About Happiness Advocates
About Annie
Annie Passanisi, Happiness Advocate and Whimsy Coach, is a second generation motivator, as well as a Chicago-based actor and writer. She is the author of The Spark Anthology and Happiness Advocacy or How Positive Psychology Will Save Us from Zombies (PDF). Her passion for Positive Psychology also led her to launch the “I’m Contagious” Ease Epidemic.
The Grand Destroyer of Fear Zombies, Annie is the founder of Happiness Advocates and would like to remind you your good mood isn't a right – it's a civic duty. She is 4'11", bakes a mean cherry pie, loves Nat King Cole, and fully intends to survive the zombie apocalypse and live in a palatial treehouse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why advocate happiness?
Because, quite simply, happiness is a win-win situation. Beyond religion or politics, it's a cause everyone can benefit from and rally behind. Plus it's worth persuing, the Founding Fathers said so.
How do I become a Happiness Advocate?
If you're reading this you probably already are but... Own your own awesomeness. Defeat fear at every turn. Prioritze positivity. Kill zombies with kindness and fight fire with flowers. Smile. Hug. Celebrate. High-five. Compliment. Share. Play nice. Email me.
So you want me to be Pollyanna?
No. Apologies to Haley Mills, but Pollyanna is just plain annoying. True happiness is not about grinning and bearing it, it's about grinning and dealing with it. You can't see the silver lining unless you first acknolwedge the cloud.
Happiness? That sounds fluffy.
Every single iota of this website and all Happiness Advocates works are based on Positive Psychology findings (aka science.) If you're feeling particularly skeptical or nerdy, you can read up on some of my favorite studies.
What are some common misconceptions about happiness?
Selfish. Constant. Unrealistic. Fluffy. Counterculture. To set things straight, click here. (PDF) For more information, watch here
Will happiness really save us from zombies?
Yes. Also pirates, samauri, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. For instructions and my wildly far-fetched but altogether sound rationale, click here.
Are you happy all the time?
Uh, no. Dr. Tal Ben Shahar of Harvard says if you don't experience negative emotions you're either a sociopath or dead. I assure you I am neither. And to quote The First Wives Club "You think just because I'm a movie star, I don't have feelings, well, you're wrong! I do have feelings! I'm an actress! I have ALL of them!"
I'm anxious/angry/depressed. What do I do?
Stop beating yourself up. Heaping negative emotions on top of each other won't accomplish anything. Do things that make you feel good. Visit my resource section. Email me. If I'm not the right person to help you, I'll find someone who is.
Can guys be Happiness Advocates?
Yes. A very unofficial study found that Happiness Advocacy increased men's sex appeal by 32%. Ok, that statistic is entirely bogus but everything here-in is just as applicable for men. I've even included zombies to make you feel more at home.
I want to share this with my school/workplace/book club/meetup group/yacht club/Ryan Gosling fan club/family what should I do?
Hire me! From live speeches to custom writing, I'm all yours. Share me! Everything on this site is yours for the taking (with proper credit, naturally.) Spread it around. Email me! Let me know what you need and together we'll make the magic happen.
________ (insert Holiday here) is coming up. Do you have anything that will make a great gift?
Why yes. I wrote a fantabulous book called The Spark Anthology and you can find out all about it here. ________ (insert person you love) will love it. Guaranteed.