Pursuit of Happyness, the popular Will Smith movie that most of us have cried to, taught us is that happiness lies in the small things in life. March 20th is International day of Happiness. If an emotion has an International Day for itself, it sure is important? We don’t hear about the National Day of Sadness much, do we? Yet it seems like very few would answer the question “Are you happy right now?” with a “Yes!”

Let me walk you down through 20 reasons why you should be happy.

    • When a stranger is kind: Sometimes a random stranger can be the reason you smile all the way home. Maybe they let you have their seat, or complimented you, or as simple as wish you a good morning in a very energetic fashion. These small things are what stays with us and makes us realize what we are capable of doing for others. Smile often, maybe the person greeting you just needs that positivity in life.

 

    • Successfully surprising someone: When you set out to surprise someone, it is indeed a very risky game. There are spoilers everywhere. But when you have it all set up, watching the other person’s face light up on seeing your sweet gift, that is your true reward.

 

    • Getting a surprise: I know a few people who do not like being surprised because they feel the pressure of having to give a great reaction. But for those of you like me, who love the idea of someone spending days researching your likes and dislikes and planning a sweet set up for you, the gesture is bigger than the actual gift. That memory will stay with you long after the gifts and chocolates have perished.

 

    • Finding old money: Like a surprise from the Past-You to the Future –You, the money that you forget in jean pockets, drawers and random spots are definitely nothing short of a lottery.

 

    • Noticing Body gains: Whatever your health goal is, be it losing weight or gaining, or bulking up. When you notice the difference on the scale, or a dress that fits better, not only is it the only encouragement you need, it is another reason to be happier!

 

    • Cooking something that tastes good: We all have ended up in the kitchen at least once in our lives, faced with the huge task of putting up a meal. And on even rarer days, that meal turns out to be tasty. Maybe you followed the recipe word to word, or you just never knew before that you are good at this, whatever the reason is, it’s another yummy and hearty day!

 

    • Your favorite movie on the TV: These days it is very accidental that we end up in front of the TV screen. Now imagine your favorite movie from the 80s or 90s is playing and it brings a wave of memories. Definitely great reasons to be happy.

 

    • Stumbling upon old pictures: Some days we are just struggling with our mobile’s low memory and decide to move everything to the PC. And then we spot something that has us smiling and laughing out loud for the next hour or so – old pictures. Friends and family, from years ago on awkward birthdays and events. Time for a #throwback you think?

 

    • Trying on something new: Be it a new top, or a new makeup item, or even a new pair of sunglasses. Something about brand new things and wearing them for the first time that makes us all smile like a child in Disney Land

 

    • Watching movies in the Cinema: Everything about the cinema makes the experience a whole lot better. The big screen, the audio, the popcorn and the company. Maybe it’s time to hit up your friends and go for a movie?

 

    • When your favourite show releases a new episode: We all know Mondays are marked on every GoT fan’s minds. You may be looking forward to your favourite You tuber’s video, whatever it may be. Just finally being able to watch new and great content from your favourite artists is an instant dose of glee.

 

    • A good hair/skin day: Sometimes you just wake up and have great hair/ skin. This immediately boosts our confidence and we end up dressing a bit better that day. Such a rare occasion though!

 

    • A three day weekend: When a public holiday is around the weekend, we all have our long weekend wishes come true. Honestly it takes a day to realise its weekend and by then it’s already time to get back to work. So having a long weekend is a blessing! Pull out the calendar and check when your next long weekend is.

 

    • Looking forward to an event: Is your birthday coming soon? Or is a friend getting married in a couple of months? Maybe even a concert? Looking forward to special events in the year is a great way to forget the present stress and smile for a while.

 

    • A clear nose: Yes, I put that in the list because each one of us has recollected and been grateful for all the times our noses were normal when we suffer from a common cold and stuffy nose. So why not just remind ourselves the plight and pat our clear noses for working well today?

 

    • Blessed with a family: If you have your family supporting you through your thick and thin, you are certainly lucky. It may be an unnoticeable presence at the moment but you know that they make the hard days bearable and worth it.

 

    • Friends that are always there: If you have a friend or more than one friend, who believes in your every dream, it feels like you have won half the battle. Make sure you hug them today and tell them that you are happy to have them in your life

 

    • Waking up and being alive: It’s not until you meet someone fighting a terminal illness that it hits you that you have taken every single waking moment, for granted. True that you may not be sick at the moment so you expect to wake up every day anyway. Ever wonder what the other person would do to have this confidence every time they get to bed? Amen to that.

 

    • Good food and clean water: If you can afford take out every weekend and clear mineral water every day, maybe we should at least smile in gratitude. Why wait until a picture on Facebook pops up asking to “like and share” to create awareness on hunger and importance of clean water?

 

  • Vacation: A vacation is fun even before it actually starts. The planning and packing that goes in before you leave for the week is just as exciting as the actual vacation. If you know your vacation is right around the corner, smile wide!

We hope you were able to recollect some relatable scenarios and smile a little today. So, are you happy right now?

Wishing you a great International Day of Happiness from the team of AllandAbout.

 

Written by Adithya Nair

Adithya is an Electronics engineering graduate who embarked on her artistic journey in her final year of college. From co-founding a handmade gifts company to being placed on the leader board of Zomato, she explores every facet of her life eagerly. She shares her paintings, poetry and blogs on her social media and is an artist in the making. Follow her on Instagram @artbyadithyanair.