Young People's Well-being is Declining

Older Americans Are Getting Happier, but Young People’s Well-being is Declining

Around the world, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 report being happier than older adults — except in the U.S. In fact, the dramatic decline in well-being among young people is the likely cause of the U.S. falling off the list of the World Happiness Report’s 20 Happiest Countries for the first time since the report began in 2012. For the first time this year, the report — which is published each year by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) — broke down rankings by age in addition to providing overall rankings. And it found that viewing results by age groups provided very different outcomes than the overall rankings. For example, while Finland was once again named the World’s Happiest Country, Lithuania is the happiest country for children and young people under 30. And for adults over the age of 60, Denmark takes the No. 1 spot. The kids are not alright In the U.S., the news was great for older adults: Baby Boomers (born before 1965) are happier than those born since 1980. In fact, when ranked by age only, the Boomers pushed the U.S. to a No. 10 spot on the world charts. But while Boomers report their satisfaction increases with each year of age, subsequent generations report just the opposite and say life satisfaction falls each year. The happiness gap is most evident when looking at the under-30 age group in the U.S., which ranks 62 nd for happiness — just six spots above Russian youth. Dr. Lara Aknin, a distinguished professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University and co-editor of the World Happiness Report, pointed out that, around the world, happiness is typically highest among the young, but begins to drop after the age of 30. “In North America, particularly in Canada and the United States, the young have started rating their life satisfaction quite a bit lower,” she said. “In fact, it is one of the only regions in the world where the young are less happy than the old.” The reasons behind that change, she said, are varied and complex: “Those under 30 today are reporting less support from their friends and family than did earlier cohorts,” she said. “They’re also reporting less freedom to make life choices, more stress and anxiety — but not more anger — less confidence in the government, and greater perceptions of corruption.” She said dissatisfaction with their living situations also factor in, because incomes are stagnating relative to the cost of living, which fuels more frustration, stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. The country is also experiencing extreme political tensions and growing levels of income inequality that could be weighing heavily on young people, Aknin said. “So it seems to be this cocktail of predictors that are associated with lower levels of well-being among those under 30 and different from those that were reported by those [of the same age] about a decade ago.” Bringing happiness home While the data parsed out by this year’s report shows an alarming decline in the well- being of North America’s young people, Aknin said she finds hope in the science: “One of the main thrusts and the rationales for the World Happiness Report is to present some of this leading evidence on the science of happiness to the public and also to policymakers and individuals who are concerned about the well-being of their constituents and their community members and their neighbors,” she explained. “And so the hope is that by bringing some hard science to this question, to shine a spotlight on those who perhaps are not thriving or doing as well as we would’ve hoped, can direct attention to those areas.” About the World Happiness Report The World Happiness Report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board. The report is produced under the editorial control of the WHR Editorial Board, formed of John F. Helliwell, Lord Richard Layard, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Lara B. Aknin, and Shun Wang.
Read More
Finnish flag.

Finland Tops Global Happiness Rankings for 7th Consecutive Year

In a remarkable display of consistent well-being, Finland has once again been named the happiest country in the world, according to the latest World Happiness Report published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). This marks the seventh year the Nordic nation has held the top spot in the rankings, which are based on self-assessed life evaluations of citizens from countries around the world. The six key factors used to evaluate happiness are social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption. Rankings are based on a three-year average of each population’s average life assessment. Who’s happy now? Consistent with previous years, Nordic countries did well overall, with the 10 highest countries being: Finland Denmark Iceland Sweden Israel Netherlands Norway Luxembourg Switzerland Australia The report authors noted that the survey was taken in Israel after the October 7 attack but before warfare had broken out. While there was little change in the top 10 from previous years, the top 20 was a different story and showed plenty of movement. Costa Rica and Kuwait moved into the top 20 for the first time at positions 12 and 13, respectively. Both Czechia and Lithuania — new entrants to the top 20 last year — remained steadfast and were nearly joined by Slovenia, which moved up to the 21st spot. It’s not all good… However, while these countries continue to show greater happiness, the United States had its worst showing on the list to date, falling out of the top 20 for the first time since the list began in 2012. Last year, it ranked 15th; this year, it ranked 23rd. The study links the decline to the drop in well-being among people under the age of 30. Germany, which ranked 16th last year, joined the U.S. in tumbling out of the top 20. That means the top countries no longer include any of the world’s largest countries; in the top 10, only Netherlands and Australia have more than 15 million residents, and the only countries in the top 20 with populations above 30 million are Canada (No. 15) and the United Kingdom (No. 20). In addition to ranking the happiness of more than 140 countries, each World Happiness Report looks at specific curated themes, and this year’s report looks at happiness across different age groups. It found that, globally, young people (ages 15-24) have a higher life satisfaction than adults. However, this is no longer the case in America, where people under the age of 30 show the lowest levels of happiness. Additional research in this year’s report looks at the impact of dementia on one’s well-being, but also looks at how higher well-being earlier in life can reduce the risk of developing dementia over time. One chapter of the report is also dedicated to studying life satisfaction among older adults in India, which is now the world’s most populous nation. Researchers found that, just as in other countries, increasing age is associated with higher life satisfaction. About the World Happiness Report The World Happiness Report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board. The report is produced under the editorial control of the WHR Editorial Board, formed of John F. Helliwell, Lord Richard Layard, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Lara B. Aknin, and Shun Wang.
Read More
United States Map

