Happiness, let alone bliss, is definitely a complex experience that can be tricky to attain.
Just check the 2024 World Happiness Report put out by Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board.
If you haven't read it, consider doing so. It’s a quick skim that reflects participants’ evaluations of their lives.
The score includes these variables:
Subjective well-being (SWB): 10 is “best possible life
GDP per capita: used to measure a country’s prosperity
Healthy life expectancies at birth
Social support: “having someone to count on in times of trouble”
Freedom to make life choices
Generosity: how much you donate to charity per year
Corruption perception regarding the government and businesses
Positive affect: how much you laugh and smile daily
Negative affect: how often you’re sad, angry or worried per day
Institutional trust: how much you trust the government, judiciary, elections, local police and business
The happiness ranking for 2021-2023 puts these three at the top: Finland, followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. The United Kingdom is 20, followed by Slovenia, United Arab Emirates and the US, which has been declining since 2008. Afghanistan is at the bottom behind Lebanon, Lesotho and Sierra Leone.
And here’s an interesting tidbit:
“The World Happiness Report and much of the growing international interest in happiness exist thanks to Bhutan. They sponsored Resolution 65/309, “Happiness: Towards a holistic approach to development,” adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 19 July 2011, inviting national governments to “give more importance to happiness and well-being in determining how to achieve and measure social and economic development.”
How would you rate your happiness on a scale of 1 - 10?
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For updates about Martha’s forthcoming books, news and giveaways, subscribe to her website: MarthaEngber.com.
SCATTERED LIGHT, a novel, sequel to WINTER LIGHT (Nov. 2025)
THE FALCON, THE WOLF AND THE HUMMINGBIRD a historical novel
BLISS ROAD, a memoir
WINTER LIGHT, a novel
THE WIND THIEF, a novel
GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS, a resource for writers
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