A recent Gallup poll gave a wellbeing index score to each of the states–Hawaii topped the list with a 70.1 and West Virginia (my home state) fell to the bottom with a 61.7. As a sidebar to this poll, The New York Times decided to find the happiest person in America according to Gallup’s demographics. When asked to describe the happiest person, Gallup said, “He’s a tall, Asian-American, observant Jew who is at least 65 and married, has children, lives in Hawaii, runs his own business and has a household income of more than $120,000 a year.” So, they tracked down Alvin Wong–a man who fits the bill.
Is Alvin Wong the happiest man in America? Who knows. What I found interesting are the measures Gallup used to determine wellbeing or happiness. They include things like emotional health, work environment, physical health and access to necessities like clean water and health care. According to those measures I’m pretty ecstatic.
So what I’m wondering is, how do you measure happiness? Doe it have anything to do with how tall you are? How often you exercise? Or something else entirely?
Meet Sarah
Unfortunately (some tell me) my happiness depends a lot on the happiness of those I love. But it also comes from doing “random acts of kindness” every day.
I find it interesting that we measure happiness differently as we age…or “mature” as I prefer to call it! Happiness to me means knowing I am pursuing God’s will in my life. It also makes me happy when those I love are succeeding in the avenues they are exploring.
And yes, I do think we tend to be happier when we exercise. (I take great joy in rounding that last lap at the rec center with a chocolate bar in my hand! Ooops. Did I say “chocolate bar?” I MEANT a nice, healthy energy bar, of course!