The Mumbelievables #5: Jo Howarth

A couple of weeks ago I put out a plea for help on my Facebook page to help me find amazing mums to interview for this series. Because sharing real stories of real mums is something that motivates and inspires us, right? The response was unreal and I’ve been humbled, moved and inspired by the bucketload as I’ve found out about these brilliant humans’ lives.

This week, it’s all about the fabulous Jo Howarth, who runs The Happiness Club. Her job is to teach people how to be happy and she loves it. She is married to Trev and has two beautiful daughters.

The Happiness Club is a monthly membership club where members receive a daily tool, tip or thought directly from Jo to help them see the good things in life and leave the negative stuff behind.

She also works with corporate and private sector organisations that are committed to changing the way their employees feel and therefore work, and in schools to teach students techniques to develop their own resilience to stress. Jo believes this should be as important as learning your ABCs.

Jo published two books in 2016. Glad To Be Dan, written with children’s author Jude Lennon and illustrated by Jo’s husband Trev, is a mindfulness book for children; and Get Happy! is her book for grown ups and is a compilation of the daily thoughts from her Happiness Club.

With over 20 years of studying mindfulness and hypnotherapy, Jo believes it is a simple choice – that everyone can choose happiness every day. Her mission is to teach people the tools and techniques that will set them on the path of happiness, whatever their definition may be.

I hope you enjoy her inspiring words.

Who are you? What makes you, you?

I am a mummy and a wife. I am an author and a speaker. I am happy. I am an uplifter, an inspirer, a helper and the founder of The Happiness Club. I am the sum total of everything that has ever happened to me, good and bad. I am immensely grateful for all of those experiences because without them I would not be where I am today and I love where I am today.

If someone else was to sum you up in five words, what do you think those words would be?

Happy. Smiley. Positive. Warm. Loving.

Who are the three most important people in your life, and why?

My husband, Trev, and my two daughters, Francesca and Gracie. Trev is my foundation, he keeps me steady and gives me a solid base from which to explore. My girls are my world. I love them more than I ever thought it was possible to love anything and I love watching them grow and develop every single day.

What are the three most important things in your life and why?

My health because without it I cannot take care of my family or run my business.
My family because without them I would be lost.
My work because it fulfils and excites me.

What does confidence mean to you?

For me, confidence means not being bothered by what other people think of me or the things I am doing and saying. Confidence is about having self-awareness, knowing who I am and being at peace with that person.

How do you feel about yourself now compared to before you became a mum?

Completely different! Before I became a mum I thought I knew what life was all about and then this beautiful baby appeared and I realised I didn’t know anything. Being a mum has given me the opportunity to learn more about myself and to grow and develop as a person. I am so much more confident and at peace with myself as a result of that growth. And I’ve learnt that we’re never done growing, there is always more to learn, always more ways to develop and I am looking forward to continuing to expand.

What advice would you give to someone who doubts herself?

Spend time with yourself, just with yourself. Spend time every day, just ten minutes, sitting quietly and connecting with your core being. Notice how beautiful that connection feels, there can be no doubt in that beauty. Pay attention to every good thing you do or achieve every single day, acknowledge every nice thing someone else says to you whether you believe it or not to start with. Give yourself the opportunity to realise how amazing you are, don’t be afraid or modest about realising it. You are amazing.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life so far?

That love is the only thing that really matters.

And finally, where is your happy place?

Lying on my sofa with my girls and my husband, cuddling while we watch a good film.

You can find out more about Jo’s amazing work and the Happiness Club at www.thehappinessclub.co.uk and sign up for a FREE one month trial here.