Creating Our Own Happiness - Happy International Day of Happiness

(✿◠ᴗ◠*)ꕤ*.ﾟ

As we celebrate International Day of Happiness today on the 20th of March, I feel it's worth reflecting on a profound truth (hence the picture choice that was shared with me a few years ago by one my amazing clients) that happiness isn't something we find, it's something we create. While external circumstances certainly influence how we feel, research increasingly shows that our internal landscape plays a far more significant role in our overall well-being.

Holistic approaches to happiness recognize that true well-being emerges from harmony between mind, body, and spirit. There are more and more studies to scientifically prove that these practices don't just mask symptoms of unhappiness but really address the root causes, creating sustainable joy and resilience that withstands life's inevitable challenges. Paradoxically, creating genuine happiness often requires making peace with our difficult emotions. I would love to take the opportunity here to highlight that holistic approaches don't advocate for toxic positivity and any forced suppression of negative feelings, not at all! Instead, they are meant to teach us to embrace the full spectrum of human emotion while cultivating resilience and inner peace.

The Science of Creating Happiness

Modern neuroscience confirms what ancient wisdom traditions have long taught through different phrases about our brains that they are remarkable for several reasons, but here let’s shout out that it is capable of forming new neural pathways throughout our lives. This means that we can literally rewire our brains for our greater happiness in the everydays through consistent daily practice.

Research shows that activities like meditation, gratitude journaling, mindfulness, holistic massages and joyful movement (thanks Michelle) don't just temporarily boost mood they create lasting changes in brain structure and function. A regular meditation practice, for instance, has been shown to increase gray matter density in regions associated with emotional regulation and positive mood.

You all know that I am all about Holistic Therapies for sure, so let’s have a look at the secret ingredients to add to that jar that will hold happiness for you.

♡ Gratitude 

Yes, taking the time to shift the focus to what works, because that's what happens when we practice gratitude: we deliberately direct our attention to what's working, what's good in our lives, in our bodies, around us rather than what's lacking. This mental shift helps us notice and appreciate all the positive aspects we might otherwise overlook or simply take for granted.

♡ Moving the Body with Joy, because it is Medicine

Physical activity releases endorphins, our body's natural mood elevators, but holistic approaches to movement go beyond just "exercising." Practices like breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi, and qigong, dance combined with mindful awareness create a sort of moving meditation that harmonizes our body, mind and spirit.

♡ Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness practices teach us to be present with our experiences without judgment. This simple yet profound skill allows us to step back from negative thought patterns and create space for joy to emerge naturally. Even a few minutes of daily practice can significantly reduce stress and increase feelings of presence and contentment.

♡ Connecting with Mother Nature

Spending time in nature has been also shown to significantly reduce stress hormones and increase feelings of vitality. Forest bathing is the Japanese practice of immersing oneself in the forest atmosphere, has been linked to improved mood, decreased anxiety, and enhanced immune function. I am ever so grateful for my longs walks with our dog in nature, as these walks are so profoundly elevating for me. Several inspirations and ideas come through to me during my forest baths, such as the theme for April ⋆˚࿔

♡ Nurturing Our Relationships

Strong social connections are consistently linked to greater happiness and longevity. Holistic approaches to happiness emphasize authentic connection over quantity of relationships. It is beautiful to take time to deepen our existing relationships,a s it can lead to greater happiness than constantly expanding our social networks. It enhances the sense of belonging in a meaningful way.

♡ Creating Our Personal Happiness Practice

The beauty of holistic approaches to happiness is that they can be tailored to our unique needs and preferences. Your personal happiness practice might include something similar to mine:

ꕤ A morning gratitude ritual with Sun Salutations and a nice cuppa full of taste and intentions for the day ahead.
ꕤ Regular movement throughout the day that brings me joy, even if it’s only a juicy stretch with breathing in between tasks.
ꕤ Time in nature, even if it's just a short walk outside, still powerful shift for my brain.
ꕤ Any creative expression through rock painting, dance, work, writing, crafting with my kids, cooking, baking, making pancakes, etc. The point is our own creative expression in all of our activities, right?
ꕤ Meaningful connection with my loved ones is essential. I do my best to be fully present for the person I am interacting with, really checking in with them, really offering them a listening ear.
ꕤ Practices that nurture my spiritual well-being, such as yoga, breathing exercises, mindfulness practices and holistic massages (including daily self massages, yes! I dedicated February to explore different self massage techniques on wide range of the palette, feel free to explore that on social media.

There is no need to stress about ticking all boxes, the key is consistency and authenticity in creating our own unique daily rituals to bring that magic into the everydays, as even small daily practices can create significant shifts over time, you will see, you just need to start it.  …and ow is the right time.

♡ How Can Holistic Massages Contribute to Happiness?

We have talked about how holistic massage therapy can significantly contribute to our well-being in earlier posts, as it is decreasing cortisol (the stress hormone), increasing serotonin and dopamine (the happiness neurotransmitters), releasing oxytocin (our sweet essential bonding hormone), activating the parasympathetic nervous system (our rest and digest mode, where healing can happen), and balancing subtle energy systems throughout the whole spectacular body. However, today let's just point out how holistic massage therapy massage represents one of humanity's oldest healing traditions and that it offers profound benefits that assist us in creating and sustaining our own happiness through the nourishing touch.

So on this International Day of Happiness, I invite you to consider happiness not as a destination to reach, but as a little fairy garden in your magic jar to tend to. With patience and holistic care towards ourselves, our capacity for joy can grow and flourish, becoming a wellspring of nourishment for ourselves and all of those around us.

What small step will you take today to nurture your happiness garden in that little magic jar?

-`♡´-

Always with love

Bee✨