Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Happiness Researcher, Author, Keynote Speaker, and founder and CEO of Nonprofit Leadership LLC, Elle Benson, who shares her research on the science of happiness, emphasizing the importance of novelty, gratitude, and relationships in enhancing well-being. She discusses her approach of incorporating novel experiences into daily life to increase presence and joy, citing her own two-year experiment of engaging in 1,500 new activities. Elle explains how this concept applies to nonprofit leadership, fostering innovation, team-building, and sustainability. She highlights the power of gratitude as a quick route to happiness and the significance of human connections in long-term well-being. The conversation also touches on Elle’s work as a keynote speaker and her upcoming book on translating novelty into routine. The conversation concludes with Elle inviting listeners to learn more about her work through her websites, ellebenson.com and nonprofit-leadership.com, and to engage with her nonprofit mastermind groups.
Summary
Contagious Happiness in Leadership –Â Elle Benson discusses her journey into happiness research, starting with her work at a domestic violence agency in Knoxville, Tennessee. She observed that money does not determine happiness and became curious about the science of happiness and community building. Elle emphasizes that happiness is contagious and that leaders who focus on their own happiness can positively impact their teams and communities.
Novelty’s Role in Enhancing Happiness –Â Elle discusses her research on happiness and novelty, explaining how novel experiences can help people be more present and reduce anxiety and depression. She shares her personal experiment of engaging in 1,500 novel experiences over two years where she discovered that novelty with others, especially outside, correlated with higher happiness levels. Elle introduces a happiness equation from Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, which states that happiness equals reality minus expectations, and explained how reducing expectations can enhance joy and novelty.
Innovation and Growth in Nonprofits –Â Elle discusses the importance of trying new experiences to build deeper connections and foster creativity and innovation, particularly in the nonprofit sector. Elle emphasizes the need to innovate and stretch one’s comfort zone to address current challenges, drawing parallels to personal growth and relationship building, especially in children. She highlights the benefits of novelty in reducing stress, burnout, and promoting well-being, which is crucial for sustainability in nonprofit work.
Keynote Speaker’s Creative Approach –Â Elle discusses her experience as a keynote speaker, emphasizing the importance of novelty and creativity in both large and small settings, using Nashville as an example. She highlights how she challenges audiences to explore new experiences and approaches, which also benefits their health and work. Elle adds that this concept is particularly relevant when working with nonprofits to foster innovation and team-building connections.
Gratitude, Novelty, and Relationships –Â Elle discusses the positive feedback from workplaces and individuals regarding collaboration and its impact on culture and personal life. She emphasizes the importance of gratitude, novelty, and relationships as key components of happiness, citing a Harvard study on the longest happiness research. Elle highlights that gratitude is the quickest and easiest path to happiness, followed by novelty and relationships, which are crucial for long-term well-being.
Gratitude and Mindfulness Books –Â Elle shares details about her books, including “Cultivate Your Happiness: Mama-to-Be,” which focuses on mental health for pregnant women, and another for early elementary students on mindfulness and gratitude activities, “Cultivating Calmness in Children.” Elle is also working on a book about incorporating novelty into daily routines, regardless of age, marital status, or income level.
Creative Family Experiences –Â Elle shares a personal story about a simple act of novelty with her family, eating dinner outside on the sidewalk, which led to meaningful engagement and creativity. She emphasizes that small, creative actions can have a big impact on happiness and suggested that people can explore more novel experiences with their families. Elle also mentions her website and her work with nonprofit leaders through mastermind groups called Drivers, offering support and resources for building sustainability and resilience in the nonprofit sector.
Visit https://www.ellebenson.com to learn more about Elle Benson or visit https://www.nonprofit-leadership.com to learn more about Nonprofit Leadership LLC.
