ELEVATOR PITCH
simplyhappy incorporates evidence-based, practical tools for positive transformation to be used with individuals, communities, and organisations to help increase and improve happiness, health and wellbeing.
OUR STORY
Throughout her professional life, the focus of Michelle Preston’s work has been the creation, support, and development of a wide range of wellbeing projects and programmes within the VCSE sectors. simplyhappy is the synthesis of a lifetime’s work and learning, underpinned by Post Graduate Applied Positive Psychology.
“All of my work has at its core a desire to create positive change whether this is at a personal, professional, or community level,” says Michelle. Her areas of expertise range-wide, from positive psychology coaching and consultancy to positive-change facilitation to conscious business creation, support, and development, and more.
Another project under simplyhappy’s umbrella is Simply Women on Purpose (SWOP), which enables women to harness their personal power to drive forward change in their communities, their workplaces, or in their own lives using the themes of connect, create, and collaborate.
“I first had the idea for SWOP four years ago when I started looking for what was out there for women like me, women who place purpose at the centre of all they do, women who have found and follow a path with heart, women who are changemakers, women who are difference deliverers, and women who want to be and do all of these things,” says Michelle.
Despite searching, she could find no such network and so established it herself. A project and network, SWOP helps women to improve their wellbeing and create a purpose-driven life using a combination of workshops, presentations, interactive activities, and networking—all underpinned by positive psychology. The development of SWOP has been supported since it’s inception by The RSA (Royal Society of Arts) who also named Michelle as one of five women changing the world on International Women’s Day 2018.
Michelle explains, “I began creating a new network, where women could come together, where the focus was on being supported and supporting, where women’s wellbeing was as important as the work we do and, most importantly, the primary purpose was purpose and becoming the change we want to see in the world – together. I hosted a conference “Women on Purpose – Connect, Create, Collaborate”, supported by the RSA, where I talked about this idea. The response from the attendees was remarkable and my call to action from them was loud and clear – this is unique and much needed and we want more”.
- Michelle Preston, PGDip, SSE, FRSA
- Positive Psychologist & Wellbeing Consultant
- Happiness, Purpose & Meaning Coach
- Feminine Leadership Facilitator
- Young Person’s Leadership Facilitator
RSA Fellow & RSA Fellowship Councillor SSE Fellow (Dartington)
“Michelle is able to take the seed of an idea, germinate that idea and help you to grow it into a coherent business plan. Like any people with an idea or skills to develop, I don’t have the expertise to develop it any further. Michelle’s innovative and creative approach has helped me to develop that idea and come up with a comprehensive business plan to move forward with.”
– – Karen Monkman – House Steward, National Trust
And so SWOP (Simply Women on Purpose) was born, supporting women to improve their wellbeing and create a purpose-driven life using a combination of workshops, presentations, interactive activities and networking underpinned by positive psychology. Offering low-cost community-based events and workshops where women leave with an expanded sense of possibility, more able to nourish themselves and clarity on how to become their own change-makers. Creating true connection at all levels, participants are provided with practical tools for positive transformation and for living an authentic life filled with purpose and meaning.”
“The next stage for simplyhappy and SWOP, a brand new way of co-working for women, is happening here in Bristol. The city has just been named the best place in the UK for female entrepreneurs and so it makes perfect sense to choose this city to launch something truly innovative that helps support this”
“Michelle is inspiring, dynamic and is a breath of fresh air. A joy to work with, and fantastic on a personal level. Her ideas on social change and helping individuals find their path are amazing, and never feels like hard work at all.”
– – Jenny Linton – Lecturer, University of Brighton
