An Engineer’s Path to Happiness Through Community

When I first moved to Australia as an immigrant woman and an engineer, I thought I had a clear plan for my life: work hard, build a career, and create stability in a new country. But somewhere along the way, life taught me something unexpected that happiness isn’t just built through achievement. It’s built through connection, service, and belonging.

Volunteering has always been part of my life, but I never realised how deeply it would shape who am today. Before joining Activate Mental Health, I had volunteered in many different spaces teaching STEM to young students in Tasmania, supporting refugee families during their resettlement, helping at community art galleries, even exhibiting my own artwork. Each experience gave me skills, friendships, and confidence.

But mental health advocacy was different. It felt personal. As an immigrant navigating new environments, cultures, careers, and expectations, I’ve had my own silent battles, moments of loneliness, exhaustion, and feeling disconnected. Through mental health volunteering, I came to understand that my experiences weren’t isolated, and many others shared similar challenges.

When, I began volunteering as a Blog Writer and Community Moderator with Activate Mental Health, I expected to contribute with writing and empathy. What I didn’t expect was how much the community would give back to me. Through coffee catch-ups, board game nights, and simple conversations in safe spaces, we discovered that happiness isn’t something we wait for – it is something we create with others.

Happiness is being welcomed without judgement. As someone far from home, that feeling of being included matters more than words can express.

Happiness is seeing someone open up for the first time. That moment when a person feels safe enough to share it is a reminder of why this work matters.

Happiness is built from small acts. A message, a conversation, a shared laugh. On days that feel heavy, even 10 minutes of connection can shift the entire world.

Happiness grows when we give. Whether I’m wearing my hard hat as an Electrical Reliability Engineer or my volunteer badge at a mental health event, the purpose feels the same, support, uplift, empower.

Each part of my identity strengthened the other, and mental health advocacy became the space where everything finally connected.

• Being an engineer taught me structure, logic, and resilience.

• Being an artist taught me expression and vulnerability.

• Being an immigrant taught me courage and adaptability.

• Volunteering taught me compassion for myself and others.

On this International Day of Happiness, I want to reach out to anyone who feels ‘in between’ whether that’s between countries, careers, emotions, or different stages of life. You don’t have to find your way on your own. Community can make the path gentler, volunteering can bring purpose, and connection can add joy back into the everyday. If you’re considering joining a mental health event, offering your time as a volunteer, or simply reaching out to someone who might need a moment of kindness, I encourage you to take that step. Happiness rarely grows in isolation it grows when we share it, support it, and build it together.

Support Activate Mental Health

If you’d like to get involved with Activate Mental Health, here are some ways to do so:

Volunteer for Activate Mental Health 🙋‍♀️🌱: Click here to find out more about volunteering

for Activate Mental Health.

Donate to us 🙋‍♀️🎗️: Every contribution matters. Click here to contribute to our cause.

Share Your Stories Of Activate Mental Health 🙋‍♀️📚: Click here to express your interest

and chat to our blog team.

Or if you would prefer to email the blog team directly, please reach us on: stories@activatemh.com.au

Sometimes, the happiness we offer to others finds its way back to us often in unexpected

and beautiful ways.

Shabnaz Ahmed (AMH Blog Team Volunteer) and Eva Cocks (AMH Blog Director)