Project Happiness Articles — mentalhealth

I started to realize that my meaningful conversation starting cards actually spark connection. When people are asked, “What’s the biggest mistake of your life?” you cannot help but feel connected after hearing a response. Why? People being vulnerable is the key to connection. As my hero, Brene Brown, says, “Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection.”

The famous generation of young entrepreneurs, parents, and innovators – Millennials, sure have quite a reputation to uphold, and equally numerous stereotypes to debunk. They are slowly overtaking the customer throne from Baby Boomers, and are becoming the largest pool of consumers in the world. Many of them are still struggling with student loans, paying off their debt, and making their way in the competitive startup world, all at a single go.

I wasn’t born an expert on self-care; the truth is, I was that person you see running around taking care of everyone’s needs and letting her wellbeing take a back seat, like, way back. Career always came first and so did the needs of my friends and family. My idea of self-care was to get a complete physical every year or so, to slather on some sunscreen and moisturizer and get on with my day.

Are you feeling stalled-out in your health and fitness journey? I would like to invite you to join me and the #RaceForWellness with Project Happiness. There are a lot of amazing things about this event. It can be difficult to stay positive and maintain your creative juices if you’re feeling drained. That’s why it’s so important to put an emphasis on wellbeing and mental health.

We have all heard that exercise is good for us. The physical benefits, ranging from reducing the chances of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes to lowering blood pressure, are no surprise. Or that we sleep better, feel better and probably look healthier too. But beyond that, what are the mental and emotional benefits?

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.

Like the Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage for any Christian, Mecca a pilgrimage for any Muslim, Burning Man a pilgrimage for any festival goer, a marathon is a pilgrimage for any runner. In the words of Nike, you’ve gotta just do it!

In lieu of the two very tragic deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain this year, I want to remind all of you to be extra kind to one another for this is a perfect example of, “you have no idea what others are going through”. You may not feel that the subject of mental illness pertains to you, but it should, as more than likely someone in your life is going through something that you know nothing about.

Anxiety – what is it? There are so many different levels of Anxiety and some can be so severe that could lead to a panic attack (which if you haven’t experienced - can be so overwhelming it almost feels like a heart attack! ).

When you’re feeling down and out, or generally just low, do you ever feel pressured to pull yourself out of it as soon as possible? To constantly appear happy? But what if we accept that not being okay, is very much part of being okay; how might this impact our personal journey?