Uncategorized

The 10 Keys to Happier Living: What Action for Happiness Says About Awareness, Trying Out and Acceptance

Posted on by Just Relax Store

Most wellbeing advice arrives as a list of separate tips. Action for Happiness, a charity registered in England and Wales, packages its advice as ten “keys” that together spell GREAT DREAM. The charity says they are based on the latest research and tend to make life happier and more fulfilling, while stressing that everyone’s path to happiness is different. This article summarises the framework as published on the charity’s site in September 2026 and looks more closely at three of the keys that lend themselves to quiet, everyday practice: Awareness, Trying Out and Acceptance. It is general wellbeing information from a charity, not medical advice or treatment, and anyone struggling with their mood should speak to their GP.

The ten keys at a glance

According to Action for Happiness, the keys are: Giving (do kind things for others), Relating (connect with people), Exercising (take care of your body), Awareness (live life mindfully), Trying Out (keep learning new things), Direction (have goals to look forward to), Resilience (find ways to bounce back), Emotions (look for what’s good), Acceptance (be comfortable with who you are) and Meaning (be part of something bigger). For each, the site provides information on the science, questions for reflection and practical actions. The charity also offers a free online programme, a free app that sends a daily action idea, and short videos with a coach from its “10 Days of Happiness” programme on the key pages.

Awareness: living life mindfully

The Awareness page says mindfulness can be a firm foundation for wellbeing and presents it as a skill that everyone can learn, simple but requiring practice, “training for your brain”. It defines mindfulness as openly paying attention, with awareness, to experience in the present moment. It then quotes the definition popularised by John Kabat-Zinn: paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.

The page unpacks each part. “On purpose” means choosing where to place attention, such as the breath, the body, thoughts or sounds. “In the present moment” means focusing on what is here now and noticing when the mind wanders, then bringing it back. “Non-judgmentally” means meeting whatever is noticed with kindness, openness and curiosity. The page also makes an argument about modern life: devices and social media are designed to capture attention, it says, and busy schedules can leave people on autopilot, so learning to choose where attention goes may help people feel calmer and more in control.

Trying Out: learning and hobbies

The Trying Out page says being open to new experiences and learning fuels wellbeing and can be fulfilling at any age, and that this does not mean gaining qualifications. Informal learning of topics or skills, in person or online, counts. In the short term, it says, learning can be pleasurable and help build connections with people who share interests, and in the longer term it can be a source of meaning and confidence.

The page includes a practical idea drawn from the psychologist Carol Dweck’s work on mindset. A person who expects to get everything right first time may feel embarrassed or annoyed after a mistake and give up, which the page calls a fixed mindset. A growth mindset, it says, treats mistakes as part of learning, and one small change is to add the word “yet” to “I’m no good at this”. The charity suggests trying that phrase the next time frustration shows up. The same page has a section on finding flow through hobbies, noting that not everyone gets to choose their work but everyone can find a hobby they love. The site’s guide to flow, hobbies and creativity covers that theme further.

Acceptance: being comfortable with who you are

The Acceptance page starts from the point that no one is perfect, yet people often expect themselves to be. It says accepting that everyone has strengths and imperfections, will make mistakes and will sometimes fail is an important component of psychological wellbeing. That does not mean not feeling bad after a mistake; it means dwelling less on it, and the page says research shows people can learn to accept themselves more.

The page distinguishes self-acceptance from self-esteem. Self-esteem, it says, rests on judgements of how good someone is in particular areas or relative to others, so it can be fragile. Self-acceptance, by contrast, is awareness of both the positive and negative aspects of the self alongside a positive attitude towards oneself. It also notes that social media makes comparison easy, because most people post their best images, and that this can affect people at any age. Developing self-compassion is one route the page names.

A small way to use the keys

  • Pick one key for a week rather than trying all ten.
  • Use a daily reflection question from the site, such as what small act of kindness could be done today.
  • Pair Awareness with an existing routine, for example noticing the sounds during a walk.
  • When a new hobby feels awkward, add “yet”.
  • Notice social comparison and remember that online images are curated.

Frequently asked questions

Is the framework free? The charity describes the app and online programme as free, and the 10 Keys book as available to order.

Do I need to do all ten keys? The charity says everyone’s path is different and offers the keys to explore, not a set order.

Is this a substitute for professional help? No; it is a charity’s general guidance, and a GP is the starting point for persistent low mood.

The bottom line

Action for Happiness offers ten keys, GREAT DREAM, as a menu of everyday habits. Awareness, Trying Out and Acceptance are the quietest of them: paying attention on purpose, adding “yet” to new efforts and accepting imperfection. Choose one, practise it gently and speak to a GP if low mood persists.

Sources

Just Relax Store