International Happiness Day

Today is International Happiness Day. No it isn’t a day when you are expected to grin nervously, but one where you can celebrate being happy. After all, there is no crime in being happy! And given that today in the United Kingdom is a grey, wet day, this is the best excuse for being happy!

We all know what it is like working with colleagues or bosses who are grumpy; it is draining when people criticise everything you do, or deliberately find fault in every little thing – like a sport. And happy people attract others because they want to be with them.

At work, we don’t want to be surrounded by ‘naysayers’ or energy drainers; we want to be surrounded by enthusiastic, happy people. If a business wants to choose someone to represent them at a trade show or conference, guess what: they aren’t going to choose the person who has a long face, like a wet Sunday in Bournemouth, but someone who has energy, is enthusiastic to be there. Some one who is happy.

Certainly in my company, Viva Live Music we can’t risk sending a musician to represent the company, if they are less than a happy, helpful person. A client will be disappointed and this risks other musicians getting work in future.

Now I  have convinced you there are business benefits to happiness; here is something even better. When you smile, you feel better in yourself. There have been stressful occasions, when I’ve been stuck in a car, waiting in a traffic jam. Instead of getting grumpy I have decided to smile and be happy. And hey, I feel better!

So here are a few ways to feel happy and to embrace International Happiness Day.

1. Smile: there is evidence that you secrete endorphins when you smile, and immediately you feel better about yourself.
2. Say positive things. When you are working on a team project, be positively constructive with everything you say about other people’s contributions. Avoid being the grumpy negative person in the corner.
3. Consider your voice and how you are saying things to others; is it happy or down. Even if we are saying positive things to others, if we have a ‘moany’ voice, a whinging voice or one with a lack of energy, will override the great content.
4. Count your blessings: we are so lucky in this country because for the vast majority of people, we have somewhere to live, food, heating, a loving family and hopefully a job. Be happy.
5. Make 5 people happy today with random kindness: give up your seat to someone else on the tube, make your colleague a cup of tea, phone up your parents!

Good luck with this and let’s embrace happiness. And see how your language and your voice assist with this.