From the Cover of LWR Life to a National Movement: Doctorate Student Launches 1,000-Chapter Mission to End Loneliness

Nevriye Yesil takes the Happiness Circle national: one million flourishing humans, 1,000 chapters by 2030, starting in Lakewood Ranch.

LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- You may have seen her on the cover of LWR Life this fall. Nevriye Yesil, M.A., a doctorate student in Happiness Studies based in Lakewood Ranch, today announced the national expansion of the Happiness Circle, a community movement built around one declared moonshot: a world where no one flourishes alone. The goal is one million flourishing humans and 1,000 local chapters by 2030.

The announcement comes as loneliness reaches crisis levels. The U.S. Surgeon General has declared loneliness an epidemic. The World Health Organization has named social connection a global health priority. New research from Tulane University, published in Nature Communications, finds loneliness and social isolation may cost Americans six healthy years of life.

"Loneliness is not a personal failure. It is a public health crisis, and connection is the medicine," said Yesil. "Nobody should have to flourish alone. The Happiness Circle gives people a place to belong: real faces, real conversations, and science-backed practices they can use the same day."

The movement starts at home. Chapter No. 01 in Lakewood Ranch already brings neighbors together for free monthly gatherings around the science of happiness, gratitude, and human connection. The same community that put Yesil on the cover of LWR Life is the community powering the national launch.

"We are making an impact locally and growing globally," said Yesil. "This town believed in this work first. Now we take it everywhere."

The Happiness Leadership Institute, Yesil's education company, trains and certifies Happiness Circle facilitators through a 12-module certification program. A founding cohort of facilitators is now forming to carry the movement into new cities.

The announcement leads into two public October events:

Calm Together: The 3-Day Reset, October 20 to 22 at 12:00 p.m. ET: a free, live 30-minute daily reset combining short teaching with guided practice. Join free in the Happiness Circle Clubhouse on Skool: skool.com/happiness.

The October Happiness Circle gathering, Saturday, October 24 at 9:00 a.m. ET in Lakewood Ranch: a complimentary community gathering on the theme "From Suffering to Possibility."

About Nevriye Yesil, M.A.

Nevriye Yesil, M.A., is a doctorate student in Happiness Studies, international author, speaker, and coach, and the founder of the Happiness Circle and the Happiness Leadership Institute. She trained under Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, the prestigious Harvard professor, and is now his PhD student in Happiness Studies. She holds master's degrees in happiness studies and forensic psychology. She was the Fall 2026 cover story of LWR Life magazine ("Get Happy: Boost your joy through the power of connection").

About the Happiness Circle

The Happiness Circle is a community movement translating happiness and human-flourishing research into practical experiences, coaching, and gatherings. Free monthly chapters gather neighbors around a different theme each month, guided by certified facilitators. Learn more at happiness-circle.com.

About the Happiness Leadership Institute

The Happiness Leadership Institute is the education company behind the Happiness Circle movement. It trains and certifies Happiness Circle facilitators and delivers science-backed wellbeing programs for organizations, schools, and communities.

Nevriye Yesil
Happiness Leadership Institute
+1 334-343-5919
email us here