Celebrate International Day of Happiness TODAY!
July 4, 1776, colonists in America made a powerful declaration,
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Immigrants came in search of freedom to secure that happiness. Many times our nation failed to allow that pursuit of happiness for select groups when it was ‘inconvenient’.
Nevertheless, this statement is one we hold as the ideal. We know in our hearts that every person inherently deserves this.
Fast forward 236 years later to July 12, 2012…
The world joined us in recognizing the importance happiness holds in life on earth. The General Assembly of the United Nations passed a resolution that March 20th would annually celebrate International Day of Happiness.
In 2015, they provided a path towards helping to realize these dreams by establishing 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These honor the fact that our happiness cannot be at the expense of others. We must help lift each other up and offer vehicles of opportunity for decreasing poverty, building economic growth, strengthening peace and justice on the global stage, all while protecting and caring for the planet that we live on.
The quest for happiness was and continues to be at the heart of each individual. It’s what sustains us.
So in the immortal words of the Partridge Family, “Come on Get Happy!”
Here are 7 Thoughts I Hope Help.
Balance – My boss said, “Have a nice day,” so I went home.
Are you out of balance? Be mindful where you place your energy (and where you don’t.) There are many ways you can get out of balance. Home and work. Stillness and activity. You in relation to the elements: earth, water, fire, air, and aether. Chakras… Ask yourself, “Where are my excesses and deficiencies?” This will help direct you on what you need to do to restore balance and bring greater happiness into your life.
Get Back to Nature – Why was the squirrel late for work? Because traffic was nuts!
Take a hike. Garden. Go bird watching. Get back in sync with nature. Research is piling up that supports the benefits of nature on our health – emotionally and physically. It does not surprise me at all. We are a part of nature and often disconnect from it. Reconnecting brings us into a more natural state where we are happy, comfortable, and at ease. We can slow down and breathe fresh air, be amongst the warmth of trees instead of concrete and metal, and feel more grounded. So skip the traffic and try backpacking.
Live in the Present – Procrastinators are the leaders of tomorrow.
Take a moment to think back to some of your happiest memories. Now imagine that instead of doing those things, you were sitting around dreaming about doing them someday. That day is now. Create future memories by living in the present. Enjoy as many seconds while you can.
Meditation – Isn’t meditation a great excuse to sit and do nothing?
Actually, while you may experience some much needed serenity and capture moments of silence, you’re giving yourself a great workout. Daily meditation can retrain your brain to slow down cognitive decline. It helps on the emotional front allowing you to better cope with stress and anxiety, improve impulse control, and improve overall happiness. It can help your heart through lowering blood pressure and is considered to be an excellent adjunct therapy in addressing and preventing heart disease. Many people use meditation as a vehicle for spiritual insight, journeying, and channeling.
Learn something new – How does a computer learn something new? Bit by bit.
Positive Psychology reaffirms the old saying, “Variety is the spice of life.” 40% of your happiness factor is entirely within your control, and one of the key ways to do this is by shaking things up a bit and keeping life exciting. Even doing the same thing in different ways can improve your happiness factor. So say your abc’s in German, count to 10 in French, and learn American Sign Language (ASL). Learn how to knit. Take a dance class. The world is your oyster. Eat up!
Connect with Others – I hate it when I try to hug someone really sexy and my face smashes against the mirror.
Let’s face it. Corona sucked a lot of life out of a lot of us. I hate that they call it ‘social distancing’. Call it ‘physical distancing’. We may need to stand six feet away from each other, but we should find ways to connect. Thank goodness for Zoom and Tabletop Simulator. Whether you are an introvert or an extravert, we are social beings and need meaningful relationships within our lives. So take today as an opportunity to reach out to someone you haven’t spoken with in a while and tell them why they are special to you.
Give Thanks, Time, and Energy. – How do you get a tissue to dance? You put a little boogie in it.
You get more when you give more. Share the best part of yourself with others. Multiply happiness by sharing love. Be generous and give the gift only you can give: your time, energy, and yourself. Volunteer. Donate to a charity. Find a way to leave the world a better place than you found it, and don’t forget to also give thanks. Having that ‘attitude of gratitude’ can improve your own outlook, your psychological health, your relationships with others, improve your physical health, and help you identify and enjoy the happiness that surrounds you.
Happy International Day of Happiness!