Happiness Happens... thanks to the SSoHP

Happiness does happen on occasion, but it happens specifically in August thanks to efforts of the happiest people around.  The following is how they describe their group and its purpose:

Founded: August 1998

Purpose: The Secret Society of Happy People encourages the expression of happiness and discourages parade-raining. Parade-rainers are those people who don’t want to hear your happy news.

Mission: To help people recognize more happiness and encourage them to talk about it.

Side-effect: Since happiness is contagious if more people are recognizing and talking about it, then more people will be happy. And ultimately, our world needs more happy people.

Motto: If you're happy and you know it ... tell somebody! If someone else is happy and they know it ... listen!

Members: Thousands from at least 34 countries.

In 1999 the Society declared August 8th as Admit You're Happy Day (now Happiness Happens Day). Thanks to the response of not-so-secretly-happy people from around the world, the celebration was expanded in 2000 to include the month of August.

There are three purposes of the month:

1. Recognize and express happiness
2. Listen to others talk about their happiness
3. Don't rain on other people's parades

In 1999, we asked the governors in all 50 states for a proclamation. Governors from 19 states sent proclamations for Admit You're Happy Day. Find out if your governor was happy, a stick in the mud, or parade-rainer.

If you want to celebrate Happiness Happens Month & Day here are a few ideas:

1. In August on the 8th (the official Happiness Happens Day) or anytime during August for Happiness Happens Month wear your SILVER shades, donate your SILVER coins-pay someone's toll, bus or subway fare, buy a soda, or take up a donation for your favorite charity, or pass out SILVER kisses. Why SILVER? Because not-so-secretly happy people have a way of finding the SILVER lining in even the darkest clouds.
2. Send a text message that says: Celebrate Happiness Happens Month with me. (www.sohp.com)
3. If you’re on Facebook, make a post every day in August that says: Happiness Happen when…(and list your happy moment of the day).
4. If you’re on Twitter, make a post every day in August that says: #HappinessHappens when…(and list your happy moment of the day).
5. Make a Happy Treasure Chest—a box full of the things that bring smiles to your face. Get a box and make it uniquely happy. The crafty may want to decorate one and the crafty-challenged may choose to buy one. Then fill it with favorite photos; precious cards and letters; momentous and artifacts—movie tickets, playbills, jokes, happy quotes, cartoons, music, candles, videos, and the like.
6. When you're in need of a Happy Booster then look inside your Happy Treasure Chest and you'll find plenty of smiles. It's a great activity to do with others. Have a Happy Treasure Chest Party. You can even make one for someone who needs a happy pick-me-up! (Tip from Teri Sarin)

Take the Happy Challenge

• Happy Memories: Put a piece of paper on the wall with each person’s name. Then have either family members or co-workers draw or write down a happy memory that they experienced with that person.
• Lead a Happiness Happens Celebration Activity at work. Vote for the Happiest Employee or Customer, have a Happy Expressions Pot Luck Lunch where everyone tells about their happiest moment at the company (best story wins a prize), or host a Happy Scavenger Hunt.

Take your Happy Inventory

• Host a Happiness Happens Celebration: Have a theme party with everyone wearing something from their favorite era (even if they didn't live in it this lifetime) or pick your favorite era; make up a happy trivia game that includes things the happiest things about your city, county or state; but most important, have fun.
• When tucking your kids in for bed at night, take turns listing the happy moments you experienced that day (Tip from Cindy Fitzhugh, MA).
• Have a Happy Expression Art Show. Each person (friend or family member) through some form of art: drawings, painting, songs, writing, and on and on can express what makes them happy. End with having a show and tell party. (Tip from Kimla Cotropia, Ph.D).

SSoHP on Facebook


We'd love to hear what makes YOU happiest. Please feel free to share with us here or on our Facebook page


Warmly,
Lilo