August is Happiness Happens month. It is a whole month dedicated to celebrating what makes us happy. Its simple premise is that there is no limit on happiness. Moreover, happiness is contagious and can be shared with others.

The Secret Society of Happy People was founded in 1999. It instituted an “Admit You’re Happy Day” on August 8th of 1999. This wasn’t enough, however, so in 2000, they expanded the celebration to include the entire month of August.

Happiness is actually hard to define, although most of us would say that we know it when we feel it. In her 2007 book ‘The How to of Happiness’, Sonja Lyubomirsky defines happiness as:

 “The experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.”

The most important thing to remember is that Happiness is a choice. It is also the case that just because you are happy it does not mean you are problem free. Happiness is not a destination, but rather a journey.

“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive”

― Robert Louis Stevenson

The Stoics of Ancient Greece observed that happiness is about the quality of your thoughts. The essence of stoicism is this: no matter what is wrong with the world in general, and your life in particular, you can choose to be happy if you learn how.

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
― Abraham Lincoln

The idea of Happiness Happens is that people share the little things that make them happy each day with others. Making someone else happy is often one of the best ways to make yourself happy. You can make someone else happy by a simple kind gesture, from something grand like making someone a special meal, or simply by giving a compliment or sending a quick “thinking of you” message.  

 Happiness Happens can be observed by noticing more of these happy moments and sharing them with others. Use #HappinessHappensMonth in social media.  Just remember that Happiness Happens.

“Happiness too is inevitable”

― Albert Camus