There’s no denying it – self-denial is in our bones. Most of us sign up to it at some level – the endless diets, the dry Januaries, sacrifices made to prep for a marathon, even broadcasting how hard we work and how sleep-deprived that leaves us. Nobody wants to be seen... read more →
Sep
28
Sep
13
When it comes to a government’s priorities, there is no alternative to nurturing citizens’ happiness. The word is out. GDP growth is not a good indicator of how well a country is performing, and should not be the primary goal of governments. Unlimited growth is not sustainable for planet or... read more →
Aug
25
A randomly passing alien might be forgiven for thinking that Project Earth is a pretty sorry work-in-progress. We all know the headlines: climate change, war, racial tension, terrorism, refugees, poverty, disease, cybercrime … there seems to be little evidence of humanity gearing up for a global group hug. In 2017,... read more →
Aug
21
During 2016 and 2017, Centre for Thriving Places lead a major piece of research and consultation to support local authorities to build a better local picture of what supports people to thrive. Commissioned by Public Health England and Office for National Statistics, and in partnership with What Works Centre for Wellbeing,... read more →
Aug
13
One in 14 people in the world today suffer from an anxiety disorder. Anxiety paralyses: it prevents people from performing the simplest of activities and can lead to isolation, depression and even suicide. To make matters worse still for sufferers, this genuine medical problem is often viewed unsympathetically, as simply... read more →
Aug
06
A key ingredient of a happy society is members donating time and resources to help others who are in need. This charitable activity makes the world a better place, but at Happy City we strongly believe it also helps the wellbeing of the givers. Sharing what we have not only... read more →
Jul
23
“I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.” On the face of it a bold statement, but The Beatles left themselves a caveat. The key words in that sentence are: ‘too much’. Can money really buy happiness? Yes, to a point. Just ask someone who has... read more →
Jul
16
To be honest we’ve been somewhat challenged of late within the Happy City communications team. The issue might seem daft, given our name and aim, but in the face of recent tragic and trying news we've had to ask: Just how ‘Happy’ should we be trying to be? The ongoing social... read more →
Jul
02
Persuading people to rethink economic priorities is a huge task. It is made harder by the fact that, let’s face it: Very few of us actually understand what economists are talking about most of the time. If these experts, who have devoted many many years of their lives to this... read more →
Jun
26
Time. We never seem to have enough of it. Modern life is epitomised by the pressure to 'get things done', the quicker the better. Let's face it: we're all just very busy! Indeed, it seems many of us are now paid up members of the cult of 'busy'. We only... read more →