• Mar 22, 2025 • Read in ~10 mins
— By Dr. Sandip Roy.
March 20th is the International Day of Happiness (IDH).
The United Nations declared March 20 as the International Day of Happiness as a recognition of happiness as a fundamental human right, and a universal goal and aspiration.
This was a call for a more fair, balanced, and inclusive approach to happiness and well-being for all people and communities.
Happiness is both a positive emotional state, associated with smiling, laughing, and feeling good (e.g., I feel happy today), and assessments and judgments about life (e.g., I’m happy with my life overall).
Let’s make March 20 a day to be happy and spread happiness to those around us!
World Happiness Report (WHR)
See this year’s World Happiness Report (WHR).
The World Happiness Report ranks countries based on Gallup polling data from 143 countries, monitoring performance in six categories: GDP per capita, Social support, Healthy life expectancy, Freedom to make your own life choices, Generosity of the general population, and Perceptions of corruption levels.
The 2025 WHR focuses on the impact of caring and sharing on people’s happiness. Some key findings:
- People are much too pessimistic about the benevolence of others. However, people are actually much kinder than we expect.
- Sharing meals with others is strongly linked with wellbeing across all global regions, but the number of people dining alone in the United States has increased 53% over the past two decades.
- Household size is closely linked to happiness. Four to five people living together enjoy the highest levels of happiness in Mexico and Europe, but many people in Europe are living on their own.
- In 2023, 19% of young adults across the world reported having no one they could count on for social support. This is a 39% increase compared to 2006.
Finland is the happiest country in the world for the 8th year in a row. Finns reported an average score of 7.736 (out of 10) when asked to evaluate their lives.
Costa Rica (6th) and Mexico (10th) both enter the top 10 for the first time. The United States (24th) falls to its lowest-ever position, with the United Kingdom (23rd) reporting its lowest average life evaluation since the 2017 report.
“The findings in this year’s World Happiness Report reconfirm a fundamental truth: happiness is rooted in trust, kindness, and social connection.” – Jeffrey D. Sachs, Founding editor of the WHR
Happiest Countries — World Population Review
10 Ways To Be Happier: From Happiness Research
Researchers say that happiness is more of a skill than a situation-based factor. It means we can teach ourselves to be happier, instead of depending on circumstances to make us happy.
1. Build positive relationships
“Human happiness is driven by our relationships with others. Investing in positive social connections and engaging in benevolent actions are both matched by greater happiness.” – Lara B. Aknin, an editor of the WHR 2025
Studies indeed find that when people are socially connected, they are more likely to thrive in the future. You might expect that extroverts would get greater joy from social interactions, but evidence suggests that both extroverts and introverts derive happiness from social interactions, but for different reasons.
Let’s make this day a little more special! Try one within the next 24 hours:
- Share a funny or uplifting story with a friend.
- Tell a friend something that you appreciate about them.
- Ask a friend to join you for coffee, tea, or some other beverage.
- Send a quick text or call to a loved one just to check how they’re doing.
- Invite a friend to join you for an activity, like cooking together or going for a walk.
- Ask someone how their day has been, and then listen to them without interrupting.
- Plan a fun outing together, like a trip to the park, a museum, or just a quick adventure in town.
- Give a small, thoughtful gift for no reason, like their favorite snack, a handwritten note, or a plant.
A study that has gone on for 80+ years reveals that close relationships predict long and happy lives better than social class, IQ, or even genetic factors. Researchers found that those with the strongest connections to others stayed the healthiest and lived the longest (Harvard Grant Study of Adult Development: 1938–2022).
2. Practice daily gratitude
The Three Good Things happiness exercise boosts happiness by 42% over 6 months [Seligman, 2005].
- Start or end your day by listing three things you’re grateful for. A good cup of coffee, a nice talk, or a beautiful sunset.
- Write a gratitude letter to someone you appreciate. Take a few minutes to express your thanks. Even if you don’t send it, the act of writing can lift your mood.
- Feel grateful when you eat. Take a moment to silently express thanks for the food, the hands that prepared it, and the people you share it with.
- Share gratitude with others. Tell someone you’re thankful for what they did. A simple “I’m so grateful for your help today” can brighten their day and yours.
- Keep a gratitude jar or journal. Write down one thing you’re thankful for each day, and put it in the jar or record it in your journal.
3. Practice acts of kindness
Acts of kindness towards others (prosocial behaviors) trigger the release of mood-boosting chemicals like serotonin and dopamine in your brain, boosting both your mood and theirs
- Perform one small act of kindness for a stranger daily. Hold a door, pay for someone’s coffee, or leave an encouraging note.
- Practice active listening with friends and family. Put away your phone, maintain eye contact, and fully engage without interrupting. A gift of full presence reduces feelings of loneliness.
- Start a “kindness by post” tradition. Send handwritten notes or small gifts to friends or community members who need encouragement. It enhances community belonging.
- Create a kindness ritual at home or work. Put up a kindness board where people can post notes of appreciation for others, or implement a weekly “thank you” initiative for support staff. These foster psychological safety and unprejudiced communication.
- Be kind to yourself daily. Practice self-compassion through positive self-talk, taking short breaks from routine life, or celebrating small wins. Self-kindness reduces cortisol production and reduces stress, making you more available to help others.
Aknin & Dunn, 2012, say that prosocial spending is a promising path to sustainable happiness. It increases happiness, which in turn inspires prosocial spending. In a previous study, Dunn & Aknin, 2008, found that people who spent money on others felt greater happiness than those who spent it on themselves.
