Photo KnowInsiders
Photo KnowInsiders

March 20 has been established as the annual International Day of Happiness and all 193 United Nations member states have adopted a resolution calling for happiness to be given greater priority.

What is the International Day of Happiness?

It’s a day to be happy, of course! Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. In 2015, the UN launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to end poverty, reduce inequality, and protect our planet – three key aspects that lead to well-being and happiness.

The United Nations invites each person of any age, plus every classroom, business and government to join in celebration of the International Day of Happiness.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESSS AROUND THE WORLD

International Day of Happinesss Around the World

Country

Holiday

Occasion

Date

Japan

Coming of Age Day

The day congratulates people who have just turned 20 and entered adulthood.

Second Monday of January

China

Mid-Autumn Festival

The people of China jubilantly celebrate the harvest.

15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar

India

Diwali

The biggest celebration of India spreads happiness and joy with friends and family.

Date varies according to the Hindu calendar

Ghana

National Chocolate Day

Chocolate and happiness go hand in hand on this day.

February 14

Brazil

Dia dos Namorados

Lovers Day is celebrated with great enthusiasm.

June 12

How did International Day Of Happiness start?

In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which recognised 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”.

In 2012 the first ever UN conference on Happiness took place and the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which decreed that the International Day of Happiness would be observed every year on 20 March. It was celebrated for the first time in 2013.

What do we mean by happiness?

Photo: Variety
Photo Variety

Happiness can be a difficult concept to define, but broadly it covers two key areas – how we feel in the present moment and how satisfied we are with our lives overall. Happiness can therefore range from a sudden rush of intense emotion such as joy or euphoria to a much calmer and steadier sense of contentment.

There is some debate over the relative importance of these two aspects for achieving genuine happiness, with many arguing that long-term quality of life is more essential than short-term emotional highs. Indeed, the Ancient Greeks believed in the concept of eudaimonia (‘happiness’ or ‘flourishing’) – under eudaimonia, happiness became associated with virtue and excellence, an ongoing activity or process through which individuals fulfilled their role in society to the best of their abilities.

Various other cultures have also viewed happiness as a collective achievement, something the community should work towards together. More recently, and particularly in the West, the focus has turned towards our individual psychology and wellbeing as the source of contentment.

How to Celebrate International Day of Happiness

Photo day of happiness
Photo day of happiness

Make it a point to be social

Humans are social creatures. If you’ve been putting off organizing a get together with your friends, or have said “no” to going out a bit too much recently, try reversing this trend. Go out, laugh, have fun, don’t take your day so seriously, and you may find your stress levels drop and stay low from this one interaction. Smiling and laughing are among the best methods for relieving tension, and best of all, they’re free!

Get informed

Stress and unhappiness due to work, the economic situation, fears over health and safety and myriad other factors can be a heavy weight 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.

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. Adam Sandler’s latest Netflix venture may be fun, but does it truly bring you happiness? 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.

How Your Family Can Celebrate

Participate in acts of kindness as a family to spread happiness to others.

Teach your kids lovingkindness meditation.

Visit Happy Acts to sign up for tips on living a happier life, access a happy acts calendar of ideas, share your happy acts, and see how others are spreading happiness.

Create your own happiness wall or find out where to find one near you.

Download the coping calendar that has 30 suggested actions to look after ourselves and each other as we face this global crisis together.

Seek out books, movies (such as Inside Out and Trolls), and songs (like Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”) about happiness to share with your kids.

Great Quotes for Day of Happiness

Photo eduwar
Photo eduwar

The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.

The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness.

Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.

People should find happiness in the little things, like family.

As people spin faster and faster in the pursuit of merely personal happiness, they become exhausted in the futile effort of chasing themselves.

True happiness arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one’s self. Joseph Addison

Happiness, not in another place but this place not for another hour, but this hour. Walt Whitman

Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be. Abraham Lincon

Happiness Day - Best Wishes for Lover

Happy International Day of Happiness, love! Your happiness is the most precious!

Love, Happy World Happiness Day! Let us seek our happiness in each other’s company!

My love, happiness suits you the most! I hope you never lose this beautiful smile on your face. Happy International Day of Happiness to you!

Sweetheart, can I get a smile from you? Your happiness is the prettiest thing in the world!

I wish I could capture every bit of happiness of the world and give it to you! Be happy!

A lovely smile is the best look on you, baby. As long as I am with you, I want to be the reason for your joy and merriment. Happy World Happiness Day!

Babe, forget all the mundane worries and find happiness in your heart! You deserve it!

Dear, I hope you can gain the 3 gems of life- happiness, hope, and love! Stay blessed!

Messages for International Day of Happiness

May your days be filled with a bounty of happiness! Best wishes on World Happiness Day!

Happiness is all around you, so busk yourself in the warm laughter and cheery smiles!

Start your day with a smile on your face and let happiness bloom in your heart!

Your gentle smile has the power to spread joy in the world! So be joyful!

Be happy, as it costs nothing. Be happy, as your happiness makes others happy!

If you choose to be happy today, happiness will come to you tomorrow!

May you keep finding reasons to be happy every day! Happy International Day of happiness!

Happy World Happiness Day! Happiness is in all the little things around you, so be happy!

Happiness Day: Best Wishes for Friends and Family

Best wishes on World Happiness Day! May you get uncountable reasons to be happy today!

A happy family raises a happier kid! Happy International Day of Happiness to the best family!

Happy International Day of Happiness! Today is the day to count our blessings and be grateful for them, and you all are the reason behind my lifelong happiness!

Dear, may your sorrows get washed away by the waves of joy and happiness! Cheer up!

If you are content with small achievements, your happiness will last long! Dear friends, Happy World Day of Happiness to you! Be happy and spread your happiness!

Happiness is wherever my family is! Happy World Day of Happiness to my sweet home!

A happy mind is a creative mind! Be happy now if you want to succeed in the future!

Breath in, think positively, and allow yourself a big smile every day! Best wishes to you!

Happiness Day: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook status

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects—Albert Einstein

Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections—Gerard Way

Happiness doesn't depend on what we have, but it does depend on how we feel toward what we have. We can be happy with little and miserable with much—William D. Hoard

Rules for Happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for—Immanuel Kant

Everywhere you go, take a smile with you—Sasha Azevedo

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful—Albert Schweitzer

The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less—Socrates

Happiness is not in things; happiness is in you—Robert Holden

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier—Mother Theresa

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes—Andrew Carnegie

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness—Charles Spurgeon

Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking—Marcus Aurelius

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring—Carl Sandburg

Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you—Mary Lou Retton

Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul—Democritus

World’s Happiest Countries

Photo:  Gentle Family Dentistry
Photo Gentle Family Dentistry

In March 2021, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN) released the ninth report on global happiness (World Happiness Report 2021).

Gallup World Poll has been, since 2012, a significant global data source behind the life satisfaction rankings released in the World Happiness Report. The Gallup survey represents about 98% of the world’s population and includes an item on how people rate their quality of life, referred to in the report as Subjective Well-Being (SWB). The Gallup Global Poll has also measures of positive emotions such as “enjoyment, smiling, or laughing,” as well as negative emotions such as “anxiety, sadness, and anger.”

The World Happiness Report 2021 focused on the effects of COVID-19 and how people around the world have coped. According to the 2021 report, Finland is ranked 1st as the happiest country in the world. The ratings overall have remained very similar compared to last year.

According to the report, the ten happiest countries are:

1.Finland

2.Denmark

3.Switzerland

4.Iceland

5.Netherlands

6.Norway

7.Sweden

8.Luxembourg

9.New Zealand

10.Austria

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