Better for Us: Focus on Happiness Post 1

Better for Us:  Focus on Happiness

 

 

As author of the 2013 book Talk UP^ Tucson: An Exploration of Community Happiness and Prosperity,  my background research discovered the fifty year arc of policy development and research in Gross National Happiness.  Here are few highlights:

·       The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is established in 1961 with the mission to “promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.”  http://www.oecd.org

·       The Country of Bhutan established the 4 Pillars of Gross National Happiness in 1972 http://www.gnhusa.org/what-is-gnh

·       2000, psychologist Martin Seligman established the academic discipline of positive psychology.  Authentic Happiness….  New York: Free Press. 2002.

·       2009, Gallup conducts the first annual global poll on happiness, defined as subjective well-being.  http://www.gallup.com/opinion/gallup

·       2011, the United National General Assembly “invites member states to pursue the elaboration of additional measures that better capture the importance of the pursuit of happiness and well-being….” http://www.un.org/en/events/happiness

·       2012, the United National General Assembly declares March 20, 2013 as the first International Day of Happiness.

·       2014, Community Renaissance and the Pima County Public Library established the Facebook Group, Tucson Happiness Network, with almost three hundred current members.

·       2015, Community Renaissance, Do Happy Today and Community Partners established

 

 where over two hundred Tucsonans from diverse backgrounds and ages participated in a community-sponsored lunch, music and dance and workshops at the downtown Tucson Pima County Public Library.  http://www.dohappytoday.com  

·       2015, Action for Happiness’ successful international crowdfunding campaign launches its 8 week course, endorsed by the Dalai Lama. http://www.actionforhappiness.org  

As this summary demonstrates, the global happiness and well-being movement is growing. 

Our next post will feature the community-based applied research of Santa Monica, California’s Community Well-being Project and the impact implications this 1 Million dollar Bloomberg Foundation funded effort could have in Southern Arizona and other parts of the United States. 

Future posts will include research in Arizona and Pima County on happiness and well-being as well as continue to share information on global happiness and well-being research and stories.  

Focused Fact: 

 

 

From the Atlantic magazine Health online post 11.5.15, “Young People are Happier than they used to be, but mature adults aren’t faring as well.”  Prof. Jean M. Twenge, San Diego State University, recently published findings in Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, of comparative research on a sample of 1.3 million Americans from 1972-2014, ages 13-96.   

Conclusion: As cultural values change (in higher expectations, more individualism and a rise in income inequality), the happiest stage of life seems to change along with them.