4. Find the purpose of your life
Having a high sense of purpose in life is linked to a lower risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular events (Cohen & Bavishi, 2016).
What gives you a sense of fulfillment beyond just pleasure?
- Clarify your top 5 core values and take weekly actions to honor them.
- Try one new activity weekly to discover what brings you flow and energy.
- Practice small, daily acts of purpose to build meaningful momentum over time.
- Create an Ikigai map to identify where your passions, skills, and contributions intersect.
- Journal your life story to uncover recurring themes and draft your future purpose-driven chapter.
- Ask 5 trusted people about your unique strengths and contributions to gain external clarity.
Find out what makes your life meaningful. It can help you live longer, as the Blue Zones Research suggests people with a clear purpose live up to 7 years longer.
5. Make time for joy
Find time to indulge in joyful pursuits, even if your life is busy. Regular enjoyable activities reduce depression risk by 31% [Berkeley Well-Being Institute, 2020].
- Block 2 hours weekly for hobbies
- Try one new activity monthly
- Record joy levels (1-10) daily
Did you know that we misjudge what will make us happy in the future? This is because we view the future through the filter of the present. This is hedonic forecasting bias.
6. Exercise 150 minutes a week
Exercise makes you happier. Exercise increases BDNF protein by 3x, boosting mood [Ratey, 2018]. 30 minutes of exercise may equal one dose of antidepressant [Harvard Medical School, 2021]:
“Not exercising is like taking a depressant.” — Tal Ben-Shahar
- 150 minutes weekly moderate activity (or 30 mins 5 days a week)
- Exercising with others can amplify the happiness you get from physical activity.
- Best exercise for happiness is one that you genuinely like doing—walking, dancing, swimming, tai-chi, yoga, or anything else.
7. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is bringing present-moment awareness to your thoughts, emotions, and senses. Mindfulness meditation can reduce anxiety by 39% in clinical trials [Goyal, 2014].
- 10 minutes morning meditation
- 3 mindful meals weekly (mindful eating)
- Body scan before sleep
8. Learn to handle stress
A positive stress mindset reduces our stress hormone cortisol by 23% [McGonigal, 2015]. Reframing stress as helpful improves performance by 34% [Crum, 2017].
- Practice diaphragmatic breathing (for vagus stimulation)
- Map personal stress triggers
- Create stress action plans
A secret — those who think they can handle their stress can actually handle it better, and are happier.
Another secret — let yourself enjoy the “relief” period after your stressful challenge has passed.
9. Learn to savor life
Savoring is unhurriedly relishing life’s positive experiences.
Savoring increases happiness by 60% and reduces depression by 35% [Bryant, 2005]. Active savoring boosts positive emotions for up to 4 hours [Quoidbach, 2010].
- Take mental photographs
- Share good news immediately
- Extend positive moments
- Spend time outdoors — research shows green spaces and natural environments improve mood.
10. Strengthen your strengths
You are better off being happy when using your strengths, rather than fixing your weaknesses.
Using signature strengths daily increases happiness for 6 months [Peterson, 2009]. Strength use correlates with 38% higher productivity [Gallup, 2017].
- Take VIA strengths assessment
- Apply top strength daily
- Share strengths with team
Action Plan
Start small, build consistently.
- Choose 1-2 practices today
- Track happiness for 30 days
- Add one practice monthly
- Review progress quarterly
Happiness is both a momentary experience (hedonia) and a sustained state of being (eudaimonia).
Why Do We Need An International Day of Happiness?
The International Day of Happiness is a reminder that happiness is a fundamental human right. It asks us to —
- relish the simple joys of life,
- spend time on our relationships,
- find our sense of purpose in life,
- pursue inner peace and flourishing,
- realize the importance of positive mental health.
This is also a day to remember that our world has happiness inequality. Millions still live in unhappy conditions — poverty, violence, oppression, and lack of basic rights and freedoms.
What Can We Do For A Happier Environment?
- Reduce your environmental impact (carbon footprint) responsibly.
- Adopt eco-friendly habits and sustainable choices that align with your values.
- Protect natural resources and live sustainably to contribute to a better-shared future.
Social Media And Happiness
Studies have shown that excessive social media use can contribute to anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
- Don’t mindlessly scroll through feeds. Use social media with intention and purpose.
- Follow accounts that inspire you rather than make you feel inadequate.
- Take breaks from social media to nurture real-world relationships.
- Engage in hobbies and activities that don’t involve screens.
Money and Happiness
The relationship between money and happiness is more complex than you think. That’s one reason why the UNGA asks nations to focus not just on economic growth.
5 facts about money and happiness:
- How you spend your money has a greater impact on your happiness than how much you earn.
- Spending money on experiences tends to bring more happiness than material possessions.
- The feeling that you have enough money matters more to happiness than being wealthy.
- Beyond a certain income level, more money has diminishing returns on happiness.
- People who prioritize wealth over other life domains tend to be less happy.
Final Words
The International Day of Happiness reminds us to prioritize happiness and well-being. Positive habits like gratitude, kindness, and altruism can improve our happiness and create a more joyful world.
Three shortcuts to happiness:
- Be Mindful (Ask, How am I feeling right now?)
- Be Kind (Ask, Who do I want to send love to?)
- Be Grateful (Ask, What am I thankful for?)
√ Also Read: 10 Ways To Be Happy In Daily Life: What Experts Say?
√ Please spread the word if you found this helpful.
