August is a great month to celebrate wellness! Not only is it Wellness Month, it’s also Happiness Happens Month. You ! takes a look at many aspects of happiness. Read on…
happiness
Being happy is one of the most inevitable necessities in our life. However, most people don’t know how to be happy with small things, it’s missing nowadays. Happiness depends on a lot of things. It can be what you are doing every day or your close circle. Being happy is essential as you can experience a better life. Plus, some medical studies say that happy people can live longer.
Cheerfulness is what greases the axles of the world. Don’t go through life creaking. Happiness Happens Day, celebrated each year on 8th August, is all about having unlimited amounts of happiness. This is a day about sharing one’s happiness and bringing a lot of joy to other people’s lives. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” We certainly agree with this!
It is also important to realise that our bad days do not give us the right to squash another person’s happiness. Instead, we should allow their happiness to make us feel that way. Their smile can make us smile and the same goes in the other direction as well.
A lot of people are reluctant to openly declare that they are happy because they are afraid that people would be jealous or react negatively. Happiness Happens Day was created to encourage people to share their happy news without feeling bad about it. There’s nothing wrong with being happy and sharing your happiness with the world.
Founded in 1999 under the name of ‘Admit You’re Happy Day’ by the Secret Society of Happy People, Happiness Happens Day aims to spread the joy of being happy, and to persuade people to look on the brighter side of life. However, the daylong celebration expanded to a month, the ‘secret’ part of the society was dropped, and a yearly theme was designated.
The Society was founded in August 1998 in Irving, Texas, by Pamela Gail Johnson in order to celebrate happiness. The society encourages members to think about happiness in their daily life and recognise happy moments.
Start off by thinking about what makes you happy, and do something nice for yourself: After all, they say that happiness starts at home, and this is certainly the case! You cannot make other people feel happy if you do not feel happy yourself. Make a list of things that make you happy and things you see as happiness zappers. Knowing the zappers may help you avoid them or, at least, better prepare for responding to them. Also, when you recognise happiness zappers for what they are, you can more quickly reframe your state of mind and move thoughts to the list of things that make you happy.
Make someone else happy by doing something nice for them. You can make someone else feel happy if you do something nice for them. This does not have to be a big, expensive gesture. There are small things that you can do for people that are going to make them feel just as happy and amazing. For example, you can send a greeting card to one of your friends to let them know that you are thinking about them. It can be something as simple as giving up your seat on the bus to someone else or a more elaborate gesture like volunteering your time and money to a charity of your choice. Studies have found that volunteering doesn’t only help people bring joy in their lives but can also help them live longer. You could buy a warm drink and food for someone who is homeless. There is a never-ending list of the different things that you can do in order to make people feel happy!
Spread positivity: There are happy and positive things that are going on all around the world every day. Use your blogs and social media platforms in order to spread information about positive news stories and happy things that are going on all around the world. Think about what makes people happy (cat videos often do the trick!) and you can spread this joy across the Internet.
Give kudos: Lifting others up brings about a reciprocal effect - put out positive thoughts and feelings and this is what you will likely receive in return. Seek someone out to thank or compliment them for a job well done. When we let people know how much we appreciate or admire them, it exponentially increases happiness, not only for them but also for you.
Gratitude: Expressing gratitude leads to an overall optimistic attitude; it is consistently and strongly correlated to feelings of happiness. Gratitude is a strong source of happiness. The more you show gratitude, the more you feel happy.
Reminisce: If someone wants a quick dose of happiness, reminiscing is the best way. Reading old letters or watching old videos can make you extremely happy. Also, spend some time looking at old photos and flipping through high school yearbooks will find feelings of happiness overflowing as you stroll down memory lane.
Call your old friends: Our hectic routines make it hard to keep in touch with old friends. Reconnecting with old friends brings an instant joy in your life. They say laughter is the best medicine, so laugh with your old friends and stay happy!
Starting a new hobby: A hobby always makes people happy. If you want long-term happiness, you can start a new hobby. Plus, you will be able to explore your inner self by starting a new hobby.
* People who are consistently happy are more likely to have lower heart rates and blood pressure.
* Happy people are more likely to have strong immune systems.
* Happiness is an excellent way for people to cope with stress and become more resilient to it.
* Happy people have fewer body aches than people who are not happy.
* Happier people are more likely to live longer lives.
* Happiness spreads like wildfire. People who spend time with happy people are likelier to be happy.
* People who participate in their community regularly and positively are the happiest on the planet.
