• 01 Jul, 2024
• Livia Grujich

Finding Balance and Cultivating Happiness: Insights from a Wellness Expert

Livia Grujich: I ran my own marketing firm for 14 years. You can say OnQ was my first baby, and my business partner and I really poured our hearts and souls into growing it and making it the successful company it became. A few years into running OnQ, we also started having our own (human) babies. As two female entrepreneurs, around the same age, growing their own families while running a business, we needed to figure out how to maintain a healthy balance. Being able to be present in the lives of my newly born twin girls was paramount. I did not want to give up my work, but I also didn’t want to miss out on those first precious milestones. We had to work together to ensure we could ‘do it all’ and do it all effectively. And we did.

And the same happened when I had my son, three years later. I consider myself very fortunate that I was able to put my family first, as an entrepreneur, and I did not have to sacrifice by having to choose work or family. In my years of teaching executive education, I’ve encountered many women (and men) who feel stuck and resentful for having to choose. When I came across the Happiness Studies Academy, led by positive psychology expert Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, which teaches evidence-based ways that one can achieve higher levels of happiness, I was immediately drawn to the program because I felt the strategies were ones I employed naturally in my own family, and, now, with the science backing the things I did intuitively, I have what I need to be able to teach others how to achieve a happy, well-balanced life, at home and at work. And so, that’s how the switch happened from helping other businesses market their products to me marketing something I’ve always believed in…work-life balance.

Magazica: Your organization, Prescribing Happiness, aims to help people achieve optimal psychological and physical health. Can you share some of the key strategies you prescribe?

Livia Grujich: The key strategies I prescribe center around the SPIRE model of happiness, and the reason I prescribe them with full confidence is not only because I’ve seen them work firsthand in my own life, my family’s life, and the lives of multiple teams I have worked with, but because they are evidence-based, and the research is loud and clear. You will live longer, and not only longer, but healthier and happier years will be added to your life. The ‘prescriptions’ center around the importance of the mind-body connection, having a purpose in our day-to-day life, nurturing meaningful real relationships, always maintaining a curiosity for life and new experiences, and accepting all emotions, not expecting and hoping to be happy all the time.

Magazica: As someone who speaks regularly on work-life balance, what are some practical tips you can share with our readers to maintain this balance?

Livia Grujich: Be intentional in what you choose to do with your time. That comes by learning to say no to things, and by realizing that we can really ‘have it all’ if we clearly define what ‘all’ means, because it is different for everyone, and may be different for yourself as well, depending on which stage you are in your life. For example, if you just had a baby, chances are you’ll be more focused on the family quadrant. If you are in the midst of a career change, then working long hours at the office may be the norm for a while. The one thing I think we tend to forget, whether we are more focused on work or family, is that we need to take care of ourselves first. When we’re busy, we tend to put ourselves last, and this is the worst thing we can do because then we won’t be effective in anything we try to accomplish. It’s not about taking a spa day or needing ‘alone’ time to indulge. Think of it as having to put on your oxygen mask before you can safely assist the person next to you. If you are depleted, you are no good for others in your life. So be intentional in giving yourself a few minutes, even to just breathe, it can be as easy as that, and it has a huge impact. Try it if you don’t believe me. Incorporate movement as part of your regular day, try box breathing to help calm the mind and body, and laugh! Laugh often and laugh loud! Never take anything too seriously.

Magazica: How can individuals cultivate happiness in their professional lives? What role do employers play in this?

Livia Grujich: This is such a big topic right now for employers and should be such because of the amount of time we spend working and because of the great resignation we’ve been experiencing. Happy employees are more productive, take fewer sick days, and are more loyal to their organizations. Finding meaning in one’s work and having a best friend at work are two things that influence one’s level of happiness in their job. Purpose, as we know, is a key driver of happiness. It doesn’t mean every task of your job must have a purpose, but the difference in seeing the work you do as contributing to a greater cause rather than just doing it for a paycheck has shown to make a large difference in one’s level of satisfaction, and subsequently, their loyalty to the company. Also, being able to share the day-to-day ups and downs with a friend at work is key to one’s level of job satisfaction. Employers play a big part in influencing these factors. Modelling good habits of course comes first. Knowing that it’s much easier (and cheaper) to keep a current employee happy than to recruit a new one, employers must ask for help. Bring in consultants that charge in ways other than just hourly, that are interested in seeing results. Work hand in hand so they understand the needs of the company, and of the employees, to prescribe the best solutions.

Magazica: You’ve created a program to build confidence in youth through public speaking. Can you tell us more about this and its impact?

