03 Jul What makes Australia happy?
SCOTT BEVAN: On the international indexes of happiness, Australia always scores well, near the top of the table.
But what is it that makes us such a happy nation?
Researchers from Deakin University think they have the answer.
They've conducted almost 30 surveys over 12 years to produce the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index.
Leader of the team, Professor Robert Cummins, says the research has identified the three essential keys to happiness.
He's speaking here with Rachel Carbonell.
ROBERT CUMMINS: The results, at the end, compress down to a very simple formula for people to think about in terms of maintaining their normal levels of happiness, and we call this the golden triangle.
The corners of the triangle are three. There is relationships, there is of course money, and the third is something that engages people, something that gets them out of bed in the morning and gets them excited about the day to come.
RACHEL CARBONELL: And what are the minimum requirements in each of those three areas for somebody to feel happy?
ROBERT CUMMINS: The relationships one is the strongest of the three corners and, in that, people need a single intimate relationship. It doesn't need to be a sexual relationship, but it needs to be emotionally intimate, somebody who can share the good times and the bad times, somebody who cares for you enough to look after you.
As with all of these three areas, more is not better. So, having more than one intimate relationship doesn't seem to be any better. In fact, in many ways it's not as good as having a single one.
But, having that relationship is incredibly important and people who lack an intimate relationship are at much higher risk of the difficulties in life overwhelming them and causing them to lose their normal levels of positivity…
…keep reading the full & original interview/article HERE