March 20 has been designated as the International Day of Happiness by the United Nations. If I was more cynical, I could make all sorts of sarcastic remarks and point out all the ways the world falls short in regards to happiness. But I’m not that cynical. In fact, I’m an optimist and a big believer in looking at the bright side of things. If that’s an idea you can get behind, read on. Come be part of the Day of Happiness. You’ll be in good company. All 193 countries in the U.N. have adopted a resolution that calls for happiness to be given higher priority. This year’s theme is “Share Happiness” and it’s easy to participate.
When I heard that there was an International Day of Happiness, I knew I needed to write about it on My Cup of Cocoa. My tag line is: a blog about gratitude, happiness, and favorite things. So a day of happiness is something that I definitely needed to know more about. Think of this post as one way I’m sharing happiness.
I went to the official website www.dayofhappiness.net to find out more. I signed up for more information and was sent three links that led me to some valuable information. The first was a PDF called Ten Keys to Happier Living. It’s a 28 page pamphlet full of great tips and ideas. Many of the ideas in this booklet are similar to ones I’ve written about before. You can read my 7 Tips For More Happiness post or see my list of favorite Happiness Blogs.
10 Keys to Happier Living
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Giving to others
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Connecting with others
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Taking care of your health
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Mindfulness
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Learning New Things
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Set goals to reach for
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Build Resilience
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Look for the good things
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Self-acceptance
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Be part of something bigger than yourself
Action for Happiness
The Ten Keys to Happiness booklet was created by a partner resource called Action for Happiness. Their website is a treasure trove of happiness advice, information, ideas, and inspiration. The organization’s patron is none other than the Dalai Lama. According to the Action for Happiness website, they are bringing together “like-minded people from all walks of life and help them take practical action, drawing on the latest scientific research. We are backed by leading experts from diverse fields including psychology, education, economics and social innovation.” The goal of Action for Happiness members is to try to create more happiness in the world around them.
Ten Keys to Happiness has some great artwork in it. Each section has an inspirational quote. You can download poster versions of them for free. They come in two versions: Posters for Children and Posters for Adults. The posters for children would be great for classrooms. The posters for adults would probably work well in an office or workplace setting.
The Happiness Pack
When I clicked on the second link, I found pages of ideas and activities for children. It’s called the Happiness Pack and I think it’s great for adults too. It includes bookmarks, compliment cards, an activity book, coloring sheets, and journaling ideas. Check out the Happiness Pack here.
World Happiness Report
The last link included in the Day of Happiness email was to the World Happiness Report. This report ranks countries by their levels of happiness. Bad news for the United States. We dropped 4 places from last year to number 18. In fact, the U.S. has dropped 15 places since 2007 when ranking first began. So that makes me a little sad. But I’m working on it.
Finland tops this year’s list followed by Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Switzerland. According to the report, the top countries all rank highly on the main factors found to support happiness. Those factors are: caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income, and good governance. You can read more about the report here.
Sharing Happiness
The theme for this year’s International Day of Happiness is “Sharing Happiness.” In addition to all the resources I’ve listed above, I have a few more thoughts on this. I love the quote : Happiness is an inside job. Happiness begins with ourselves. When we get a good grasp on what makes us happy, we are in a better position to share happiness with others.
In addition to making ourselves happy, the whole goal of International Happiness Day is to create more happiness in our homes, communities, schools, and work places. I have a few suggestions on how to celebrate March 20.
8 Ways to Celebrate the Day of Happiness
1. Start your day in a positive way.
First of all, you need to start your day off right. Say some affirmations. Say a prayer. Get some exercise. Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. Get enough sleep. There are lots of ways to start your day in a positive way. Set the stage for a happier day.
2. Make a list
I love making lists. In honor of Happiness Day, I suggest you make some happy lists. Some ideas for Happiness Day lists: what makes you happy, blessings/gratitude, your strengths, happy memories, favorite things, and a bucket list. Just thinking of making a happy list makes me feel happier. What can I say, I love lists.
3. Write a thank you note
Expressing gratitude increases our own happiness and lifts others as well. It’s like throwing a pebble in a pond, the ripples continue outward and spread happiness. It’s also nice to get a piece of mail that’s not bills or junk. So write the note in your own handwriting and mail it. It might take a little more time and effort, but that’s kind of the point,
4. Help Someone
This year, I’ll be teaching in a third grade classroom on International Happiness Day. It’s a challenging job, but a fun and rewarding one. Best f all, I will have lots of opportunity to help others. One of my favorite things about teaching is when you reach out to a child who needs your help and make a connection. It makes me happy and it makes them happy too.
5. Connect
Touch base with family and friends. Send that text. Make that phone call. Smile and wave at your neighbor. Do something that makes a connection with the people in your life. Feeling connected to others is probably one of most valuable means of increasing your happiness.
6. Let Something Go
What is it you’re holding onto that is making you less happy? Is it anger? It is pain or sorrow? Are you holding a grudge? Letting go of negative feelings is a big step in the right direction. Let go of what’s holding you down because it’s hard to fly high when you’re holding on to heavy things.
7. Make or Participate in a Happiness Wall
Another fun idea is to participate in a happiness wall project. Visit happyacts.org and find a happiness wall near you. If you can’t locate one close to you, you can create your own. The Happy Acts website also provides instructions on how to make a happiness wall. The idea is to post happy acts that you’ve either done or promise to do on it.
8. Share Online
I’ve seen many ways to share online. Use #happyacts to share wall ideas. Post to social media using #dayofhappiness. Share positive thoughts and ideas on your social media accounts. Hey, you could share this post! Now that’s a great idea.
I hope you have a really happy day and find a fun way to celebrate the International Day of Happiness. Thanks for reading and please share.
