The Happiness Ninja
I call myself The Happiness Ninja. I dress in a Ninja costume and hit the streets conducting random acts of kindness!
So far in the 6 months that I have been doing this I have done the following RAK’s either randomly on the streets, or at public events:
- Free fortune cookies with inspirations messages inside instead of fortunes
- Free macaroons with edible messages printed on them
- Free hugs
- Free bottles of water
- Free chocolates
- Free jelly beans
- Free scratchies
- Free “make-a-wish fairy dust” gifts
Why do I do this? Well, because I can and because conducting RAK’s is a core component of Positive Psychology. New research into the science of happiness shows that being kind to others for no other reason than to be kind is the easiest way to increase your own happiness. When we conduct acts of kindness to others our body releases warm and fuzzy feelings inside and we feel fulfilled and good about ourselves. The other person also feels good too, so this is a win-win situation!
How did I learn this? Well, I recently became the 47th person in the world to complete a Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, an Australian government accredited qualification that has now been released to other parts of the world including The United Kingdom and The United States of America. This qualification is based on Dr Martin Seligman’s PERMA principals – positive emotions, positive engagement, positive relationships, positive meaning and positive accomplishments.
The other reason I don this crazy superhero outfit is to advocate against the stigma of mental illness and bring awareness to depression and suicide. Being suicidal myself for 12 long years I feel very passionate about advocating that “it ain’t weak to speak”.
Positive Psychology is a powerful and relatively new tool that is slowly gaining the recognition it deserves. It is Positive Psychology combined with neuroplasticity that enabled me to re-train my brain and alter the neural pathways in my own brain to finally take control and overcome the 17 years of clinical depression that plagued me. I have never actually thought of myself as happy until the last 12 months or so of my life. I look back and can’t believe I was so miserable for so long.
I have now made it my mission in life to spread the power of positive psychology to as many people as I can because I 100% passionately believe it is the key to reducing depression and suicide rates and I hope to halve suicide and depression rates by the year 2040. – Jamie, The Happiness Ninja
Please make a suggestion below about an act of kindness the Happiness Ninja can use when out spreading joy.