This project begins with a paradox of our time. Never before have so many people lived longer, under better material conditions — and yet stress, anxiety, and inner fragmentation continue to rise. Even in Denmark, repeatedly ranked among the happiest countries in the world.

I was personally confronted with what I can only describe as seven years of misfortune, culminating in cardiac arrest. You can read that story in Behind the Smile.

In the aftermath, I designed my own path of reconstruction. Along the way, I found myself moving between Western science and Eastern contemplative traditions. Between psychological insight and lived experience. Between intellectual understanding and embodied awareness.

I began to see my modern life — and the idea of happiness itself — through entirely new eyes. And I began to wonder:

If even a fraction of what I experienced in these environments could be integrated into ordinary life, could it then help us address this paradox more deeply?

This question became the foundation of my new life project. Not as theory. But through direct encounters, conversations, and lived exploration.

You can read more about the foundation of the project here: Paradox of Modern Happiness.  

How the project unfolds

The project develops through five parallel paths:

1. Conversations. Dialogues with doctors, psychologists, therapists, yoga teachers, and individuals with diverse life experiences — exploring how human beings navigate change, meaning, and inner life.
2. Research. Independent exploration and study of recognized international experts working at the intersection of Eastern wisdom traditions and Western science and psychology.
3. Workshops and live events. Small, intimate spaces where participants explore attention, perception, and the patterns of the mind — not to fix themselves, but to encounter experience in a different way.
4. Writing. A forthcoming book documenting my project through personal narrative, encounters with experts, and reflections on what it means to reconstruct a life from within.
5. Podcast. A series of conversations exploring the intersection between medicine, psychology, contemplative practice, and lived human experience.

An evolving exploration

The project continues to unfold through travels, conversations, and collaborations across cultures and disciplines.
It is not built on certainty, but on curiosity. Not on authority, but on attention.

I am developing the project slowly and independently over the coming years, allowing its direction to emerge through experience.
If you wish to follow the journey, you are welcome to join my newsletter. You will only hear from me when there is something real to share, or an invitation to participate

 I begin something small — something wonderfully slow. From April 15, I invite people to Conversations in Silence at Living Studio. Quietly, and against the spirit of our time. I do so as part of my ongoing project, New Ways to Break the Paradox of Modern Happiness.

We do not lack knowledge – we lack space

Look at social media and the news: Messages, headlines, advice, books, projects, expectations, and opinions constantly flying around. And then there is everything related to artificial intelligence — chatbots, polarised debates, and fake news.

No one can keep up. We become mentally overwhelmed. Some years ago, I wrote articles for Point of View International arguing that our brains are threatened by information pollution. Some called it a claim. I still call it a fact — supported by insights from psychologists, physicians, and neuroscientists.

Yet we rarely speak about it in these terms. Perhaps we should. Perhaps public health authorities should even establish an office dedicated to combating and preventing information pollution.

We take our point of departure far away

Simple evenings are one of the many small steps I choose to experiment with.

I invite you to something I believe we too rarely give ourselves time for — Conversations in Silence:

• You lie comfortably on a yoga mat, supported by cushions and blankets.
• You listen to carefully selected excerpts from international bestsellers.
• You reflect, and we gently open the space for dialogue and small conversations.
• We land softly and conclude together.

On the first evening, we take our point of departure far away from everyday life and work.

The conversations revolve around joy

We travel to Dharamsala, in the Himalayan region of India, where we encounter the Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama and the South African archbishop Desmond Tutu back in 2015 in warm, heartfelt conversations grounded in their close friendship.

The conversations revolve around joy. They carry deep wisdom. Is wisdom precisely what we modern human beings so easily forget — in all our busyness, in the flood of notifications, in the pursuit of efficiency and the perfect life?

This does not solve anything

The evenings are non-commercial — and you are most welcome. Conversations in Silence do not solve anything in themselves. But perhaps they allow something essential to return — to you and to me.

Read more and sign up at Living Studio under Events.

Read more about New Ways to Break the Paradox of Modern Happiness.

