The Center for Happiness creates simple yet tremendously impactful movements, inviting people across the world to join in as well as become happiness leaders in their own communities. 

Since 2011 and at the helm of French-born Happiness coach Laura Lavigne (see her TEDx talk here), the Center has touched thousands of hearts, changed lives and we are told - even saved a few.

All projects stem from the Essences of Joy, Ease, and Community. With always a little Magic mixed in.

Here are just a few of the Center's "babies:"

The Happiness Sprinkling Project. From 2012 until the pandemic of 2020, sets of Signs traveled between hundreds of Happiness Ambassadors, bringing smiles, hugs, and encouragement to thousands of people all over the United States, as well as Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and South Africa. The Happiness Ambassadors created and led their own yellow-wearing teams, often enrolling passersby to hold a Sign for a short while. The movement became very popular in schools.

The Happy Café. Born from Laura's love of baking (she ran a French bakery on Fidalgo island for many years) and her team's love of delighting people, pops up in random locations, treating "customers" to delicious fresh-baked pastries, hot coffee, and yes, lots of hugs.

Thanksgiving Tulips 2020. Upon hearing that her oldest son would not be with her for the holiday, Laura wanted to bring some brightness to people in the community who may also feel down. The Happiness Team went to work inviting people to nominate someone who might be alone on that day and then delivered bright bouquets of tulips at their doorsteps, the day before Thanksgiving. Once again, the team received at least as much joy as the recipients.

The Big Gratitude Project. A firm believer in the life-changing power of Gratitude, and with the help of a grant from The Pollination Project, the Center invited people to apply to become Gratitude Ambassadors. Thirty were chosen across the country. Each Ambassador received a beautiful bright yellow Gratitude Box to display in their community and immediately began collecting notes from passersby, answering the question "what are you grateful for, today?"

Other projects include A Day in Happyville, Happy Ice Cream Day, the Your Are Gloved Project, and more.

The Center for Happiness also runs several ongoing impactful online Communities (the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge, Happy U, and more) and has organized multiple fundraisers - several with an emphasis on refugees.

Laura believes in the power of joy-based leadership and in the fact that big changes can be made, simply, happily, with very little stress - and powerfully. You can read her blog here.