entertainment re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned in Cosmopolitan.com re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned in IBTimes.uk re Anna and Chris. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned in News.com.au re Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 8. 2017 - Live Happy mentioned in Page Six re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on CNN re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 8, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on ET online re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 7, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned in IMDB.com news re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 7, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned and magazine cover shown on Exttra! TV online re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 7, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on Entertainment Tonight online re: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. August 7, 2017 - Live Happy mentioned on E News! regarding Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. July 31, 2017 - Live Happy and Michelle Gielan mentioned in article in Inc.com. July 21, 2017 - Live Happy Editor at Large Stacy Kaiser and Live Happy are mentioned in an article on SheKnows.com about body image. July 20, 2017 - Live Happy Editor at Large Stacy Kaiser featured on KTLA newscast to discuss the Netflix film To The Bone. July 19, 2017 - Live Happy Editor at Large Stacy Kaiser featured on Good Day L.A. July 18, 2017 - Live Happy Editor at Large Stacy Kaiser featured on FoxLA.com. August 30, 2016 - Live Happy Editor at Large Stacy Kaiser featured on KTLA Newscast re: Making the Best of Your Empty Nest. March 16, 2016 - Live Happy and Happy Acts featured in the Kansas City Star. January 12, 2016 -SheScribes.com featured Live Happy in a piece on how to be happy in the New Year, which included reference to the magazine, website and magnetic chalkboard, recipe sign and water bottle January 5, 2016 -Good Morning Texas had Live Happy COO, Deborah Heisz, in-studio for a LIVE segment January 1, 2016 -DFW.CBSlocal.com interviewed Deborah Heisz for article "Ask a DFW Expert: 5 Best Snow Day Activities" December 30, 2015 - TODAY Show revealed online coverage of Live Happy Editor-at-Large, Stacy Kasier, TODAY show segment "How to Hang On To Holiday Joy" (Even After the Holidays) December 29, 2015 -TODAY Show aired segment with Stacy Kaiser on the topic of “joy” related to the season and carrying on into the New Year December 18, 2015 -MariaShriver.com featured article by Stacy Kaiser, "When Gift Giving Goes Wrong…7 Things You Can Do" December 11, 2015 -WPTV NewsChannel 5 at 5 NBC mentioned Live Happy's tips on giving "redeemable" gifts December 11, 2015 -MariaShriver.com posted "3 Secrets for De-Stressing The Season & Enjoying the Holidays" December 9, 2015 -Twitter.com/ToTheMotherhoodtweeted a picture of Live Happy Nov/Dec issue cover and subscription December 9, 2015 -WSVN Channel 7 News FOXMention’s Deborah Heisz's tip on giving adult coloring books December 8, 2015 -KPTV More Good Day Oregon, FOX Portland featured Deborah Heisz's clip on returning gifts December 8, 2015 - WGHP Fox 8 News (FOX) mentions Live Happy magazine in segment about subscription gifts December 8, 2015 -Greatist.com featured Stacy Kaiser's expertise in "The Best Way to Respond to Passive Aggressive People" December 4, 2015 -WSVN 7 News Miami (FOX) picked up Fox News Edge, introduced Deborah K. Heisz as Live Happy director and featured gift clip December 3, 2015 -Fox 13 News Salt Lake City (KSTU) mentioned Deborah Heisz and Live Happy magazine in a piece on gift giving this season December 3, 2015 -GQ Magazine Mexico featured article on Jeff Olson and mentioned LiveHappy.com Mexico launch December 2, 2015 - Prevention.com featured Stacy Kaiser's thoughts in article "The 2-Second Relationship Fix That Works" December 2, 2015 -The Hoda Show (Sirius XM radio) had Stacy on LIVE for her ongoing monthly segment in which she discussed holiday gift giving November 30, 2015 -Healthzette.com featured Stacy Kaiser's thoughts in article, "When Bad Habits are Good" November 30, 2015 -MariaShriver.com posted "5 Tips to Get Fit" article from magazine November 23, 2015 -ABCNews.go.com featured Deborah Heisz's tips on a piece about how to MAINTAIN HAPPINESS during the Holidays November 23, 2015 -Just Jenny (Sirius XM) interviewed Live Happy COO, Deborah Heisz, live on November 20th