Was 2019 a hard year for you? If so, you are not alone.
Happiness Index Scores for 2019 are in & it's not looking so good.
In most every domain of happiness - community, education, health and many others, Happiness Index scores declined between 2017 and 2018. Particularly concerning are the declines in satisfaction with life, psychological well-being and community because these are the domains, in simple terms, matter most to a happy life. The domains with the lowest scores compared to the other domains - government and time balance - saw a smaller downward slope, but there is little solace in this. Interact with the scores here.
Happiness Index Scores in 2017 in many domains took a dip down, with some recovery in 2018. We asked our newsletter recipients for their happiness wisdom with the question: What do you need for your happiness? (You can answer too)
Some of the answers we got were:
- More Connection.
- More planned community activities (and better advertising for these events and gathering).
- Shift the news both on TV and in the papers to a more positive perspective. Until that happens, though, just stop watching TV news and buying newspapers.
- Improve housing opportunities for the poor.
- Safety, access to green spaces, transportation ease in order to spend more time with family and friends instead of commuting.
We will share more answers in our next Happiness Report Card (sign up for our newsletter so as not to miss one).
In 2019, data was gathered from 12,480 surveys taken, with about 68% of people living in the US. The data is from a convenience sampling, meaning people chose to take the Happiness Index.
