Be more happy!
Everyone can change their outlook on life to be more – be more positive, be more productive, be more provocative, be more energetic, be more creative… Underlying all of this are two complementary approaches: the Eastern Ikigai tradition and the Western positive psychology movement. All my work – writing, editing, coaching, research, and training – is informed by a positive approach.
Who am I?
Version 1: The Professional Story
I’m Professor Alexandra King, and I set up Bluebird in 2024 after a 30-year career in academia as a psychology professor specialising in music, happiness and wellbeing.
I’ve drawn on everything I learned from academia, teaching, and life in general to work on making people’s lives brighter. I teach and coach based on over 15 years of experience teaching happiness and wellbeing to psychology students. I edit and support writers based on my extensive editorial career with journals and books. I bring all this plus my research skills to bear on my own writing, which focuses on non-fiction and memoir.
My vision
My mission is to show people how powerful positive thinking can be in coping with life’s challenges, and to help them apply a positive approach.
I first came to this area as an intuitively positive person who can always find the bright side, but I wanted to tackle it as a science, not a belief system. I’ve undertaken extensive research to develop and refine my approach. I’m offering you the opportunity to challenge your own beliefs about happiness and wellbeing and to learn practical tips that will make a positive difference to your life now and into the future.
One of the most important things about being happy is that it usually involves interacting with other people, whether this be family or friends, old or new. As John Donne (or was it Jon Bon Jovi?) famously said, no man is an island, and many of the proven techniques we use to be more positive have to do with connections to others. There’s time for individual contemplation and personal development alongside this, of course, but it’s no surprise that many of the brilliant ideas come from Eastern traditions where community and society are absolutely central.
Who am I?
Version 2: The personal story
I’ve been through a lot of reinventions in my life. From leaving a long-term relationship after a long period of time, to moving 150 miles away from work for a better quality of life, to leaving my home country for a whole new life in the French countryside full of cycles, walks, kayaks, and riverside cafés, there have been more than a few changes of direction.
My personal experiences have taught me how important it is to check and rebalance priorities, not just at work but in life as a whole. Now, I’m passionate about communicating these ideas to help others do the same: to rebalance, feel calmer and clearer, and finally create a life that feels aligned and manageable. This also runs through my writing, which is all about the things that bring us pleasure – travel, music, culture, food, drink, and plenty of in-depth personal stories. You’ll see quite a lot of my personal life mirrored in my business. I’ve been able to use the science-backed tools to make my life the best it can be, and I want to inspire you to do the same.
Find out more about Bluebird
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