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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! January’s happiness theme is hope. As one of the character strengths mostly associated with happiness, hope gives us the strength and motivation to achieve our goals. Ryan M. Niemiec, Ph.D., Education Director at the Via Institute on Character, says that building up hope can be beneficial to our mental, physical and social health. He suggests writing down a goal and three ways to achieve to that goal and why. Our January Happy Act is to create a Hope Chandelier. This easy-to-do craft can provide the inspiration you need to create more hope in your life. Hope chandeliers look great at home or school. You can even plan one for an activity during wedding or baby shower. Gather these materials: Glue gun and glue Scissors Various ribbons Quilting hoop Twine Cord or yarn for hanging Basket Paper Step 1. Tie the twine to the inside of the quilt hoop and wrap around the hoop, creating a “web.” Tie off and insert back into outer loop. Secure. Step 2. Tie yarn (or cord) around the quilting loop to create the top “hanger.” Step 3. Use glue gun to secure ribbon around the outside of the hoop. Secure some decorative ribbons on hoop to start the chandelier. Step 4. Print instructions on paper and mount for display or glue to a basket lid as shown. Step 5. Cut strips of ribbon in various lengths (recommend 3 to 5 feet). Step 6. Write down your hopes on the ribbons and attached to the chandelier. Our January Happy Activist is Camille Gerace Nitschky, Executive Director of Children’s Grief Center in Midland, Michigan. Camille and her team of volunteers are dedicated to bringing back hope and joy in the lives of young people who have experienced the loss of loved ones. Children’s Grief Center is a safe place for children, teenagers and their families to get the love and support during times of sadness. “We have over a hundred kids coming to group,” Camille says. “They find a lot of connection in the sense of belonging and they realize that they are not alone in their grief.” Any time we can give hope to others, especially those who need it the most, we give them something to look forward to, relieve anxiety and create positive relationships. “We turned something hard and what seems to be negative into something positive and a tool for living.” For more inspiring stories about hope: Write a Hope Letter 31 Ideas of Hope 4 Websites That Will Help You Build Hope 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.

Nearly two decades ago. author Catherine Ryan Hyde wrote a book that sparked a movement that made us pay more attention to kindness. Inspired by acts of kindness given to her, her novel tells the story of repaying an act of kindness forward to others instead of the reciprocal recipient. The book quickly became a best-seller, winning multiple awards and in a few short years adapted into a major motion picture. We can thank Catherine for reintroducing the “pay it forward” concept into our cultural lexicon so we that we immediately know what to do when asked. How has the concept of paying it forward changed your life? That’s a different question for me than it would be for most people. In my life, the concept turned into a book and then a movie, and it changed my life as a writer in addition to changing me personally. But from a more personal viewpoint, it caused me to look a lot more closely at the human condition, and at the way we treat each other. As the book was taking shape in my mind, I began to make observations. I thought a lot about the “Golden Rule.” Doing unto others as we would have others do unto us…a great concept. If we really followed it, I swear the only problem left in the world would be weather related. It seems we don’t, though. It seems we do unto others as we have been done to. That may appear to be the bad news, but it’s what got me thinking that maybe we can still turn it around. After I received a huge kindness from strangers many years ago, it changed what I was willing to give to someone else. So that seems like the big change hiding in Pay It Forward. It allows for the chance that we really can send the cycle of our treatment of one another in a more positive direction. Why should the pay it forward philosophy be a daily practice, especially in young people? I never really try to tell people how often they should pay it forward. I’d rather just say that if kids practice doing acts of kindness, they’re going to like the results. And they’ll probably find themselves doing it more often than they had planned. What are some easy ways people can practice acts of kindness? Again, I don’t like to suggest “how.” And I’ll tell you why not. Because the biggest change one makes to the world (in my opinion) is not the kind act itself, but the way we begin to pay attention to those around us. When we decide we’ll “pay it forward,” but we don’t yet know how, we begin to watch the people around us to see what they need. This to me is the heart of the change we bring, and I don’t want to foreclose on it by suggesting kind acts. People get in touch with their innate kindness, and find their own. And that’s a beautiful thing. Do you think we need kindness more than ever and how can paying it forward change the way we treat other? I think we have always needed to be kinder to each other and probably always will. Yes, this is an important time. So was the time after 9/11, a year or two after the book was published. Let’s just say there’s no bad time. As the author of the book, I don’t feel right making any claims to what the idea can do. I’d rather say it will do no harm. And as to how much good it can do, I hope we’ll try it and see. Give Back or Pay It Forward? Either way, when we put others first, we are carving a path to greater happiness and well-being. We asked our readers to share with us how they like to practice acts of kindness. Volunteer I once organized a benefit for a teacher whose daughter had a rare form of cancer. In five weeks, we rallied the community and raised over $5,000 for her and her family. I used my organization and volunteerism spirit to get it going...the community did the rest.—Amber B. I am a professional volunteer. Have been volunteering for charities for 27 years and raised my children at charity events.—Lynn W. We love to help others in our church, such as driving people to job interviews and helping with moves. As part of our graphic-design business, we provide pro bono work for nonprofit organizations, and it always seems to be much more fun to do.—Jen L. Help the Less Fortunate While traveling to California to take my stepson back to his mother, I was approached by a very nice woman asking for a dollar or two in gas money. I had already fueled up my rental car and had no cash so I told her if she pulled her car up to the pump, I would put some gas in it for her.—Jessica D. I give money and food to the homeless at our local shopping area. I love seeing their smiles. Paying it forward makes you feel great!—Helen B. Do the Small Things I love to pay for the car behind me at a drive-through.—Laura C. When purchasing from the local store, I “pay” the stickers that come with their many promotions “forward” to the next person who comes along who has children who want the stickers. My children are grown and no longer collect them for their school or just for fun, so it’s a simple way to give what I don’t need to someone else.—Delia M. Spread Happiness Really see people and you will receive the greater gift. It will be the gift of knowing that they are happy!—Mary K. We share positive posts hoping to spread some happiness and love!—Moxie J. Living up to my name by practicing caring, compassion and service daily.—Joy G. Smiling is important and it is free. Underwear and socks are also great to provide to persons in shelters.—Janet P.

