OUR STORY
Back in 2009, Shawn Achor unknowingly created the first mission of the HAPPÉ program. He was featured on a TEDx Bloomington Talk that eventually reached over 2 million viewers titled The Happiness Advantage. He claimed that Harvard scientists had proven that the standard idea of how to be happy around the world was broken and backward: If I work harder, I’ll be more successful. And if I’m more successful, then I’ll be happier.” Shawn said that this broken way of thinking continually puts happiness outside of a goal or a success rather than in the present moment. If you can raise someone’s experience of positivity in the present then their brain experiences a happiness advantage increasing energy, productivity, and creativity and reducing stress and anxiety. The science proved that if your brain started out happy, you were more likely to be more productive and eventually successful.
Exercise – get up and move!
Meditate – as simple as following three breaths in and out!
Random Act of Kindness – intentional and deliberate!
Gratitude – state three things you are thankful for!
Journal – write about one positive experience each day!
OUR STORY
Back in 2009, Shawn Achor unknowingly created the first mission of the HAPPÉ program. He was featured on a TEDx Bloomington Talk that eventually reached over 2 million viewers titled The Happiness Advantage. He claimed that Harvard scientists had proven that the standard idea of how to be happy around the world was broken and backward: If I work harder, I’ll be more successful. And if I’m more successful, then I’ll be happier.” Shawn said that this broken way of thinking continually puts happiness outside of a goal or a success rather than in the present moment. If you can raise someone’s experience of positivity in the present then their brain experiences a happiness advantage increasing energy, productivity, and creativity and reducing stress and anxiety. The science proved that if your brain started out happy, you were more likely to be more productive and eventually successful.
In order to start out happy, you had to be willing to accept a challenge. The challenge had to be completed for about 21 days straight days and included the five following steps:
Exercise – get up and move!
Meditate – as simple as following three breaths in and out!
Random Act of Kindness – intentional and deliberate!
Gratitude – state three things you are thankful for!
Journal – write about one positive experience each day!
WHAT THE RESEARCH DISCOVERED:
- Your brain at positive performs better than at negative, neutral, or stressed.
- Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, and your energy level rise.
- Your brain at positive is about 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral, or stressed.
- 90% of your long-term happiness is predicted by the way your brain processes the world.
- 75% of your life successes are predicted by your optimism levels, your social support, and your ability to see stress as a challenge instead of as a threat!
Not only is this the very first challenge, but the foundation of the HAPPÉ program in order to bring about a positive difference in the lives of everyone we touch.
So what are you waiting for? Accept the challenge and hold tight for your life is about to change!
WHAT THE RESEARCH DISCOVERED:
- Your brain at positive performs better than at negative, neutral, or stressed.
- Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, and your energy level rise.
- Your brain at positive is 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral, or stressed.
- 90% of your long-term happiness is predicted by the way your brain processes the world.
- 75% of your life successes are predicted by your optimism levels, your social support, and your ability to see stress as a challenge instead of as a threat!
Not only is this the very first challenge, but the foundation of the HAPPÉ program in order to bring a positive difference in the lives of everyone we touch.
So what are you waiting for? Accept the challenge and hold tight for your life is about to change!
OUR TEAM
Dr. Jodie Eckenrod, Executive Director
With a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Jodie knows what makes people tick. And as a registered pharmacist, she knows what makes people sick. Taken together, these two disciplines give an insight into the depth of Jodie’s mind and character! Always one to peek under the hood and trouble-shoot problems, she also has a methodical side that understands the details. Clinical Psychology training requires attention to detail, of course, but also hours and hours of clinical practice with people and feedback from professors. Pharmacy Science has become a five-year program at many universities and saying it requires “attention to detail” is a gross understatement. Jodie’s curious, investigative side and her meticulous, analytical side have made her a Sherlock Holmes of healthcare. For 25 years, she’s put this potent combination to work in the healthcare field with an emphasis on wellness. More recently, she has delved into the mysteries of the heart and soul by pursuing a Master’s degree in Theology. If Jodie sounds like a vibrant person, it’s because she is. Whether as a lecturer, church leader, or developer of school wellness programs, she is very much at home in front of an audience. She’s also very brave, as exemplified by being a college preceptor, having eloped, and home-schooling her two vivacious daughters for a decade!
Dr. John Beiter, Founder
Has over 30 years of business experience in both the corporate and clinical/health care environments. He is a highly motivated and inspirational coach having earned advanced degrees in all functional areas he has worked. His doctoral studies provided development of his professional skills and abilities with a vision toward bringing an in-depth understanding of business practices and corporate cultures to an equally comprehensive understanding of what motivates people to succeed and what factors can impede their growth. John has worked in many corporate functional areas such as sales and marketing, treasury and finance, auditing, accounting, human resources and organizational development for many diverse corporations including: the Federal Home Loan Bank, U.S. Steel, Mellon Bank, Aristech Chemical Company and German owned Bayer Corporation. While working in the financial services sector, he was responsible for the marketing and sales of complex treasury operating systems to Fortune 100 clients across the United States.
Dr.Peta Stapleton, Co-Founder
Has 25 years experience as a registered Clinical & Health Psychologist in the State of Queensland, Australia and has completed a Bachelor of Arts, Postgraduate Diploma of Professional Psychology, and Doctor of Philosophy. Peta is well known internationally in the area of Clinical EFT and is consulted for podcasts, radio, television, and print media for her expert opinion. She has been awarded many honors and is a certified practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Timeline Therapy, and Emotional Freedom Techniques. Peta’s most significant contribution in her research life has been to lead world-first randomized clinical trials investigating Emotional Freedom Techniques (or Tapping). The results have been outstanding. This treatment has now been compared to a gold standard, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and also in an online format.
Pam Pudar, Limited Partner
Pam knows how to guide people and groups on how to negotiate and solve messy problems. With over 30 years of experience in Finance, Contract Negotiations, Business/Strategic Planning, and Talent Management, she has learned how to navigate emotional and professional minefields. With a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Administration, a Masters degree in Management, and decades in the trenches, Pam has become a passionate business leader. She is an outstanding communicator who knows how to have a tough skin while maintaining an open mind and a warm heart. Pam is a real right brain/left brain person. She sees the numbers, the systems, and the big picture while artistically and creatively guiding the process and, more importantly, the people involved, to success. She has guided the development of corporate improvement programs, led contract negotiations, developed financial models, and implemented multiple-business unit contracts. In her career and as a consultant, Pam has indeed been a leader, but more importantly, a mediator and envoy, bringing disparate groups to common ground. She is a partner in a venture capital fund that invests in women-led start-ups in Michigan; volunteers as a coach with Michigan Women Forward; and is a mentor for the Techstars, a company that connects entrepreneurs and investors. Her ability to see the big picture while taking care of the details is a skill necessary to navigate challenging situations and relationships.
