Action for Happiness is a movement of people committed to building a happier and more caring society. They want to see a fundamentally different way of life - where people care less about what they can get just for themselves and more about the happiness of others.

They publish 'happiness calendars' each month and January's is a great way to kick start your year with positivity and steps to make real changes for how you approach finding happiness in 2020 by connecting with people around you, doing kind things for others and spreading a little happiness. 

January's calendar (main image) can be downloaded by clicking the link here /assets/ckfinder_library/files/january_2020(1).pdf or via their website https://www.actionforhappiness.org/happy-january

What is Action For Happiness?

The idea is that what we want for our society is as much happiness as is possible and, above all, as little misery. And the implication for each of us is that we should aim to create more happiness in the world around us and less misery. If each of us made this our goal, this would radically improve our societies. To do it, we can use the new scientific knowledge about the causes of happiness and misery. We should use this knowledge in whatever way we can to create more happiness in our homes, our workplaces and in our communities. It should influence how we approach our personal lives, how we bring up our children, how we behave at work and how public policy is made. And we should always consider the happiness of future generations, as well as our own.

Action for Happiness is based on the following fundamental values:

1. We can each affect our happiness and the happiness of those around us. There is a wide range of proven actions we can take to boost happiness, both for ourselves and others. Although partly determined by factors outside our control - such as our genes and circumstances - our happiness is significantly affected by the conscious choices we make and the way we choose to react to what happens to us. Happiness is also contagious, so when we feel good we help make others around us happier too.

2. We need to prioritise the things that cause happiness. Positive relationships are the most important 'external' contributors to happiness. We need to put people first and do everything we can to create positive, loving and collaborative relationships in our families, organisations and communities. Good mental health is the most important 'internal' contributor to happiness. We need to take care of our emotional and psychological health as well as our physical health and give much greater support to those struggling with anxiety and depression.

3. Helping others is essential for a happier society. Self-centred individualism is not the route to happiness. Helping others is of course good for their happiness, but it also makes us ourselves happier and healthier too. Giving connects us together, provides us with a sense of meaning and makes us more accepting of ourselves and others. It creates stronger communities and helps to build a happier society for everyone.

They focus on 10 keys to happiness, which are:

1. Doing things for others

2.  Connecting with people

3. Taking care of your body

4. Living life mindfully

5. Keep learning new things 

6. Have goals to look forward to

7. Find ways to bounce back

8. Look for what's good

9. Be comfortable with who you are

10. Be part of something bigger

You can explore fully what each of these mean and ways in which to achieve them by visiting their website

https://www.actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living