Today is the International Day of Happiness!

I didn’t know there was a day specially dedicated to happiness, and I’m not complaining!

Here’s what the United Nations site says:

What is the International Day of Happiness?

It’s a day to be happy, of course! Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. In 2015, the UN launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to end poverty, reduce inequality, and protect our planet – three key aspects that lead to well-being and happiness. 

The United Nations invites each person of any age, plus every classroom, business, and government to join in the celebration of the International Day of Happiness.

Background

The General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution 66/281 of 12 July 2012 proclaimed 20 March the International Day of Happiness, recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives. It also recognized the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and the well-being of all peoples.”

Each year there is a theme, like for example, last year the theme was “Happier Together”.

It focused on what we have in common, rather than what divides us.

When we are together, life is happier, and everyone wants to be happy.

This is the day to come forward and celebrate common humanity.

 

This year, the theme is ‘Keep Calm. Stay Wise. Be Kind’ and is, of course, in response to the COVID pandemic.

As we face an ongoing global crisis together, this year’s International Day of Happiness is a chance to find uplifting and positive ways to look after ourselves – and one another.

Exploring the theme further, Action for Happiness suggests:

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 well-being 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.

Perhaps you knew all this! But I found it extraordinary.

During my research, I found so much data on how we could measure happiness. It is incredible how much research there is around this topic.

So much I realized at this moment it is better to keep it simple.

So rather than recommend a quiz with a minimal number of questions to rank yourself as Very Happy or Unhappy, I recommend starting a Happiness Project.

 

There is this book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, where she shares what she did to feel happier. She was this woman who had everything: a beautiful family, health, money, a job she loved, but still… she was not feeling fulfilled.

So she decided to take action as a New Year Resolution to have an intentional life rather than going with the flow.

And the first thing she decided to do was change her habits to have more energy during the day and change her environment, like clean her closets and remove the clutter in her house.

Overall all the actions she decided to take have something in common, which is all about focus on herself. Have time for herself, and live each day with intentionality.

I love one part of the book, when she says, “Take time to be silly!”. For me as I love a good laugh, this is something that I sometimes forget, rushing all day, I forget to take time for a good joke or a goofy play.

 

The other day I was preparing dinner for my children, as I wanted them ready to bed earlier.

My toddler daughter doesn’t like veggies. It is so so difficult to give her greens. As a mom, I try every day… So on that day, my children were sitting at the kitchen table waiting for me to give them the dish of food, and I asked my daughter if she wanted some avocado. She answers a loud NOOOO, like any three-year old would do.

I looked at her and said, “You broke my heart”, and fell on the floor singing this TikTok music ‘Oh No, Oh No, Oh No…’

We all had a good and long laugh… and she ate the avocado.

I know, it is such a silly thing, right?

But this is part of my Happiness Project list, having fun with my children.

Precisely for this one, I stated 3 things:

  1. Be present.
  2. Enjoy the moments, being silly, playful.
  3. Less strict with the mess, I can clean after.

I didn’t start a Happiness Project as Gretchen Rubin did, but as she said each project has to be YOUR Project. So I decided to give shape and copy what my husband came up with in his Vision Board this year, to build  “My Perfect Day”.

Well let me tell you the story: As you know this year we did a family Vision Board, where we came up first with our own things we wanted to accomplish and to bring to the discussion to the family.

My husband came up with this big 200 printed. We were like… what does this mean? Following in Instagram? Number of clients for your studio? What does this 200 mean?

And then he placed the 200 in the Self Quadrant… and then we were even more curious about that big 200. 

So then he revealed! I wanted to live 200 PERFECT DAYS in 2021.

As you can imagine! There was a big, wild excitement in the room, as we wanted to know if we were included in that day as well! LOL!

But then the concept of understanding, planning, and searching for a Perfect Day is quite transformative. It is not a full Happiness Project, as this one I would consider with events of transformation, like redecorating your house and changing your wardrobe. But it is more about finding the things throughout the day that you like to do, and plan them.

It is more about the awareness of the things you like to do, and if you could control 100% the course of your day, how would that look?

I feel after doing this exercise, you may need some kind of Happiness Project, as you will realize you will need change around you, either your environment or to yourself, like your habits.

So here it goes! I created a planner for the “Perfect Day”.

I copied what I saw he was doing, and I feel it could be a really good exercise for you too!

For my husband the day had to have 27 hours… you don’t need to include everything in one day… sleeping is needed to have a perfect day! Moreover, you can have different perfect days.

And the concepts starts by answering these 4 questions:

  1. What I want to feel?
  2. What activities I want to be doing
  3. Who I want to be with?
  4. Where do I want to be?

Hope you find this useful!

Happy International Happiness Day!

How would you define your own “perfect day”? Share your answer with us in the comments below!

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