Ep. 563: Why Happiness Matters
Guest: John Helliwell
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin hit the charts in 1988 and it soared to number one on the Billboard charts. It was the first a-cappella song to hit number one. Why? “Because it struck a chord with people; it lifted their spirits and got them bopping along,” says John F. Helliwell, the author of the World Happiness Report.
Helliwell says, “Happiness is an enduring state of mind that consists of the capacity to experience pleasure on a daily life basis, coupled with the ability to enrich one's life and the lives of others.” Generosity is one of the six elements of a happy life, Helliwell says. “The others include a sense of purpose, a positive mind set, physical and financial well-being, along with positive relationships.”
The good news is, should you take the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and not be happy with the outcome, it is within your power to make changes that can improve your happiness quotatant. Helliwell says, “It starts with wanting to make a change and that starts the process of re-wiring your brain. A daily commitment to looking for the upside has huge upsides in mind set and health.”
We invited John F. Helliwell to join us for a Conversation That Matters about why happiness matters in the moment and over the course of your life.
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