Pathways to Happiness

Policies to address feeling cared about

Pathways to Happiness are ways to address

feeling cared about

Social Support

scores are strong but

have edged down over

time.

100= happiest

Let’s look at one aspect of social support:

feeling cared about

Our scores for feeling cared about have gone down but increased in the last year.

a score below 40 means we do not feel people care about us, 80 or above means we do feel cared about

Courageous Policies

Parental resilience programs

Parenting classes and early childhood support

Programs to help at risk and not at risk families

Parenting respite and participation

Childhood development information

and other information and resources

Early childhood support examples

http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/departments/police/community-resources/school-resources/parenting-resources

Example of a city’s parenting resources:

http://santaclaraca.gov/residents/children-youth-teens/santa-clara-0-to-6/parents

Programs to foster connection

Information about the connections between friendship, health and longevity

Awareness raising about the important of actual interactions

Areas for play, study, work, picnicking, entertainment & enjoyment

Access to public spaces to encourage connecting

(not virtual)

Resources about social connections

http://www.cssp.org/reform/strengthening-families/2013/SF_Social-Connections.pdf

Information sheet about social connections

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/pag/30/1/95/

Research article on social connections in college students

What’s it going to take?

Learning to listen

Training ourselves to listen without judgment of the other person’s feelings. Training ourselves to acknowledge another person’s feelings without judgment.

Spreading Kindness

something as simple as opening a door

Make a daily habit of an act of kindness

words of appreciation and admiration to a young person

sharing a meal or giving away your hat to a homeless person

giving a loved on a long hug

and other acts of kindness

Other policies in the Pathways to Happiness tool seriesCampaign finance reformGuaranteed basic income

Media reformMassive public transportation

Local food relianceVillage living (cities and rural)

Multi-use zoningPublic spaces

Political festivalsParticipatory governance

Participatory budgetingAnti-corruption policies

Transparency in governmentCompassion training for policeCommunity-based monitoring

Sousveillance Vote holiday

Vacation lawsFamily leave laws

Sick leave lawsFlex time and job share laws

Telecommuting policiesBabies at work policiesIntergenerational care

Department of neighborhoodsVolunteer programs

Mindfulness practice in schoolsSocial justice awareness raising

Mental health –priority counselingSame Sex Marriage Laws

Public child careAge-friendly cities

Loneliness awareness campaign

We envision a world where all beings can thrive.

Can you envision it too?happycounts.org