Happiest People on Earth: Can You Be One of Them?

 

The link between happiness and health is indisputable. It is so much so that the two can hardly exist without one another. Ask Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama and the highest spiritual Tibetan leader, and he is famous to have said that "happiness is the highest form of health." 

I agree. 

Staying healthy without being happy is next to impossible and a low life satisfaction is almost certain to derail one's health sooner or later. All that promote happiness, or subjective well-being, then, are likely to improve one's health outcomes, too. 

But, life has inescapable ups and downs and we all experience loss, failure and disappointment -- some more than others -- as our journeys progress and we age. So the question is how do we stay happy regardless?

Here, I will propose a certain state of mind that allows people to attest to a solid, thick body of contentment with their lives no matter what: Core happiness. It is an uninterrupted experience of perfection in one's self-perception. You may also call it meaning.

Nobel Laureate in Physics in 1980, James Watson Cronin thought so. Decades later, he is remembered with the following quote:

"When I ask myself, 'Who are the happiest people on the planet?' my answer is, 'Those who can't wait to wake up in the morning to get back to what they were doing the day before.'"

 

The obvious way to interpret Cronin's approach to happiness is that it relies on a life-long commitment and dedication. One fundamental mistake, however, would be to equalize it to the pursuit of a scientific discovery because Cronin was a scientist and apparently his type of intense engagement was to Physics. 

No, it can be anything that excites and inspires and keeps you going. While it is photography for some, it is poetry for others. Some may equally find such purpose and eternal joy in medicine, environmental conservation, philanthropy or dance -- you name it. The key is it is entirely personal and there is no hierarchy between them.

Getting to Know Your Inner Self

Next, let's discuss where to look and how to identify what particular engagement we need to establish to be as happy. What should be the thing that you cannot wait to get back to? 

Lucky you if that is already clear because it is where many people face a major bottleneck and simply crack. Truth be told, far too many of us don't know our true selves as much as we know others. It is beyond sad and I just cannot stand the disservice it does. 

Now, allow me the liberty to suggest the following three-pillar method for a successful self discovery:

1. Never Give Up Looking

The best way to kick-off the process is to start asking questions to yourself: What is missing in my life? Doing what makes me lose track of time and I still do not regret having spent even a single more minute on it? Anybody can come up with similar inquiries. They are classic. However, the answers are not always as straightforward. In their absence, most grow tired and eventually give up looking for them. 

Granted, life just does not stop while you try to identify your ideal endeavor in it. It just goes on. So should your pursuit of an answer. Stimulating your brain for a continued search will ultimately produce the desired results. Both awake and in sleep, it will stay on the task and continue building connections between where you are and where you should rather be. 

Go ahead and challenge yourself. Search. Fail. And search some more. Just keep looking because quitting is no panacea. 

2. Let Hope Overtake Fears

Instilling continuity is terrific but one mistake commonly made in this process is letting fears overwhelm the search. Worries such as "This sounds right but where will I find the time or the resources to do it? I have zero outside support, how will I keep up?" force people to stop dreaming. Indeed, such obstacles perceived in design could kill even the greatest projects. When you face a similar conundrum, remember that what you are up to could transform your entire life and give you all the happiness in the world. So, is it not worth another consideration or two? Choose hope over fear when you make plans.

3. Be Ready to Work Hard 

And finally, once it is clear what it is that you need to do in life, you should also be ready to give it your 100 percent. I am afraid anything less runs the risk of reversing your course and might force you to settle for something average while you could have had monumental accomplishments. Better keep in mind that half measures are not measures. They just give an appearance and could at best save the day. Nothing more!