Happiness (in iso and beyond)

Self care, making time for our passions, helping others, embracing life long learning and having real and meaningful connections with people - when it boils down to it, these are the core things that make us happy as human beings.

And unsurprisingly, these are the drivers of our programming at ACC.

For example, we provide a wide range of self care opportunities from counselling (mental health), to line dancing (physical health), to community lunch (nutritional health). We have volunteers who help out each week in many different ways across the organisation. Then we have programs like book clubs, craft club and choirs for people to do the things they love, and we run women in the shed classes and photography workshops to build new skills and confidence.

And in each activity, and in every interaction we make as an organisation, we focus on inclusion and kindness, and creating the conditions for people to make real and meaningful connections and friendships. And we also deliberately target the transition times, when people feel more out of their depth, by providing opportunities like playgroups for new parents.

To reduce loneliness. To build community. To increase happiness.

Over the last couple of weeks at ACC we’ve been thinking a lot about maintaining a positive mindset, and elevating ourselves out of anxiety in these extraordinary times. We’re all in the same boat I think, worrying. Letting some of the important things slide.

So we’ve put together a suite of cute GIFs (moving images) that address 12 simple things we can each do to bring happiness to our lives … even in lockdown.

We plan to scatter them through our social media posts in the months to come, but today they are being presented in poster form, the whole shebang together.

If you need a little lift perhaps you’d like to print the poster out and stick on your fridge (I’ve got mine up already!). Or you could print out the black and white version for your kids to colour in. Or for yourself of course, if you love colouring in (or the colours we’ve chosen clash with your décor! - we wont be offended).