August is Happiness Happens Month and it’s celebrating its 25th Anniversary thanks to the Society of Happy People formerly known as the Secret Society of Happy People. Their goals included, “encouraging happy people to talk about being happy even more and creating a space for happy people to connect.” While The Wellness Center is not affiliated with a Secret Society of Happy People, we do consider ourselves one of the happiest places in the NEK! While we find happiness happens every month, we want to encourage you to find it this month too! Time to let go of the worries and grasp on to the happies!
Just like the song Bobby McFerrin wrote, The Wellness Center is a place that welcomes you to “Don’t worry be happy!” When you join a constructive setting that allows all people to come together for the greater good of one’s health and well-being, there is contentment found among them that can’t be duplicated. At The Wellness Center we welcome all ages from children to teens, pre/post-natal moms to folks in their 90’s. All are encouraged to come and seek something that brings greater enrichment and health into their lives, or simply said, “wellness.” Wellness is a state of being in good health, and what follows people who are feeling good, in good health or in active pursuit of better health? A lot of happy people! You may also find other places that welcome this kind of joy too! Chances are, you’ll know as soon as you enter because happiness is contagious!
It is in groups of like-minded people who are actively engaging in positive lifestyle choices that happiness abounds. There are a few ways this happens. Physically our bodies produce a “feel-good” or in this case “happy” chemical that rewards us for our good work. There is an added emotional benefit of happiness. The sensation of happiness is contagious. Surrounding yourself with a group of people who are sharing in something positive can lead to a higher success rate towards your goals, more encouragement and support from your peers, and in general a chance to interact with happy people. This wave of sheer contentment can be found at The Wellness Center or even where just two people meet. Surround yourself with people looking for the same things – in this case, happiness. All it takes is one person to bring “the happy.” At The Wellness Center there is the added benefit of a certified instructor whose main task is to offer you a fun-filled or “happy” experience.
Are there facts to back this up? Sure! According to their website http://victoria.ymca.org the YMCA Victoria (Australia) surveyed 3,000 members at their different fitness facilities to rate their “happiness” before and after their chosen activity. Seventy-five percent of those surveyed said they felt “happier” after exercising. Even better, 10.7 % reported feeling elated! The members were all part of different programs including walking, running, swimming, cycling, group fitness classes and others. Specifically, the “group fitness” people reported they felt the happiest. In conclusion, the survey found that over 85% of all those respondents felt either happy or elated after exercise.
If you are looking to forget your worries and “be happy,” or even just to make new friends, try something new or get out of the house, consider paying us a visit or giving The Wellness Center a call at 802-334-5566. We are a non-profit, non-competitive fitness facility that has been spreading fun, health, and fitness in our community for over 40 years. Perhaps you haven’t come back to the “gym,” since covid entered the picture, or maybe you’ve never joined an organized wellness class. No worries! You are not alone. We welcome new people daily! Some who’ve never worked out, just recovering from surgery, or giving birth, all the way to marathoners and body builders. We welcome all and that makes us happy!
This August and all year long, let’s seek ways to add more happiness into our own lives by engaging in positive activities with positive people. Do something nice for yourself; better yet, do something nice for someone else. Volunteer your time, share something from your garden, give a stranger a compliment… all of these are little ways we can create our own secret society of happy people right here in the NEK. Let’s spread the happiness as much as we can this month, so that the momentum keeps it going for months to come. You can also find The Wellness Center on Facebook and check out our Clown Comedy show happening this Saturday and the 31 days of Happiness Calendar to find a few more smiles in the month ahead. Let’s do this together, don’t worry, be happy!
Mary Hoadley
Director of The Wellness Center