January: Pledge Month
Join us as we make 2021 as positive as possible. All month long we focused on supporting our community, Council, and employees to take a pledge focusing on making this year (and each one after that) better than the last. Get your family, friends, and coworkers involved to help spread life and hope into our every day lives. Our Beaumont Action for Happiness Pledge can be found HERE. We also put together a January Calendar with actions that you could take every day to stay positive and spread kindness to others.
Friendly February
Did you know that research shows that being kind to one other not only increases our own levels of happiness but also for those you are kind to? We encouraged everyone throughout the month of February (and beyond) to do kind things as we continue to grow and support a more positive community. An action calendar was put together to help with kind actions each day. That calendar can be viewed HERE.
Mindful March
Let's take the time to pause, breathe and really take in what's all around us. During March we encoured you to take some time to look within. Learning to be more mindful and aware can do wonders for our well-being in all areas of life - like the way we eat, the things we notice or our relationships. It helps us get in tune with our feelings and stops us dwelling on the past or worrying about the future - so we get more out of the day-to-day. It can also help us identify what we're grateful for, which has been proven to help boost your happiness levels! You can view the Mindful March calendar HERE.
Active Coping April
April was Active Coping April and we encouraged you to get active, get outdoors and take care of your body. There are simple things we can all do to take care of our bodies - for example unplugging from technology, getting outside, breathing more deeply, laughing and even singing. Our body and our mind are connected, being active makes us happier, and it improves our mood and can even lift us out of a depression. Remember to take time to rest….
You can view the Active Coping April calendar HERE
Josie from Action for Happiness takes you on a short journey through the Active April 2021 calendar:
Podcast
Meaningful May
Meaning in your life could come from making contributions to others — be it financially, in good deeds, or in personal time and energy. It begins with an increased awareness and thoughtfulness of others and leads to a sense of purpose and, fulfillment.
Finding meaningful experiences in life is a journey that could start with something as simple as a pen and paper, deep reflection. Or your journey could start by stepping out the door and connecting with a neighbor, making a new found friend, or starting a hobby you have wanted to explore but never got around to.
Most important is to find a meaning that makes sense to you and recognize that this meaning might change as you go through different stages of your life.
You can view the Meaningful May calendar HERE
Joyful June
Feeling positive emotions is good for us. We can benefit by finding ways to build more of them into our lives. There is scientific evidence that positive emotions are contagious and when we feel good it can also positively affect those around us. We need a healthy balance between enjoying the moment and doing things that bring meaning and fulfilment in the long term. There are lots of different positive emotions and not all of them come from "having fun". For example, some are feelings we get when we're truly interested in something or have put our best effort into achieving something. Others come from quiet moments, like a few minutes of peace and calm in an otherwise hectic day.
You can view the Joyful June calendar HERE
Jump Back Up July
July's theme was all about resilience and understanding how we can build skills that will help us to bounce back. We can't always predict or control what life throws at us, but we can build a range of skills and nurture our resources to help us respond flexibly, effectively deal with challenges, recover more quickly and even learn and grow as a result.
You can view the Jump Back Up July calendar HERE
Altruistic August
August's theme was all about about helping others. Helping others is not only beneficial for those you help (of course lending a helping hand is always a good thing to do), it also makes you happier and healthier. Giving connects us to others, creates stronger communities and helps to build a happier society for everyone. Doing things for others - whether small, unplanned acts or regular volunteering - is a powerful way to boost your own happiness as well of those around you.
Giving isn't just about money. You don't need to be rich to give. Giving to others can be as simple as a single kind word, a smile, and/or a thoughtful gesture. It can include giving time, care, skills, thought or attention. Kindness towards others is the glue which connects individual happiness to community and social wellbeing. When we see someone do something kind or thoughtful, or we are on the receiving end of kindness, it inspires us to be kinder to ourselves and others. Remember, kindness and caring are contagious
You can view the Altruistic August calendar HERE
Self-Care September
Self-care isn't selfish, it's essential! Remember no-one is perfect! But so often we compare our insides to other people's outsides. Dwelling on our flaws - what we're not rather than what we've got –make it much harder to be happy.
Having constant criticism in our heads about not being good enough is a sure way to be unhappy. This doesn't mean we should ignore our weaker areas or bad stuff that happens, but it does mean accepting that no-one is perfect, us included. It means putting our imperfections (and things that happen to us) into perspective - seeing them as normal rather than out of the ordinary. And it means a shift of focus, from what we don't have or can't do to what we have or can do. Use our September calendar to help you practice each day how to be kind to yourself and others, warts and all.
Jack Kornfield may have said it best … If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.
You can view the Self-Care September calendar HERE
Optimistic October
Science shows that people who are optimistic tend to be happier, healthier and cope better in tough times. Although we may have a natural tendency to be more optimistic or pessimistic, there are things we can do to take a more optimistic outlook, without losing touch with reality. We can Smile like an optimist, laugh like an optimist, use optimistic language, forgive like an optimist, daydream like an optimist, share stories of hope, practice gratitude, surround yourself with optimistic people, ask others how they stay optimistic and forgive like an optimist.
“Optimism isn't believing nothing bad will happen. It's about believing in your ability to handle it when it does.” - Mel Robbins
You can view the Optimistic October calendar HERE
New Ways November
In November, we encouraged you to try something new! Did you know that learning something new or getting involved in an activity that really engages and interests you is great for your wellbeing? It's true! Keeping your brain active is not only good for you physically but it can help you feel like you are flourishing as you see yourself make progress with a new skill.
You can view the New Ways November calendar HERE
December Kindness
Interestingly, by simply witnessing someone being kind can release the same “feel good” chemicals that engaging in an act of kindness can produce. However, you will get a greater benefit by being the performer of an act of kindness. In December we wanted you to look for opportunities to be kind and count your acts of kindness. You will experience the rewards almost immediately. One act of small kindness can release an enormous chain of positive events. The miracle of kindness is that it is contagious and something we should all want to pass on and spread to many others.
You can view the December Kindness calendar HERE