I can’t think of anything we all need more in our lives right now besides International Day of Happiness. I’m sure you’re with me on this.
It happens on March 20th every year … and this year, we’re all one whole year into quarantine pandemic life from the Covid-19 outbreak. No matter what your stance is on anything, this past year was H A R D, and so many of us had to be 100% intentional about keeping our happiness going all the livelong day.
Are you in that camp? Yeah, me too. So, I can’t think of anything we all should be leaning into more this March 20th than International Day of Happiness. Young and old, we all need to be a little less focused on ourselves and a little bit more focused on finding positive ways to look after ourselves and each other.
WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS?
This campaign, celebrated for the first time in 2013, is a global celebration to mark the United Nations International Day of Happiness. It is coordinated by Action for Happiness, a non-profit movement of people from 160 countries, supported by a partnership of like-minded organizations.
In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that recognized happiness as a “fundamental human goal” and called for “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and wellbeing of all peoples.”
HOW CAN WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY?
As this day is founded by the United Nations, every year has a certain theme to it. This year, they decided to celebrate with the theme:
Keep Calm.
Stay Wise.
Be Kind.
I love this year’s campaign and how suitable it is for people of all ages. It’s important that it is spread more around children and teenagers as happiness is such an essential topic in their years. Also, what I love about it is that the main message behind this project is that no matter who you are, how unimportant you think you are, you can make a very big difference in today’s world by doing the smallest things. Together we can achieve the impossible.
There are three positive steps we can all take when facing difficult times:
Keep Calm: There are lots of things outside our control. Let’s remember to breathe and focus on what really matters so we can respond constructively.
Stay Wise: Making wise choices helps everyone. Let’s choose positive actions that support our wellbeing and help others to do the same.
Be Kind: We’re all in this together, even when we’re forced apart. Let’s stay connected and reach out to help others who may be in need.
On their website, they have a free 30-day Coping Calendar with daily actions to keep calm, stay wise and be kind. The calendar is free to download and will be a great tool for families to use to work together through this challenging season to impact our world in a happy way.
They are also offering a free 10 Days of Happiness email-based coaching program. After you sign up, each day, you’ll receive new ideas from the science of positive psychology and discover new ways to boost wellbeing for yourself and others.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO CELEBRATE THIS DAY?
1) Do a random act of kindness.
You can achieve happiness by helping someone in need or simply showing gratitude and making someone’s day. You can easily donate to a charity that holds a special place in your heart. You can also donate blood or serve at any organization in your community that may need your help. You can even do a simple task to help your neighbor or a friend who might need a helping hand. The important thing is to think of how you can spread kindness and gain happiness.
2) Do something that makes you incredibly happy.
We all have those activities and hobbies that make us feel happy and fill us up so that we can keep pouring out. Dance in the streets or in your room, if that’s what makes you happy. Draw, paint, knit, run, play an instrument, read, write, create, sleep, watch a movie, write a letter, or whatever else makes you happy. Let yourself feel happy and satisfied with the life you have because you CAN do things that you love and enjoy, even if it all looks different right now.
3) Show gratitude to people that you love.
People that surround you and support you unconditionally always deserve a big thank you! They are why you feel happy, and sometimes it’s nice to remind them that you are grateful for their existence in your life. Write a thank you card to each of them and send them by snail mail to make it more personal. You don’t need to do anything big; a simple thank you will make their day. Trust me.
4) Promote happiness and spread it around.
Start your day with a smile! Smile at people during the day, all day long- even if you only see them virtually! Say a genuine compliment or two, buy a coffee for your spouse or a colleague who desperately needs it. Let go of stress, worries, and unneeded arguments for the day, say thank you more, show that you’re truly happy with your life no matter where you live, who you are, or what your job is. Embrace the feeling, and more people will catch your happiness so that they will start embracing their happiness too.
5) Take a step towards creating a happier environment.
We all know that our happiness is hugely influenced by the environment in which we live. Having a safer and healthier environment will make us all feel happier and more satisfied with our life. Clean your house, pick up trash in your neighborhood, start saving water, stop to help someone in need. Make needed lifestyle changes to help you feel more energized and healthy. Always remember that any small steps you take will give you huge results.