Becoming emotionally healthy and happier requires children to develop character. Merriam-Webster defines character as “the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group or nation.” It’s not just any character though, we need to intentionally raise our children to have good character. For example, we want our children to tell the truth even when it’s hard or share their lunch when a friend forgot theirs. So why is character so important? As I describe in my book The Emotionally Healthy Child, children who have good character make smarter choices, which is good for them and good for others. It’s not to say they’re perfect, but they’re learning how to make those good—and sometimes tough—choices. Nick, age eight, decided not to cheat on his spelling exam. His best friends, Jackson and Paulo, didn’t make such a smart choice and got caught cheating. Nick’s mom told me, “I teach Nick every day the better choices you make today, it sets you up for a better tomorrow and life keeps getting better.” I couldn’t agree more. The emotionally healthy child is learning how to set healthy boundaries, stand up for what they believe in, form an emotionally healthy mindset and become someone of good character. Whether it’s not cheating on a spelling quiz (unlike everyone else) or preventing a bloody battle on the playground, boys or girls of character are learning how to make those choices, which are constructive and beneficial for themselves as well as others. It starts at home Of course, positive emotional health and character development are sophisticated topics, but at the core is intentional parenting and teaching children how to make those smarter choices. With that said, I have identified six inner qualities, which when developed help a child form a good character and move toward becoming their best selves. Gratitude: A thought of appreciation and feeling of thankfulness, which help children realize how good things really are. Compassion: When a child not only feels what someone else is feeling (empathy) but wants their pain to stop. Generosity: A child that learns to give because it feels good and helps others is generous. Honesty: To speak and act truthfully. Forgiveness: A child who forgives is learning to let-go of negative emotions about a wrongdoing that will only make her miserable. (This doesn’t condone inappropriate behavior, but helps a child forgive for her own enlightened self-interest.) Love: A loving child is learning how to fully love herself and extend that kindness to others. Of course, each inner quality has certain practices, which can help your child’s character development for today and the long term. In my book, The Emotionally Healthy Child, I dive deep into strategies of emotional health, mindfulness and character development, but today – let’s look at gratitude. The free app, Three Good Things, from iTunes is a great use of technology to help children begin looking for three good things every day to feel grateful for. (Of course, they’ll likely need your help in making this a regular habit, but it can be an evening ritual that helps you both feel good). The better we feel, the better we do. And in today’s world, we want to do everything we can to arm our children with the mental immunity so they can be their best–no matter what.

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! November’s happiness theme is gratitude. We should practice gratitude throughout the year, but November is a perfect time to notice and appreciate all the good things in your life. Gratitude is one of the top strengths most associated with happiness and practicing it can really feed your soul. When we let our friends, family members and colleagues know how much they are appreciated, we build stronger bonds and relationships. We can even practice gratitude toward people who may no longer be with us with a virtual gratitude visit. For more gratitude practices, see the links below. Our November Happy Act is to host a gratitude dinner. This is a chance to thank multiple people at once and to let people know how much they mean to you. A gratitude dinner will not only increase your happiness but your guests’ happiness as well. See the tips below to get started. If you can’t host a gratitude dinner, you can always donate food to your local food bank to make sure to give back to those less fortunate during the holidays. Feeding America can help you find a food bank closest to you. Our November Happy Activist is Gens Johnson from Texas. Gens gives back to her community in multiple ways, but she really has a passion for helping under-privileged kids. Not only is she a Big [Sister] for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, she is also working with Nancy Lieberman Charities raising funds for Dream Court, a program that helps build basketball courts in local communities. For more about Dream Court or to help with the cause, check out her GoFundMe page. To learn more about Gratitude: 8 Easy Practices to Enhance Gratitude 4 Gratitude Rituals to Increase Kindness and Joy Discover the Hidden Power of 'Thank You' Attitude of Gratitude with MJ Ryan Tips on how to host a Gratitude Dinner: 1. The guest list Make a list of people you are grateful for and the reasons why. The list can include family members, friends, work colleagues or even your mailperson. 2. Talking points Using index cards, create a few gratitude prompts for conversation starters. For instance, your card can say, “What are you most thankful for today” or “Who in your life has made a positive difference.” Use a decorative basket as a centerpiece and fill it with the index cards. 3. Places, please! One of the more successful gratitude interventions is the gratitude letter. Write a letter for each guest explaining why each is an important person in your life. Use the letters as a place-card setting directing your guests where to sit. Before you break bread, have everyone read their letter aloud. 4. Choose the menu It really doesn’t matter what type of food you serve. It can be a fancy feast or just simple and fun, just as long as gratitude is the main course. If you really want to impress your guests, find out their favorite foods beforehand and individualize each dish to each person. 5. Just desserts Thank your guests once again and repeat the process regularly to keep nourishing your happiness appetite. 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.