On Monday night, I was lucky enough to attend a public talk from the Resilience Project. It was an entertaining and engaging talk on how to live happier, healthier and more meaningful lives.
I loved it. And I would recommend it to everyone.
This program was inspired by the disparity in our society between happiness and material wealth. Somehow, people living in some of the poorest communities on Earth are more joyful and have better mental health than those of us who are lucky enough to live in Australia. This is worrying.
Australia has some of the worst mental health stats in the world:
- 1 in 5 adults will experience mental health problems through the year
- 1 in 4 adolescents have a mental illness
- 1 in 7 primary school children suffer from a mental illness
These are distressing numbers. 1 in 5 of us will experience some sort of mental health problem in our lifetime. How can this be the case when we live in an affluent country, with one of the best health-care systems in the world? We are surrounded by material wealth, yet we are not happy.
To me, this is unacceptable.
The Resilience Project was created to bring awareness to this issue and offer simple, yet powerful advice.
In order to be more resilient and happy, there are a few things that we can begin to practice:
Gratitude = be grateful for what we have, gain some perspective.
Empathy = look through the lens of other people, walk in their shoes.
Mindfulness = be present, notice the little things and be intentional.
If we can teach these practices in our communities, in particular our schools, people will live happy and fulfilling lives. It’s not hard. It requires simple, daily acts that create meaning in our world. It creates connection.
Connection is everything. Connecting with ourselves, others, our environment, our work and our purpose will lend us more resilience as we move through life.
Reach out if you would like to learn more about these simple practices.
To your happiness and with you for the ride,
Simon.
P.S. If you are struggling with your mental health, please reach out. I am more than happy to sit down and chat.
Otherwise, here are some resources and numbers that can help:
- Hit this link for access to a multitude of resources from the Resilience Project.
- LIFELINE – lifeline.org.au or 13 11 14
- Headspace – headspace.org.au or (03) 9027 0100
Simon G. Cooper 