February 8, 2025

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Health's Like Heaven.

Austin Poised For ‘Hi, How Are You’ Day Showcasing Mental Health

AUSTIN, TX — The Hi, How Are You Project and American Campus Communities have teamed up to call attention to mental illness by shedding light — literally, when City Hall and other landmarks will be bathed in the green light of solidarity — on Friday.

Organizers are poised to host an international Happy Habit-A-Thon, a multi-day awareness and fundraising event online sponsored by Regions Bank, that will kick off on Friday on a day dubbed “Hi, How Are You Day.” Looming large will be the memory of late, world-renowned musician Daniel Johnston, who openly struggled with mental illness.

The Project is known for its annual Hi, How Are You Day fundraising concert at ACL Live in Austin. While the coronavirus pandemic has halted in-person gatherings, “…the show must go on to continue to raise funds to help end the stigma associated with mental illness,” organizers wrote in an advisory. The first ever Happy Habit-A-Thon provides an engaging virtual alternative with a fun format for participants around the globe to learn about incorporating “Happy Habits” into their daily lives to promote and maintain mental wellness, event organizers wrote.

Related story: Influential Austin Artist Daniel Johnston Dead At 58

“It’s so exciting to see that we already have participants from more than 20 countries registered to participate in this year’s alternative online event to help raise funds for and awareness of the importance of mental health,” said Tom Gimbel, co-founder of Hi, How Are You Project. “It takes courage to break down the stigma around mental health issues, so we hope that by sharing easy-to-follow activities and helpful tips, Happy-Habit-A-Thon participants will be inspired to live healthy, balanced lives and also regularly check-in on others.”

Here’s how it works:

  • Register here to receive a bingo style card and instructions.

  • Complete as many of the 10 activities as possible corresponding to the Happy Habits by Feb. 1.

  • Share on Instagram (story or post) of photos or videos taking part in each habit-based activity, using the hashtag #hihowareyouday and tagging @hihowareyouproject.

  • Those who post completing activities corresponding to all 10 habits will be entered to win a variety of prizes.

“The Happy Habits are actually reminders like ‘Get Moving,’ ‘Be Kind,’ and ‘Get Creative,’ so easy tasks like taking a jog, writing a letter to a relative or doing a DIY project are all examples of activities to share on Instagram for the Habit-A-Thon,” Gimbel said.

Image courtesy of American Campus Communities.

Encouragement to participate won’t be hard to come by, organizers noted. Regions Bank is a key sponsor of the Happy Habit-A-Thon and notable community partners are joining the effort to promote the Happy Habits by showing ways to easily incorporate them into daily routines. To wit:

  • International yoga teacher Adriene Mishler will be encouraging others to take part in the Happy Habit-A-Thon to “practice mindfulness” through a guided video.

  • Grammy Award-winning producer and guitarist Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas) will inspire others to “get creative” with a studio tour.

  • Executive Chef Fiore Tedesco of Austin restaurant L’Oca d’Oro will instill the “you are what you eat” habit with a cooking demo.

  • Austin Parks Foundation will be encouraging the community to “get moving” outdoors; and Austin Ed Fund.

  • The Austin ISD nonprofit public education foundation, will remind their followers to “stand tall” and “find your purpose” as ways to create mental wellbeing.

Others are encouraged to participate in the Happy Habit-A-Thon and show how they implement these simple but effective habits to stay mentally grounded during challenging times, organizers noted.

Going Green For Mental Health

It will be easy being green on Friday as various spots will be verdantly illuminated with the hue that is an international symbol for mental health awareness. To amplify the effect, Austin City Hall and Johnston’s “Jeremiah the Innocent” Mural on 21st and Guadalupe will glow with green light up starting on Hi How Are You Day this Friday. American Campus Communities also will light up its student communities in the West Campus area while encouraging other buildings to join in as a show of support.

Statistics related to mental health speak to the need for calling attention to the issue. One in five Americans experience mental illness, with 75 percent of mental illnesses beginning by age 24, according to event organizers. With the college-age demographic being heavily impacted by mental health issues, American Campus Communities — the nation’s largest student housing company — has understood the importance of getting involved to support students across the country when it comes to creating healthy environments, officials said.

To that end, American Campus Communities has supported and partnered with the Hi How Are You project since 2018 to encourage people everywhere to check in on a neighbor, friend, co-worker, family member or loved one and ask, “Hi, How Are You?”

Gina Cowart, vice president at American Campus Communities and Hi, How Are You Project board member, expounded: “We are honored to support this year’s Happy Habit-A-Thon because, simply put, mental health matters. We want to kick off 2021 by forming healthy and productive habits that help lay a foundation for mental wellness. We hope it serves as a reminder for anyone dealing with any sort of mental distress that it is okay to not be okay and to always ask for help.”

Proceeds from the event will be used to further the Hi, How Are You Project mission of funding mental health initiatives like custom-built peer-to-peer training programs, events, thoughtful media and more. The training sessions will continue to equip ACC community assistants and other team members with the tools needed to plan stress-reducing activities, recognize warning signs, empower team members to start conversations, and provide resources related to mental health and wellness at college campuses around the country.

For more information about Hi, How Are You Project and these efforts surrounding Hi, How Are You Day 2021, visit www.hihowareyou.org and follow the organization at @hihowareyouproject on social media.

This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch

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