to discuss gift guides and happy gifts November 18, 2015 -DivorcedMoms.com featured Stacy's advice in article about domestic disputes after divorce November 18, 2015 -WomensRunning.com featured Stacy Kaiser's thoughts for a piece on "Holiday Fitness Hacks Straight from the Top". November 18, 2015 -iWayMagazine.com featured Live Happy in article about Jeff Olson in conjunction with visit to Mexico November 17, 2015 -Radaronline.com featured Dolly Parton's cover story in celeb slide show, "When Celebrities Go Out They Go All Out!" November 16, 2015 -The Steve Harvey Show introduced Stacy Kaiser as Live Happy Editor in Chief , included in her lower third, and showed the Nov/Dec issue cover in single-mom panel segment on Nov. 16 November 14, 2015 -TasteofCountry.com featured Dolly Parton's cover story in "Dolly Parton Shares Her Secret to Happiness" November 11, 2015 -Dr. Michelle Robin's Radio Show interviewed Deborah Heisz on November 9 at 12pm CST on the Nov/Dec issue and Live Happy overall November 11, 2015 -BlogTalkRadio.com featured Dr. Michelle Robin's interview with Deborah Heisz on November 9 at 12pm CST on the Nov/Dec issue and Live Happy overall November 5, 2015 -MarthaStewartWeddings.com featured Stacy Kaiser’s insight in a piece on “10 Ways to Calm Your Nerves Before You Walk Down the Aisle” November 5, 2015 -YourTango.com featured Stacy Kaiser’s thoughts in a piece on fall dating do’s and don’ts November 4, 2015 - The Hoda Show (Sirius XM) interviewed Live Happy Editor in Chief, Stacy Kaiser, for her monthly ongoing segment Link: Stacy talks about forgiveness on The Hoda Show November 3, 2015 -Twitter.com/NBC shared Dolly Parton’s cover story and image to help promote her cover story and her NBC movie, Coat of Many Colors October 30, 2015 -ScarySymptoms.com featured Stacy Kaiser’s thoughts in an article on whether it’s wrong for childless people to give parenting advice October 30, 2015 -ScarySymptoms.com featured Stacy Kaiser’s thoughts in a piece on why parents should be popular with their kids and teens October 29, 2015 - Live Happy COO, Deborah Heisz, quoted in USA Today story about clearing clutter October 25, 2015 - Editor at large Stacy Kaiser quoted in story about divorced moms October 23, 2015 - Stacy Kaiser is quoted in this article on 10 Ways to Boost Confidence August 15, 2015 - Mediapost.com Link: Interview with Live Happy Editorial Director Deborah Heisz August 1, 2015 - Inc.com Link: Deborah Heisz's advice is included in this article about vacations July 25, 2015 - The HodaShow Link: Stacy Kaiser on Hoda'sSirius Radio Show July 25, 2015 - The Kim Pagano Radio Show Link: Interview With Deborah Heisz, LH Co-Founder July 24, 2015 - Healthy Talk Radio Link: Deborah Heiszdiscusses Traveling With your Kids July 24, 2015 - Healthy Talk Radio Link: Deborah Heisz discusses Ways to Find Your Happy Place July 9. 2015 - LadyLux.com Link: Mentioned in article about The Benefits of Play July 6, 2015 TODAY ShowEditor-at-large Stacy Kaiser and contributors Adam Shell and Nick Kraft were featured on the TODAY show July 1, 2015 The Jane Wilkins Radio Show Link:Deborah Heisz Discusses Live Happy and Happiness June 29, 2015 MotherhoodDefined.com Article: Deb Heisz:Kickstart Your Day With a Dose of Positivity June 25, 2015 HuffingtonPost.com Article: Stacy Kaiser: What to Do If Mom and Dad Have Different Parenting Styles June 23, 2015 HuffingtonPost.com Article: Stacy Kaiser: How Grandparents Can Help During a Divorce June 21, 2015 HuffingtonPost.com Article: Summer Travel Round-Up (Gratitude Journal) January 23, 2015 People.com Article: Why Is Scott Foley Hiding Under the Covers Every Morning? October 31, 2014 JustJared Article: Kristin Chenoweth Gets Into Holiday Spirit for Live Happy Mag October 31, 2014 celebuzz.com Article: Kristin Chenoweth'sWickedly Happy Holidays for 'Live Happy' Magazine August 19, 2014 mydevotionalthoughts.net Article: Celebrating 31 Days of Friendship August 18, 2014 washingtonpost.com Article: Stay Happy, and You May Live Longer August 7, 2014 semmessavers.com Article:Get Positive with Live Happy Magazine (Review) August 7, 2014SheScribes.com Article:Learn how to Live Happy August 4, 2014 nypost.com Article: Replace your therapist with these psych magazines August 4, 2014 mydevotionalthoughts.net Article: “Live Happy” Magazine Review July 30, 2014 lovetoknow.com Article: Why Are Jobs Stressful? July 28, 2014 mamalikesthis.com Article: Live Happy Magazine Subscription July 9, 2014 Pblcty.com Article: Miranda Lambert Talks