Making Mums Happy course
If you want to be happier, then why not have a go at this programme. Some of the ideas will seem silly or frivolous, but they are all rooted in science and our campaign (which we started back in May 2006) has shown that it works!
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So ... why not give DAY 1 a go and see how you get on. You can follow this programme at your own pace - don't feel guilty if you can't manage all the tasks we suggest - just take a few minutes each day to read the page of our thoughts & suggestions and fit in what you can. There are 14 days of tasks in all and then on the 15th and final day we'll tell you all about an ongoing maintenance programme. You should start to see results after 3 weeks, and if you can keep up with some of the basics, your happiness levels should continue to rise. Clever, isn't it!
Your daily happiness tasks - click on the links below
Kristina Murrin, Presenter of Honey We’re Killing the Kids has sent us her comments:
"Having children should be the happiest time of our lives but sometimes it can be incredibly lonely. Having a good laugh with friends makes all the difference!
As we have all experienced, it’s hard to make like-minded new friends when you have children, but there are so many ways to meet other Mums now – Netmums Meet a Mum site, NCT classes, Baby and toddler groups, to name but a few.
You need to be brave and approach people – they very rarely come up to you! Life is far too serious, so let out your inner child, live life to the full and enjoy it, and above all, laugh and smile, it's infectious."
A serious note: Not everyone is suitable for this programme
If you have a serious problem in your life such as post natal depression, a relationship problem or a serious illness in your family then this programme is not designed for you. It won't do you any harm, but you probably need to concentrate your energy on just coping right now. We may have some other ways of helping you with these issues in our support section. And please remember everybody goes through a series of ups and downs: it's called "life". And you can always come back and do this programme later in the year.
Netmums Books - How to be a Happy Mum: The Netmums Guide to Stress-Free Family
Telling it exactly how it is, this book looks at the stresses most mums face and offers practical advice as well as empathy. Take a read and breathe a sigh of relief that you're not alone in how you feel.
So where can you buy your copy?
How to be a Happy Mum is available from all good bookstores as well as online at Amazon.
The 10 basic happiness principles
- Count your blessings
- Have a good laugh every day
- Do a good turn with daily kindness
- Treat yourself every day
- Cut TV viewing and make time
- Say hello to a stranger
- Look after something you've planted
- Get physical
- Phone a friend
- Indulge in some talk time
In the press and real life testimonials
The Making Mums Happy programme has been featured in The Times and the Daily Mail.
The proof that it works - when we first ran this programme over 1000 mums joined and completed the course to see if they could raise their levels of happiness. Their happiness was measured before they started and the average happiness score was 52 (on a scale from 1 to 100). After taking the Making Mums Happy course, the average score was 64 - a rise of over 10% in just 3 weeks.
"I am delighted to see that this project has led to such positive results. It is really important to spread the message about positive steps everyone can take to improve their sense of wellbeing, and Netmums have shown how small changes can make a big difference. It is very exciting to see that the Internet can be used in such a powerful way."
Dr. Jenny Bywaters, formerly Director of Public Health, National Institute for Mental Health in England
