Simon Benn, Children's Happiness Coach
"After Interviewing Mark Jaffe former CEO of Walt Disney Records about his book " Suitcase Of Happyness" I was HAPPY to meet foremost Children's Happiness Coach Simon Benn!I asked Simon if he would do an Interview with myself and a group of very Happy people to Inspire Happy Kids in every neighborhood in every country. Simon said YES." Paul CodyHi, I'm Simon Benn and I’m passionate about children’s happiness!I've been coaching children for the last 5 years and love helping them be happy, ignore bullies and realise their potential. I live close to where I grew up in Wetherby, Yorkshire with my wife, 2 dogs and 2 pigs.Happiness is a feeling and feelings come from thoughts. I used to think that the outside world decided how I felt. That meant I was at the mercy of my circumstances. But I’m not any more. 5 years ago I decided to help children understand what I’d learned in a fun way. They LOVE becoming empowered to manage their feelings with Happy Apple and Confident Coconuts. 95% of them find it easier to change their feelings after a 45 minute fun session.Most of our thoughts come from who we THINK we are. Discovering who we TRULY are is the ultimate driver of happiness. I believe we are all born perfect – like perfect diamonds so brilliant we sparkle. We shine because that’s in our nature, that’s who we are, our true identity.I’ve helped hundreds of children learn to be happy over the last 5 years. Before that I created educational books, posters and websites for children. One year we published 5 million copies of Roald Dahl’s Guide to Railway Safety and sent them to every school in the UK.Happy thoughts create happy feelings, what's your happy thought today?Be happy,Simon Benn (all Links at bottom)Interviewed by the Happiness ofPaul Cody, Your Host!Therapy Skunks, Stoosh & Skittles in SkunkishAddy, 10 year old, Founder of Gorilla Heroes. Please support her amazing efforts to Save The Gorillas!Mike McKinnon, "The Captain" Retired Naval Base and Submarine Commander.Meet Passion her name is Alyssa Marie Coon age13, singer since 2 years old, plays 3 InstrumentsBobbi Storseth Capwell, Retired School Teacher who set up the Interview of Skunks Stoosh & Skittles by 2 Texas Grade 3 classes.More coming.Initial Questions to Simon BennStoosh : what woulds you tell childrens is the key to happiness?Simon Benn; The world is looking for keys, 7 steps to, 5 ways you can, 10 How’s. The answer is not in the how, it’s in the what.Happiness is a feeling and our feelings come from our thoughts, not from what goes on around us. Most of us aren’t choosing how we feel because otherwise we’ d feel happy. Instead we are listening to that little voice in our heads that say we’re rubbish. Happiness is realising that little voice in our head is a liar. We’re born perfect – like a diamond. Things happen to us and rubbishy thoughts go into our heads. The diamond gets wrapped in layers of muck. Underneath that muck we are still perfect. Seeing that is the key to happiness. Realising that we sometimes lose sight of our perfection is another key. If you’re ok when you’re not ok, you’re always ok.Skittles : as a parent how does you makes your children happiest?Simon Benn; Being happy ourselves – kids do what we do, not what we say. By learning where happiness truly comes from. By loving them and getting them to see their perfection. Telling them they’re perfect won’t cut it, kids not parents are biased. Kids need to see that for themselves, that’s why I point kids to the diamond. That’s why I help them see that their feelings come from their thoughts - not events. How big is a problem when we’re not thinking about it? It’s not even tiny, it doesn’t exist. How big is a problem when we don’t think it’s a problem? It’s not a problem.Mike McKinnon; I often say, “Happiness is an inside job!” In today’s world of social media and seeing how wonderful life is when portrayed by others, how do we teach our children to love themselves, to be proud of who they are and to not compare themselves to others?Simon Benn; In today’s world of social media and seeing how wonderful life is when portrayed by others,Most of these people are pretending. Inside they’re feeling bad too. They think happiness is an outside job. They’re wrong.how do we teach our children to love themselves,By loving ourselvesto be proud of who they areBy being proud of ourselvesand to not compare