<p>On Saturday January 25th <a href=http://www.dignitywashington.org/ target=_blank>Dignity/Washington</a> hosted a presentation/workshop by Mr. Matt Haygood called <strong><em>GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE</em></strong>. His two-hour talk was based on a six-week seminar he teaches by the same name the essence of which lies in regarding and treating happiness as a process we can own and develop on a daily basis.</p> <p>His presentation included four major factors that contribute to happiness: positive social connections being optimistic gratitude and having a sense of purpose/meaning. He also elaborated on the practices to cultivate for a meaningful happy life: mindfulness daily gratitude exercises developing an optimistic outlook forming and keeping social connections identifying and using individual strengths and developing a sense of purpose.</p> <p>Mr. Haygood is a clinical social worker located in Washington DC. &nbsp;For 10 years he has been working as&nbsp;&nbsp; a therapist trainer and coach with youth young adults and families faced with depression trauma behavioral issues conflict management grief substance abuse and life transitions. Mr. Haygood has conducted workshops for various social service organizations and community groups. He is a frequent trainer for the DC Department of Behavioral Health.&nbsp;</p> <p>Mr. Haygood served with the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic for over two&nbsp;years and has worked in Spain Puerto Rico and Ecuador. He has extensive experience working with immigrant and refugee populations in the United States and abroad and is fluent in Spanish. He earned his Masters degree in Social Work from Columbia University and currently works for a national non-profit organization serving unaccompanied refugee and immigrant minors.&nbsp;</p> <p>An almost capacity crowd of 25-30 attendees filled the upper room of the Dignity Center.</p>