Life, Community, and Staying True to Her Roots July 9, 2014 CountryMusicRocks.net Article: Miranda Lambert Featured in Live Happy magazine July 3, 2014 Guitar Girl magazine Article: Miranda Lambert Graces the Cover of Live Happy and Discusses her Credo to Happiness June 30, 2014Dadofdivas.com Article:Be Part of the Movement to Live Happy #giveaway May 13, 2014 Everyday Health Article:Why You Should Make Every Meal a Happy Meal April 16, 2014Yesware​Article:The Exercise Effect: How Exercise Can Boost Your Sales Performance​ April 10, 2014 DailyWorth Article:4 Steps to Find Your Happy​ March 21, 2014 — Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Article: Pitt Celebrates Happiness with Wall of Positivity March 20, 2014 — Dallas Morning News Article: March 20 is International Day of Happiness March 20, 2014 — Forbes.com Article: Why the World Needs a Happiness Campaign to Live Better March 19, 2014 —USA Today Article:Happy, happy, joy, joy: Books, apps bubble it up March 19, 2014 —Houston Chronicle Article:Houston, Are You Happy? March 19, 2014 —Positively Positive Article:What Successful People and Happy People Have in Common March 19, 2014 Article:Happiness is the Thing March 4, 2014 — Huffington Post Article: Happiness Gets its Day January 10, 2014 —Des MoinesRegister Article: Iowa editor of 'Live Happy' magazine looks beyond bullet-point platitudes December 28, 2013 —​Mr. Magazine Article:Live Happy Magazine: Happiness Finds Its Way to Print. The Mr. Magazine™ Interview with Editor in Chief Karol DeWulf Nickell. December 23, 2013 —Albuquerque Journal Article:Positive psychology focuses on what makes us happy December 13, 2013 — ​MyFox4 Video:Good Day Dallas December 13, 2013 —95.9WATD Article:SSMN: Wednesday December18th, 2013 December 2, 2013 —Washington Post Article:What’s so bad about feeling good? November 25, 2013 —Good News Planet Article:Live Happy Magazine – 25 Ways to Give Happiness at the Holidays November 19 2013 —Wisconsin Public Radio Articles:25 Ways To Give Happiness Over The Holidays November 19, 2013 —Biz Mommy Article:If You're Happy and You Know It... November 18, 2013 —Complete Herbal Guide Article:The Most Important Secrets You Must Learn In Order to Live a Happy, Healthy & Productive Life November 13, 2013 —The Overwhelmed Brain Article:Episode 0001: Jeff Olson: The Slight Edge – The Compounding Effect of Daily Progress November 9, 2013 — Examiner Article:Read celebrity profiles in the new Live Happy magazine November 4, 2013 —EternalLizdom Article:LiveHappy November 1, 2013 —Dr.Oz Video:How to Stop Worrying October 30, 2013 — Networking Witches Article:Live Happy Magazine October 30, 2013 — The Shelly Wilson Show Article:The Shelly Wilson Show with Jeff Olson October24, 2013 —Media DailyNews Article:LiveHappy Launches
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Be positively optimistic #happyacts
#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

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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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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Kindness Sticks

Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional 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! August’s theme—just in time for the back-to-school season—is education. For students of all levels, learning character strengths and mental and physical well-being alongside the academic basics ensures both greater achievement and long-term happiness. And for adults, scientists confirm that lifelong learning is associated with greater life satisfaction and a sense of optimism and engagement. Our August 20 Happy Act is to post encouraging and positive notes at school; try our school-themed sticky notes to get things started! Meet our Happy Activist of the month, Kathleen Desloges, a music, drama and dance teacher in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. “I get to work with hundreds of students in a week, and every day we start our classes with a conversation about gratitude, happiness or kindness,” she says. “It’s fun to show up with a purpose!” 