“Information pollution has existed for a long time. It is the consumers of information who have not yet realized it.”

(Korea Institute of Science and Technology)

This essay was originally inspired by Denmark — a country often ranked among the happiest in the world. But the same questions now echo across Europe and  beyond: How well are we really doing? And what have we forgotten about being human? Here are 5 ideas to break the cycle. The essay is rooted in the book The Power of The Smile – 7 Guidelines for a better Worklife and was first published in POV International. The essay and the book are a part of the foundation behind my new two-year lifeproject: New Ways to break the Paradox of Modern Happiness. 

The Paradox of Modern Happiness

By Søren Jensen, Founder, Power of Smile

A Ukrainian mother laughed softly as she walked off to collect bottles in central Copenhagen late one Saturday night. She had fled Kyiv with her two small sons when the war began.

“You can’t be serious, Søren,” she said, smiling. “You Danes can’t really be unhappy at work. Look at you — celebrating, drinking, dancing in the streets! Shouldn’t you write about something more fun?”

Six months later, a monk in bright orange robes sat down beside me in a small café near the Dalai Lama’s temple in the Indian Himalayas. He wore white sneakers, checked his iPhone, and smiled just as broadly when he heard about my book project.

He didn’t know much about Denmark, but he did know one name: Hans Christian Andersen.

“Your famous writer once told the story The Emperor’s New Clothes,” he said. “Isn’t your country living the opposite tale? You have everything — wealth, comfort, opportunities. You wear fine clothes. But have you forgotten something inside? Are you naked within?”

That question stayed with me.

Are we losing touch with some old, simple human truths?

It is a mystery. Denmark — and many other countries in Europe — ranks among the most prosperous and supposedly happiest places on earth. People around the world envy our welfare, safety, and freedom.

But the reality is more complicated.

Stress, disengagement and mental fatigue are rising everywhere. Eighty-six percent of Danish employees doubt they can stay healthy through a full working life. Similar concerns are now seen across the continent.

So what is happening to us?

Are we losing touch with some old, simple human truths — about kindness, joy, and community — in our obsession with productivity, cleverness and speed?

A personal journey

Some years ago, I began my own search for the good working life. After more than 25 years as a communications leader in the Danish public sector, I was exhausted. Too few smiles. Too much pressure.

So I stopped.

I trained as a master coach.

I travelled — to the world’s largest personal development event in Florida, and to the Dalai Lama’s home region in India.

I worked with Ukrainian refugees in Copenhagen and coached more than 150 leaders and employees in Denmark.

And I read. Hundreds of studies, books, and scientific papers — and yet I kept returning to something far simpler: what happens between people in everyday moments.

That insight became my book The Power of the Smile – 7 Principles for a Better Work Life (2024). It’s not an academic manual. It’s a deeply human — and personal — book. A call to remember that change doesn’t always begin with systems or strategy, but with the way we think, speak and look at one another.

Five ideas to break the cycle

We’ve spent decades and millions on wellbeing programmes and reforms. Still, the trends keep worsening.

Maybe it’s time to ask: What if we’ve been looking in the wrong direction?

Here are five ideas to begin with:

1. Change the language – from endurance to engagement

In Denmark, one of the major pension companies now asks people whether they can “endure a whole working life.” What a tragic question.

What if we instead asked: How can we build a working life we actually love? How can we cultivate joy, meaning and a sense of contribution — not just survival?

Only one in five employees feels truly engaged at work. Yet engagement correlates directly with sleep quality, physical and mental health, and lower absence.

The words we use shape what we see. So perhaps we should talk less about preventing burnout — and more about nurturing energy and joy.

2. Share responsibility for mental wellbeing

Years ago, I helped design a national stress campaign in Denmark. The key question was: Who is responsible? Employers? Employees? Society?

At the time, we avoided focusing on the individual — fearing it would sound like “blaming the victim.”
But today, as stress and illness rise, perhaps it’s time for a new balance.

When I personally hit the wall, I realised something simple and brutal: in the end, when you can’t sleep at night and everyone else is at work, there is only one person who can take care of you — you.

