New charity promotes mass movement for happiness 6

Governance | Niki May Young | 7 Apr 2011

Over 4,000 people, and partners in 60 countries have pledged support for a new charity being launched in a bid to create a happier world.

Action for Happiness aims to invoke a mass movement of people taking positive action to encourage happiness, in whatever way they can, at home, work or in the community.

The action is founded by three influential thinkers: political commentator and historian Anthony Seldon; economist Lord Richard Layard; and Young Foundation chief executive Geoff Mulgan who was director of policy under Tony Blair's government.

The charity aims to “put happiness at the heart of public debate” in society.

Action for Happiness director Mark Williamson says: “Many of us are feeling that our society has got its priorities all wrong. We live in an increasingly competitive, self-obsessed culture which encourages us to pursue wealth, appearance, status and possessions as a route to success.

“This is supported by our political and economic systems that are focused on maximising economic growth above all else. Yet, despite getting much richer as a society, we're not actually getting any happier.

“Fortunately it doesn't have to be like this. By focusing our time and energy instead on things that have been shown to consistently bring happiness we can live rich, rewarding lives.”

The launch on Tuesday 12 April will be hosted by BBC Breakfast presented Sian Williams and will showcase projects making a difference to people's happiness. A 'Happiness Pack' is available from the charity's website, actionforhappiness.org, listing ten key ways to live happier and as many as 50 actions to take towards happiness.

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Jake
15 Apr 2011

Can You Track the Happiness of a Nation?

There has been a lot of talk in the news about happiness index’s or feel good nation charts, but are they really going to help the nation feel happier?

Here at moodpanda.com we have been tracking the mood of the UK for the past year from over twenty thousand member posts.

What have we found the average mood is out of a scale of 1 to 10? You guessed it 5. From the research we have done it is plain to see that lumping everybody together into one happiness scale is pointless. In short it’s the individual that counts.

If you focus on the individual it’s a very different story. Once individuals start to track their daily mood it sets a seed in their mind and they start to concisely think of things that will make them happier and avoiding thing’s that won’t.

We think this is the key to making the nation happier, just the simple act of showing people what has made them, and others, happier in the past is a sure fire way to make them happier in the future....."

[Reply]

Andrew Harding
MD
Creative Solutions UK
13 Apr 2011

Another great way to make you happy will be to make a dontation to help under privalleged animals, these aorganisations work wonders under very trying conditions and with limited resources including budgets, thet are the Society For The Prevention And Care of Animals in both Gozo & Malta. For more information, to make a donation, or to become a sponsor please visit their branch websites http://www.spca-gozo.org/index.htm & http://www.spcamalta.org/index.htm

[Reply]

Alison
12 Apr 2011

A great way to get happy - make a donation to a great little charity working in Kenya - Happy Villages - www.happyvillages.org

[Reply]

Sarah Dale
Creating Focus
8 Apr 2011

Great to see this getting publicity and I will be there at the launch event on Tuesday.
In addition, I am running a Day Out for Well-being on Thursday next week - a non-profit day to coincide with the launch of Action for Happiness - our video is on the Action for Happiness site too.

[Reply]

Sally
8 Apr 2011

Fantastic! I love this! I do worry about morale in this country. Walking around I find far too many stressed and angry people and anything we can do to increase general happiness and well-being has got to be a good thing.

[Reply]

Lina
8 Apr 2011

What a wonderful Idea! It's about time we started thinking seriously about what happiness truly means.

[Reply]

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