Before I cover the seven keys to happiness kung fu, allow me to cover my inspiration.
Over a month later after watching a happiness documentary on PBS, I’m just now getting around to addressing it. The documentary was “Happy” by Roko Belic. Heather McIntosh did an excellent summary of this PBS special wherein she deems it a “self help book made into a movie.”
The one stand out point for me and the reason that concerns human society in general was the segment on Bhutan; this country boasts a Gross National Happiness Index instead of a Gross National Product index.
Instead of focusing on markets and capital, Bhutan places its priorities on its people’s happiness first. For the most part, the Bhutans seemed for focused upon cultural and religious activities, but these were the only activities the cameras were capturing – nothing behind closed doors at work or personal lives.
Focussing on a Gross National Happiness Index may seem silly to westerners and most investers, but the Socionomics Institute has made interesting studies and very real correlations between social moods/trends and national economy – from financial success to repression.
Although Bhutan is a small Himalayan constitutional monarchy that made the transition from absolute monarchy to parliamentary democracy in March 2008 with one of the world’s smallest and least-developed economies, it seems that Bhutan’s focus is correct because the side effect is a 9.7% growth in their GDP as of 2014.
For this reason, I went on a quest for the ultimate guide to happiness that anyone can use for themselves and to share with others as far and wide as possible, so that happiness can spread like a refreshing summer wind.
I researched a number of lists. I was happy with two in particular: “13 Tips for Living Happy, Wild, and Free” by Dr. Joseph Mercola and “Ten Keys to Happier Living” from Action for Happiness.