Apparently today is World Happy Day.  Who knew?  I learned from another Working Mother blogger that Random Acts of Kindness Week is this month!  In fact, it's coming up this week:  2/13 - 2/19.  What a great combo!  Happy Day leading to Random Acts of Kindness Week.  In observance of World Happy Day, I took my husband, daughter and her friend to see the Happy movie.  Happy is the winner of numerous awards and is the latest film by Academy Award nominated Director Roko Belic. 

The movie begins with a quote by Benjamin Franklin:  "The constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness, you have to catch it yourself".  Happy features a rikshaw driver named Manoj.  He lives in the slums of India in a makeshift tent with a tarp for a roof.  He said that except for the monsoon season, they live well.  His biggest joy is when his son calls out to him at the end of the work day.  The researchers said that Manoj is as happy as the average American.  Did you know that in the  last fifty years, income in the U.S. has grown exponentially, but happiness hasn't?   Positive Psychology (a class in happiness) is now the most popular class at Harvard.  Happy also goes on to teach the viewer that of all of the industrialized nations, Japan is the least happy.  People in Japan are experiencing toxic low levels of happiness.  In fact, they are working themselves to death.  There's even a term for it - KAROSHI.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, the movie featured an AARP-aged surfer in Australia who advised that people should work so they can live their lives in tranquility.  Nature is good medicine. Remember the importance of being in the moment, listening to stillness, watching the birds pass by, standing in the rain. 

 I learned in the Happy movie that only 50% of our happiness is determined by our genes.  Believe it our not - our circumstances (job, social status, house, age) only account for 10%.  A whopping 40% of our happiness is influenced by intentional activities - actions WE choose!  They said that counting one's blessings and practicing random acts of kindness are some of the MOST effective ways to affect our happiness.  Daniel Gilbert, Author of Stumbling On Happiness said that people do really well when things go really bad.  I agree with that.  He also said that shifting focus from what one doesn't have to what one does have and what one can share can have a major impact on happiness.  I agree with that, too.  For years after my husband had to stop working, I couldn't give up his work clothes.  Beautiful suits, shirts and ties.  His body became paralyzed from MS and as a result my mind became paralyzed from moving forward.  Everytime I walked through the chaos of the storage room, I felt like I was walking through the boulevard of broken dreams.  Thoughts of what would have been, could have been, would never be.  After years...I got the courage to start purging.  We gave the clothes to a homeless shelter, to some gentlemen who had lost their jobs and to the Salvation Army.  The more I gave away, the clearer and happier I felt.  Out of clutter, find simplicity.  From discord, find harmony.  In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity - Albert Einstein.

One part of the Happy movie focused on women...on mothers.  There was a clip of the Dalai Lama giving a lecture.  He said that compassion from birth is in OUR blood.  I have experienced that compassion from other women - acquaintances, colleagues and friends.   I recently said to a colleague and friend who has been so good to me, that I had no words to express my gratitude.  She told me no words were necessary.  She said it's all about paying it forward. 

When you wind down your weekend, take a minute to count your blessings.  Remember that Random Acts of Kindness week is upon us.  Visit www.randomactsofkindess.org for kindness ideas and stories.  "To share often and much...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded" - Ralph Waldo Emerson.