We all carry responsibility — together and individually.

3. Start simple – smile and say thank you

We love complex leadership models and feedback systems. But sometimes the simplest truths are the ones we’ve quietly abandoned.

When I worked as a press officer in the Ministry of Environment, a senior colleague once told me:
“If you don’t hear anything, it means it went well.”

That was meant as praise. But think about it. We often forget to express gratitude or appreciation.
We talk endlessly about mistakes, rarely about successes. We hide behind irony, afraid to show warmth.

Yet a single smile, a sincere “thank you”, can change the atmosphere instantly. We know this — and still, we forget.

4. Keep it simple – help people where they are

I once ran a coaching programme for 110 care workers. At the end, 88% said they now believed they could improve their work life — with just a few simple tools.

That number amazed me. It shows that solutions don’t have to be grand or complicated. Albert Einstein put it like this: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it.”

Technology, digitalisation, and endless documentation are reshaping how we work and communicate. We spend more time behind screens, less time face to face. We risk forgetting the simple human art of looking each other in the eye.

Let’s help people right where they are — not with another system, but with presence and support.

5. Give local leaders more freedom

In the public sector, I spent years watching local managers lose autonomy. Budgets tightened. Decisions moved upward. Yet these are the very people who know what their teams need.

What if we trusted them more — and gave them flexible resources to act, coach, and develop their people?

Studies show that up to 60% of employees feel no one at work supports their personal growth. Imagine the potential if that changed. Support people in their development.

Trust leaders to lead.

Smiling is not naïve — it’s neuroscience

We smile too little — at work, on the street, even at ourselves. And it costs us more than we think.
Science shows that smiling reduces stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, increases endorphins, and can even lower blood pressure.

The world’s longest-running happiness study confirms this as well: even small, positive interactions with strangers make us happier and more resilient.

Philosophies and spiritual traditions say the same in their own language:
The kinder we are — toward ourselves and toward each other — the better we thrive as human beings.

The genuine smile never lies. You can always feel it.

Time to bring the smile back

We once knew this.

Even Danish businesses knew it — remember the legendary Irma stores and their motto built on the smile?  Perhaps it’s time to open the museum cases and bring that spirit back to the future.

As the American writer Les Giblin said back in 1968:

“If you don’t use your smile, you’re like a person with a million dollars in the bank and no cheque book.”

So, how’s your own account today — your work-life bank account? Are you investing in smiles, kindness and connection?

Maybe that-s the most human place to start.

— 

This article is rooted in the book The Power of the Smile – 7 Guidelines for a Better Work Life by Søren Jensen (2024).

You can read an English summary of the book here. 

These guidelines originate from the 2024 book Power of Smile. They are intentionally practical — not abstract ideas, but simple practices meant to be tested in everyday working life.

In coaching-based development programmes across two care homes involving 110 care workers, participants were asked a simple question: Do you believe you can create a better and more joyful working life using the ideas in this book?  88% answered yes (read more: When simplicity works).

1. You become what you speak

The words we use influence how we feel and how we work together. When we speak mostly about problems, stress, or what is wrong, this easily shapes the atmosphere around us. When we speak with kindness, appreciation, and respect, we help create a better working environment. Say thank you. Smile. Offer support when someone is having a difficult day.

2. Do not feed negative thoughts

Negative thoughts come naturally — our minds remember criticism more easily than praise. Often, it can feel as if we are living in a constant flow of demands, pressure, and information. This is not about ignoring problems, but about noticing what works and what helps. Focus your energy on what you can influence today.

3. Look people in the eye

Small, everyday conversations matter more than we often realise. A short talk with a colleague can prevent misunderstandings and reduce tension. Many conflicts grow when we communicate mainly through messages or emails. Personal contact builds trust and strengthens teamwork.

4. Pause for two minutes

Many people rush from task to task without real breaks. Even a short pause can help your mind reset and your body relax. Take two minutes to breathe, stretch, or simply look away from the screen. Small pauses during the day can change both focus and mood.

