Youth Happiness Challenge
Challenge
? CONSIDER
Do you often feel stressed out with little
energy to do anything? Does it feel like
everyone else has it together but you? You are
not alone! During the teenage years, life can
feel like you are on a roller coaster. Here is the
good news …happiness is a skill you can learn.
Although many people believe “money can buy
you happiness”, research proves that
happiness has less to do with money and
belongings and has more to do with our actions
and relationships with other people.
Take this six week challenge. Try some simple
actions that just may change the way you
approach life. Check out
www.actionforhappiness.org for more
information, tips and suggestions.
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
1
Challenge
Youth Happiness Challenge
? CONSIDER
Each one of us is unique; how happy you are depends on many personal
factors. 40% of your happiness is accounted for by daily activities and
choices you make. So the good news is your actions really can make a
difference.
QUESTION
On a scale of 1–10, what is your current
happiness level? (1 very unhappy to 10 very happy).
ACTION IDEAS
1. Write your definition of happiness.
2. Check it out: How do the messages about what makes people happy
in the media (movies, songs) compare with what makes you happy?
3. Have a chat with the happiest person you know. Find out their
secret to happiness.
4. Think about things that make you happy and talk to a friend
about this.
I’d love to hear your comments, email
[email protected]
“If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”
(refined by songwriter Alfred B. Smith in the mid-1900s)
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
1
Youth Happiness Challenge
Challenge
CONNECT
Having close friends can improve your health
and increase your quality of life.
Neighbourhoods with high levels of social
interaction generally have less crime, reduced
bullying, and fewer neighbour disagreements.
Your well-being increases when you regularly
connect with others. Relationships help prevent
feelings of loneliness and can provide a source
of support – for example, neighbours can be
someone you feel safe to go to if your parents
aren’t home, or they can look after your house
when you are away.
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
2
Challenge
Youth Happiness Challenge
CONNECT
Strong friendships create a sense of belonging. People are important in your
life; make the time to develop relationships. Whether it is with family, friends
or neighbours, building these relationships will improve your life every day.
QUESTION
How do you keep in touch with others?
ACTION IDEAS
1. Have a family game night.
2. Create a scrapbook or photo album with your friends of activities
you have done together.
3. Turn off your cell phone during meals.
4. Send a note to an adult who has been a positive influence in your
life, or recognize them with a High Five nomination.
I’d love to hear your comments,
email [email protected]
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you
did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”
Maya Angelou
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
2
Youth Happiness Challenge
Challenge
BE ACTIVE
When you exercise, your body releases
endorphins which stimulate the brain, creating
feelings of excitement, and lowering your
stress and anxiety. Exercise also releases
dopamine, a chemical that provides the same
effects of antidepressants on the brain.
You don’t have to be a pro athlete like Sidney
Crosby to experience the benefits of exercise.
Adding simple changes into your everyday
activities can make a difference – take the dog
for a walk, longboard to school, or dance while
you listen to music.
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
3
Challenge
Youth Happiness Challenge
BE ACTIVE
Being motivated to exercise on a cold spring day instead of hanging out on the
couch and watching TV can be difficult. If just the thought of physical activity
makes you groan, combine it with activities you already enjoy. If you like to
volunteer, help out a neighbour by cutting their grass, or organize a ball hockey
game.
QUESTION
How do you keep active on a daily basis?
ACTION IDEAS
1. Get up and move many times a day. Try walking the longer way
to your classes.
2. Do jumping jacks during TV commercials.
3. Go for a 30 minute walk or bike ride.
4. Organize a game of Hide and Go Seek in your neighbourhood.
I’d love to hear your comments,
email [email protected]
“Walking is man’s best medicine.”
Hippocrates
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
3
Youth Happiness Challenge
Challenge
KEEP LEARNING
Life-long learning has a positive influence on
happiness and well-being. Learning new tasks can
create a sense of accomplishment and help boost
your self-confidence. Shared learning experiences
can create a sense of belonging as well as
increase your circle of support.