Livia Grujich: Our kids are quickly losing their ability to communicate effectively because of the rise in online interactions. Eye contact, vocal variety, and hand gestures are all lost when the main form of communication is texting through emojis and broken grammar. Being a Toastmaster myself since my youth, I have seen the power that being an effective communicator has in one’s personal and professional life. I wanted my kids to have the ability to practice and build confidence from a young age, instead of being scared to speak in front of a group, or even one on one. There were no public speaking programs for youth, so I started Confident Young Voices. Its impact has been tremendous in the sense that I see kids come into it and stare at their shoes when they try to introduce themselves, progressing to being able to deliver a 4-minute speech by the end. It is very rewarding, indeed, to be able to aid with this progression, and I strongly believe that the younger we can get kids to be comfortable with speaking up, the more confident they will become as communicators and as active members of their communities.

Magazica: Healthy Habits: What are some simple, everyday habits that our readers can adopt to improve their mental and physical health?

Livia Grujich: Habits take time. This is true for building healthy habits, as well as for breaking not-so-good habits we have built over time. The good news is recent neuroplasticity research has shown us that we can make changes at any age. But it does take discipline, and most importantly, being kind to ourselves. I was very much an all-or-nothing type of person in my youth. The minute I broke my ‘healthy routine’ I felt like a failure and gave up completely. I learned over time that wasn’t conducive to living a healthy lifestyle in the long run. It’s all about balance, and about being kind to ourselves. If you constantly tell yourself you’re not doing enough, it’s not going to be a good motivator. So, I would say the best habit to adopt is to permit yourself to be human, to be as nice to yourself as you would be to your best friend, especially when you’re trying to make changes in your life. And try to change one habit at a time. When you see success, then you introduce another new routine. Trying to change everything at once is too hard for our bodies and our minds to process, and inevitably we’ll end up failing. We want to introduce small changes, which over time, applied consistently, lead to big results.

Magazica: Digital Wellness: In this digital age, how can we ensure our mental health isn’t negatively impacted by our online activities?

Livia Grujich: This is a very important topic that I tackle with youth especially, but adults are no exception because our mental health is being affected whether we realize it or not. The apps on our phones are designed to keep us engaged as long as possible, so awareness of that is the first step. You want to make sure you’re intentional in what you’re using your devices for, otherwise, the whole day can go by, and you won’t be feeling very productive or energized if your eyes are glued to a screen for the majority of the day (and night sometimes!) I always recommend setting a time limit for each activity if you must engage online, and where possible, find ways to break up your day with IRL activities (in real life). A walk with a friend or a face-to-face meeting will always provide the connection we need as humans.

Magazica: Your Book: You’re currently publishing your first book, ‘Stop Searching for Next’. Can you give us a sneak peek into what readers can expect?

Livia Grujich: We always hear and feel that we should do more, be more! Especially as a professional working mom, there’s never an end to the to-do list, physically or emotionally. Wanting to ‘have it all’ and comparing ourselves to others can leave us feeling defeated instead of accomplished, no matter what you cross off the ‘to-do list’ every day. Because there is always ‘more’ you feel you could be doing. Events in my life led me to stop the race I had been on, and in doing so, I saw things that I overlooked before. It’s all perspective, experience, and age perhaps. It’s really amazing how life tries to teach you the same lesson over and over until you learn it. For me, the lesson is to Stop Searching for Next, and I find that even though I’ve learned, and written about this, I still find myself re-learning differently. I chose to start appreciating what I do have (and the list is long if you choose to write it!) rather than always trying to cross things off ‘the list’. Kids have a wonderful way of always being in the moment, instead of stuck in regrets of the past or worries of the future, as we adults sometimes encounter. I learn so much from my kids. And I like to think I’ve taught them a few things too about living a good life. We learn together.

Magazica: Happiness Training: As a certified Happiness Trainer, what does happiness training involve and how can it benefit our readers?

Livia Grujich: What’s really unique about the Happiness Studies Academy is that it brings together the world’s leading scholars AND the latest scientific findings on a topic as broad and debated as the concept of happiness. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring happiness from philosophical, economic, biological, and practical everyday perspectives. However, I must tell you, that reading and attending lectures and understanding the studies alone will not yield a higher level of happiness. It’s not until we do the everyday things that we know are good for us that we start seeing the benefits. And I would say that’s how the ‘happiness training’ benefited me most – I can teach with confidence because I know the research, but I have also done the hard work – the ME search.

Magazica: Advice for Readers: Finally, what is the one or few pieces (s) of advice you would give to our readers who are seeking to improve their overall health and happiness?

Livia Grujich: Happiness is our ultimate currency. If you ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing this very moment, why are you reading this article, why are you working on this project, why you need to make money, the last why usually ends up with the answer ‘because I want to be happy’. The good news is, we can all work on little things in our lives that allow us to take steps towards becoming happier. The journey towards becoming happier is what makes us happier, not achieving the ‘end goal’, as it’s often believed. Knowing your why is motivating. Having an accountability partner keeps you going. Seeking help is important too. It’s worth spending time on to get you to your happier place in life. No matter where you are right now, you can find things to be grateful for. You are alive. You’re breathing. And that is a good starting place for anything you’re on your way to in life.