Every year on 20th March, people around the world together celebrate happiness. We all strive for it every single day in our lives. Thus, in recognition of its importance, the United Nations designated a whole day to honor it. It is called the International Day of Happiness (IDH)! So, let’s see what we can do to celebrate and spread this special vibe this year.
United Nations & The Day of Happiness
It is the desire of every human being to live a happy and fulfilling life. Even so, things are not always what we would have expected. There are full of ups and downs with mixed feelings of joy and despair in every moment. There will be times when we face difficulties and obstacles at different stages of our lives. This is when tranquility, serenity, and delight are mostly wished for.
Everyone defines happiness differently. For some people, it just simply comes from small things. However, there are still many people out there who have not yet had a chance to enjoy those little things or know how to live their lives happily. Aware of this, the United Nations decided to officially sanction to the foundation of this happiness day.
With the purpose of promoting global happiness and well-being in humanity, Jayme Illien came up with the idea of creating an “International Day of Happiness” with the consensus of all 193 UN member states. The day was first celebrated on 20 March 2013.
The themes might be different each year. The 2021 theme was “Happiness For All, Forever” – which aimed to set a completely new economic and human development paradigm after the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, this year’s theme is “Happiness For All, Ukraine”.
Given the current situation in Ukraine, this week of happiness is held in support of freedom, democracy, and the happiness of all humankind. Along with this, the goal is also about standing up together for Ukraine during this difficult time.
“Without democracy, without freedom, we cannot create global goals for sustainable development, nor can we have global happiness or well-being for all. That’s why this 2022 International Day of Happiness we should together stand with Ukraine, lend out a hand and raise voices for the happiness of all civilization and humanity.” – said Jayme Illien – Founder of International Day of Happiness.
How To Celebrate & Spread Happiness This Year
2022 has been such a special year with many unforgettable events for the whole world. Thanks to them, we have been able to realize the significance of tranquility and well-being in this life for all citizens. Also, we can finally understand how the smallest desires for peace-of-mind moments can mean to some people. Thus, there are some things that you can do to live your life to the fullest and be the one sharing that vibe of love and happiness with other people around you on this special day.
Follow the UN’s 10 steps to global happiness
Annually, the United Nations comes up with a list of ten things to lead you through the celebration of the Happiness Day. These 10 steps will show you the activities that you can participate in to spread happiness globally. Check it out at this site.
As the main theme of 2022 IDH is “Happiness For All, Ukraine”, those steps revolve around things that you could do to support Ukrainians, spread your words about the war, help those in need and celebrate the value of happiness. Besides, they also recommend attending the world happiness event, sharing widely on social media, promoting the happiness day to other people, enjoying doing what you love and etc. There are quite many things that you can choose to do on this special day.
Celebrate the day with family and friends
Aside from the recommended 10 steps of the UN, you can just simply celebrate this day with your own families and friends. For some people, they plan to do something fun with their families such as going out for special meals, watching favorite movies, cooking some dishes, or just enjoying the time together. Otherwise, you and your loved ones can participate in some social activities to spread happiness by helping and caring for others.
Act kind to others
The key to living a happy life is not only to think of yourself, but also to think about how to spread this love and make others happy. You can live in a blissful world when everyone around you has also been ensured a standard level of well-being. There are still many people living in difficult and needy situations. You can help them be happier just through small acts of kindness such as donations or volunteering in your community. It is also a good deed if you can promote and care about others’ mental well-being.
Reflect on your happiness and express gratitude
Gratitude and contentment are also important components of a peaceful life. It is a great idea to spend time reflecting on your gratitude and the things that made you happy. Doing this can help you to get more positive emotions. Also, at the same time, it can increase your feelings of self-worth and improve your health (both physical and mental).
Remember to smile, act kind, and spread happiness to everyone around you on this International Day of Happiness!
Thao Van Nguyen
A passionate content writer and social media enthusiast that loves playing around with ideas and turning them into enticing words. Delivering great and useful content to our readers is what I’m working on.
