Hi! And happy Monday guys. Do you know what today is? Yeah, it's Monday, but not an ordinary one. I didn't until yesterday too. Actually, I was making some research on Global Recycling Day and something told me: "Oh let's search for all the International Days of the year and see what interesting subject we can write about" I didn't search for too long tho. I stopped when I found out that March 20th is the UN International Day of Happiness. I find it funny that this year's falls on a Monday since Mondays have a bad reputation for being the worst days of the week. But I hope reading this post will help you approach your day in the very best way. Thank you for joining me.
Background history:
The idea goes back to 1972, when the King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, said that we should measure a country's progress by its happiness and not just how much it produces or how much money it makes. He called it Gross National Happiness (GNH). Bhutan developed a system to measure happiness based on things like people's psychological health, general health, how they spend their time, where they live, their education, and their environment. People in Bhutan answer about 300 questions, and the results are compared every year to measure progress. The government uses the results and the ideas behind GNH to make decisions for the country.
In 2011, the idea was introduced to the United Nations by the advisor Jayme Illien. Illien also founded the United Nations New Economic Paradigm project and ‘happytalism’, which aims to change the way nations approach economic growth by focusing on ‘happytalism’ over capitalism. The General Assembly of the United Nations agreed with the proposal and officially founded the International Day of Happiness in July 2012, with the occasion first being observed in 2013. For the very first International Day of Happiness in 2013, events took place all over the world and we celebrated hundreds of "Happy Heroes" - those people in our communities who do so much to bring happiness to others.
Why is the International Day of Happiness important?
The purpose of this day is to know the value of happiness in one's life and to create awareness around it. International Day of Happiness aims to celebrate happiness all over the world, inspiring people to spread positivity, whether big or small, with others and encouraging each nation to prioritize the happiness of its citizens.
“The International Day of Happiness is more than just a fun celebration, it also reminds us all that the world is a better place when we connect with and care about the surrounding people.” | Dr Mark Williamson (March 2015)
Be mindful, be grateful, be kind.
This year’s theme is: ‘Be Mindful. Be Grateful. Be Kind’. Let's have a closer look at what it means.
Be mindful: Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. It is also a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. The practice of mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress. Here are some simple ways to practice mindfulness anywhere and anytime:
Accept yourself: Treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend.
Pay attention: Touch, sound, sight, smell, and taste. For example, when you eat a favorite food, take the time to smell, taste, and truly enjoy it.
Live in the moment: Try to intentionally bring open, accepting, and discerning attention to everything you do. Find joy in simple pleasures.
Focus on your breathing: When you have negative thoughts, try to sit down, take a deep breath, and close your eyes. Focus on your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Sitting and breathing for even just a minute can help.
Be grateful: The word ‘gratitude’ comes from the Latin word gratus, meaning pleasing or thankful. Gratitude is a warm feeling of thankfulness toward the world, or toward specific individuals. The person who feels gratitude is thankful for what they have and does not constantly seek more. Countless studies have shown that gratitude can bring a variety of physical, psychological, emotional, and social benefits. It helps us appreciate all the positive elements of our lives and the people in them.
Physically speaking: Grateful people sleep more and sleep better. They get sick less often and have better heart health. They exercise more and are less bothered by aches and pains.
From an emotional point of view: Grateful people are happier and more optimistic. They feel more positive emotions and recover from stress faster.
Socially speaking: Grateful people are more forgiving and outgoing. They are less lonely and isolated. Grateful people are also more helpful, compassionate, and generous.
You don't need to have a lot to be grateful. Being alive today is enough to say thank you!
Be kind: According to the dictionary, kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. But kindness means much more. Kindness can mean different things to different people. Be it through empathy, acceptance, kind gestures, and thoughtfulness, etc. Kindness might look like being helpful or showing empathy. It may mean doing nice things without expecting nice things in return. Being kind differs from being nice. There can be a lack of sincerity in just being nice; there is often a perception of doing the minimum. Whereas, being kind is doing intentional, voluntary acts of kindness. Not only when it’s easy to be kind, but also when it’s hard to be.
Here are a few tips for living a kinder life, from the kindness expert Gabriella Van Rij:
Truly start listening to others (instead of already formulating the answer in your head),
Answer rudeness with kindness (think of someone being extremely snippy to you, then say in a friendly tone, "did you have a hard day?". You will have already diffused the moment),
Include someone who is on the sidelines. By doing this, you have valued them - it's dehumanizing to go through life unnoticed, unwanted, and unloved,
Action/reaction. Understand when there is unkindness, it is not about you. When you are triggered, take a deep breath and step back.
Keep in mind these words of Brad Meltzer:
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
Sources:
Does all of this change the fact that I have classes today? Nope! lol. But it will surely change the way am going to tackle my day. Dear readers, radiate love and spread kindness. Not just today, but as much as you can. Thanks for reading. I send you a lot of love and wish you a Happy Monday, a Monday Happy. May God bless you, take care. Oh! One more thing, Be kind to others yea, but first, be kind to yourself. You deserve it.
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