The feature image in this post is a talking point on the journey to happiness. We associate happy moments with positive memories. Nice to be on a sailing boat with not a care in the world! Let us think further.
If you are happy clap your hands
The origin of “If You’re Happy and You Know It (Clap Your Hands)” is unknown. Some say it was a Latvian folk song that was translated into English. The music is attributed to Isaak Dunayevsky, as his song “Molodejnaya” (which was written for the 1938 Soviet film Volga-Volga) is almost identical (Wikipedia, 2022).
But what if you are not happy?
Well, there are solutions. Professor Martin Seligman, a guru on positive psychology, gives the advice of thinking about three happy things. It is effective. Try that.
And a happy spirited song to go with that?
Let me recommend you this one: All kinds of everything by Dana Rosemary Scallon.
Take home message
The journey to happiness is achievable. Happy memories holds the strategy.
In the next post we will talk about not giving way to unhappiness.
Until then — clap your hands as often as you can.
Dr LG Goh
Dr GOH Lee Gan is a retired Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, National University Health System. He has an interest in learning and teaching how we can age well everyday (AWE).
