A Chester-based ‘happiness ninja’ is giving residents in the area some top tips on how to stay healthy and happy in 2017.

At this time of year, people buy into the so-called ‘Blue Monday’ theory – the third Monday of January supposedly being the most depressing day of the year.

The long, cold winter, coupled with new year resolutions which may already have been broken by this point, can certainly leave some feeling melancholy and uninspired.

And that is where Marie-Claire Ashcroft steps in.

Marie-Claire Ashcroft is a Chester-based happiness ninja who runs an Academy of Awesome
Marie-Claire Ashcroft is a Chester-based happiness ninja who runs an Academy of Awesome

Marie-Claire, 36, is a self-appointed happiness ninja. After spending 30 years of her life with depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, she realised that most people chase the idea of happiness based on other people’s ideas and expectations of what will make us happy.

She explained: "I thought that just putting myself there for everyone else and being cheery for other people, and doing everything I ‘should’ do would make me happy would help and to some extent, it was much easier than working out what I wanted.

"But in reality, chasing the idea of happiness based on other people’s ideas was not the way to be happy. In fact the more I did things I ‘should’ do, the more depressed I became.

"One night, it all clicked - I had a bolt of divine inspiration and worked out what was and wasn’t making me happy.

"I decided to share my story and show that it is possible to change our lives by changing our thoughts and decided to become a happiness ninja to help other people find their happy – after all, 30 years doing it yourself is a long time to wait."

'Don't let people live rent-free in your head'

Marie-Claire has since started a happiness academy to help people see their lives a little differently – to help people to have more fun, more adventures and more magic.

With dreams of a cheerier 2017 disappearing under the monotony of the everyday, she decided to share some tips to anyone who wants to have a happier new year.

She said: “First of all, if we want to make any changes to feel happier, it’s best to work out what would things would need to change to and how we, personally, would go about making them happen.

“Aside from that, my top tips are:

  • Develop an attitude of gratitude. You notice more of what you focus upon. Making the effort to search for good things in life will help you find more good things to be grateful for. It’s a like a snowball effect!
  • Adopt the belief that life is working in your favour, not against you. If you look at life as successes and lessons –you can never lose.
  • You have emotions. Tune into them – they are your on-board GPS. If something feels rubbish, work out why. It might be a warning sign.
  • Have more fun. It’s not just for kids. Be silly.
  • Share, be generous, give things, commit random acts of kindness whenever you can.
  • Forgiveness is important. Learn to let things go; don’t let people live rent-free in your head.
  • My online friend Richard Wilkins said that we should “duck from the poo”. I love that concept. If someone throws cack at you, duck; don’t catch it and throw it back. That way, only one of the two of you has poop on their hands.
  • Focus on your strengths. Knowing what you are good at and accepting that you are good at things is an act of rebellion.
  • Ban the word ‘should’. That’s other people’s expectations, not yours.
  • Ignore the big meanie in your head. It’s not actually you.”

Marie-Claire will be running her Academy of Awesome throughout 2017. For more information, visit her website at www.happiness.ninja .