Dr. Sarah Ratekin

Being unhappy is great for the companies who benefit from "retail therapy", but terrible for us, our organizations and the people around us, too! In her signature speech, "Happiness Is Courage", Sarah engages and entertains as she addresses the current "Joy Gap" in our work places - and our lives. She explores the challenges that we face as we try to balance the often-conflicting demands of our work and personal lives, and offers data-backed ideas, and justification, for intentionally engaging with positivity and gratitude.

A growing body of research supports the significant positive impact that positivity and gratitude have on performance and engagement. Presentation will include a broad review of both supporting data and recommendations for incorporating these practices into team and company culture, through the metaphor of "Organization as Organism"

"Happiness is a direction, not a place." (Sydney J. Harris) Most people want to be happy, and they want those around them to be happy, too. The challenge comes when we don't know how to make that happen. Happiness is an emotion, and like all our emotions, it's a direct result of the environment (internal and external) in which we find ourselves. Happiness is not the goal, but rather an indication that we're living a life aligned to our inner values, priorities, and passions. We can (and do) shape that environment to create space for happiness to show up more regularly in our lives. Let's look at the science behind happiness and some data-backed methods to create a more intentionally positive experience!