I am going to discuss the level of happiness in three countries, based on the World Database of Happiness. It takes into account a number of different things, such as average life expectancy and the most importantly, the answer to the multiple choice question about how happy people are.
There are two main types of measures: verbal, when people have to choose one suitable statement and numeral, when they have to quantify their life. Such investigation has been done for several years, but I am going to submit only the latest data. I chose three European countries: Estonia, Greece and Norway.
First of all, about Norway. The average life expectancy in this country is 79 years. Norway is in the 3rd place of the richest countries in the world, but not in the list of 10 happiest nations. The average verbal measure type of happiness is about 5,3 from a range 1 to 7. The average of numeral measure type is 8,07 from a range 1 to 10. Speaking about life satisfaction, the average of verbal measure is 4,17 from a range 1 to 5 whereas the numeral is 7,8 from a range 0 to 10.
Secondly, about Greece. The average life expectancy in this country is the same as in Norway – 79 years, but the level of happiness is smaller. Verbal measure of happiness shows that Greeks are fairly happy; the average is 2,9 from a range 1-4. the average score of numeral measure of happiness is 7,4. moreover they are fairly satisfied with their lives – the average of verbal measure is 2,2 and of numeral 6,6.
Estonians seems to be less happy. The average life expectancy in this country is 72 years. According to verbal measure of happiness, they are fairly happy; the average is 4,1 from a range 1 to 7 and the average of numeral measure is 7. What about life satisfaction, Estonians tend to be not very satisfied, because the score from verbal measure is 2,7 and from numeral only 5,8.
Speaking about factors, which have influence on the level of happiness in these countries, I would like to say, that it is hard to distinguish certain elements. But in my opinion, there is no doubt, that economy plays the main role. In order to be happy, people have not only to provide themselves with food and shelter, but also find time and money for entertainments, travel, cultural life. People want to be sure about their future, that means social security is extremely important for them. Since early times Norway was very strong and stable in economy. Even nowadays people emigrate from other countries to live and work here. Greece recently experienced a financial crisis and Estonians were in the Soviet Union for a very long time and have no opportunities to develop strong economy and establish themselves in a top richest countries. Also it is very common to think, that climat affect people's mood. According to these results, it is not true. Because Greece is in the South, where it is warm and sunny, and Norway is in north, but the level of happiness is not linked to this. This research only confirm, that life expectancy and happiness are highly related.
Speaking generally, I would like to add, that it is also very important political situation. War, various conflicts and repressions affect society very strongly and if people are satisfied with their government, perhaps, they will feel more happier about life in that country.
To sum up, happiness is a very subjective feeling, but it is scientifically proved that it consists not only of certain emotions, but also of more precise factors which can be established, measured and evaluated by such surveys.
10 keys to happier living. What make people happy?
1.Giving. Do things for others
2.Relating. Connect with people.
People with strong and broad social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Close relationships with family and friends provide love, meaning, support and increase our feelings of self worth. Broader networks bring a sense of belonging.
3. Exercising. Take care of your body
Our body and our mind are connected. Being active makes us happier as well as being good for our physical health. It instantly improves our mood and can even lift us out of a depression. We don't all need to run marathons - there are simple things we can all do to be more active each day.
4. Appreciating. Notice the world around.
We just need to stop and take notice. Learning to be more mindful and aware can
do wonders for our well-being in all areas of life - like our walk to work, the way we eat or our relationships.
5. Trying out. Keep learning new things
Learning affects our well-being in lots of positive ways. It exposes us to new ideas and helps us stay curious and engaged. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps boost our self-confidence and resilience. There are many ways to learn new things - not just through formal qualifications. We can share a skill with friends, join a club, learn to sing, play a new sport and so much more.
6. Direction. Have goals to look forward to
Feeling good about the future is important for our happiness. We all need goals to
motivate us and these need to be challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. If we try to attempt the impossible this brings unnecessary stress. Choosing ambitious but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve them.
7. Resilience. Find ways to bounce back
All of us have times of stress, loss, failure or trauma in our lives. But how we respond to these has a big impact on our well-being. We often cannot choose what happens to us, but in principle we can choose our own attitude to what happens. In practice it’s not always easy, but one of the most exciting findings from recent research is that resilience, like many other life skills, can be learned.
8. Emotion. Take a positive approach
Positive emotions – like joy, gratitude, contentment, inspiration, and pride – are not just great at the time. Recent research shows that regularly experiencing them creates an 'upward spiral', helping to build our resources. So although we need to be realistic about life's ups and downs, it helps to focus on the good aspects of any situation – the glass half full rather than the glass half empty.
9. Acceptance. Be comfortable with who you are
No-one's perfect. But so often we compare our insides to other people's outsides.
Dwelling on our flaws - what we're not rather than what we've got - makes it much harder to be happy. Learning to accept ourselves, warts and all, and being kinder to ourselves when things go wrong, increases our enjoyment of life, our resilience and our well-being. It also helps us accept others as they are.
10. Meaning. Be part of something bigger
People who have meaning and purpose in their lives are happier, feel more in control and get more out of what they do. They also experience less stress, anxiety and depression. But where do we find 'meaning and purpose'? It might be our religious faith, being a parent or doing a job that makes a difference. The answers vary for each of us but they all involve being connected to something bigger than ourselves.
Honestly, I can not oppose to any point, because in my opinion, they are really clear and so accurate that it will be impossible to say something against. I would like only to add, that, perhaps, every person know these things, but it is very hard to rely on them in daily life, when people have to cope with stress, face with various problems and very often they feel hopeless to change something. So my advice will be to print these 10 keys and hang them on the wall, fridge, mirror in the bathroom or any other place and read them everyday in order not only to remember them perfectly, but also to make them the rules of your life.
I have already hung them on the wall in my workplace :)
References:
http://www.financialjesus.com/
http://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/
http://www.actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living
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