National I Want You to be Happy Day on March 3rd encourages us to do something that makes others happy. It also asks us to see others’ happiness from their point of view. Putting a smile on someone’s face tends to put one on ours, too.
Genuine happiness takes effort. While we’re not individually responsible for other’s happiness, we do play a role in spreading joy and good cheer. One way to do that is to see happiness from another person’s perspective. Happiness doesn’t fit a mold. Everything from being a morning person or a night owl, a favorite season and seafood can make or break a person’s general idea of happiness. A person’s overall journey through life gives them a unique outlook on happiness, too.
Being happy may merely be about quality, not quantity.
HOW TO OBSERVE #IWantYouToBeHappyDay
National I Want You to Be Happy Day is quite limitless. Give a flower here. Tell a silly knock-knock joke there. Buy the person’s coffee standing in line behind you. Remind your kids how much you love them. Leave a sticky note for a co-worker telling them to have a spectacular day, a happy day. Draw a happy face in the snow for a stranger to come across later. Give someone a hug.
But no matter what, consider someone else’s happiness from their point of view.
Use #IWantYouToBeHappyDay to post on social media.
National Chicken Soup for the Soul Day celebrates who you are and how you get there. Take time to nurture your soul on November 12th.
A little chicken soup does a lot of good. It’s warm and hearty. As we cup our hands around the bowl, the heat radiates into our bodies. The steam hits our face with a comforting aroma. Similar to what chicken soup does for our bodies, the regular nurturing of our souls benefits our health. Whether you pick up a book, meditate or go for a long walk, reflect on who you are and your achievements.
While the publisher and consumer goods company, Chicken Soup for the Soul began publishing in 1993 with its headquarters in Cos Cob, Connecticut, it did not create the day. The first book, as most subsequent titles in the series, was of true stories written by ordinary people about their own lives and soon became a best-seller. Since then, they have published approximately 250 books full of thousands of stories and inspiring all ages.
However, the first known publication of National Chicken Soup for the Soul Day can be found in a publication called Creative Forecasting in 2002. The listing included a suggestion to read a Chicken Soup for the Soul book to a resident. This publisher creates activity lists for retirement facilities and other organizations. What began as a newsletter in 1989 has grown to a magazine and website.
HOW TO OBSERVE #ChickenSoupForTheSoulDay
Celebrate you. Have some chicken soup and read an inspiring story. Our pages are full of them. Write an inspiring story or read one from one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Other ways to celebrate the day include:
Tell an inspiring story to a friend or family member. It will lift their spirits and remind them that you care about them.
Try a new recipe and make it a double batch. Then share it with someone who needs some cheering up.
Do something wholesome for yourself.
Listen to some soulful music.
Watch a movie with an uplifting message.
While you’re celebrating National Chicken Soup for the Soul Day, be sure to share it with someone else. Celebrations are always better together. Whether it’s via video chat or face to face, spread that warmth and cheer. Use #ChickenSoupForTheSoulDay to post on social media.
Q. Why is chicken soup so good for you? A. When we’re sick, there are a number of things we do that help to speed up the healing process. Chicken soup does several of those things in one, steaming hot bowl. First, it helps to replenish much-needed fluids. It also contains vital nutrients that give our bodies a boost. The ingredients are easy to digest, soo our bodies can focus on healing. The broth is usually made from boiling the chicken bones which contain other healing components that help us to repair and reduce inflammation. Last, but not least, chicken soup feels and tastes good.
Q. How do I add flavor to my chicken soup? A. Besides the standard salt and pepper, herbs and spices such as parsley, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, chives, and garlic add some of the flavors. Make a homemade broth using chicken pieces or an entire carcass. All the delicious bits of flavor will be infused into the broth.
The definition of gratitude is being glad that something has or hasn’t happened; that something or someone exists; experiencing thanks. I started practicing gratitude about more than 15 years ago. I have refocused on it after suffering a burst aneurysm in 2013.
Being thankful on a regular basis improves our relationships, sleep, general well-being, and health. Science has shown that there are many benefits to being grateful, and these are just a few. Despite being a very simple exercise, when performed on a daily basis, it can have profoundly transformative results. The habit of identifying things for which we are grateful each day creates new neuropathways in the brain, the more we practice being grateful (or, for that matter, anything we focus on). For the brain, this process—known as neuroplasticity—is comparable to physical exercise.
Eventually, being grateful becomes a habit, which leads to a more optimistic perspective in general, especially during difficult situations. We can be thankful for every moment as a chance to develop, learn, and discover a new way of being in the world, but we cannot be thankful for horrible things like this pandemic. This is resilience.
Observe the abundance of creativity, ingenuity, and kindness all around you. We are pushing ourselves to discover new ways to thrive rather than just survive. The question, “What do I actually need?” is becoming more and more common. What is most crucial? We’re talking to loved ones about our deepest emotions and recognizing what matters most in life.
For 30 days, I want you to locate at least one item for which you are thankful every day. A new habit takes around 30 days to form. Don’t worry if you skip a day; just keep going. As you write it down, acknowledge and experience the emotions it evokes in your heart. Although you can do this at any time, it helps you sleep if you recall these things before bed. Join me if you want to express your gratitude. Share to Social media using #Jen’sPerspectiveGratitudeChallenge .
Positive Attitude Month is an annual designation observed in October. A positive attitude is the best trait you can carry with you, because it makes any difficult or frustrating situation a lot easier to deal with. If you look at most scenarios as “glass half empty,” now is the time to change that! Looking at things with a “glass half full” perspective is a small thought process that makes a big difference.
6 Lasting Benefits of a Positive Attitude
Longer life span because of overall lower stress levels
Lower chance of depression
More resistance to sicknesses like the common cold
Increased physical and mental well being
Less risk of death from cardiovascular disease
More developed coping skills during challenges.
Finally, your positive energy will result in more overall motivation, more friends, and many more happy memories. Of course, life can be extremely challenging. In our work and personal lives, speed bumps will always present themselves… there’s really nothing we can do about it. So, why not try to make the best of every situation we are thrown into?
5 POSITIVE THINKING IDEAS
Think positively. Expect great things. Challenge yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. If you struggle to keep a good attitude, here are a few steps you can take to move past that.
Write it down. List the negative things in your life… the things that really upset you and cause you to lose your cool. Seeing them on paper can help you recognize and address them when they happens in real life. Cross them off when you are able to overcome them.
Let go of expectations. Sometimes, negativity begins with unrealistic expectations of yourself or others. Understand that nobody is perfect… and the imperfections add character! They make life real and interesting. If you can learn to work with that, you, and those around you will be much happier.
Forgive yourself and others. Do not dwell on past mistakes. You are only hurting yourself if you do so.
Respond, don’t react. Change can be difficult to manage, but if you take a breath and give yourself some time to think, you’ll find the clarity you need to respond in a positive manner.
Surround yourself with positive people. Yeah yeah, we know, you hear it all the time… But if you can do that, you’ll start to see how happy & successful people think, and you’ll likely start to think the same way.
