Dr. Deepti Gupta
“The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it” —Mother Teresa
Happiness- a positive emotion, a state of well-being and contentment, is a most aspired global word today. United Nations has designated 20th March as an International Day of Happiness and the observance of this special day takes place every year across the world since 2013. Though it has a different meaning for each one of us, but it has a very important role to play in making our lives easier and our world a better place to live.
Happiness is recognized as one of the most essential fundamental needs of all human beings especially in times when the world is experiencing a pandemic on one hand and a fear of another world war on the other. Thus, it is the responsibility of national and international leadership to facilitate the masses towards the pursuance of happiness through policy making.
The goals of development have been changing since its inception in the 1960s, from economic growth to human development, from human development to social development, and from social development to sustainable development. But the fundamental principle behind every goal has always been the pursuit of happiness.
We all should also spare some time from our daily schedules to examine various aspects of happiness which has a subjective meaning for each one of us.
Most of us believe that if we become successful, then we will be happy. But the reality is something different. If we look around ourselves, we will find numerous examples where success does not result in happiness. Actually, it is the other way round, that is, if we are happy, the outcome is always a success. Because happiness makes our brain motivated, engaged, creative, energetic, resilient, and productive. And all these are the essential ingredients for achieving success in life. Happiness is a state of mind which enhances productivity and thus results in success in different aspects of life.
There are various areas of life where we can apply this formula of happiness for success. Starting with our workplace, where we all spend about 40 percent of our life’s time. People work best when they feel good about themselves. A positive environment brings the best results and happy employees make the organization more successful. But for many of us, work detracts from happiness rather than adding to it. Workplace and the work become stressful and thus, the productivity is adversely affected. We often blame the environment and the circumstances rather than considering our own contribution in making it a better place. Activities of the people involved in the organization bring all the change.
Another area of relevance here is our close group of family and friends. It has been an established fact that for our happiness, our nearest and dearest really matter. People who have a strong relationship with their partner, family, or close friends are happier, healthier, and live a long life. And it works both ways—for them and for others too. But unfortunately, we often take our closest relationship for granted. Maintaining them takes conscious attention and effort and there are things we can all do that can make a difference.
Not just in our workplace and our close group of family and friends, our happiness is intertwined with the wellbeing of our local community. Being connected in a community helps us develop a sense of belongingness and this has a big impact on our own happiness, that of our family, and the community as a whole. There are things all of us can do to improve community wellbeing, from getting to know our neighbors to support local activities and finding ways to help improve community facilities.
Thus, our actions can have a big impact, not only on our well-being but on the happiness of those around us. Success being the state of mind is facilitated with happiness in and around the person. It’s important not only for one’s own well-being but also for the community and society at large.
Previous year’s theme of International Day of Happiness was Happier Together, focusing on what we have in common, rather than what divides us. Everyone wants to be happy—and life is happier when we are together. So let’s celebrate our common humanity. Be a happiness activist, who promotes happiness and protects the happiness of others.
The theme of International Day of Happiness 2022 is ‘Keep Calm, Stay Wise, Be Kind’. It focuses on three basic factors of attaining happiness, i.e. keeping cool and calm in every situation is the key to satisfaction and happiness. In tough circumstances, wise steps lead to success and being kind to others in their needs, mistakes, and errors.
Being a Happiness Activist is about putting happiness—our own and other people’s— at the heart of our philosophy of life. It’s about working together, spreading the word, and ‘being the change we want to see in the world’.
(The author is Assistant Professor in Sociology, Government Degree College, Khour)
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