Do you Live in the Happiest City or State?

If happiness is a state of mind, then where you live may make your trip to bliss a little bit easier. Since the place you call home is where you most likely spend a great deal of your time, it would be nice if that city or state also contributed to your well-being. Research suggests that living in certain locations and environments can make you happier for a variety of reasons, including greater access to green and blue spaces, strong social support systems, more opportunities for physical activity, higher levels of education and economic stability. As a whole, the United States regularly ranks around the 15th happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report. But there are cities and states within the country that rank higher than others in happiness, giving residents living in those areas the opportunity to greater life satisfaction. The Happiest Cities and States in America  WalletHub, an online personal finance company, regularly ranks both the happiest cities and states in America. Their methodology for these lists includes three key categories to determine the results, including emotional and physical well-being, income and employment, and community and environment. According to Wallethub, their analysis is based on a mix of existing research from some of the leading studies in positive psychology as well as data compiled from a variety of sources, such as the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Free to Be Happy in Fremont WalletHub’s Happiest Cities in America list shows which of the largest cities in the U.S. had happier people. Fremont, California was named the happiest city in the country for the fifth consecutive year. Located in the Bay Area, residents of Fremont enjoy more than 1200 acres of green spaces, parkland and other outdoor amenities which provide plenty of opportunities for exercise and relaxation.  Other factors include a friendly place to raise a family, low divorce rates, and low unemployment. A few other Bay Area cities that made the list include San Jose (3) and San Francisco (7). Here are the top ten happiest cities in the U.S. according to WalletHub: Fremont, CA Overland Park, KS San Jose, CA Madison, WI Irvine, CA Honolulu, HI San Francisco, CA Pearl City, HI Columbia, MD Scottsdale, AZ You’ll Find More Joy in Utah While multiple cities in California made the ‘Happiest Cities’ list, it isn’t the happiest state, at least according to WalletHub. In the Happiest States in America list, released by WalletHub in September of 2023, Utah ranks No. 1. Using the same factors as the ‘Cities’ list, Utah is also the top state in the country for providing a great work environment, having the lowest divorces rates and high volunteer rate, which all contribute to greater well-being. Utah Hawaii Maryland Minnesota New Jersey Connecticut California Florida Idaho Nebraska
Read More
The latest research in the science of well-being for maintaining the good life.

Finding Happiness in Health

Happier people tend to engage in healthier behaviors, thus contributing to a longer life; it is hard to have one without the other. We are staying on top of the latest research into the science of happiness to bring to you the best practices to keep your mind and body happy and healthy. Rest Easy According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three Americans lacks adequate sleep on a regular basis, and that’s not good news for our health. Lack of proper sleep can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and mental fatigue. But, new research suggests we may be getting better at it. A study published in the journal Sleep shows that sleep durations have been improving on weekdays and weekends for more than a 14-year period. A few reasons for the uptick in ZZZs are that people are watching less TV and reading less before bed. Plus, banking, shopping and working online frees up more time the hit the hay early. Life Unplugged In a recent study published in the journal Emotion, the psychological well-being in America’s youth decreased after 2012. What is creating all this sadness? One answer is technology. Teens who spent more time with their devices and less time on device-free activity (sports, studies and face-to-face social interaction) felt a decline in their personal happiness. The solution to this problem isn’t necessarily quitting cold turkey. Researchers find that the happiest teens use their devices less than one hour a day. More than an hour of use increases unhappiness. Pay Attention It’s no secret that exercise can stave off physical decline as we age. The same is true for exercising our minds. Recent brain studies uncovered a few ways for us to practice keeping our minds sharp and focused. According to researchers from the University of Exeter, people who do daily crossword puzzles can strengthen their cognitive functions such as memory, reasoning and attention. For a less challenging approach, a longitudinal study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement shows that regular meditation rituals also improve attention span, focus and can fight off cognitive decline later in life. Gotta Have Faith In a study that scoured obituaries nationwide, researchers from the psychology department at Ohio State University found that people with more religion in their lives lived almost four years longer than people who did not. While the exact reasons for lengthier lives is not known, the study suggests many people who practice religion stay socially active, refrain from riskier behaviors, such as drinking and smoking, practice stress reducing rituals such as prayer or meditation and volunteered more, which are all activities that lead to happier and healthier lives.
Read More
Two young women laughing and drinking coffee.

