It seems that, wherever we are from, our happiness is very similar...
Meik Wiking is director of the International Institute for Happiness Studies , as well as the author of the bestseller Hygge, happiness in the little things , that manual that made us fall in love even more with Nordic life. Now seduces us again with Lykke, in search of the happiest people in the world .
The term, which reads 'luu-ka' is nothing more than the Danish word that serves to designate happiness, and that serves as an excuse to explain to us why Copenhagen , his hometown -and headquarters of the Institute- always tops the first places in the rankings that measure it.
In the book, moreover, he gives us clues about some Projects in other parts of the world that also contribute to the happiness of its inhabitants. We select the most interesting so that you get inspired and, if you feel like it, implants in your day to day life!
There are many ways to achieve happiness
**NEIGHBOR'S DAY (Holland) **
Wiking maintains that being united to your community is one of the basic pillars for become happy. A perfect example of this is the National Neighbor's Day, which has been celebrated since 2006 every May 26 in more than 2,000 Dutch districts with street parties, meals, snacks...
"The idea is inspired by a study that showed that three out of four Dutch people think that neighborhoods whose inhabitants carry out common activities on a regular basis were the most pleasant to live in," explains the author.
However, the initiative is also carried out European level, and there are many cities that have already joined it -some, even, from outside the continent-.
"Today we live in a paradoxical time. It is sometimes easier communicate with the other end of the world than say hello to your neighbor. In the face of isolation and individualism, so frequent in our cities, the Day of the Neighbor is an appointment that favors contacts and encourages social bonding. It is an opportunity to meet your neighbors and live together in order to break the anonymity and isolation of the city ", they explain from the organization.
Bilbao and Valencia, for example, have celebrated it for several years -they stopped doing it in 2012-, but, definitely, it is in Holland where it is most implanted: even his queen take part in it!
The feeling of community and belonging makes us happy
**ROBIN HOOD RESTAURANT (Spain) **
Wiking bets on unlink well-being and wealth , provided that a minimum income is reached that allows one to guarantee one's basic needs, of course.
His advice? That ** we invest our savings in experiences, ** not in things. And that we begin to ask ourselves if, instead of thinking that the money causes happiness, the link is just the opposite, as shown by ** a study ** that followed the evolution of thousands of siblings from birth to adulthood: "The happiest sibling [as a child] is the one who will earn more money in the future ", assure its authors.
Similarly, Wiking reflects: "It's not just about how much money we earn but also of what do we do with the money we have. The most successful countries of the 21st century will be those that transform wealth into well-being more efficiently, something that can also be applied to people. So how can we get the maximum benefit in terms of happiness you mean?" he asks.
In this context, the author considers the experience of the Spanish chain of restaurants to be very interesting. Robin Hood , founded by the NGO Messengers of Peace . "We want to dignify dinners so that people who are homeless or have few resources can sit at a table with tablecloths, cutlery and service by waiters", they explain from the project.
Thus, the restaurant offers services of breakfasts, lunches and dinners to the general public, and uses the income generated to, at night, also serve the homeless or people with few resources. Sometimes they have even been able to enjoy delicacies prepared by Michelin star chefs.
"There is no difference between a gentleman and any other man apart from his clothes," reads 'Robin Hood'
**CYCLEWAY (Bogotá) **
A study from the University of Glasgow cited in Lykke ensures that going to work by bicycle reduces the risk of premature death by 41% . Thus, those who do have around a Four. Five% less risk of developing cancer or one cardiovascular disease.
"Nor is it a coincidence that most of the cities vying for the title of **best place to live** in the Monocle and Mercer rankings are also listed among the best cities for biking Wiking notes.
With that last statement, it is easy for our mind to automatically travel to ** Stockholm ,** ** Berlin ** , Amsterdam ... and of course, Copenhagen . But what is not so usual is that he does it Bogota , where they have "some public spaces that are even the envy of the people of copenhagen According to the author himself.
They intend to function as a "social mixer", outside the hierarchies that govern our day to day. The reason? avoid the greatest obstacle to happiness, which, according to Wiking, is "feeling inferior or excluded". "A good city does not make its inhabitants feel that way."
