"I am going to buy your book today and sign up for your change tips. Thank you for your help." -Jana
Read More Testimonials»

Our Being Happier Experts

Michael Anthony

Michael Anthony

Teacher and author of How to be Happy and Have Fun Changing...

Shared by First30Days View Profile»
Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss

Entrepreneur and best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek

Shared by First30Days View Profile»
M.J. Ryan

M.J. Ryan

Creator of the Random Acts of Kindness series

Shared by First30Days View Profile»

Meet all of our New Directions Experts»

News

The latest news on this change — carefully culled from the world wide web by our change agents. They do the surfing, so you don't have to!

June 20: The Happiest Day

June 20: The Happiest Day

A researcher by the name of Cliff Arnall at the University of Cardiff’s Center for Lifelong Learning has deemed June 20th “the happiest day of the year.” He arrived at this conclusion by looking at factors that affect people’s happiness: weather, seasons, an approaching holiday and the fact that June 20th is a Friday.

 
OK, maybe pinning down a particular day seems a little silly, but the beginning of summer does hold a lot of promise. The temperatures are milder than the later summer months, you may be looking forward to a vacation and lunch breaks can be taken outside.
 
Chandra Palmer, a regular white-collar worker, comments on the outdoors/happiness connection: “It’s just like a mini-vacation from work. I walk into work after lunch feeling like I haven’t been there yet. It’s a fresh start.”

Do you agree with summer being an overall happier season? Do you enjoy work better even if the hours are the same? [Indianapolis Star]
Posted: 6/20/08
skerplatd

Absolutely, I agree. My kids tell me I am "Solar-powered" and the longer days of summer make a huge difference in my mood, what I can cheerfully accomplish and how much satisfaction I have in my life in general. This doesn't mean that I can't be happy otherwise, but a day without sunshine is a day without sunshine! And sometimes I just have to accept that and make my own happiness.