Meet Adam – the happiest guy I know
This is my nephew Adam. It’s a privilege to introduce him to you, and today feels like a good day to do that, as []at the time of writing this] it’s International Day of Happiness.
Adam has a heart full of sunshine and gratitude, and a smile that lights up the world. His favourite days of the year are when his family and friends get together for celebrations. He knows all of our birthdays off by heart, including our ages and what day of the week each birthday is going to be. He loves food, photos, films and his family.
He is a snappy dresser, loves a “restaurant shirt” (a smart shirt for going out) and is a self-proclaimed “ladies’ man”. I have adored him since I held him in my arms minutes after he was born.
Many people, especially in the Western world, invest decades in finding peace and fulfilment in their lives, or worse, may spend many years feeling unfulfilled.
I’ve begun to notice more and more how Adam naturally has an abundance of traits and talents which can change the world for the better and spread a lot of happiness:
Compassion
Kindness
Generosity
Gratitude
Resilience
Mindfulness
A sense of community
These are topics I’ve been exploring through being a volunteer course leader for the Action for Happiness course on Exploring What Matters. I’d highly recommend it, and I’m so glad my friend Eimear asked me to be involved. We’ve got a fantastic group to work with.
Adam was asked at school recently what makes him happy, and you can see what he said in the photo. What an honour – it touched my heart. And it made me very happy too!
So today, I encourage you to notice the positive things in life. Take a leaf out of Adam’s book and celebrate the little things that make you smile.
And here’s an uplifting video from Carrongrange school, with Adam doing a mean Pete Townshend about 2 minutes in!
Wishing you a day filled with happiness,
Anna