20TH MARCH – INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS | Dr. Geetanjali Pareek
Every year “International Day of
Happiness” is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March. It was
established by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 June 2012, with
the aims to make people around the world realize the importance of happiness
within their lives.
Why 20 March?
On this date, the centre of the sun
is directly above the Earth's equator, which is called an equinox. On
the equinox, day and night are almost equal all over the Earth. Since equinox
is felt by everyone on the planet, it perfectly matches with the idea behind
the Day of Happiness. Since 2013, the Day of Happiness has been celebrated in
all 193 United Nations member states.
How did the idea come into being?
The idea goes back to 1972, when
the King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, said that we should
measure a country's progress by its happiness and not just how much it produces
or how much money it makes. He called it Gross National Happiness (GNH). Bhutan developed a system to
measure happiness based on things like people's psychological health, their
general health, how they spend their time, where they live, their education and
their environment. People in Bhutan answer about 300 questions, and the results
are compared every year to measure progress. The government uses the results
and the ideas behind GNH to make decisions for the country.
The man behind the International Day of Happiness
In 2011, a UN adviser called Jayme
Illien recommended the idea of an international day to increase
happiness. His plan was accepted by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2012. Jayme was born in
Calcutta, India, and he became an orphan when he was a child. He was adopted by
an American nurse, Anna Belle Illien. She travelled the world to help orphans
and she took Jayme with her. He saw children like him, but who were not as
lucky as him because they were often escaping wars or they were very poor. He
wanted to do something about it, so he worked in the areas of children's and
human rights.
What is the theme of happiness day 2024?
At this time of uncertainty and
conflict, this year's 'Happier Together' theme prompts us that lasting happiness
comes from feeling connected to others and being part of something bigger. Let's
carry the torch of happiness forward, spreading joy wherever we go. It’s a day
to be happy, of course! Happiness is a fundamental human goal. The United
Nations General Assembly recognizes this goal and calls for “a more inclusive,
equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness
and well-being of all peoples.”
What’s The World Happiness Report
The UN measures and compares the
happiness of different countries in the World Happiness Report. It bases its
report on social, economic and environmental well-being. The UN also sets goals
for countries to achieve to increase happiness because it says happiness is a
basic human right. Happiness should not be something people have because they
are lucky to live in a place where they have basic things like peace, education
and access to healthcare.
Which country is first in happiness index?
According to the 2023 World Happiness
Report, Finland is the happiest country in the world for the
sixth year in a row. It's followed by Denmark, Iceland, Israel, and the
Netherlands in the annual survey released on March 20, 2023, that ranks
countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be.
What is India's rank in world happiness day?
India ranks as one of the least happy
nations in the world, coming in at position 126 out of 146 with Happiness score of
4.036, classifying it as one of the world’s least joyful nations. It
even falls behind the its neighbouring countries, such as Nepal, China,
Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
India’s 9 Happiest Cities
What is Happiness Actually
According to Wikipedia (2024), “Happiness
is a positive and pleasant emotion, ranging from contentment to intense joy.
Moments of happiness may be triggered by positive life experiences or thoughts,
but sometimes it may arise from no obvious cause.”
What are the 4 stages of happiness?
Aristotle distinguished four
different levels of happiness.
Happiness level 1: Laetus.
Happiness from material objects
Happiness level 2: Felix. Ego
gratification. Happiness from comparison: being better, more admired than
others etc.
Happiness level 3: Beatitudo.
The happiness from doing good for others and making the world a better place.
Happiness level 4: Sublime Beatitudo.
Ultimate, perfect happiness.
Level 4 happiness is the most
difficult to describe. It involves a search for fullness and perfection. It has
to do with finding the right balance between the other levels.
Signs of Happiness
Some key signs of happiness include:
1. Feeling like you are living the life you wanted.
One important thing to remember is
that happiness isn't a state of constant euphoria. Instead,
happiness is an overall sense of experiencing more positive emotions than
negative ones.
How to Cultivate Happiness
While some people just tend to be
naturally happier, there are things that you can do to cultivate your sense of
happiness.
1. 1. Pursue Intrinsic Goals
Accomplishing goals that you are
intrinsically motivated to pursue, can help boost happiness. Research suggests
that pursuing these types of intrinsically-motivated goals can increase
happiness more than pursuing extrinsic goals like gaining money or status.
2. 2. Enjoy the Moment
Studies have found that people incline
to over earn, they become so focused on accumulating things that they lose
track of actually enjoying what they are doing. So, rather than falling into
the trap of mindlessly accumulating to the disadvantage of your own happiness,
focus on practicing gratitude for the things you have and enjoy the process as
you go.
3. 3. Reframe Negative
Thoughts
When you find yourself stuck in a
pessimistic outlook or experiencing negativity, look for ways that you can
reframe your thoughts in a more positive way. People have a natural negativity
bias, or a tendency to pay more attention to bad things than to good things.
This can have an impact on everything from how you make decisions to how you
form impressions of other people.
4.
Cultivate Strong Relationships
Research has found that good social
relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness. Having positive and
supportive connections with people you care about can provide a cushion against
stress, improve your health, and help you become a happier person.
5.
Get Regular Exercise
Exercise is good for both your body
and mind. Physical activity is linked to a range of physical and psychological
benefits including improved mood. Numerous studies have shown that regular
exercise may play a role in warding off symptoms of depression, but evidence
also suggests that it may also help make people happier, too.
6. Show Gratitude
In one study, participants were asked
to engage in a writing exercise for 10 to 20 minutes each night before bed.
Some were instructed to write about daily hassles, some about neutral events,
and some about things they were grateful for. The results found that people who
had written about gratitude had increase positive emotions, increased
subjective happiness, and improve life satisfaction.
7.
Find a Sense of Purpose
Research has found that people who
feel like they have a purpose have better well-being and feel more fulfilled. A
sense of purpose involves seeing your life as having goals, direction, and
meaning. It may help improve happiness by promoting healthier behaviours.
In short, the golden rule of
happiness is that “the more you make others happy: the happier you will be”. Make
sure you have a hearty laugh, and smile more.
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