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Chirapon (Pete) Wangwongwiroj Happiness Initiative @ UM [email protected] AASHE Conference October 8, 2013 Enhancing Social Sustainability on Campus: Starting a Happiness Initiative in Your Community

Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

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Pete Wangwongwiroj, who for two year running conducted a Happiness Initiative at Michigan University, just gave a talk at the AASHE conference on his findings about happiness and social sustainability.

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Page 1: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Chirapon (Pete) WangwongwirojHappiness Initiative @ UM

[email protected]

AASHE ConferenceOctober 8, 2013

Enhancing Social Sustainability on Campus:Starting a Happiness Initiative in Your

Community

Page 2: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness
Page 3: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Happiness vs Age

19-2

4

25-2

9

30-3

4

35-3

9

40-4

4

45-4

9

50-5

4

55-5

9

60-6

4

65-6

970

& ove

r

6

6.2

6.4

6.6

6.8

7

7.2

7.4

7.6

6.16

6.44

6.62

6.44 6.43

6.27

6.47

6.7

6.98

7.39

7.22

Age Group

Ove

rall

Wel

l-Bei

ng S

core

Seattle (2011)USA (2008)

Page 4: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Wellness Wheel

Page 5: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

The 10 Domains of Happiness

Page 6: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

USA Survey Results - Overall

Page 7: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

USA Survey Results – Age 19-24

Page 9: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

SocialSustainability

???

Page 10: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Affordability

Stress

Job Prospects

Physical Health

Relationships

Sustainability

Diversity

Time balance

Grades

Student loans

Mental Health

Homework

Elitism

Inequality

Apathy

Social justice

Page 11: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Learned Helplessness• Martin Seligman’s 1975 paper• “Learned helplessness is the condition of a human

or animal that has learned to behave helplessly, failing to respond even though there are opportunities for it to help itself by avoiding unpleasant circumstances or by gaining positive rewards.” -- Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Helplessness: On Depression, Development, and Death. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.

• My experience in sustainability.• Sandra Steingraber: Well-informed futility

Page 12: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

We are NOT helpless

Let’s forget about the word “sustainability.”

Let’s talk happiness.

Page 13: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Happiness Initiative @ U of M

• Discussion groups• Love• Relationships• Religion• Meaning

That didn’t work.

Page 14: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Happiness Initiative @ U of M, Version 2.0

• Interactive and activity-based discussion groups• Different people leading discussions• Mix in social events• Takeaways

• Gratitude journals• Random acts of kindness• Meditation• Physical activity

• Time balance + community vitality

Page 15: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

• Pursuit of Happiness Day – April 13• Earth Day – April 22• Part of a national movement• April 2013 = MHappy Month!

• Most stressful month of the year

• A way to reach out to campus.

Page 16: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

What Was It?Three main components:• Happy hours (a new kind)• Pre-exam stress relief/wellness• What Makes Life Worth Living Conference

• Support/PR for other events• www.mhappy.org/events

Page 17: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Happy Hour

• Happiness is not just about drinks and bars.• So much more than that.• Activities

• Yoga• Mediation• Speakers• Movie screenings• Stress relief

Page 18: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

How did this happen?

• ~$6000 in funding• Be resourceful.• April = Towards end of fiscal year.

• Find your natural allies…

Page 19: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Natural Allies

Page 20: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

How did this happen?

• ~$6000 in funding• Be resourceful• April = Towards end of fiscal year

• Find your natural allies• We HAVE wellness teams and sustainability teams.

• Breaking down “silos”• Support from The Happiness Initiative: http

://www.happycounts.org/toolkits/

Page 21: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Lessons Learned

• Know how you like to create change.• Follow your passion!• Seek allies. Ask for help.• Embody the message: Find your happy

journey.

Page 22: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

Final thoughts

• Yes, we need second-order change.• We also need a new language.• We need…

• Positivity• Optimism• Hope• Love• Interconnection

Page 23: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

My Inspiration

John de Graaf- Affluenza- Take Back Your

Time- What’s the

Economy for, Anyway?

Laura Musikanski, JD MBA- DoShorts: How to Account for

Sustainability - Sustainability

Decoded: How to Unlock Profit Through the Value Chain

Page 24: Pete' AASHE presentation on social sustainability and happiness

THANK YOU!

Q&A

www.mhappy.orgwww.happycounts.orgChirapon (Pete) Wangwongwiroj

[email protected]