5. Take care of your body and heart

Your well-being is not separate from your work — it is part of it. Notice when you are tired, stressed, or overwhelmed. Rest when possible, move your body, and breathe deeply. When you take care of yourself, you also take better care of others.

6. Be mindful with screens

Digital tools are helpful, but they can also drain our attention and energy. Too many messages can create stress and confusion. When possible, talk instead of typing. Remember that behind every screen and system there are real people.

7. Stop before you react

We often react automatically when we feel pressured or stressed. Learn to notice what triggers strong reactions in you. When things feel intense or rushed, slow down before responding. A short pause can prevent conflict and create better understanding.

A reflection on care work, simplicity, and what changes when human presence comes first. In 2023, I stepped across the threshold of two Danish care homes for elderly residents with no clear idea of what awaited me.

What I did know was this:

The elderly care sector is under pressure. Staff shortages, sickness absence, stress and burnout are widespread. And SOSU care workers – among the lowest formally educated groups in the Danish labour market – carry some of society’s heaviest emotional responsibilities.

What I didn’t know was how profoundly simple human principles, applied with care and respect, could shift something essential in everyday working life.

88% believed change was possible

Across two care homes I conducted coaching-based development programmes with 110 care workers.

After observations, conversations, workshops, exercises and reflection days, the programme concluded with a simple question:

Do you believe you can create a better and more joyful working life using the principles in this book?

88% answered yes.

On a scale from 1 to 10, the programme was rated 7 on average – a result that genuinely surprised me. Skepticism is natural when someone enters your workplace from the outside, offering reflections on behaviour, communication and mindset. And yet, something resonated.

From theory to reality on the care floor

I followed shifts from early morning to late evening. I witnessed the pace, the unpredictability, the emotional labour.

An elderly man proudly pointed to the golf clubs beside his bed and asked me how long he would be staying there. A colleague changed his diaper while he wondered aloud when he would see his partner again.

Evenings meant gathering residents for dinner, serving meals, helping some eat, escorting them back to their rooms and settling them into bed – all while phones rang, colleagues called in sick, and unexpected emotions surfaced.

This is not romantic work. It is demanding, intimate, and often invisible. And too often, the people doing it feel unseen.

The smile as a serious tool

One of the core insights from these programmes was not about productivity or performance metrics. It was about meaning.

Through simple coaching exercises, staff were invited to speak more openly with each other about the small, moving moments in their daily work – moments that usually disappear in the rush.

“It was good to talk about the touching moments we experience with residents and their families. We forget to talk about that,” one participant told me.

When the power of the smile cut through the daily chaos, faces quite literally lit up. A smile, in this context, is not politeness. It is presence. Recognition. Humanity.

As the American communication expert Les Giblin once said:

“If you’re not using your smile, you’re like a man with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook.”

Seven simple life rules – not a manual

The work draws on seven simple life principles, developed not as rigid rules, but as tools people can adapt:

1. You become what you say.
2. Challenge negative thinking.
3. Make eye contact.
4. Change your mood in two minutes.
5. Put heart and body into your calendar.
6. Avoid digital traps.
7. Stop at the red light.

Each principle combines:

• Practical tools you can use tomorrow
• Insights from psychology and neuroscience
• Real workplace cases
• Reflective questions

There is no manual. No KPI dashboard. You already know whether something works – if you stop and listen.

Why simple works (when complex fails)

Research shows that our brains often distrust simplicity. We assume meaningful change must be complicated. Yet scientists speak of a “simplicity bias” – the idea that simple solutions are not only sufficient, but often more likely and more sustainable.

In an increasingly complex world, simplicity becomes a form of courage.

East meets West – on the care floor

My own search for a good working life has taken me from Tony Robbins’ Date With Destiny in Florida to the Dalai Lama’s temple in the Himalayas.

What surprised me most was this: The wisdom from East and West only truly came alive when translated into everyday working reality – on care floors, in team rooms, in five-minute conversations between shifts.

That is where the smile matters. That is where work becomes life.

 

The project involving 110 care workers across two care homes forms part of the professional foundation for my book, The Power of the Smile (2024). You can read an English summary of the book here.