How to celebrate the International Day of Happiness
How to celebrate the International Day of Happiness
What is the International Day of Happiness?
The International Day of Happiness is an annual celebration designed to help people all over the world recognise the value of happiness in their lives. It's an opportunity for everyone to take steps to make themselves and others happier, to reflect on what makes them happy, and to try new things . It takes place every year on March 20th.
How to celebrate the International Day of Happiness
Of course, everyone has their own definition of happiness, so, however you choose to celebrate the day is appropriate! Do something that makes you happy, and then take the time to reflect on your feelings of joy and contentment.
It is also a day to spread joy to others. Being an SBM, it can be hard to be social sometimes when you’re constantly stuck in your office. So, try and spread joy to your colleagues and other people around you. It doesn’t just have to be at work. People are social animals, so make an effort to interact with others and spend time with them. According to a Harvard study, spending time with others is one of the keys to living a happy life. Consider small ways you can brighten someone's day!
Aside from spreading and nurturing your own happiness, the International Day of Happiness has a serious side. This is also a day to identify the factors in our lives that may be affecting our happiness and find ways to improve them. Stress, unhappiness, worries and fears about work, the weather, the economy, or whatever else is on your mind can all detract from your happiness. Read part one and part two of our mental wellbeing blogs to help you with your mental health.
Take some time on International Day of Happiness to read up on ways to relieve these emotions, whether through meditation, mindfulness, or self-care, and you might find yourself with a more positive outlook on life. Make sure you set some time aside for your staff also, whether it be in the morning before classes start, at lunch, or at the end of the day. Ensuring your teachers' happiness is the key to a happier school. To help you with this, use a monthly or weekly wall planner in the staff room so teachers can see when there is time set aside.
Make it a point to interact with others
Humans are social beings. If you've been putting off organising a get-together with your friends or have recently said "no" to going out, try reversing this trend. Go out, laugh, have fun, and don't take your day too seriously, and your stress levels may drop and stay low as a result of this one interaction. Interact more with your staff whenever you can and just have a general chat with them. Don't sit in your office all day; interact and get to know the staff more - you may even form friendships that weren't there before. Smiling and laughing are two of the most effective ways to relieve stress, and they're completely free!
Learn more
Stress and unhappiness caused by work, the economy, concerns about one's health and safety, and a plethora of other factors can be a heavy burden around anyone's neck. But by doing a little reading on well-being, mindfulness, and other ways to get in touch with what’s most important, you may start to grab a new outlook on life. Try and tackle these things in your life:
Mindful
Engage in mindful activities that help connect you to nature, such as tree-hugging meditation, earthing, creating a nature mandala, and relaxing in a nature sit spot. Try writing down your thoughts in our notebooks.
Grateful
Express gratitude for the awe you find in nature, such as a rainbow, the ocean, or a colourful bird flying overhead.
Be kind
Be kind to animals and the planet by volunteering outdoors engaging in activities like beach clean-ups and helping parks. You can also spread random acts of kindness.
Make a list
One of the best ways to experience contentedness is also one of the simplest: Make a list. Specifically, jot down five things that truly make you happy. And think hard about this. Once you’ve written down five things, be sure to include at least one of them, in some form, in your everyday life. This way, the effects of International Day of Happiness can go on all year.
Celebrate the International Day of Happiness in ways that make you happy. As an SBM , it can be hard to make time for yourself and make sure that you’re happy. So, try and follow our tips and advice to make the most out of this day. And try and continue this in your everyday life.
For more ways to help you, check out our most recent post on school leadership books for SBMs.
