Thrive

Whatmakesushappy?It'snotwealth,youth,beauty,orintelligence,saysDanBuettner.Infact,mostofushavethekeyswithinourgrasp.Circlingtheglobetostudytheworld'shappiestpopulations,Buettnerhasspottedseveralcommonprinciplesthatcanunlockthedoorstotruecontentmentwithourlives.Workingwithleadingresearchers,Buettneridentifiesthehappiestregiononeachoffourcontinents.Heexploreswhythesepopulationssaytheyarehappierthananyoneelse,andwhattheycanteachtherestofusaboutfindingcontentment.Hisconclusionsdebunksomecommonlybelievedmyths:Arepeoplewhohavechildrenhappierthanthosewhodon't?Notnecessarily—inWesternsocieties,parenthoodactuallymakesthehappinessleveldrop.Isgenderequalityafactor?Aretheworld'shappiestplacestobefoundontropicalislandswithbeautifulbeaches?YoumaybesurprisedatwhatBuettner'sresearchindicates.Unravelingthestoryofeach"hotspot"likeagoodmystery,Buettnerrevealshowhediscoveredeachlocationandthentravelstomeetfolkswhoembodyeachparticularbrandofhappiness.Heintroducescontent,thrivingpeopleinDenmark,inSingapore,innortheasternMexico,andinacomposite"happiestplaceinAmerica."Inaddition,heinterviewseconomists,psychologists,sociologists,politicians,writers,andotherexpertstogetatwhatcontributestoeachregion'shappiness.Buettner'sfindingsresultinacredible,cross-culturalformulaandapracticalplantohelpusstackthedeckforhappinessandgetmoresatisfactionoutoflife.AccordingtoBuettner'sadvisoryteam,theaveragepersoncancontrolaboutfortypercentofhisorherindividualhappinessbyoptimizinglifechoices.Thesearen'tunreasonabledemandsonaperson'slifestyle,andtheyoftenrequireonlyslightchanges.Theyfallintothreecategoriesthatmakeupthewayweliveourlives:thefoodweeat,thewayweexercise,andthesocialnetworkswefoster.It'sallaboutnourishingthebodyandthespirit.Heedingthesecretsoftheworld'shappinessall-starscanhelpusmaketherightchoicestofindmorecontentmentinourownlivesandlearnhowtothrive.