Happiness, wellness and well-being are all terms that get used quite often! We talk about it all the time, but do we actually know how to be happy? Or what that even means? And as it was recently International Happiness day on the 20th March, The World Happiness Report surveyed 156 countries by the happiness levels. The main focus of the World Happiness Report this year was not only the usual ranking of the levels and changes in happiness around the world but was on migration within and between countries.
The overall rankings of country happiness are based on the pooled results from Gallup World Poll surveys from 2015-2017. There is a new top ranking country, Finland! Although four different countries have held top spot in the past most recent reports – Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, but now Finland take the top spot!
So, what can we learn from them to maintain overall midlife happiness and wellbeing? One Finish lady – Mari 42, turning 43 tells us why Finish people are so happy “I have always felt that anything is possible, if I want to do something in my life, it’s just a matter of making my dreams become reality. Also, my home country feels safe. I don’t feel I have to be afraid. I furthermore feel I have equal opportunities as a woman.” Read more about her story here.
1. If you want to be happy, be kind!
Despite Finland being the richest place on earth they tend to have the highest levels of happiness due to a couple of key variables: trust and generosity, they also offer a lot of social support too. This may seem like a very obvious point to many of us, but also is a very important factor to consider and as individuals, we should all do a little bit whether that’s offering kindness or smiling to people we encounter every day.
2. Take up an activity for social enjoyment
This tends to increase overall personal happiness and wellness: Finnish people love to Tango! So maybe try something you might enjoy and get fit at the same time “What a bonus!” i.e. Zumba, Yoga or Pilates.
3. Re-evaluate your priorities in life!
Stop doing the things that make you unhappy and more of things that make you happy, don’t just accept a life that you are unhappy with, it’s never too late! The World Happiness Report relies on a simple strategy – “Imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom and 10 at the very top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder do you personally feel you stand at this time of your life? The country average score ranged from Finland at 7.6 to Burundi’s at 2.9.
4. Be Green… Recycle more!
Finland is one of the most eco-friendly places on earth, In fact, it ranked top in the 2016 Environmental Performance Index, which handed Finland a rating of 90.68, beating its nearest rival Iceland (90.51), and neighbour Sweden (90.43). So do your bit to save the planet, whether that is recycling plastic bottles, taking your own carrier bags to do the weekly grocery shop, not littering in public, especially throwing litter out of your car window, walking more instead of driving, if convenient and that’s only the bare minimum.
5, Generate happiness at work
As well ensuring that as individuals we are happy in the jobs that we are in as it is not all about the money these days, you must offer kindness to those you work with as that will add a smile to their day. Don’t just stay in a job because it pays more! A few things might help with this: having a good family support network, a good night sleep every night, taking regular exercise and taking regular breaks and holidays to reward yourself.
So, together let’s all become a happier nation! We would love to hear your thoughts or simply help us grow our community by subscribing and sharing with friends to receive more content like this directly to your inbox.
