International Day of Happiness: More than smiley faces

Ever since the UN created #InternationalDayOfHappiness in 2013, it's been about more than individual happiness. In 2015, the UN firmly placed the focus on ending poverty, reducing inequality and protecting our planet, when it launched its 17 'Sustainable Development Goals'.

Happiness often gets a bad name. It has been associated with the 'tyranny' of positive thinking and I must say it's not been totally unjustified, but this has been due to a misunderstanding of what happiness is and what the positive psychology movement aimed to achieve. From its very early days of the 'Akumal Manifesto', positive psychology emphasised not only individual flourishing, but the importance of thriving communities and society as a whole. Understanding what underpins happiness can also help organisations thrive.

Individuals cannot flourish and thrive on their own. To achieve true happiness, we need to dig deep, beneath smiles and laughter, to find meaning and purpose. Only then can we achieve true happiness.

Is happiness a fallacy, then?

No. It is possible and even desirable to work on your own happiness. Otherwise, how can you help others? But it's important to recognise that your work doesn't begin and end with your own happiness. It is not only acceptable, but perhaps desirable to feel distress when we see injustice; this drives us to take action to improve things and, in doing so, will help us achieve happiness.

Here are a few things you can do to become happier, and improve the well-being of your family, your workplace, and the world

Find meaning and purpose

Is there (as an individual, as a family, friendship group or within a workplace) a cause you believe in and can support? Volunteer your time (and if you are responsible for people in your organisation, make it possible for them to do so, on work time; i.e. donate company time), donate money, use your voice to drive change (speak to the press/media, write articles & blogs, speak at events, use social media to spread your message etc).

Play to your strengths

You, your loved ones, your colleagues and employees can start by identifying your 'signature strengths' via this free online test. Then, for seven days, try out a new way of using a key strength each day. Research (see p. 881 of the report) has shown that doing this can increase happiness and reduce depressive symptoms for up to 6 months. Identifying your own strengths is only the beginning. Think about the power of identifying strengths in families, friendships, workplace teams and beyond. You could vastly improve relationships and the functioning of groups to achieve common goals! 

Take time out

Allow yourself (and your loved ones, your colleagues, your employees!) to recharge by doing things you/they enjoy and allowing time for rest. Even a one-minute meditation, if you are really pushed for time, can make a huge difference to your well-being. Make space for the people around you to be able to do this. At work, are there quiet spaces where people can go to meditate? Can you bring someone in to teach relaxation and meditation techniques? Does your organisation offer employee perks that promote well-being (experience days, gym memberships, etc)? Taking time out will not only improve happiness, but will increase productivity, too.

Laugh

Laughter is essential to your well-being. It can reduce cortisol levels and release endorphins into your system, reducing your stress levels and giving you an immediate feeling of well-being. So make time to watch that funny film you wanted to go and see, don’t feel guilty for watching silly, funny YouTube videos to brighten your day, and why not try Laughter Yoga? You could start meetings with a few minutes of laughter yoga, for example, or introduce it to the start of the working day.

Sleep

Sleep is essential to your ability not only to be happy, but to function at your best and to be physically healthy. Are you 'burning the candle at both ends'? Do you feel constantly tired? Do you observe this in the people you love, the people you work with? Could you add an extra hour or so of sleep to your nights? 

Next steps

You don't have to change your habits and those of people around you all at once, and you can't change the world by yourself, all at once, but you can start by taking small steps. Choose something from the list and start from there, by working on yourself. Once you see the benefits, you can help others introduce the change to their lives, too. As a result, you, the people you love, and the people you work with, will not only feel happier, but will also contribute to making the world a happier place. Isn't that a great goal to start working on today, on International Day of Happiness?

A slightly different version of this article was originally published on my Happiness Speaker website on 20th March 2017. Get in touch if you'd like to learn more about how happiness can help you and your business succeed, or would like to work with me.