The Library invited Heather Ritz, Community Social Worker with Wellness Supports (uab.ca/wellness) to share her reflections about the International Day of Happiness at the University of Alberta.
March 20 is International Day of Happiness, and given the time of year, you may be wondering why on earth we would celebrate happiness as end-of-term pressures are mounting. Is happiness even possible? Is talking about happiness at this time of year merely a platitude?
Fair questions. But what I’ve been learning over my time at the U of A, is that it’s a great time to remind ourselves and talk about the role of happiness in our lives.
In my work and life, it’s become an important reminder to allow happiness to be more than just a response to good things happening to and around me, because there are always going to be hardships to contend with. Happiness that is based solely on good things happening is a pretty limited notion, especially when there is growing evidence that there are happiness actions we can practice that help us to move through adversity in ways that can help us.
Events to explore + practice happiness:
I invite you to explore what this can mean for you. Starting March 1, Days of Action will launch the International Day of Happiness campaign with events to explore and practice happiness.
- Happiness is cultivated through meaningful relationships with others. Nominate people on campus who have contributed to your happiness for a Happiness Award. Nominations are open from March 1 to noon on March 19. Nominate someone for a Happiness Award
- Explore the connection between physical and social wellbeing and happiness at Climb Up, Cheer Up: March 20
- Learn about how medication can create brain pathways to support sustainable happiness Cultivating Happiness: Insights from Mind, Brain, and Beyond: March 21
Happiness Reflected: Creative Expressions
On March 20 we will launch our third collection of Happiness Reflected: Creative Expressions, which includes 20 pieces from our campus community that explore diverse experiences of happiness. This year’s collection inspires thought about what it means to make peace, re-engage with childlike joy, and the sometimes hard HEART work we need to do that can help us engage in life more authentically, and more.
As part of the collection, volume 3 of our digital chapbook and season 3 of our podcast premiere on March 20 will be available on our website. You can also enjoy the collection through library displays across all campuses. The podcast will explore evidence-informed actions around happiness in conversation with the artists from the Happiness Reflected: Creative Expression collection.
Suggestions for further exploration:
- While you wait for season 3 to premiere, check out Read volumes 1 (2023) and 2 (2024) of Happiness Reflected through our digital archive.
Listen to previous seasons of the Reflected Reflected Podcast, found in Aviary or most podcast platforms.
This content is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Creative Commons licence.