SEPTEMBER IS FRIENDSHIP MONTH
Friendship Month is something you can recognize privately by spending more time with your friends and appreciating them. Or even getting back in touch with people who you used to be friends with but have since lost touch with.
For other people, Friendship Month is an opportunity to reach out to new people and make friends with them. We’re never too old to make new friends and that’s something that more people are now realizing; in part, thanks to Friendship Month.
History
Pamela Gail Johnson is the Founder of The Secret Society of Happy People (SOHP) and is quoted as saying “I started the Secret Society of Happy People in 1998 to provide a missing voice for those who are happy and want to express it without having other people rain on their parade. (Boo, Hiss!)”.
The Secret Society of Happy People started celebrating happiness with Admit You’re Happy Day on August 8, 1999. But their members wanted to let the happy feeling linger a little longer, so in 2000 they expanded the celebration to the entire month of August. Eventually the month was renamed Happiness Happens Day and Month.
How to Celebrate Happiness Happens Month
Happiness Happens Day encourages people to take stock of their lives and try to do and think about things that make them happy and to share this joy with others. Here are some ways to celebrate this happy day:
Do something nice for yourself – after all, happiness starts at home. Make someone else happy by doing something nice for them. It can be something as simple as giving up your seat on the bus to someone else or a more elaborate gesture like volunteering your time and money to a charity of your choice.
Studies have found that volunteering doesn’t only help people bring joy in their lives but can also help them live longer. Don a pair of silver shades (because happy people always see the silver lining), laugh (laughter is still the best medicine), smile (and the world smiles with you). The Secret Society of Happy People are having a 31 Days ~ 31 Happiness Challenges.
September 6, 2020 is World Suicide Prevention Day
There’s been a rising epidemic in the US, and that epidemic is suicide. If we don’t know someone who had committed suicide, it’s almost certain that we know someone who has attempted it. Suicide is a problem that affects all age groups, genders, and social strata, and it seems sometimes to be utterly inescapable. World Suicide Prevention Day raises awareness about this tragic issue and works to prevent it through education and support of those who struggle with suicidal ideation every day.
History of World Suicide Prevention Day
It’s a tragic situation, with the death toll coming in at 42,773 people committing suicide each year in the United States alone, and for each one of those 25 people made the attempt. Over the world it’s even greater, an estimated 800,000 people commit suicide each year throughout the world, which is one every 40 seconds. What’s incredible is that just like the US statistic, it’s estimated that 25 times that attempt it, 4 million people over the world every year. There’s something of a ripple down effect that happens as well, those bereaved by the loss of a loved one to suicide are themselves more likely to commit suicide.
Thankfully there are organizations like the World Health Organization who fight to combat this epidemic. With the philosophy of ‘Connect, Communicate, Care’ they work to create a world in which suicide rates are reduced or even eliminated.
How to celebrate World Suicide Prevention Day
Celebrating World Suicide Prevention Day involves working to help fight suicide. One of the most effective techniques for this is following the ideals listed above. Connect with those who you discover may be in some form of emotional distress or considering suicide. Let them know they aren’t alone, and feel free to share bits of yourself in return, true connection requires a sharing, and those who are considering suicide are often adept at detecting false ones.
The Third Full Week of September is National Construction Appreciation Week
National Construction Appreciation Week recognizes the dedicated, hard-working men and women instrumental in the development of our infrastructure. The truth is, construction contributes much more to our nation than job sites, orange cones, pouring concrete and traffic delays. This five-day tribute celebrates the sacrifice and tireless effort put forth to keep our country going.
History of National Construction Appreciation Week
In 2018, I Build America founded National Construction Appreciation Week to honor the dedicated men and women in the construction industry building America. Recognizing this foundational industry, the week seeks to open a dialogue concerning the communities they build.
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