The Albatross Happy Project
Please meet the Albatross Happy Project, a movement focused on being kind to the countless strangers you engage with in your daily life.
Why?
Because at a time of record-breaking polarization and division, what the world needs now is Love... sweet love. As divided as folks seem online, in person we probably all more or less agree on a lot of things. As such, The Albatross Happy Project wants to catalyze a virtuous circle of positivity and kindness between people in their communities worldwide.
Why?
With all the division that currently exists-- expedited by predatory politics and social media-- we have literally been unable to come to enough agreement to address the really, really important issues within our society (e.g., the climate crisis) at the level needed.
Instead we are unfortunately bickering about insane conspiracies and hyperbole, pandering to the ultra-rich and the worst human sentiments, and simply not doing the very hard work of addressing these critical issues.
The Albatross Happy Project thinks that the world need to stop its fall down a hole of division. Instead, let's go into our communities, into our daily lives, and actively be kind to those we encounter to help remind each other of the age old truth "United we Stand, Divided we Fall."
Let's aim to be understanding and thoughtful. Let's take a breath and decompress. Let's spread love and in doing so recognize the sanctity of humanity itself.
Society needs a breath of freshness right now. A calming breath, a deescalating one.
Join us in this movement with 2 easy steps (Read below):
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
1. It starts with YOU.
As Michael Jackson once said, "I'm starting with the man in the mirror." Just as we must first love and heal each other before the planet can be saved, we must love and heal ourselves before we can love and heal other people.
This may be the hardest part, but perhaps this journey is best started with Gratitude for what you have. Life ain't always easy, that is very true, but in the darkest of moments there will be good. Moreover, life really is incredibly special and time is our most scarce resource. Let's spend it thinking good thoughts, productive thoughts, and loving thoughts.
Hate and pessimism, for example, are simply toxins that deprive us from a better, more pleasant, existence. Next time your brain starts thinking negative thoughts about something, or if you're getting frustrated, upset even, tell your brain something like this: "Hey Brain, Give me a happier thought!" We can all control our own minds, though sometimes it may prove more difficult than others. So, in addition to gratitude, this step most probably includes some of the following:
- Meditation, Yoga, Breathing
- Exercise!!!
- Eating Healthy
- Limiting the Vices
- Laughter
- Therapy?
- Generally, just taking care of yourself so you can be your best
2. The next step is the easy but hard and also quite rewarding step: Active Kindness.
Here's the reality: most people you encounter in your daily life are actually pretty decent humans. Aren't we all just trying to do our best to find happiness anyway? So, as you encounter these folks try to actively be kind. For us, this basically means attempting to make a given person's day better.
That's the core of this movement actually: playing a subtle game with yourself in which you try to improve the day of the people you encounter. Everyone you encounter in fact.
Now, it has to be said, some people are just Grumps! Some people act bad for attention-- because they're lonely or insecure. Some people have a lot of other mental baggage that's going to prevent you from making that specific person's day better. Don't get bogged down with the challenge. Be light. Do your best to spread love within your community.
And that's it! That's the movement. ACTIVE KINDNESS. Spreading love, laughter, and beautiful life.
How did the Albatross Happy Project start?
Here's a pasted version of the e-mail Andrew sent to folks after he got really stoked about this idea when he had the realization while surfing one morning that 'we won't be able to heal the planet unless we heal ourselves first:'
Subject: Please meet The Albatross Happy Project | A Letter from our Founder
Dear Friends,
Literally this morning (Nov. 3, ‘22) I was surfing and waiting in a pretty big lull when I had this thought about a new project for Albatross. For now it’s called The Albatross Happy Project. Here’s what it’s about and how it just started.
So, to understand the idea, you first have to understand where I’m coming from. I’ve recently gone through great lengths to reduce stress in my life. Every once in a while I feel we all need a reset, and as of recently I’ve really begun to take meditation and breathing exercises seriously for example. As I’ve done this, the world has seemed to slow down just enough to be able to see the humanity in everyone I encounter in my daily life. Fewer rushed cups of coffee to go, more conversations with the barista. More smiles, More waves and hellos in the neighborhood. Really, it seems to be just more “love” shared with my community because that is how you make your community better. Well, in the last couple days I’ve been doing this thing (no idea why btw) in which I try to make everyone's day better, happier and more positive when I encounter them. It’s fun and actually pretty rewarding.
Ok keep that in mind.
Well this morning I had the thought while I was in the water that the Environment can’t be healed until humans are healed. Moreover, until society is healed. Well, how does that happen I thought?
I thought about how harmful and divisive, say, social media and politics make society seem right now. I then wondered if it would be possible for average citizens to start a movement where they are actively kind to each other and we all, collectively, prove to each other that humanity is still decent in the flesh.
And this is how the Albatross Happy Project has just started. It’s a movement in which it’s encouraged to actively try to improve the daily lives of those you encounter in your daily life… to literally and easily make the world a better place. Now please keep in mind that I’m not saying to let others take advantage of you or anything like this. However, when encountering good, more-or-less honest individuals, be freaking jolly about it! :) Spread the love.
Who knows where this will go, I literally just got the idea 2 hours ago. But, for now, I’m thinking that we’ll at least try to reuse some of the cardboard or other materials that we use to make cards with a message to pass on– perhaps: “Make a Stranger’s Day Better” as that’s really the core of what I’m advocating for here. Not sure of the exact form that will take yet of course, but thought I’d let you know what I’m thinking right now.
The important part is the message. If we do actually look for the humanity in our neighbors and ‘make a stranger’s day better,’ then perhaps one day we will be able to start debating the best ideas again, not arguing about conspiracy theories. And hopefully then the planet can be saved.
Well that’s my thought, and that’s our new project. There’s not even a web page up yet, but I’d expect that to happen in the coming days in the “Initiatives” section of our website. I didn’t want to wait in writing this message or sending this email because this concept is too important to wait. As the old saying goes, there's no time like now! Besides those moments sitting on my board contemplating this morning were too magical to, say, discuss it with the team first! ;)
In conclusion: In order for the planet to heal humanity needs to heal first. And working to improve your community by spreading the love to the people who make it up may just help with that. Let’s approach each other from a place of understanding. So, please go try it: Make a stranger’s day better! All it takes is an “I like your shirt” for someone to feel noticed, even appreciated.
Heal the Planet, Heal Yourselves. :)
Kindest Regards,
Andrew
Albatross Designs, Founder
Please message us if you want to help out or have other good ideas! (hello@albatrossdesigns.it).