I visited the happiest country. I wish I could unlearn its secret
9 days ago
- #happiness
- #Finland
- #well-being
- The Cantril Ladder is a method used to assess personal happiness, ranking life satisfaction from 0 (worst) to 10 (best).
- Finland has topped the World Happiness Report for eight consecutive years, with Finns averaging a life satisfaction score of 7.736.
- Finnish happiness is attributed to factors like strong social welfare, work-life balance, high national prosperity, and easy access to nature.
- Finnish culture emphasizes quiet, introverted contentment, with less focus on conspicuous consumption and more on societal support systems.
- Nature plays a significant role in Finnish happiness, with activities like foraging, forest walks, and sauna sessions promoting well-being.
- Finnish society provides a strong social safety net, including free education, subsidized healthcare, and low corruption, contributing to a sense of security.
- The Finnish approach to happiness includes accepting and being grateful for what one has, rather than striving for more.
- The World Happiness Report highlights the importance of social ties and shared meals in life satisfaction, areas where many Western countries are lacking.
- Visiting Finland can open one's eyes to the ways their own life and society may be lacking in happiness-promoting elements.
- While structural societal changes are key to improving happiness, individuals can adopt Finnish practices like mindfulness and appreciation of nature.