Spread a little happiness…

What makes you happy? Spending time with your friends or loved ones? Reading a good book? Finding a pair of jeans that makes your bum look great? (If you’ve managed this last one can you let me know where you got them, pleeease? Thanks).


Last week the BBC ran a series of features on the theme of happiness. It was run in conjunction with a new charity Action for Happiness. I’d never heard of them so I thought I’d pop over and check it out. According to its Director Mark Williamson, Action for Happiness is about spreading the latest research and advice on how to be happier, to encourage a shift to a happier society. He says “That means a society where more people are leading happy, balanced and fulfilling lives and fewer people are leading unhappy lives where they feel trapped, unloved or unfulfilled.”


Sounds great, I thought. In principle. But how do you go about achieving a society like that? Well, they’d like to encourage us all to, in very Obama-esque style, ‘Be the change’. The cynic in me reared it’s ugly head at this point and scoffed for a couple of minutes.When it had finished, I put it back in it’s box (with a nice blanket so it wouldn’t get cold) and I carried on reading their core values which are “There’s more to life than money and possessions”, “Everyone’s happiness matters” and “We can all make a difference”. 


Well actually I agree with each of these values. There IS more to life than money and possessions. On my death bed I don’t expect to be thinking about how lovely my Mulberry handbag is (although it is rather nice indeed), I hope that I’ll be gathering my loved ones around me and relishing all the wonderful times we’ve spent together. And I do believe that we can all make a difference to each other’s happiness, if only in a small way.


It seems a shame that our society has arrived at the point where we need a charity to remind us of these fundamental values. But if that’s what it takes? Then more power to them. I’m off to do a good deed in the spirit of making someone happy. And I invite you to join me.


What will you do today to help create some happiness?

Photo credit: Woman Sat At A Laptop by Ambro at freedigitalphotos.net