Jake Pearson  00:00

Are you trying to figure out the secret to happiness, we're here What Makes You Happy with Jake Pearson, we want to make that happiness more accessible for you in your life. So stick around as we interview everyday people, inspirational leaders and your favorite celebrities on what makes them happy.

Welcome back to the podcast where we ask the simple question, what makes you happy? 

My name is Jake Pearson. And today we have with us the founder of the app Confidential Conversations, which is a platform that offers online anonymous support groups, to people who are suffering from mental health issues. We have Nisha Lehmann from Zurich, Switzerland. How are you?

Nisha Lehmann  00:47

I'm great. Thanks for having me. Jake.

Jake Pearson  00:49

I'm super excited to talk to you today. Could you just tell us a little bit about the app before we get into the episode; Confidential Conversations. What is that all about?

Nisha Lehmann  01:01

Sure. So thanks for asking. It's an app that was developed basically out of a need that I found myself, I mean, anyone who has suffered mental health issues has probably gone through some pretty dark periods, and they're in their time. And what I realized was in order to pull myself out, what I really needed was people who understood me, people who could understand what I was going through, try to help me rationalize my feelings. But at that time, I honestly did not have the financial means to afford a therapist, nor did I have the time, or the willingness to invest into such a long term commitment. What I really needed was a kind of, let's say, quick and dirty workaround, where I could connect with other people who I wouldn't have to really give a lot of background or explanation because they're suffering from the same thing I am. And if I could explain what I was going through, hopefully, they would be able to provide some tips and some ideas, some routines.. Man! At that point, I was so down, I was honestly just willing to try anything that even sounded unorthodox or weird.

Jake Pearson  02:05

Wonderful. Nisha, tell me what makes you happy?

Nisha Lehmann  02:09

I think I've narrowed it down to kind of two driving factors that make me happy. 

One is stargazing. This makes me just incredibly happy. Being able to sit outside on my balcony or on my terrace, and stare up at the universe and realize how small I am, how insignificant my problems are, how much I overdramatize situations, probably. It just for me helps put things so much in perspective. I mean, meditation, and these kinds of things, unfortunately, just don't work for me. But this seems to give me that same calming feeling of just being able to look up in the sky and feel so grateful for the fact that I'm alive in this moment. And that we are all kind of being able to have lives and contribute to something bigger than ourselves. I think that's one major factor in contributing to my mental well being and my happiness, for sure. And the other one is working four days a week. So this I really had to negotiate. And I am waiting for the day that this becomes the standard globally, where it's just a four day work week everywhere. Because I can't tell you what it's done for my mental health. And for my mental well being. It's such a game changer.

Jake Pearson  03:20

Thank you for sharing that. And that kind of ties into the last question I wanted to ask you, if one of our audience members just happened to meet you in the street and said, "Hey, look, I'm struggling to find what makes me happy. I need some advice." What would you say to them in that moment?

Nisha Lehmann  03:35

The salesperson in me would say you should download my app. But I would never say that actually, if I met someone on the street. But I would say, taking time for yourself and being able to really prioritize what's important for you. And that's a long exercise, to be honest. It's not something that can be done in a day or a week. But really being able to understand, you know, okay, if I earn this much, and I have one day off a week, is that still manageable for me? Can I still maintain my lifestyle, my finances, my whatever other obligations I have, but still, you know, have some time for myself. I think it's so important. I know,  you've mentioned a lot of your guests before have mentioned also being outdoors. I also think that that's incredibly important. I mean, luckily I live in a country that is has tons of stuff to do outdoors and you're almost being peer pressured to be outdoors most of the time. So I think that's also incredibly good. But I think happiness is a subjective thing, a lot of things are different for a lot of different people. 

For me being able to have balance in my life, being able to really prioritize my work. Yes, but prioritize all of the other things that are equally if not more important, is for me where I gain happiness. And I think what I would say is, you know, what does happiness mean for you? Does it mean having a lot of money? Does it mean being able to flaunt your wealth, does it mean being able to do something meaningful for someone else. I think that's really where the journey begins when it comes to happiness.

Jake Pearson  05:05

Beautiful, asking yourself, you know, what it means to you is always a-- It's a loaded question. Like, I'm asking you right now what makes you happy? It's a loaded question. But it takes time to unwind that and unravel it and sort of figure it out. And it always evolves to- So beautiful. Thank you, for answering that question. And we really appreciate you sharing all things that make you happy initially, we really appreciate your time. 

Thanks for listening to the podcast. We hope it gives you something to think about on your quest to discover what makes you happy. Make sure to check out whatmakesyouhappypodcast.com to connect with today's guest and follow us on all our social media platforms, and to stay up to date on what's happening next and what makes you happy. Don't forget to share this episode with a friend and we'll see you next time!