Welcome, Happy Activists! A Happy Activist is someone who, through kind words and intentional positive actions, strives to make the world a better place. Live Happy invites you to join our #HappyActs movement! On the 20th of each month, we encourage everyone to incorporate kindness into your daily lives by participating in each month’s planned activity. The more who join the #HappyActs movement, the more positive impact we’ll all have on our homes, workplaces and communities. What you think and do matters!
November’s happiness theme is gratitude. We should practice gratitude throughout the year, but November is a perfect time to notice and appreciate all the good things in your life. Gratitude is one of the top strengths most associated with happiness and practicing it can really feed your soul. When we let our friends, family members and colleagues know how much they are appreciated, we build stronger bonds and relationships. We can even practice gratitude toward people who may no longer be with us with a virtual gratitude visit. For more gratitude practices, see the links below.
Our November Happy Act is to host a gratitude dinner. This is a chance to thank multiple people at once and to let people know how much they mean to you. A gratitude dinner will not only increase your happiness but your guests’ happiness as well. See the tips below to get started.
If you can’t host a gratitude dinner, you can always donate food to your local food bank to make sure to give back to those less fortunate during the holidays. Feeding America can help you find a food bank closest to you.
Our November Happy Activist is Gens Johnson from Texas. Gens gives back to her community in multiple ways, but she really has a passion for helping under-privileged kids. Not only is she a Big [Sister] for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, she is also working with Nancy Lieberman Charities raising funds for Dream Court, a program that helps build basketball courts in local communities. For more about Dream Court or to help with the cause, check out her GoFundMe page.
To learn more about Gratitude:
8 Easy Practices to Enhance Gratitude
4 Gratitude Rituals to Increase Kindness and Joy
Discover the Hidden Power of 'Thank You'
Attitude of Gratitude with MJ Ryan
Tips on how to host a Gratitude Dinner:
1. The guest list
Make a list of people you are grateful for and the reasons why. The list can include family members, friends, work colleagues or even your mailperson.
2. Talking points
Using index cards, create a few gratitude prompts for conversation starters. For instance, your card can say, “What are you most thankful for today” or “Who in your life has made a positive difference.” Use a decorative basket as a centerpiece and fill it with the index cards.
3. Places, please!
One of the more successful gratitude interventions is the gratitude letter. Write a letter for each guest explaining why each is an important person in your life. Use the letters as a place-card setting directing your guests where to sit. Before you break bread, have everyone read their letter aloud.
4. Choose the menu
It really doesn’t matter what type of food you serve. It can be a fancy feast or just simple and fun, just as long as gratitude is the main course. If you really want to impress your guests, find out their favorite foods beforehand and individualize each dish to each person.
5. Just desserts
Thank your guests once again and repeat the process regularly to keep nourishing your happiness appetite.
Time to up your #HappyActs game. Help us spread global happiness by becoming a Happy Activist and host your very own Happiness Wall for the International Day of Happiness (March 20). Learn how you can host a wall at your school, business or organization and find out how to create your own fantastic wall using one of our Happy Acts Wall Kits.
