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PURPOSE

"I live to learn more about the happiness idea – help others find theirs, and yours will come to you."

Happiness.

We only know one thing for certain about life on this planet. It will end. Or transform. So, I better do something valuable once I am here. Something valuable for real, and beneficial for as many people as possible. I decided to make happiness my purpose in life. Many great minds share their insightful thoughts on happiness. I have listened to their wisdom with eagerness for years. For many reasons. What can be more meaningful, is one. We all deserve to find our own, is another. Whatever happiness may be to each and every one of us.

I have hundreds of images of groups with kids playing with these rings at our ABC Charity event in India. However, only one image with one kid. This boy chose to play by himself, away from the others. We believe he was happy with his own choice of playing field, possibly where he could focus better...

It should be simple, but it isn't. Simple because we have happiness stored in ourselves. We don't need the conditions pushed upon us by “the society” to feel it. Like if doing what everybody else is doing would bring happiness? Or own a lot of stuff? Does stuff really make us happier? Why was I lured into that belief as a young Filip? When did it happen?

A simple proof that happiness is stored within us, is simply by being kind to others. To strangers in particular. Doing one single act of kindness increases the flow of dopamine level in our own brain as an emotional reward. Yes, it may seem so obvious, but still, I have to remind myself about the fact that these simple dopamine rewards – which I can create for free on a daily basis – make an easy way to load my happiness account.

On my recent journeys into deep rain forests, I have lived with indigenous tribes and totally on their premises. They showed me more genuine happiness than what I've seen elsewhere. The feeling of community was stronger, the lack of stuff so refreshing, the closeness to nature seemed healing. Happiness by them was expressed in so many more ways than what I am used to see.

I am yearning to learn more about true happiness, and I wish to inspire others along the way.

Wonderful kids from our ABC-event in Namibia. Just being together, play and co-create the letter B on one of an seemingly endless line of sand dunes, was pure happiness in the making.

The happiness idea is easy to demonstrate, and I am happy I learned how: Give a ball to everyone in a group of people – kids or grownups. Ask them to write the name on theirs and throw them all out in a room or limited space. Mix all the balls around so no one knows where theirs are. Then give them 5 minutes to run around and find their own ball. It shows that despite an active search, more or less no one will find their ball within that time. Then, instead, ask the group to pick up just any ball, and hand it over to the person whose name is on it. Most likely everyone will hold their own ball in their hands within 5 minutes. That is how happiness works – very hard to find if everyone is looking only for their own. But if we care about the happiness of others...it will come to us quicker as well.

Happy moments.

Sharing the moments I have had the opportunity to experience together with people I've met, has turned into a calling. A calling I truly love – see more. My most recent speech was held in Stockholm in 2022, on the World Environment Day. I just came back after several months visiting indigenous tribes and local community people in Kenya, Congo and Cambodia – on the topic of positive change from dreadful deforestation into a healthier and more sustainable setting. I was invited to speak on Swedish Television and at an exhibition of my photo art, at the Fotografiska Museet, arranged and hosted by my client Everland.

Nyhetsmorgon, Channel 4, Sweden.

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Everland arranged a wonderful setting at the Fotografiska Museet, to launch their grand Forest Plan – End Deforestation by 2030 – and to exhibit my images from their projects. After a session on Swedish Televison Channel I got to speak to a prominent audience, side by side with my friends – the people involved at the deforestation projects and sites in Kenya, Congo and Cambodia. Thank you all!