3 Steps on How to Prepare for a Happy Act: Researchwhat charitable opportunities are near you. Contactthe organization and discuss how you can help. Plana time to go volunteer and/or determine what you can donate. Learn more: Lifelong Education Delivers Confidence, Joy and Hope. If we’re not learning, we’re not growing. According to the VIA Institute on Character, adults who are learning something new—by taking a class, pursuing a hobby or reading every day—report less stress and greater feelings of hope and purpose. Never Stop Learning. Try these three strategies from Ryan Niemiec, Psy.D., of the Via Institute on Character, to boost your learning mindset and start to see challenges as opportunities. Character and Well-Being. British schoolmaster Sir Anthony Seldon says positive education “isn’t a case of either teaching for tests or teaching for personal growth and happiness; if you teach for happiness and growth and character, you’ll get better exam results because you’ll be developing their intrinsic motivations rather than extrinsic motivations.” 4 Ideas Shaping the Future of Education. Learning to develop grit and character; considering the role of parents; emphasizing what’s going well and focusing on problem-solving over negative characterizations are driving conversations about positive education. The Strength Switch With Lea Waters. Listen to our Live Happy Now podcast with Lea Waters, Ph.D., to learn about the benefits of strength-based parenting and two easy ways to start implementing it. Learning How to Learn Barbara Oakley, Ph.D., the Ramón y Cajal Distinguished Scholar of Global Digital Learning at McMaster University, professor of engineering at Oakland University and author of several books, including A Mind for Numbers and Mindshift, teaches an online course called “Learning How to Learn.” Ready to grow? Start with these guidelines: Think of learning as a lifestyle. Create your own process for acquiring knowledge and skills and ask questions. Work with your brain, not against it. When learning new things, give your brain time so new neural connections can be made. Rethink failure. Encountering difficulty and failure encourages brain plasticity. Be prepared to feel like an impostor, then get over it. Mastery is not a static end state, but a high level of ability to find ways to refine one’s knowledge and skills. Challenge yourself to ask, “What are you learning that keeps you inspired and hungry for more?” Additional Resources: International Positive Education Network Donors Choose Plasticity’s Hero Generation The Strength Switch Via Institute on Character Champlain College Tecmilenio University
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Celebrate the Fourth of July
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Live Happy Patriotic Playlist

No matter how you choose to spend your Fourth of July holiday—whether it’s a day at the beach or enjoying a barbecue with family or friends—a little patriotic music provides the perfect soundtrack for your celebration. With so many great patriotic songs out there, there is no such thing as a definitive patriotic playlist. But here are a dozen songs that capture the spirit of Independence Day and remind us of what a great country we live in. While all of these songs have a special connection to this holiday, the song “Bullet Holes in the Sky” by Mary Gauthier is particularly near and dear to our hearts here at Live Happy; it grew out of the SongwritingWith: Soldiers program developed to help military veterans and active duty service members tell their stories. So this Fourth of July, fire up this playlist for your holiday celebration, and feel free to add your favorites!
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Elderly couple walking together
Podcast

How to Build Love that Lasts with Suzie Pileggi Pawelski and James Pawelski

In the movies, happily ever after comes pretty easily. In real life? Not so much. But the husband and wife team of Suzann Pileggi Pawelski, a writer with a Master of Applied Positive Psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and James Pawelski, Ph.D., professor of Practice and Director of Education in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, have learned a few things about what it takes to be “Happy Together.” That’s the name of their new book, Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love that Lasts, and in this podcast they share the secrets of what it takes to create deep, lasting love. What you'll learn in this episode: How to bring out the best in yourself and your partner The importance of prioritizing positivity in your relationship How to go on a "strengths date" Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Purchase their book Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love that Lasts. Check out their website here. Follow them on Facebook.
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