Q: What do the Dalai Lama, Claire Bowditch and Michael Leunig have in common? 

A: They’re all presenting at the Happiness and its Causes conference. 

Isn’t it funny how when you are around happy people, you feel happier? Extrapolate this with the mindblowing explosion of happiness set to occur when the world’s leading happiness experts get together at this event. Whoah.

Landing in Melbourne for the first time ever, the conference aims to provide a sound scientific basis to back up your need for an afternoon nap, a hug or a good, hard heart-to-heart.

Listen to Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slow, talk about why slower is better. Learn about why your brain turns into an endorphin-fueled disco ball when you’re in romantic love, and find out about how to turn your psychopathic boss into a friendly little kitty cat.

Attend a fancy gala dinner and weep into your napkin as composer Nigel Westlake talks about why he set up the Smugglers of Light Foundation to promote cultural awareness and empowerment (hint: it’s a tribute to his late son) and rock up to a few workshops to figure out how to manifest and maintain lifelong wellbeing.

If you’re really smart, you’ll figure out a way to make your boss pay for you, but either way, smiley faces all ’round.

Happiness and its Causes
19 – 20 June 2013
Two-day conference pass $1,095
Workshops $270
Smugglers of Light Gala Dinner $135
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Convention Centre Pl, South Wharf