It’s International Day of Happiness! But what does that mean?

March 20 is International Day of Happiness. Sounds like fun, right? But what does it really mean? Well, let’s start at the beginning …

In 2011, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a?solution recognising happiness as a “fundamental human goal” and called for “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples”.?

A year later, the first ever UN conference on happiness took place and the General Assembly followed this up by adopting a subsequent resolution which decreed that the International Day of Happiness would be observed every year on the 20th of March. It was celebrated for the first time in 2013.

However, important to note that this isn’t just supposed to be just a day of laughing, and playing and smiling. Not that there’s anything wrong with those activities,?but as noted by Dr Mark Williamson, co-founder ,and Director of Action for Happiness (a registered charity and a movement of people taking action to create a happier and kinder world together):?…

“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 people around us.”

Accordingly, the International Day of Happiness is not just about feeling good, it’s about doing good. Each year has had a different theme, suggesting different ways we can do good -, and this year’s theme is “build back happier”. Referencing the last few years of Covid (and all that it entailed), this International Day of Happiness is encouraging people to remember that with the world facing unprecedented challenges, prioritising well-being is more important than ever.

So what can we all do to build back happier? I’m glad you asked! And I’m happy to proffer the following suggestions for your consideration:

• At the risk of repeating myself, make happiness and wellbeing a priority. It goes without saying that we’re all so busy that if something’s not a priority, it simply won’t get done.?
• At the same time, however, even if happiness is made a priority, it’s important to note that it’s OK not to be OK all the time. That is, no one will be or should expect to be happy every minute of every day. This is crucially important, and, in the workplace, it means people should be able to experience and appropriately express any and all emotions - , including anxiety or sadness, without fear of judgement or negative consequences (this is part of what we call “psychological safety”).
• Taking this a step further, we should all be able to do what we need to do for self-care. This will mean very different things for different people, so a degree of flexibility and openness here is crucial.
• It’s not all about us, as individuals. International Day of Happiness is also about looking at what we can do to be kind, and help others . So, by all means, help yourself; but also know that by doing good (to and for others) we’re also doing good for ourselves.?

Before concluding, just a quick note for those who might not really see the point in all this. Well, consider the fact that there are now thousands upon thousands of articles clearly supporting the argument that authentically happier workers are better workers. Not just those who are smiling and feeling good all the time, but those who also recognise and effectively manage not feeling good. They’re more engaged and more productive; they’re more innovative and more resilient; and they collaborate better with colleagues, as well as get on better with clients. And that, in my opinion, is a pretty persuasive argument for building back happier!?