Happiness Happens Month

As specialists in family law, we can become cynical about life. We often meet people when they are going through some of the most distressing and challenging periods in their lives. Happiness can be far from their thoughts. Many wonder if they were ever happy or if they will be happy again.

I have to admit to being of an age where I wonder whether the many celebratory days or awareness campaigns are more about selling cards or raising funds than really thinking about the particular issues concerned.

I was pondering this when I came across ‘Happiness Happens’. This is a month which starts on 1st August and is gaining slow but sure momentum in the USA and globally.

The Society of Happy People was founded in 1998 to promote happiness around the world and on 8th August 1999 the first ‘Admit You’re Happy Day’ was recognised in the States.

With the terrible things which are happening personally, locally and worldwide we can feel we shouldn’t admit to being happy. It can feel as though we are minimising the suffering which many are experiencing, but a little happiness definitely makes the world a better place.

I remember the rhyme:
A smile is such a funny thing,
it wrinkles up your face.
You smile at one they smile at you,
and so, one smile makes two

A smile is the easiest way to spread happiness and during August I intend to smile (when appropriate) at as many people as possible to spread some happiness. That happiness may be fleeting for some but a lift in mood however brief is a good thing. I will leave it to scientists, psychologists and sociologists to write about the benefits of happiness. Each one of us has the capacity to make someone else’s day a little better just by being happy or sharing a smile.

I think that this is an awareness which should be encouraged.