American adventurer Christopher Johnson McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, whose story you might know from the movie Into The Wild, said that “Happiness is only real, when shared.”
And while the things that make people happy differ from person to person, sharing them—be it food, music, a smile, a kind word, or anything else—is likely to lift others’ spirits regardless. A study carried out with the help of some happy 3- and 5-year-olds found that when not forced, sharing is emotionally rewarding, which means it promotes happiness. The latter, as we know, is only real when shared, so feeling happy and spreading happiness can seemingly create a circle of positive emotions, which can have a positive effect on a person’s well-being.
Being happy can have a positive effect not only on those around you, but on you and your body, as well. The American Heart Association emphasizes that happiness is an important component to maintaining physical health.
According to Dr. Laura Kubzansky, co-director of the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, the connection between mental and physical health is reflected in many factors. In a study Dr. Kubzansky co-authored, she linked an optimistic mindset to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as a lower risk of death.
"The evidence is increasingly strong," she told the American Heart Association. "What we do about it will be an interesting question. Long before you get to the cardiologist, you and your primary care physician should be talking about your psychological state."
Being mindful of your psychological state and looking for ways to be happy in life is now arguably more important than ever. According to a report from 2022, nearly 45% of surveyed respondents—over 12,000 of them in 14 different countries—have not felt true happiness for more than two years, which might negatively affect both their mental and physical well-being.
#11
According to the aforementioned report, people are seeking to turn things around, though, and taking action to bring happiness back in their lives – as much as 88% of respondents said they were looking for new experiences to make them smile or laugh.
Moreover, the majority of respondents shared trying to prioritize their health, personal connections, and experiences in order to become happier.
#12
#13
In some countries, people seem to be more successful in their pursuit of happiness than others, and, according to data from 2019, crowning the list of the latter is The Land Down Under, together with the Great White North. Yes, according to the Global Happiness Study from six years ago, Australia and Canada were the two happiest countries, where as much as 88% people said they were either “very” happy or “rather” happy. The two were followed closely on the list by China and Britain (both 83%) and France (80%).
First on the other end of the list were Argentina, Spain, and Russia with only 34%, 46%, and 47% of “very” or “rather” happy people respectively.
#17
According to the Global Happiness Study, the main source of the fuzzy wonderful feeling people experience is their health. Data suggests that it’s the greatest source of happiness for more than half of the respondents, followed closely by their children, their relationship with their partner or spouse, as well as a sense of meaning and a sense of safety and security in life.
#18
In addition to health and relationships and other significant sources of happiness, there are plenty of little things that can make us happier, too, even if just a little bit. And if you ask me, lists like this one are among them. So, if you’ve enjoyed the rush of serotonin it brought, continue to browse our category of all things wholesome for more, and share it with your friends, to bring just a little bit of happiness into their lives.