Happiness Survey

According to a happiness survey conducted recently by "Woman's Day" & AOL, the following were the results from a variety of questions asked of 12,000 women:

78% said that happiness was a choice.

56% said they hop out of bed in a good mood.

65% said that money cannot buy happiness.

22% said that having great sex for the rest of their lives would make them happiest while
56% said that winning the lottery would do it.

18% said that family was the key to happiness, while 3% said that time alone to themselves was.

67% said that they were happy enough when asked if they were happy, 22% said not very, and 11% said they were blissfully happy.

39% said optimistically, that their happiest days are ahead of them while 27% said that those days were behind them.

Now I will answer this survey (ooh, dare I?).

I do believe that happiness is a choice (some just don't know it).

I don't hop out of bed in a good mood (maybe I could fix that if I could just get enough sleep).

Money cannot buy happiness (but it sure adds to it).

Winning the lottery would make me happy just as great sex would (sorry, but it really is a
toss-up).

Close family ties is very important and makes you feel wonderful, but time alone is another is
just as important (another toss up and time alone is something I usually crave).

I am happy enough and believe that my happiest days are ahead of me.

Achieving Happiness

The results were out a few months ago regarding a survey of where the happiest people are. According to the survey, they are in Denmark. The US made 16th place (wow). Some of the things that the survey took into account were life satisfaction, unemployment rate, health care access, and basic education provision. While Denmark has a high tax rate (sometimes over 50% of income), it also has a broad range of social services. Denmark’s strength lays in its good quality public schools, low unemployment rate (about 2%), health care provision, and good retirement pensions. You might not get rich in Denmark but you can survive on a smaller salary. People seem to be more satisfied with their jobs and life overall.

While these things can contribute to life satisfaction and happiness, it is our own responsibility to actively seek to be happy. Happiness should be pursued, rather than rely on something or someone to make us happy.

Since our day to day activities puts the feeling of happiness out of minds, we need to focus on our intent to achieve it. Once we focus on it and start practicing it, it becomes a habit. Here are some ways:

 I highly believe in the saying: “Fake it until you make it”. If you tell yourself that you are happy and believe it, you will be. This goes hand in hand with smiling. If you don’t feel like smiling but make yourself smile, it will come naturally thus bringing you closer to happiness.

 Engage in activities that bring satisfaction and that are enjoyable.

 Think of how you feel when you are happy; it’s a feeling of giddiness and butterflies in your stomach. Take a moment and imagine it and try to retain the feeling.

 Concentrate on what you truly need in your life. The more we want, the more we acquire. Do material things lead to happiness, especially when you are drowning in debt and clutter?

 Seek people who are enjoyable to be around and who are optimistic. Talk happiness topics with them.

 Be aware of those negative moods and thoughts (anger, jealousy, sadness) and try to turn them around. Remember that tomorrow, whatever caused these feelings might be forgotten. Ask if it is worth to waste precious energy on these feelings?

 Maintain close friends and family relationships.

There are many ways that we can make ourselves happy and help those around us to do the same. It is our right, so let’s practice!