Summary

The World Happiness Report 2022 indicates a global increase in benevolence, a slight decrease in worry and stress, and a resilient positivity despite the pandemic, suggesting a positive trajectory for human happiness and well-being.

Abstract

The latest World Happiness Report reveals that, amidst the challenges of recent years, there has been a significant rise in acts of kindness and prosocial behavior worldwide. While stress and worry have seen a minor reduction, the overall trend points towards a more positive outlook on life, with positive emotions being twice as prevalent as negative ones. The report emphasizes the importance of social support, health, and financial stability as key contributors to happiness. It encourages individuals to cultivate strong social networks, maintain good health practices, and manage their finances effectively to enhance their personal well-being. The findings suggest that despite the ongoing pandemic, humanity has found ways to adapt and maintain a sense of happiness through community support and individual actions.

Opinions

The editor of the report notes a surprising global increase in benevolence, including charitable donations, volunteering, and helping strangers.
The report suggests that the pandemic may have shifted perceptions on helping others, leading to increased kindness and, consequently, happiness.
There is a recognition that while there has been a decrease in worry and stress, these remain significant societal issues that require ongoing attention.
The report highlights that positive emotions have been more common than negative ones during the pandemic, although negativity has not disappeared.
It is acknowledged that money can contribute to happiness by alleviating financial stress, with a mention of the $60,000-$ 75,000 income range being linked to emotional well-being.
The author emphasizes personal responsibility in building a social support system, improving health, and managing finances as means to increase one's happiness.
The report concludes that happiness is subjective and ultimately in the hands of individuals to define and pursue, suggesting that personal happiness can have a ripple effect on others.

The Latest World Happiness Report Should Be Music to Your Ears. Here’s Why.

It has high hopes for humanity

Another year, another happiness report, with little surprises about who won. Once again, the Nordic nations haven’t let experts down.

And that’s hardly surprising news to anyone who’s followed this stuff over the last few years.

But what’s a little surprising are some findings the latest report threw up. Perhaps it should surprise no one, given the context of the times we’ve found ourselves over the last few years.

With reports like this, it’s not about who can argue the parameters are wrong or right. It’s more about what you can learn from it and apply to your own life. Here are the three most promising highlights, and later, how to build your own happiness report.

Benevolence rose highest

Yes, there are still many wicked people out there committing atrocities by the second.

Also, many wealthy people are more interested in building up insane levels of wealth to rival many countries’ GDP while people within a 10-mile radius of them go to bed on an empty stomach.

Indeed, many people will only help another if they’re guaranteed to get something in return.

But all over the world, benevolence rose among many everyday people who’ve not lost touch with humanity.

“The big surprise was that globally, in an uncoordinated way, there have been very large increases in all the three forms of benevolence that are asked about in the Gallup World Poll,” notes one editor.

The three main measures of prosocial behavior — donating to charity, volunteering, and helping strangers — jumped by 25% compared to pre-pandemic days.

Probably the pandemic propelled that, considering the increased plight of some of the poorest in society. Maybe the pandemic has reshuffled our perception about helping others and helped us turn a new leaf.

But whatever the cause, we’re getting kinder. And since kindness increases happiness, we are on a safe course.

Worry and stress dropped slightly

While there were slight dips in value, we know worry and stress are still alarmingly high in society, and we can’t rest on our laurels.

I’ll even guess dips from 2020 levels aren’t something especially groundbreaking to be happy about — the first wave of the pandemic and the associated lockdowns rained untold worry on many.

By 2021, we had gotten used to some of those conditions, and it was understandable we were less troubled than we were a year earlier. But there’s still a lot of work to be done.

And one thing to do is produce your own happiness report.

Positivity isn’t dead and buried

We’ve found new ways to live more positively despite a novel virus that threatened to turn the world upside down. At least for many of us, as the virus raged on with no end in sight.

“Positive emotions have generally been twice as prevalent as negative ones,” the report noted.

But it doesn’t mean negativity went into hiding. A social media tracking exercise was enough evidence of that.

However, even despite all that, “Anger has remained low and stable in the global average, with large increases in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa offset by trend declines elsewhere,” the report found.

Scoring high on your own happiness scorecard

The survey touched on “healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita, social support, low corruption, high social trust, and freedom to make key decisions” as elements of happiness.

Yes, some of these factors are subjective, you could say. But some are also valid measures of happiness that could affect many people’s well-being.

It’s about finding which apply to you and how you can use them for your own good. Here are a few suggestions to increase your happiness score.

Build a solid social support system

One factor that ranked high on the criteria for compiling the happiness report was a solid social support network. It’s probably no news. Invest heavily in this aspect of life to become happier.

Well, the good news is that building that system starts with you. You’re the biggest constant in this equation, and you’re going to have to work on yourself to become a more desirable person worthy of a fitting social support system.

Work on your friendships, your pals on the job, your inner circle. They’ll be there for you, in times when you need them the most.

Do one more thing to boost your health (and lifespan)

Another factor in the happiness report was health. Of course, you can’t be happy when you’re not healthy. It’s possible, but unlikely. That means you have to grab your health by the scruff of the neck.

Whether it’s a healthier diet, better sleeping habits, or jealous attention to your mental health, you’ll find one missing factor that’ll help boost your health.

Or maybe it’s something you need to cut from your life: smoking, alcohol, gadgets, etc.

The options are a dime a dozen these days. Enthusiasts and specialists abound online and around your city, and you have little excuse to let your health rot.

Your finances can’t go down the drain

They say money can’t buy happiness, but it can help take away lots of financial stress. Many people cite debt as the top stressor, while many Americans worry about financing their retirement.

For many people, even a little money can go a long way in changing their lives forever. Some more money will make them happier. Maybe with the rising cost of living, the $60,000 — $75,000 threshold is shaking.

Whatever! Most people could use a little extra cash.

I’m far from a financial planner to give expert financial advice. The generic ones like don’t overspend what you earn, get another income stream (if you can), build up emergency reserves, and cut down on bad debt are still valid.

Guess who has the last word

These options may work for most people, but none of that may move your happiness needle. That may be a good thing, though. It then throws the ball of happiness right into your hands.

Catch it, run with it. Find what makes you happy and go for it. Only you can define what happiness means to you, and often, you’re the best person to make it happen. Or at least the first person to make a move.

In the end, it’s all about you. Your happiness will make others happy and spill over into the world.

Before you go.

I have a small favor to ask. If you found what you just read helpful and you’d love to support my work, can you buy me a cup of coffee here?. No worries if you can’t at this time. You can grab my free writing guide here or become a Medium member through my link. Thanks for reading. It means the world to me.