August - Happiness Happens Month

In 1999 a woman named Pamela Gail Johnson founded the Secret Society of Happy People. She established August 8^th as “Admit You’re Happy Day.” Her fellow members felt that happiness should last longer than one day. So, in 2000, the members expanded the celebration to the entire month of August. It is based on the premise that because happiness tends to be unlimited and contagious, sharing your happiness can bring joy to other people’s lives.

Volunteering your time and/or your money to a non-profit organization is an excellent way to commemorate Happiness Happens Month. Studies have found that volunteering not only helps to bring joy to many lives, but it also helps the volunteers live longer.

A simple kind gesture can make someone happy. It can be making a special meal for someone who is ill, or it can simply mean giving someone a compliment, saving them a seat at a NAWBO event, or mailing a Send Out Card with a “thinking of you” message. The important thing is to take a look at your lives and share with others the things that make you happy.

Don’t think of happiness as your destination, think of it as a life-long pursuit, and don’t search for pleasure. Happiness is all around you. Just learn to enjoy everything and anything that makes you happy.

Oprah Winfrey once said that once she learned to be happy, good things started happening to her. If you are like Oprah Winfrey, and you need to learn to be happy, there are numerous self-help books available. Here are a few recommended books to help you seek happiness:

• The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

 

Remember happiness doesn’t just happen, it’s a choice. So, until next time, smile and be happy.