DANIEL SHAFFER

 
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Daniel and I overlapped by 5 whole days in our tenure working at Thrive Global, but didn’t meet until just a few short weeks ago. We connected over our passion for creating tools and technology that enable well-being. Daniel has done something wonderful: he has created an amazing app called Gratitude Plus that helps people to practice gratitude in an easy and lightweight way that fits into their day. What I love about Gratitude Plus is that it is rooted in community, which is so aligned with our philosophy here at The New Happy.

Daniel is a New Happy Hero because he is taking his software engineering and product development skills and using them to help people practice gratitude (which leads to greater happiness, physical health and satisfaction with life, as well as decreased depression, anxiety!) He’s so passionate about making the world a better place by inspiring people to tune in to the small blessings of daily life. Keep reading to see his answers to our New Happy questionnaire.


What is your New Happy?

My New Happy is building Gratitude Plus, an app that helps people build a habit of gratitude with the support of community. I’m able to combine my love for technology with my interest in helping people improve their mental health and outlook.

How did you discover your New Happy? 

I’ve always loved technology because it gave me the ability to turn my ideas into reality and watch other people use them. I’ve been building apps since I was 13. My mother was a psychoanalyst, so I’ve always been aware of mental health. However, my real passion for mental health and wellness began after a death in my family where I was in a very negative, pessimistic mental state. I knew I needed to make some major changes to climb out of the hole and discovered gratitude.

What's the best advice or wisdom you have ever received? 

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. - Winston Churchill

This is one of my favorite quotes. To me, it means keep going no matter what, and have a good attitude!

Who or what has most influenced you? 

Steve Jobs and Apple. Steve’s bar for excellence and the products that Apple creates is inspiring. I try to build products that really help solve customer problems in a simple, effective way, which Apple has an uncanny ability to do. 

Who is someone you want to thank for helping you? 

My partner Julia, whose support and assistance with building Gratitude Plus has allowed me to create a product that people love and use daily. 

How do you love yourself? 

I try to do daily meditation, exercise, journaling, and gratitude (though sometimes I miss a day, and that’s ok). I love music and play both drums and guitar. I’m also a big fan of walks in Central Park, especially now. Lastly, I Facetime a lot with friends and family to stay connected.

How do you love others?

Trying to be there for people by listening openly and being supportive however possible. Sometimes lending an ear and being nonjudgmental is what someone needs to open up. 

How do you remind yourself that we are all connected? 

There is an explore feed in the Gratitude Plus app, where you can read gratitudes from other people from around the world. It's a quick, inspiring reminder that people from around the world have so much in common, such as being grateful for friends and family, but everyone has their own unique interests that make them happy, both small and large.

What is your most cherished book, movie or piece of art? 

Shoe Dog is a book I read recently that I loved. It’s so inspirational reading about people who, through persistence, grit and determination, take an idea and grow it into something bigger than themselves. Phil Knight had a lot of adversity in his life, but didn’t let that stop him from creating his own company, Nike. 

What’s your mantra?

“Be here now” (Famous from Ram Das’s book of the same name) is a great mantra I try to remind myself of frequently. It’s so easy to get caught up in the past or future, instead of the present, especially with the stimulation from our tech-enabled world, that you can forget to live in the present moment.

How do you get through a bad day?

Trying to do the things that usually bring me joy, such as working on Gratitude Plus or other creative endeavors, or taking a long walk, which can be surprisingly effective at resetting. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t, and in that case I deal with it, knowing tomorrow might be better :)  

What brings you joy?

Calming scenery such as the beach really put me in a relaxed vibe. Working on creative projects where I can enter a state of flow also really makes me happy, because i’m working towards something and generating something at the same time. Putting my ideas and work into the world is one of my greatest joys! 

What’s something you’re working on these days?

Outside of my full time job, I’m building Gratitude Plus, an app that helps people build gratitude with the support of community. It gives me meaning to work on a product that helps others, and it’s helping people build the fantastic habit of gratitude in their lives!

What advice would you give someone looking for their own New Happy?

Find things that you enjoy doing, that you wouldn’t mind doing for free or where the outcome is uncertain. If you are doing something where these might be true and you still want to do it, continue doing them!

What’s one thing you’d like to ask the people of the world to do? 

Try to be kind to others - you never know what they are dealing with. Everyone has their own battles that you most likely know nothing about, and that’s an important reminder.

 
Stephanie Harrison