Happiness. Overall, the young people interviewed declared being happy. The interviews reveal that happiness is linked to some of the key domains explored in the previous section. This is particularly the case for relationships. For instance, some participants state that their family makes them happy. Others will indicate that having a strong network of friends is important for their happiness. Consequently, moving houses and losing contact with old friends can impede one’s happiness: “I think . . . I was happier before. Because I was with my friends in that secondary school that I came from who were with me from primary schools. And obviously I knew them for a much longer period and, you know, I had outside school friends as well. My cousins also live in London so I’d interaction with them and Manchester’s obviously; I haven’t got any connection to anyone over here except from friends in school.” (Interview, Xxxxx, male, 16 years old) Happiness is not necessarily associated with material conditions. Some young people coming from a disadvantage background indicate that they are happy despite the context surrounding them. “I’m happy with [my life]. I’ve made the best of what I have. Obviously, I’ve not had the best upbringing but I don’t blame the past. You’ve just got to look forward. Just do what you can with what you’ve got.” (Focus group, 16-18 years old, male, organised) Some young people established a connection between happiness and satisfaction. Happiness is not based on what one owns, but on how satisfied they are with what they own. Xxx illustrates this argument with car ownership: “If you don’t have a car, it don’t mean you can’t be happy. So if you’re satisfied with what you have at that time, you’re most likely to still have a good wellbeing.” (Interview, Xxx, male, 18 years old) A minority of the interviewees declared that they were not happy. This was the case for Xxxxx who had recently entered university and appeared to be finding the transition quite difficult. Happiness is a very subjective concept and it can be challenging to explain why one feels happy or not: “I had a chat with my friend on the bus and I was, like, I’m not happy, I’m not feeling happy or content. I don’t know, there’s something missing, kind of, and that was last week so… And when I come to university I don’t have that happy vibe if you know what I mean. I mean, yes, college was really, you know, it was a lot more fun than uni, but I’ve got to this stage and I’ve got to deal with i...
Happiness. Creating experiences that give us and our members feelings of joy, pride, contentment and well-being.
Happiness. Making new friends, improving your health, and establishing a great relationship with your dog, all come together to produce more happiness and fun in your life. PACK WALK RULES TO WALK BY: All dogs must be on leash at all times. No leash may exceed 6’ in length. – Absolutely No Flexi/Retractable leashes are permitted, this is for the safety of everyone. Only one dog per handler. Each dog/handler must be registered. Family members are welcome, however an adult or guardian must have control of the leash at all times. The walk is not a “playtime” for the dogs, no matter how well they seem to get along. There may be dogs on the walk who aren’t as friendly, so we need to be cautious. If your dog seems to get along well with another, feel free to walk together as we progress, but please do not allow playing and leash tangling. There is No “nose to nose” greeting amongst dogs, especially with dogs your dog may have never met. “Nose to Nose” greeting is one of the most problematic ways to introduce dogs, however taking a walk together is one of the easiest and most beneficial ways for dogs to meet and interact. If any Stow or Sit Means Sit Representative is giving any instruction, please stop, listen, and follow those instructions. These are for everyone’s safety and we want all involved to have a safe and fun experience. Please bring bags and clean up after your pet. Nobody wants to accidentally step in a mess.
