How running a CIC can improve your happiness and well-being 🫶🏼

'If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune...if you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.' Chinese's saying.

It's been said across cultures and through generations. There is a strong link between increased happiness and helping others.

Mentoring CIC owners is a joy for me, mainly because I'm helping people, who have come up with an idea to help others. They are excited, I'm excited for them and everyone's happy. It's infectious. And it's because it's an absolute dream to be in a position to come up with your own idea to solve a problem others are facing.

Once people get started with their CIC's and get out there working with the communities they are serving it motivates people at a far higher level than they have experienced in regular jobs.

CIC projects allow you to spend all the time you want on the front line helping people. I have never left an event or workshop feeling down. Tired yes, but always charged with endorphins.

Last year I ran a street art workshop with autistic children. There was a child that would only communicate by whispering to his mother. But after a session with the spray cans he'd got so lost in his art work he started talking to me. Break thoughts like this are incredible! I've got so many examples. After ten years I could write a book on them!

I mean how could you not be happy helping others.

It's also a powerful tool to heal yourself. There's a reason it's the 12th step of the 12 step alcoholics anonymous programme. They say you could be sober and do 11 of the steps but if you don't do the 12th and help another alcoholic you could relapse.

When we help others it confirms in us how we should maintain or create changes in our lives. It keeps us on a positive path and gives us strength to grow.

While helping people is a huge part of your decision to start a CIC there are also numerous self gains as well;

Being your own boss.

Creating your own dream job.

Working when you want.

Taking time off when you want.

It is part time work for more than a full wage if you can build it up.

You're excelling in your career and smashing goals you could not do employed.

Goal setting and achieving is another vital element of happiness. There is loads of that in a CIC because you are running short projects every year. It's really satisfying to complete a project. After a few years you then have loads of great work under your belt.

Powered by large chunks of grant funding you excel so fast with a CIC towards your dream.

Of course there are challenges and it's not all roses but get it right, grow and maintain and you will be walking around thinking 'I can't believe this is my life'!