Project Happiness Articles — change

“We want to reclaim the word ‘manic.’  The vagina monologues has done an incredible amount of work de-stigmatising female sexuality and we wanted to do the same thing with mental illness.”  Zack and Elisa started off soliciting stories from Facebook and Sanford communities and put together 15 stories of mental illness, from sad and heartbreaking, to hilarious, uplifting and, powerful.  Manic Monologues ran three sold out shows in May 2019 at Stanford and will run at UCLA in February 2020.

More than 80% of parents support climate change taught in schools, yet only 42% of teachers discuss it with their students.  Mount Horeb High School Project Happiness Club recently undertook a school-wide challenge to raise awareness - and money - for ocean conservation.

Limiting your daily technology use is a goal almost anyone can undertake. It can be a New Year’s resolution, and (funnily enough) there are plenty of apps to help you out. Here are just a few reasons you should think about minimizing how much technology you use.

"Make a list of things that make you happy.Make a list of thing you do every day.Compare the lists. Adjust accordingly."

Maintaining comparison as a practice in our minds is only going to jeopardise our inner security and capability to feel strong in who are. And that's just not on. So, here's how we can put a stop to comparing and harness a more positive, joyful thinking practice instead.

Our oldest left for college last fall (yep, that was about a year ago). It has taken me this long to process how such a milestone affected me, and to understand that even the departure of one child can turn a household sideways. Notice I didn’t say upside down (like the dark world in Stranger Things). That’s because I don’t think an Empty Nest is a bad thing….it’s an adjustment.

I am a woman who has started over many times and a certain joy accompanies the task of unpacking, at rediscovering a teapot, a vase, pieces of my self I temporarily forgot in the span of mere days, of choosing where these belongings should be placed within the walls of the new home where I prepare to start my life yet again. But as I begin to unpack I’m struck with realization: these aren’t my boxes.

Everyone wants to be happy. Behind our every action is our desire for happiness. However, unknowingly we have certain mindsets, I call those happiness stealers, which as the term suggests, keep us from being happy.

Recently, a study was published to answer the simple question "If I eat better, will I feel better?" It was aptly called the 'Smiles' study and it turned out, that for over 30% of people who were suffering from depression who took part in the study, the answer was yes it does! Diet is one aspect that gets very little attention when it comes to mental health and well being – or indeed the concept of happiness.

How does it feel to be a role model?  I don’t feel like I’m a role model, but if I can inspire someone else to get off the couch that’s rewarding enough.  But if they get out there and feel better about themselves then that makes me feel even better.