Action for happiness.
Action for Happiness: prioritising the things that really matter
There's a paradox at the heart of modern society. We're richer than we've ever been before, but we're no happier now than we were sixty years ago.
This startling fact is behind the recent launch of Action for Happiness (www.actionforhappiness.org) - a new mass movement for social change, which is the brainchild of three pioneering thinkers: Richard Layard, Geoff Mulgan and Anthony Seldon. It is focused on one simple idea - that if we want a happier society, we've got to approach our lives in a way that prioritises the things that really matter, especially the happiness of those around us.
With many families and communities facing difficult economic times, uncertain job security and savage spending cuts, it may seem counter-intuitive to talk about happiness. But on the contrary, now more than ever we need to help people build their emotional resilience and create a culture where we are less preoccupied with material wealth and more focused on each other's wellbeing; where people from all walks of life come together to make positive changes in their personal lives, homes, schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods.
Over the last 50 years we've made great progress in terms of living standards and material wealth, reaching a point that previous generations could only have dreamed of - and perhaps one that future generations will look back at longingly. The engine for much of this progress has been economic growth – but most of us recognise that material and financial wealth are just a means to an end, not the end in themselves. We care about them because they are seen as an indicator of how well our lives are going.
But the shocking fact is that, despite massive material progress, people in many developed countries are no happier than they were over five decades ago. Over that same period our societies have become increasingly competitive and selfish, with a culture that encourages us to pursue wealth, appearance, status and possessions above all else. In the 1960s, 60% of adults in Britain said they believed "most people can be trusted". Today the figure is around 30%. Our growing focus on self-centred materialism has also contributed to wider social problems. We've seen huge increases in anxiety and depression in young people, greater inequality, more family breakdown, longer working hours, growing environmental problems and crippling levels of debt.
Professor Tim Jackson puts it best: "We're being persuaded to spend money we don't have, on things we don't need, to create impressions that won't last, on people we don't care about".
But it doesn't have to be like this. The good news is that by focusing our time and energy instead on things that have been shown to consistently bring happiness, we can live truly rewarding lives. These things include loving families, close friendships, good self-awareness, strong communities, doing things for others, and having some kind of greater purpose to our lives.
These ideas are not new and we instinctively know their importance. But this "wisdom of the ages" is now also backed up by a significant body of research which confirms that our relationships and mental health have a much greater impact on our overall wellbeing than our beauty, possessions or income. The evidence linking positive emotion to increased longevity is actually stronger than the evidence linking obesity to reduced longevity. And our happiness in turn influences the happiness of others through our relationships and social networks.
Action for Happiness is based on this new science and the evidence that we can affect our happiness. We have identified 50 practical actions that people can take in their everyday lives that not only help boost their own happiness but contribute to building better, more positive environments in their families, relationships, workplaces and communities. These include simple things like finding things to be grateful for each day, however small; trying out something new or different; and looking for the good in others. They also include skills to be more "mindful" in our thinking.
Following the findings from the international commission set by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, an increasing array of governments are planning to introduce new measurements of well-being to complement existing financial indicators of progress such as GDP. This a huge step forward, but we need much more than just measurement. In truth we need a fundamental cultural shift away from self-obsessed, materialistic behaviour towards a more balanced society which values well-being, trust and positive relationships.
When people do good, they feel good. By choosing to live in a way that prioritises the happiness of those around us, we can create this vital shift in societal values. So let's stop aiming for lives filled with riches and focus instead on helping people lead richer, happier lives.
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Mark Williamson is Director of Action for Happiness
You can join Action for Happiness at www.actionforhappiness.org
