Tomorrow’s an interesting day. Far from being an ordinary Monday, tomorrow is National Happiness Happens Day.

If you’re like me, your first thought might have been that National Happiness Happens Day sounds kind of ridiculous. At first, the motto happiness happens might sound a little sappy, a relative of the I’m okay, you’re okay types of phrases we’ve heard for so many years.

But the group behind National Happiness Happens Day has an interesting agenda. The group is the Secret Society of Happy People, a group that encourages people to share happiness with others.

I think that the society’s agenda is refreshing. I can be pretty cynical and sarcastic. Being negative about some things comes easily to me, although I’m trying to curb that impulse. If you read the comments section on any Internet page, you’ll see that many other people are similarly negative.

Why is this so? Why is negativity the norm? Are we afraid of being happy and positive? Are we afraid that other people will make fun of us for showing happiness or enthusiasm?

This is despite the fact that being positive and celebrating happiness can reap such big rewards. I’ve been trying to be less negative lately, and I think it’s helped. I think my family and friends appreciate the more positive me, and I know that it’s helped me considerably.

Since I’ve made a commitment to be more positive, I’ve tried more things, laughed more, and freaked out less over little things. I’m not positive about everything all of the time, but I don’t dwell on the negative stuff as long as I once did.

I’m making an effort to make happiness happen. Other people can do the same. This effort might require help such as therapy, self-reflection, the support of others, or a combination of those factors. But with effort and help, I’m convinced that happiness can happen.