There’s an annual day to revel in joyfuless – the International Day of Happiness – celebrated on March 20 worldwide, and a global Happiness Research Institute dedicated to investigating why some societies are happier than others.
For the record, the institute’s 2023 World Happiness Report found New Zealand is the 10th happiest country on the planet.
For more than 80 years, Harvard academics have been analysing the elements of a happy life by following
724 men from teenage years to adulthood.
The study has identified that knowing when to let go, not sweating the small stuff and staying connected to family, friends and social networks are key ingredients in the happiness mix.
“Personal connection creates mental and emotional stimulation, which are automatic mood boosters, while isolation is a mood-buster,” reports psychiatry professor Dr Robert Waldinger.
