Celebrate national “I Want You to be Happy Day”

A Chinese Proverb reads, “if you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody else.”

On March 3, National I Want You to be Happy Day encourages others to be kind and selfless to those around them.

Cambria Head, a senior studying apparel entrepreneurship, wants her husband to be happy. He takes care of her and makes her feel loved.

“I always try to notice…and tell him about the things I notice; how hard he works and how he accomplishes so much each day,” Head said.

According to Action for Happiness, kindness seems to be contagious. The people on the receiving end are sometimes inspired to become kinder.

“My husband is special to me because he is such a good human,” said Miriam Short, a BYU-Idaho alumna. “He is caring, silly, selfless, eager to serve, faithful and hardworking.”

National Today gives five recommendations of ways to help others be happy on March 3: reach out, show appreciation, send a gift, encourage those who serve and put others ahead of yourself.

Reach out to someone. This can be as simple as noticing a stranger’s eyes or outfit and complementing them, or writing a letter to an old friend.

Tell someone about a time they were appreciated. Even if it is a small thing they forgot about, it will most likely make them happy.

“My husband’s main love language is words of affirmation, so I make sure to tell him what I appreciate about him and his actions each day,” Short said.

Send someone a gift; it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Even a tiny gift can hold a lot of meaning and sentiment.

Some people dedicate their lives to serving others; find ways to encourage them. This could be a nurse, police officer, bishop, relief society president or anyone else.

Put others first.

According to National Today, “Putting others first is a key focus in today’s holiday — hold the door for someone, allow someone to go first in line at the grocery store, or let someone go in front of you as you leave a crowded parking lot.

There are many ways to show others they are cared about. The list above is just a starting point, but there are other ways to serve and appreciate others.

According to National Today, “Genuine efforts to make others happy result in our own feelings of empowerment; feelings that we can take on the world.”

Happiness can be found in many different places. National I Want You to be Happy Day is about the people around you. Whether they’re a stranger or a best friend, they deserve to be happy.