6 lessons from the world’s happiest people

6 lessons from the world’s happiest people

via the Ladders by Mayo Oshin

According to a Gallup survey of citizens across 145 countries, “the world is more stressed, worried, sad and in pain today than we’ve ever seen it.”

Negative emotions of worry, stress, sadness, anger, and physical pain are at an all-time high across the globe.

But there are a small handful of people, who live a much less stressful and happier life than the rest of the world.

What can we learn from the world’s happiest people on the secrets to happiness in life and work?

The Secret to Lasting Happiness

Over the past 15 years, Dan Buettner—a National Geographic researcher and New York Times best-selling author—has been exploring the healthiest and happiest places in the world, to uncover the secrets of happiness and longevity.

In his book, The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons From the World’s Happiest People(Audiobook), Buettner reveals his findings from visiting three of the world’s happiest places: Singapore, the Cartago region of Costa Rica and the city of Aalborg in Denmark.

For example, in Denmark, Buettner discovered that Danes have ample time to find the right career for long term satisfaction, because higher education is free for citizens, and it takes the average university student approximately 6.6 years to graduate.

In addition, Danes work fewer hours—an average of 27.6 hours per week, compared to 34.4 in the U.S—and there’s no stigma to clocking off early to spend time with family, exercise or participate in club activities.

The Danes also practice Hygge—the art of creating a nice atmosphere of relaxation and togetherness. It includes candlelit tables, family time, reading, playing games, and social interactions without electronic distractions.

In Costa Rica, Buettner discovered that Costa Ricans live in close-knit communities and enjoy the pleasure of living daily life; people smile at each other and interact with their friends and neighbors.

They get together each day to watch sports and play music, gather for meals with their families on the weekend, and regularly practice their faith as Roman Catholics.

On the other end of the earth in Singapore, Buettner discovered that most Singaporeans hold unto Confucian values, which favor the welfare of the group over that of the individual.

They subscribe to ideals of social harmony including family honor, working hard and respecting elders.

Whilst the people within each of these countries may seem to be worlds apart, Buettner discovered that they all share a common theme: financial security, a strong community and a sense of purpose.

Here are 6 lessons from the world’s happiest people to help you live a happier and healthier life.

6 Lessons on Happiness

1. Surround yourself with happy people

According to Christakis, a social scientist, and researcher at Yale University, your social network is the primary driver of your happiness and well-being.

For example, Christakis discovered that if a friend of yours living within a mile of your home becomes happy, you’re 25 percent more likely to become happy.

In addition, an extensive study into the spread of emotions within social networks discovered that keeping contact with a sad person could double your odds of becoming unhappy, compared to the positive effect of keeping contact with a happy person.

The implications of this are simple but tough to swallow: minimize time spent with negative people and maximize time spent with positive people…

…keep reading the full & original article HERE