Creating Happiness Through Habit. A Little Step Towards Mental Wellness.

As an ambassador for Project Happiness, I am thrilled to bring their 21 Day Happiness Habit Challenge to life, not only to help share how to create happiness through habit, but also to discuss important topics around our overall wellbeing and mental wellness. I hope you will join me.

It was in the summer of 2017 right in the midst of my burnout that I realized I had never made a decision based off of joy. Sure I had done some epic things in my life and had some incredible adventures, but they were all tied to fulfilling a higher purpose, I can't honestly say the key motivation behind them had been joy.

My burnout was as a result of founder life in San Francisco. For the past 3 years I had been trying to secure funding for my previous startup while working a full time management consulting contract to pay the bills, living off 3-4 hours of sleep for about a 2 year period, and comprising my overall wellbeing in diet, stress, and beyond. By the time I decided to take a pause and put my health first in November 2017 I felt unrecognizable to myself. I took a short sabbatical for 9 weeks and called it my Joy and Love trip- a journey to reconnect with self love and little joys in life while picking up the pieces to rebuild a new life again.

That whole experience made me think, in general were we ever taught that being happy with ourselves and loving ourselves were the two major goals in life? I don't remember anyone telling me that in school, or really anyone telling me that growing up. I was taught/told a lot of should's. The degrees I should get (which I did), how I should buy a house to secure my financial future (which I did then had to short sell it in the last financial crisis losing it all), how I should get a good job (had many good ones and was unfulfilled), how I should get married (did that, ended 5 years later), and the list goes on.

I wish happiness and joy had been embedded in me as a foundation for the top priority in life versus accomplishments. My decisions would have been a lot different. By 27 I realized that my "bucket list" had led me to an empty place and so it was my first of a few LIFE restarts. Literally leaving everything behind and starting over-there has been like 3 so far.

This last decade has been infused with a lot of adventures, on mountain tops, foreign lands, and in the soul. I know now that happiness needs to be a part of my life and more importantly that it is a daily choice. In my own healing journey and battle with on and off depression since a teen, it has been mindfulness and movement that have been my medicine. It was a consistent meditation practice that also helped me reach the summit of Mt. Everest on my second attempt in 2013.

So it's why I have chosen to embed overall wellbeing into everything we do at She Ventures. The World Health Organization warns that by 2030, depression will be the leading contributor to the global disease burden. Mental health disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity a year, with depression being the leading cause of ill health and disability. Our goal with the 21 day challenge is to help improve quality of lives by introducing simple new habits to boost happiness around the world in our community, while also having open and honest conversations around mental health and wellbeing. There is still a lot of stigma around these topics, especially in the workplace. More and more people need a safe and supportive community for open dialogue.

Join me as we kick off a virtual 21 Day Happiness Habits Challenge Circle on FB Live to help us dedicate time to happiness and love.

"Happiness is directly proportional to your belief in how much freedom of choice you have. The research proves that happiness is possible through intentional habit changes. It turns out that only 10% of our happiness is due to our external circumstances and a surprising 90% is based on our inner environment. We can all shift our happiness levels. Why? A full 40% of our happiness is influenced by our intentional daily activities and the CHOICES we make."- Project Happiness.

Let's lift our vibration, choose HAPPY, and spread joy around us! I will be guiding us in discussion each day. Videos and blogs will be available on the She Ventures website and our FB Page.

Thank you to Project Happiness for their efforts, materials, and powerful mission.

Want to work with me 1-on-1 for coaching or host a workshop or talk at your organization?Please reach out.

Learn more about the global impact of Mental Illness from the World Economic Forum.

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Georgina is a social entrepreneur, adventurer, public speaker, consultant, coach, and activist combining over a decade of Corporate, Start-up, and Adventure experience. She is a social innovator working to accelerate gender equality globally and exploring new ways to unleash full human potential in life and business from a holistic mind, body, spirit approach.

Georgina is the founder and CEO of She Ventures. She is an accomplished adventurer on her way to completing the Explorer Grand Slam (8 Summits + 2 Poles Across the Globe). A feat which less than 15 women globally have completed in effort to raise awareness around gender-based violence and climate change.