Recession-induced or not, the gloom hanging over an increasing number of Britons is the raison d’être of a new portal bestowing the ‘art of happiness.’
With tips to be content from the public, celebrities, politicians and even entrepreneurs, the portal’s creators say their aim is to remind us ‘we’re here for a good time, not for a long time.’
The campaign’s mission statement, and launch, is timely for it coincides with the passing of singer Michael Jackson.
Anyone who visits TopTips.com’s Campaign for Happiness can join in a single ‘Act of Happiness’ for the day, and submit their own tips for achieving contentment.
Fresh figures indicate the project is certainly in the public interest: doctor prescriptions for anti-depressants like Prozac rose last year by 2.1million to 36million.
The Mirror newspaper also reported that mental charity Rethink saw a surge in people seeking advice as the recession hit, particularly among “high-flyers.”
If David Cameron is to be believed, people wanting to be happy should “Swim at dawn on an empty Cornish beach” - the Tory leader shared on the campaign website.
Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter, said happiness was “sharing a car with two Everton supporters after the Cup Final,” while Skype boss Nicholas Zenstromm said it was ‘not taking yourself too seriously.’
Charles Dunstone, the Carphone Warehouse founder, shared: "My tip for happiness is to – 'believe the best in everyone'.” The Digital Inclusion champion and entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox added, “Love and be loved.”
By using the campaign to raise funds for Cancer Research UK, TopTips.com says it hopes to “help more cancer victims hear the happiest words of all: ‘All Clear’”
Posing the question ‘How to be happy?,’ the site reflected: “We know people want the answer as it's one of our most searched tips, but the sheer number of responses means that it's the one issue about which most people also feel they have some little grain of goodness to share.”
Jun 29, 2009
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