If you’re happy
and you know it…….….....you know the rest of the song.
Today, March 20, is the first ever International Happiness Day –
various government figures are talking about Gross National Happiness (GNH); the promotion of equitable and sustainable
socio-economic development, the preservation and promotion of cultural values,
the conservation of the natural environment, and the establishment of good
governance.
Now that’s all very well and I do heartily agree with the need for
an equitable and sustainable way of moving forward as a race.
However, I wonder if, as with many things, it also starts
small and local, maybe even at your breakfast table this morning. Ask kids
about happiness and they’ll often talk about wonder, sweeties, fun or as my
eldest daughter commented, quite unprompted when hearing the news ‘I feel happy
when I’ve helped make some-one else feel happy’. That brought a tear to my eye and
made me feel happy I can tell you…..
To feel happy
with self-esteem and confidence about oneself is a wonderful thing (though
sadly not a given). It is
life-enhancing and enables us to gets through the rough times as well as the
good.
I heard Dr.Charles Eugster, the 93 year old, former dentist turned bodybuilder talking on
the radio earlier and if he can’t teach us all a lesson about the right
attitude to life, I don’t know who can.
His mission was to turn the heads of the 70 year olds on the beach (way to go!) when at 87 he thought he
was getting overweight, this led him to hire a former Mr Universe to build his
body and he’s done just that.
The exuberance,
passion and general joie de vivre that exuded from him was extraordinary. His message on life in a few seconds –
· * Be
passionate about something
· * Have
a reason or relevance in your life
· * And
exercise
He said of his
recent experience ‘ It changes your appearance, it changes your energy and it
changes the way you think’. Now that's a fabulous reason to be happy.
If this all sounds
slightly kooky to you, it’s also the Spring Equinox today so longer days are on
the way and that’s definitely something to be happy about.
As a friend said
recently, the day comes when we only regret the chances we didn’t take……and
invariably it’s the taking chances that leads to happiness.
Have a very happy
Happiness day, whatever you’re up to….
Kate