themselves to others?By not comparing ourselvesMike McKinnon; How do we instill in them if they truly do their best, treat others with kindness and to be honest in their speech, thoughts and actions, they will in fact be able to sleep peacefully each night and be truly happy with who they are?Simon Benn;Short answerBy being that way ourselves. Kids need role models.Long answerI’m not sure that’s all true, for me the key piece is identity. We’re not our names, roles, bodies, thoughts, feelings or actions. We’re more than all that. We are the spirit, love, essence or nature – the perfect unblemished diamond – whatever happens. Seeing that is the key to happiness, Identity is where it’s at.Mike McKinnon; How do we teach our children it’s not what we have that makes us happy, but what and how we give of ourselves to spread kindness and joy in our world that will bring fulfillment and happiness in our lives?Simon Benn; By doing that ourselves!Mike McKinnon; How do we teach our children it’s through making a difference in the lives of others we actually find our purpose and joy in life? Thanks!Simon Benn; By doing that ourselves!Alyssa Marie Coon; I’m a 13 year old singer songwriter and musician My question to you is:How do middle school girls stay confident and happy without caring about what other kids their age think?Girls are so jealous and competitive and they tend to put each other down in order to make themselves feel or seem better than the ones they put down.I have always tried to star away from girl drama. Sometimes it just happens.I’m confident and happy with myself and who I am. If any one chooses to bully me, I walk away.I actually wrote a song about fake friends. "Great. Love that!!!! : Simon BennIt’s called One Way TicketSimon Benn; It looks like others cause our feelings. But confidence is a feeling and feelings come from thoughts. If you think back to a time when you were upset, you will be upset. If you think forward to a time when someone might upset you, you will be upset. Your feelings don’t come from what’s going on outside. They come from what’s going on inside. Those thoughts can’t hurt you. But it looks like they can.Addy; Simon, do you have any advice for making the transition from being the oldest in the school (elementary) to being the youngest (entering middle school)?Simon Benn; Bigger children can pick on smaller children. This happened to me. It looked like they made me feel bad. But no-one can actually make you feel bad. When I think back to that bullying I fee bad. That's because our feelings come from our thoughts but our thoughts are invisible so we can see them. So we think it's the other person. We have 70,000 thoughts a day - we don't always realise the thought that's lead to the feeling. Underneath all our thoughts and feelings is complete and utter perfection. Bullies don't know that - they're angry and take that out on others - it's never your fault it's what's going on in their heads - they're probably not even aware of that!From a practical position, if you get bullied then tell a teacher and your parents and take the steps to avoid the bully.Bobbi Capwell; How are feelings contaigious?Simon Benn; I don’t know. It seems like an energy thing.Bobbi Capwell; How is possible for colors to affect our feelings?Simon Benn; I don’t think they do. But you think they do so they will.Bobbi Capwell; When did you acquire the knowledge to be a Happiness Coach?Simon Benn; For me it was by experiencing life, wondering what makes us happy, finding out and deciding to share it. For others – email me simon@simonbenn.co.ukPaul Cody; What makes us feel like we do?Simon Benn;Paul Cody; Where do our feelings come from?Simon Benn; Our thoughts!Paul Cody; Why do we feel bad?Simon Benn; Bad thoughts we wouldn’t choose!Paul Cody; How can we stop others making us feel bad?Simon Benn; By being good!Paul Cody; What's underneath our feelings?Simon Benn; Our thoughts and underneath that identity – who we truly are. If we think we are good, then we’re more likely to have more good thoughts more of the time and be able to ignore the bad ones.Best regards,Simon Benn Simon Benn, The Children's Happiness Coach Simon 07711 828272 Office 01423 359379 Office Simon Benn Limited. The Coach House, Hunsingore, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS22 5JD follow us on twitter like us on facebook
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