We live in a world where most people are unhappy for one reason or another hence the high cases of depression. People have defined happiness to consist of material things or a particular status and because that is lacking, they are unhappy.
The interesting thing to note is that the happiest people in the world today are found in the least materialistic societies. Ed Diener, a University of Illinois Psychologist observes that “materialism is toxic for happiness”.
In an article titled, “Psychologists now know what makes people happy”, (New York Times of Sept 2009), Marilyn Elias wrote that “ it was apparent that the happiest people surround themselves with family and friends, don’t care about keeping up with the Joneses next door, lose themselves in daily activities and most importantly forgive easily”.
Happiness is individually defined and when people stop looking outside of themselves to be happy then they start to find happiness in the simple day to day things. This was indeed established in a recent survey done in the three East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania on the level of happiness of the people in the region.
Kenyans came up top as the happiest and the most optimistic in the region and had a happiness score of 79% compared to Tanzanian 69% and Ugandans 63%. The survey on happiness was conducted by Coca Cola and is based on a theory emerging from Bhutan a state in Asia recommending the “use of the national mood instead of economic statistics as a measure of social development”.
A good health as opposed to money, to most Kenyans is what makes them happy. Further more “money means less for the self employed than the employed”. Perhaps being in control of one's ife through self employment, is more pay than being subject to the whims of an employer.
Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/502422_what-is-your-source-for-happiness#ixzz1Nwtvrz18
The interesting thing to note is that the happiest people in the world today are found in the least materialistic societies. Ed Diener, a University of Illinois Psychologist observes that “materialism is toxic for happiness”.
In an article titled, “Psychologists now know what makes people happy”, (New York Times of Sept 2009), Marilyn Elias wrote that “ it was apparent that the happiest people surround themselves with family and friends, don’t care about keeping up with the Joneses next door, lose themselves in daily activities and most importantly forgive easily”.
Happiness is individually defined and when people stop looking outside of themselves to be happy then they start to find happiness in the simple day to day things. This was indeed established in a recent survey done in the three East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania on the level of happiness of the people in the region.
Kenyans came up top as the happiest and the most optimistic in the region and had a happiness score of 79% compared to Tanzanian 69% and Ugandans 63%. The survey on happiness was conducted by Coca Cola and is based on a theory emerging from Bhutan a state in Asia recommending the “use of the national mood instead of economic statistics as a measure of social development”.
A good health as opposed to money, to most Kenyans is what makes them happy. Further more “money means less for the self employed than the employed”. Perhaps being in control of one's ife through self employment, is more pay than being subject to the whims of an employer.
Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/502422_what-is-your-source-for-happiness#ixzz1Nwtvrz18
