She looks at the world as a place full of love, kindness and happiness, with utmost purity and compassion. Thanks Hannah, for being a great friend and for evolving me into a better version of my own self.

Kanishka Poddar – Bicycle Mayor of Ranchi | Organiser TEDxKanke

Throughout my childhood I suffered with depression and self harmed for more than four years. I struggled with my family situation and felt isolated from the people I grew up with due to different personal circumstances. I’d spend my days at school that was like Hogwarts, with kids whose families had more money than I could imagine, then I’d often go to work with my Dad to knock and sell goods door-to-door on some of the roughest estates in London. In many ways, it showed me what I didn’t want to be but that was hard for me to understand at such a young age.

I also suffered hard with my body image and felt all the extreme societal pressures to look and act a certain way. Growing up in London, especially as an academic child, life was geared towards continuing with further education and seeking a well-paid job to survive and thrive in the highly competitive economy. I was expected to attend a prestigious university, earn lots of money and get on the property ladder as quickly as possible but I always had this curiosity to find out what else was available to me outside the world I knew.

Emerging from my own depression as a young teen forced me to look at how I viewed myself and the world. I was extremely argumentative and angry because no one seemed to understand me or my vociferously explained morals. The more I allowed those feelings to take over me, the more they appeared in the world around me. After years of arguing with friends and family, I started to realise they didn’t want to be told what I thought they’d done wrong and I couldn’t force my opinions on them – I could only change myself and lead by example. These new feelings took years to settle and evolve as I worked on my own shadows, learning how to control my frustration and channel my feelings into more positive and constructive communication. I started to learn that it was just as easy to make someone feel good as it was to offend, that it brought me happiness to do so and by doing so, I started to see positive change happen in others as it came from within them.

Travelling alone aged 18 opened my eyes even more and left me inspired. Since then, I’ve thrown myself into learning through experience and most of my lessons have come from engaging with a mixture of wild, nurturing and challenging encounters.

I have travelled all over the world both alone and in company. I worked as a tour guide in Vietnam and a ticket rep in Ibiza. I started my own travel company aged 20 whilst also running a performing arts company with my brother (and made the decision to leave it all behind!). I’ve volunteered in countless places and thrown myself into all types of activism to raise awareness and funds for a wide range of issues. I’ve developed and shared my creative skills through wall murals and street performances all across Asia. I’ve set up and engaged in public social experiments to spread joy and learn about human behaviours. I have also spent countless hours sitting on the streets of many countries speaking to homeless people but have also spent my time quizzing high flying entrepreneurs to learn and understand their attitudes and approaches to life.

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I’ve come to realise that everyone’s reality is valid and we all have something to share that can touch the heart of and inspire another individual.

I also came to realise that the traditional capitalist-based living was not for me and that my passion to understand and help people only grew as I managed to interact with more cultures and living styles.

It does not resonate with me to work myself into the ground at least 5 days a week to live for the weekend and a couple of week’s holiday per year. It doesn’t sit right for me to be exhausted every single day only to help make obscene amounts of money for someone else, especially whilst so many people suffer and live in poverty.

I refuse to succumb to unfair and patriarchal systems that accept sexism, racism and other forms of oppression as a part of my everyday reality. I strive for a brighter world; one that respects all life and promotes equality. But before I could do so I had to be honest, realise and admit all of these things.

I noticed that by putting myself in unfamiliar and difficult situations, I became more adaptable, tolerant, educated and respectful in a wide range of topics. I gained a broader perspective on what life could be and realised that could be anything I wanted.

Now, I choose to enjoy my whole life. I live in a way that aligns with my values; I avoid exploitation and continue to research and learn ways to live more kindly and in synchronicity with nature. I make sure I smile and make someone else smile everyday. I practice the active sharing of positive thoughts to spread love, positivity and kindness as much as possible. And I have chosen a career that deeply fulfils me and nourishes my soul by helping others realise their own capabilities too.

Why am I a happiness activist?

There are many problems in the world and lots of people fighting for them whether they are animal rights, human rights, raising awareness about climate change or anything else… But we have to start asking WHY these things are issues in the first place.

I dedicate my life to inspiring happiness in others because when we reach a happy state of being, we become the better versions of ourselves and naturally make kinder, more compassionate and less selfish decisions. I believe that by spreading happiness around the world, we can alleviate all the other world issues. 

The best and most powerful strength an we possess is the ability to make another person smile.

Hannah Kern

Fun Facts

• Age: 27
• Favourite Colour: Aqua blue 
• Life Motto: Live to be inspired and to inspire others 
• Chosen Superpower: Ability to speak every language fluently 
• Fun Fact: I have 6 brothers and 1 sister

Life Goals

• To cycle round the world
• To see a western world free of animal exploitation
• Travel to every country 
• Complete an arctic conservation expedition 
• Open my own homeless shelter

WATCH MY TEDx TALK TO HEAR MORE ABOUT MY STORY

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