This ideation of the Bogota public space is an impulse of the Penalosa brothers. Guillermo is a councilman and Enrique, mayor of the city of Bogotá. Thus speaks the first: "Improving passability for walking and cycling shows respect for human dignity . It's like telling people: 'You are important, and not because you are rich, but because you are human'. If you treat people like they're special, like they're sacred, behaves accordingly. We need to walk like birds need to fly, so creating public spaces is one of the paths that lead us to be a society that is not only more equitable, but also happier ".
As a result of this philosophy, one of the most ambitious projects in the Colombian capital was born, Bikeway , which since 1974 has been providing the inhabitants with around 100 kilometers of closed streets to traffic on Sundays and holidays. Then, the whole city becomes zones of walking, cycling and playing used by more than a million and a half people.
Sunday without cars in Bogotá
**MENTAL CLEANSING (Bhutan) **
It is clear that ** mindfulness ** is in fashion, but what if we told you that in the small Asian country of Bhutan they have decades practicing it ? And it's not just because of its Buddhist roots; It is also because its Constitution establishes from 1972 that Gross National Happiness is more important than the Gross Domestic Product. Or, in other words: that happiness is a right that is actively worked for , which is measured constantly and which, furthermore, is above the economy when calculating the success of the country.
With these characteristics, it is not uncommon for Wiking to point out that Bhutan is "almost a laboratory in which different approaches are tested to increase wellness ".
In fact, there is a happiness curriculum , whose objective is to convey ten 'life skills' to secondary school students, a collaboration between the Ministry of Education of Bhutan and a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania.
One such skill is mindfulness, which is practiced at the beginning and at the end of the school day. It consists of a moment of silence and introspection in which the students must be fully present, avoiding thoughts that judge the moment.
Exercise has been shown to improve academic performance and, above all, another aspect that is the most important to those who design the curriculum: the student welfare.
In Bhutan nothing is worth more than a smile
**SUPPORT GRANDPARENTS SYSTEM (Denmark)**
One of the aspects that most affect our happiness is knowing that we can count on someone to which is added having some strong family relationships and well built.
This is especially true when we have children , since the importance of the African saying of ' To educate a child it takes an entire tribe '.
For this reason, several cities in Denmark have created a Support Grandparents System . The idea is that if our parents already they are not in this world or don't live close enough, we can get in touch with a number of 'foster grandparents', senior citizens volunteering volunteers for topics as necessary as helping to take care of the little ones when they are sick, but above all, they are part of the family on a daily basis and common celebrations.
"They provide an extra pair of hands, a different experience for children and an extra source of patience to turn to, which can be of great help. Another advantage is that this system reduces the loneliness of the elderly Wiking points out. Everyone wins!
The intergenerational experience is always positive
WORK DAYS WITHOUT INTERRUPTIONS
To be happy you need leisure. And for that, the smartest thing according to Wiking is to make the most of your working day , so that you don't take loads home. Therefore, both in the Happiness Institute directed by the author as in other big enterprises "uninterrupted" days are beginning to be implemented.
It is the case of Intel, who, during a pilot project, encouraged his workers not to disturb the work of their colleagues Tuesday morning. No meetings scheduled, calls ended in answering machine messages They turned off email and internal chats...
After the seven months that the test lasted, 71% of the participants recommended that these four hours of concentration be implemented in other departments as well and Intel found that it had achieved improve effectiveness, efficiency and quality of life of the employees.
Furthermore, let us not lose sight of the fact that, according to the Flow Theory of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the 'flow' takes place when we are immersed in an activity and nothing else matters , which has the ability to make our action even pleasurable. So that uninterrupted time of concentration could bring us even more happiness!
Tuesday without interruptions
**RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS (USA) **
Helping others and behaving altruistically gives us 'high', as they have discovered from the Institute of Happiness.
"People who do volunteer work are happier than those who do not, regardless of other factors, such as socioeconomic level. In addition, they experience less depressive symptoms and less anxiety, and enjoy a life with more sense "Wicking says.
If you want to benefit from all these advantage (and many more), you could become a RAKtivist by signing up at ** www.randomactsofkindness.org ,** the Foundation of Random Kindness Actions American.
It encourages you to carry out this type of act, which can range from give the seat on the bus to organize a whole reward and praise system to kindness in an organization, as Peggy does.
"It starts with little things: giving a (sincere) praise , help a tourist to find his her destiny, give away a book that you have enjoyed, tell someone that what he does it means a lot to you "advises the author.
Start by saying something nice to another person