Learning is not restricted to adulthood and
through formal education. It takes place
throughout life and in many forms. Find the
method that is right for you – join Youth Council,
read a new book, or share a talent with friends.
Step out of your comfort zone; set challenging
learning goals that are exciting and achievable.
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
4
Challenge
Youth Happiness Challenge
KEEP LEARNING
Finding new activities that spark your passion is the key to life-long learning.
Your mind will thrive when you are challenging yourself and trying new
things. Whether it’s learning sign language, playing chess, or rediscovering
an old hobby, a fulfilling life is built upon patterns of life-long learning.
QUESTION
What new things have you tried recently?
ACTION IDEAS
1. Try something new for the first time this week. Check out
YouTube or Pinterest to learn the “how to” of a new skill.
2. Learn to spell your name using Sign Language.
3. Listen to a new type of music.
4. Change up your routine this week (change your morning routine
or use your opposite hand to brush your teeth).
I’d love to hear your comments, email
[email protected]
"As long as you live, keep learning how to live."
Seneca
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
4
Youth Happiness Challenge
Challenge
TAKE NOTICE
Being truly happy is about accepting all your
emotions and feelings – the good, the bad and the
ugly. It’s about taking notice of what is going on
around you and how you feel, then fully
experiencing it. Ignoring emotions and pretending
you’re not feeling stressed, angry or hurt is not
the path to happiness. Allowing yourself to feel
and experience painful or unpleasant emotions
creates space to feel things like happiness and joy.
Being mindful is a way of paying attention to the
present moment. It can help you become fully
engaged in activities and increase your ability to
deal with challenging events. Some experts
believe that mindfulness works, in part, by helping
people to accept all their experiences including
painful emotions, rather than react to them with
dislike and avoidance.
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
6
Challenge
Youth Happiness Challenge
TAKE NOTICE
Take notice of the world around you; awareness of your thoughts and
feelings helps you better manage them. It’s simple, you can do it anywhere,
and the results can be life-changing. Being mindful can boost your
concentration, improve your relationships and help with stress or anxiety.
QUESTION
When was the last time you gave yourself
a time-out?
ACTION IDEAS
1. At least once a day, take 5 minutes to just breathe and clear
your mind of all thoughts.
2. Choose a time to think about your day – think of at least one
thing that influenced your happiness and well-being.
3. Notice the things around you that cause you happiness or sadness,
anger or peace, joy or sorrow.
4. Pay attention to your surroundings, and appreciate the good things
around you every day, big or small.
I’d love to hear your comments, email
[email protected]
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what
you do are in harmony."
Mahatma Gandhi
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
6
Youth Happiness Challenge
Challenge
GIVE
The act of giving activates areas of the brain
associated with pleasure, relationships and trust.
Unselfish behavior releases endorphins and boosts
happiness for you and the people you help.
Studies have also shown that giving money tends
to make people happier than spending it on
themselves.
Remember, giving is not just about money – you
can also give your time, ideas and energy. It can
be tough to find time to volunteer, however the
right match can help you find friends, connect to
your community, learn new skills, and even help
you find your first job. There are many ways to
help others - become a mentor to younger
students, help a neighbour plant a garden,
participate in Random Acts of Kindness or
“fill someone else’s bucket”.
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
5
Challenge
Youth Happiness Challenge
GIVE
Research shows that giving has a positive influence on your happiness and
well-being. Giving also creates stronger connections between people and
helps to build a happier society for everyone. Helping others can be
contagious - it only takes one person to start the wave of positive influence.
QUESTION
What motivates you to give or volunteer?
ACTION IDEAS
1. Organize or participate in a spring clean up in your neighbourhood
or school playground.
2. Volunteer to do something that matches your interests and passion.
3. Donate your gently used clothes or old toys to charity.
4. Share your talents with others; offer to take out the garbage,
babysit a younger sibling, teach your grandparent to send a text.
I’d love to hear your comments, email
[email protected]
"You make a living by what you get,
but you make a life by what you give"
Winston Churchill
Questions?
Family and Community Services
780-464-4044 www.strathcona.ca/fcs
5