We are approaching the 2nd annual International Day of Happiness, on March 20th.
What Is It?
The General Assembly of the United Nations commissioned this yearly event to help spread the truth that happiness and wellbeing are basic human goals. As well, each person’s ability to reach these goals can be supported by public policies.
Wow!
Why Is Happiness Important?
Research is showing correlations between happiness and the following attributes:
- healthiness,
- longevity,
- strong personal relationships, and
- productivity.
The United States has room for improvement about the happiness scale of its residents – many other countries have higher ratings for happiness.
How Can I Increase Happiness?
Wherever we live in this big world, we can each make a difference by sharing even 1 act of happiness on March 20th. Better still, share a happy or kind act every day!
Have you ever noticed that you feel better when you do something kind for someone else?
What ideas can you add to these? Notice how simple the act can be.
- Open a door for someone at a store or office.
- Smile. Smile at the cashier, the nurse, the bus driver, another shopper.
- Pay for a sandwich, a soft drink, or a meal for the next person at the drive through restaurant.
- Volunteer at a local charity.
- Say, “Thank you,” “Please,” and “You’re welcome” and add a genuine smile to your words.
- Ask a neighbor if they want anything from the market.
What Are Real People Doing to Bring More Happiness to Life?
In the March-April edition of Live Happy magazine, there are articles about the International Day of Happiness and about ways real people are making a positive difference in their own happiness quotients because they are doing things to add more happiness to the lives of others.
The magazine revealed some answers from a survey. Folks were asked to tell what act of happiness they had given or received.
- One woman said she paid the bridge toll for the car behind her.
- Another put quarters in the washer and dryer as she left her apartment laundry room.
- Someone else paid for the man behind him at Starbucks. When he checked back later, people in sixteen cars had done the same thing.
- Still another decided on the name Thoughtful Thursdays. She created a vlog about paying for the person behind her somewhere and posted it on FaceBook. She’s gotten a lot of comments on it and on how it has inspired others to take similar actions (what she describes as ripplin’).
I hope you like this precious quote by Bernard Meltzer. “Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it.”
What would you like to do to cause ripples of happiness? Remember, feeling happier yourself is a side effect of doing something to help someone else feel happy. Happiness begets happiness.
Blissings, Dena
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