On 20 March, with immense pleasure and excitement, the world will celebrate the International Day of Happiness 2022.

The United Nations recognised the value of joy and happiness in people’s lives worldwide. Every individual should be content with their life, irrespective of age, social status, or nationality. The day acknowledges that happiness is an essential objective in everyone’s life and urges countries to pursue public affairs to enhance the welfare of all citizens.

By declaring an unforgettable day for happiness, the UN intends to pivot the world’s attention to the notion that economic progress should be fair, equal, and harmonious to support ecological sustainability and eliminate misery. Moreover, the UN agrees that to achieve worldwide, economic growth must be supported with human and ecological well-being.

The theme of International Day of Happiness for 2022 is “Keep Calm, Stay Wise, Be Kind”. This theme emphasises three critical components of achieving happiness.

• Keep Calm: Staying cool and calm in every scenario is the path to peace and joy.
• Stay Wise: In adverse situations, wise actions and choices lead to success.
• Be Kind: Be kind to one another in their needs, blunders, and faults.

We should share our mutual joys and delights and avert from segregating actions.

History of International Day of Happiness

International Day of Happiness was first commemorated in the year 2013. Bhutan has set a more significant focus on the nation’s happiness than economic success since the 1970s. The UN proclaimed 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 to eliminate poverty, decrease injustice, and conserve natural resources. These are the three most critical elements impacting everyone’s well-being and comfort. The actual objective of the movement is to educate people that development is not only about improving bottom lines and supporting growth in the economy but health and personal satisfaction too.

Activities on International Day of Happiness

Learn more every once in a while – Stress and dissatisfaction because of job, financial circumstances, concerns regarding health & welfare, and plenty more factors can take a toll on everyone. However, by engaging in a bit of research on well-being, awareness, and other methods to make contact with what counts the most, you may begin to perceive life differently.

Engage in social activities – Human beings are social animals. Consider changing this habit if you procrastinate on planning a get-together or always cancelling your hangouts with friends. You may discover that your anxiety levels will reduce and drop significantly from this one meeting. When you meet your friends, joke around, laugh, have fun, and do not take every day of your life so seriously. The best technique to release tension is to laugh and avoid stress and overwork.

List your ideas – One of the simplest methods to find contentment is to compile a list. Write down at least five things that can make you cheerful, and ponder over them. Once you have jotted down those things, make sure to incorporate at least two of them into your life every day. 

Why Celebrate International Day of Happiness

A smile is good for you – Studies have shown that something as basic as smiling can enhance mood, relieve stress, and promote pleasure. Moreover, such reactions result in smiling and laughing, establishing a positive loop. 

Having a happy life is not given – As per WHO, over 300 million people struggle with depression, and many others suffer from an undetected lack of joy. Due to rising pressure to achieve in a fast-paced, worldwide culture, many people do not consider their mental health seriously, negatively affecting both the person and their surroundings. The moment has come to put happiness on the map.

Smiling and laughing is contagious – Studies have shown that influencing people’s mood near you is as easy as enhancing your frame of mind. Researchers have found that happy, pleasant, and humorous posts are posted significantly more often than negative ones.  In this exponential development cycle, a mere cheering word in a country might elevate the morale of a whole population in the other. All you need to do is share!

What is the pursuit of this day?

This day’s idea is that the pursuit of happiness is an essential human responsibility and objective. Additionally, we should alleviate poverty, develop fairness, and conserve natural resources to increase universal happiness. The UN, members nations, and human rights organisations aim to attain these goals through initiatives to promote sustainable development.

Organisations like YUVA Mauritius have taken specific initiatives that benefit the well-being of Mauritian and African people. They aim to spread smiles among the youth by educating them and inspiring them to become better versions of themselves.

Before and during the International Day of Happiness, the media focuses notable concerns on happiness and how it is encouraged or hampered. There are specific funding campaigns and activities centred on people’s happiness.

Since every individual has a sense of happiness or stuff that makes them joyful, this day does not have any defined traditions. Whatever gives you pleasure, please do it! Happiness is being content and not having to falsify your emotions. When you are satisfied with your surroundings, you are internally happy, therefore push yourself and be open to experimentation. Be thankful for every moment and appreciate the little things in life.