Thursday, 12 September 2013

New Zealanders amongst the happiest in the world

I am weary of lists that compare places using scales that could be perceived as subjective or arbitrary,  but having lived in New Zealand for 10 years  I can relate to the idea that living in certain countries would contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing when compared to living in other places.
My own definition of being blessed is having options as opposed to simply being deprived of options. Most of us have to work to survive so it seems intuitively logical that those who have choices of job opportunities are likely to be happier than those with limited job options. Likewise having money at the supermarket or mall and the liberty to choose from several brands generally seems to me will make us happier than remembering the days we possibly had very little money and had to simply buy what we could afford.

Of course learning contentment is a great lesson in itself but it is human nature to aspire to more.

And let's not limit options to money.  The freedom to walk safely on a beach or park with one's family would greatly contribute to one's overall happiness as opposed to having very few unspoilt public spaces to enjoy safely.

So I can say in all truthfulness that I do indeed feel "happy" in Auckland,  New Zealand. Would I feel less happy somewhere else?  Not necessarily.  Other things make me happy regardless of where I am located, such as family and friends, and I could experience this anywhere.  But enjoying them while also enjoying the fact that they are enjoying a great environment with me adds to my happiness.

I am sure many other places would provide what we enjoy here,  but I can only speak for what I have experienced and say that I wholeheartedly agree.

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