The Day

International Day of Happiness came and went on March 20. Did you celebrate? Or were you too busy? Or worse, did you miss it altogether? I’m assuming that you, like most, were unaware of it. Since everyone wants to be happy, let’s revisit Happiness Day and see if we can ratchet up your happiness a bit.

The Survey

Two weeks ago, the 2024 World Happiness Report was released. It ranks countries on the overall happiness of its citizens, conducted with a representative sample of each country’s population.

While overall happiness in America has dipped a bit, one of the surprises of this survey is that Americans over age 60 are significantly happier (ranked 10^th globally) than Americans under age 30 (ranked 62^nd globally). This is contrary to so many younger people around the world, who report being significantly happier than their American counterparts.

One conclusion might suggest that Americans have to work hard, sacrifice, and pay their dues in hopes that one day they might be happy. This would be a false conclusion because it’s just the opposite.

The Research

The research conducted by Dr. Ed Diener  discovered that those who found happiness earlier in life were the ones who experienced happy, successful careers and relationships. And he found that, without exception, the happiest people are ones who give back and contribute to others. Acts of kindness, volunteering and donating to causes are examples he cited.

In addition to giving back, a second factor that cultivates happiness is a social network. Your sense of happiness, or subjective wellbeing, is largely based on your assessment of your relationships. Do you have one that is supportive? This is why connecting with others in meaningful ways matters a lot. Managers are realizing the value (and difficulty) of connecting with their virtual direct reports. Work relationships have an impact on the quality of work, overall engagement and mental health of their staff.

Your Responsibility

There are other factors that you already know about, like taking care of yourself, developing appropriate routines and practices and maintaining a positive attitude. So, rather than waiting for another year to recognize the Day of Happiness, let’s remember the importance of developing a happiness disposition as early as possible by strengthening healthy relationships.