Happy Happiness Day!

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