Happy invitation

Message from Action for Happiness: On Saturday 11th Feb, thousands of people all over the world are getting together to watch an inspiring documentary film called "Happy" as part of World Happy Day.

It's a great movie and had an amazing audience response at our inaugural screening in London.

Our friends at Happy City Bristol are hosting a screening at Hamilton House that day

 [1pm to 3pm]. So if you're around it would be great if you could make it along.

You can watch a trailer and read a review of the film here:

http://www.actionforhappiness.org/news/oldspeak-happiness-a-review-of-the-film-happy

To book tickets or find out more about World Happy Day see: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2838703639

I really hope you can make it. All are welcome so please spread the word to friends, family and colleagues too.

Very best wishes

www.actionforhappiness.org

www.facebook.com/actionforhappiness

www.twitter.com/actionhappiness

Happiness humbug?

This ('Bristol is 'not a happy city' says poll') is really badly reported, though the issue is an interesting one. If 1 in 5 say they are not happy that leaves 4 in 5 that said something else...from neither happy nor not happy through happy to very happy one assumes. So, how is the Post headline justified? We have a few more people in one national survey who said they are not happy, compared the average - but that's not the same as 'not a happy city'. We need more information!


There's also the issue that this is only a snapshot - and is a self-assessment. Don't levels of happiness go up and down somewhat? What is happiness in any case and over what timescale are we talking? And how are happiness levels best assessed?

The story also mixes up happiness and contentment. The two are not the same. Being content is being satisfied, accepting and having desires that are reasonably restrained. Happiness is thought of as being pleased, feeling gladness or joy, though maybe its not so straightforward as this. For more sense than this article and to explore wellbeing as opposed to just happiness and contentment I'd read Martin Seligman's book 'Flourish'.

Seligman interviewed on newsnight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Vhjmdp4nI&feature=related

Seligman: wellbeing, happiness, PERMA

Looking over the views of Martin Seligman on the psychology of wellbeing and happiness today. His work is so valuable. Martin E.P. Seligman, Ph.D., works on positive psychology, learned helplessness, depression, and on optimism and pessimism. He is currently Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology and Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. He is well known in academic and clinical circles and is a best-selling author... See:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Vhjmdp4nI

http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/bio.htm

http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Seligman

http://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/happiness_formula/4903464.stm