"Spread Happiness" birthday party

On Friday, November 19th, you're welcome to join a small birthday party in Leuven. If you want to eat together, you're welcome in the student restaurant Alma 1 (Tiensestraat 115) from 19:00 onwards. At 20:30, we'll move to the nearby "Inloophuis" in Blijde Inkomststraat 113 for a drink and a chat (I'll provide the drinks).

Research shows that "giving", "doing acts of kindness" and "volunteering" makes you happier. So if you insist on giving me a present, I kindly ask you to donate a little time or money to somebody who really needs it more than I do. If you donate some time, it would be great if you use one of your personal strengths in the process. If you donate a little money, please donate it to a cause that's close to your heart. If you really can't find anything personal, you may consider the non-profit organization http://www.anbn.be/ that is willing to let me use their office space for my party.

My research shows that simplicity may be key to human happiness.
So if you make a small time or money donation, please keep it simple! The only thing I ask is that you post your act of kindness on http://gelukkige.blogspot.com/ (the Dutch version of this blog page - feel free to use your own language). Looking forward to see you, empty-handed (that also makes for an easier hug :-) but with a happy story to tell!

International Positive Psychology Symposium in Bruges


On November 17th, an International Positive Psychology Symposium will take place in Bruges, Belgium. This Symposium is part of the International Congress of Applied Psychology. Presentations will be from Prof. Maarten Vansteenkiste, Prof. Lesley Verhofstadt and Hein Zegers. http://www.howest.be/icap/symposium.html

November 2010

01.11 Frankfurt
03.11-06.11 Venice-Stockholm-Rome
12.11-14.11 Orlando
16.11 Give 3hr workshop on positive psychology interventions (Bruges)
17.11 Give Positive Psychology speech on the International Congress of Applied Psychology
18.11 Mini guest lecture on positive psychology (Leuven)
19.11 "Happiness research" based birthday party (see above)

The World Book of Happiness

The World Book of Happiness: 100 Happiness experts, from Ahmed Abdel-Khalek to Hein Zegers, from 50 countries from Argentina over Bhutan all the way to the U.S., share their knowledge and wisdom in this book, that is being published in 4 languages. Here is its English table of contents.

"What makes you happy?"

"What makes you happy?" The results of my world-wide happiness research is now available here on the internet (in Dutch).

October 2010

11.10-13.10 Astana-Almaty (Kazakhstan) (Belgian Economic Mission)
15.10-20.10 Nagoya (Japan)