Happiness is Contagious … Literally!

Most of us, at some point in the past few years, have found ourselves a little bit more attuned to the sound of a cough. Our alarm bells go off, and this can be summed up into one word - "cough, cough"  coronavirus. Yes, I know, not another story about corona and your mental health! Well luckily, that’s not what this story is about. But it is about something else that turns out to be contagious: moods. Yes, just like catching corona (or any other sickness you may be trying to avoid) you can also catch someone else's mood - and it’s backed by science. Researchers found that through a process called ‘social contagion’ moods can spread from one person to the next in various ways. No doubt most of us have experienced how others’ bad moods can affect us negatively. We easily feel down, or sad, or angry when others around us emote those same feelings - especially those we are closer to. But what about positive emotions, can they be contagious? And if so, to what degree? Research by Nicholas Christakis from Harvard University suggests that happiness, like the flu, can spread from person to person. When people close to us, in terms of relationships, or even physical proximity become happier, we do too. For example, when a person who lives within a mile of a good friend becomes happier, the probability that this person’s good friend will also become happier increases by 15%. An even more striking finding in this study suggests that the effect can go beyond direct links and reach a third degree of separation: When a friend of a friend becomes happier, we become happier, even when we don’t know that third person directly! Perhaps this is just another small reminder of why your mom was right when she told you to ”choose your friends carefully!” Interestingly, the concept of ‘social contagion” also explains why the old notion of trying to become happier by comparing yourself to the less fortunate (i.e. those who have more troubled relationships, less money, worse health, etc…) does not often work. You see, if you compare yourself to those who suffer more, and thus have more negative moods, you expose yourself to the negative moods as well. And, if you accept that moods are contagious, then comparing yourself to the less fortunate can actually affect you more negatively than uplift your spirits. Moods thus are not just contagious, they’re very contagious. In a world where depression is the leading cause of disability, and it’s estimated that 5% of adults globally suffer from it (according to 2021 World Health Organization data), a little boost in happiness can go a lot further than you think. The key takeaway is that if you work on your own happiness while also surrounding yourself with happier people, it’s not only good for your well-being, it will make others around you happier, and those who are close to them happier as well!  This is the powerful ripple effect of happiness. I hope you choose it when you can! Dr. Tal Leead has more than 25 years of clinical experience and runs her own private practice in California primarily focused on positive psychology. Her first best-selling book Happier Being: Your Path to Optimizing Habits, Health & Happiness has already sold thousands of copies and received praise from world-renowned meditation expert Sharon Salzberg, amongst many others. She has also been published in magazines such as Thrive Global and Psychreg.
Read More
2023 World Happiness Report

Finland Remains the Happiest Place on Earth

Finland was named the Happiest Country in the world for the sixth consecutive year in this year’s World Happiness Report. The report, published annually by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranks countries according to national happiness and reports on specific areas of happiness and well-being. The report was released today in conjunction with the International Day of Happiness. As has happened throughout the 11 years of publishing the report, Nordic countries ranked high when it comes to happiness, with five of them landing in the top 10. The 10 happiest countries, according to this year’s report, are: Finland Denmark Iceland Israel Netherlands Sweden Norway Switzerland Luxembourg New Zealand The United States fared slightly better than it had in 2022, moving up one spot to No. 15, and Canada regained some of its footing, climbing from No. 15 last year to No. 13. However, the United Kingdom dropped two spots from No. 17 in 2022 to No. 19 this year. Both Ukraine and Russia again landed at the lower end of the rankings, with Ukraine at No. 92 and Russia at No. 70. Report authors noted that Ukraine’s well-being suffered less in 2022 than it did in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. Professor Jan-Emmanuel DeNeve, director of the Wellbeing Research Center at the University of Oxford, notes that while Ukraine has taken a hit in terms of happiness in the wake of the Russian invasion, it has fared better “thanks in part to the extraordinary rise in fellow feelings across Ukraine,” which has been evidenced by the help from strangers and the amount of donations the country has received. “The Russian invasion has forged Ukraine into a nation,” he observes. Once again, Lebanon and Afghanistan ranked lowest in terms of happiness. Measuring Happiness The World Happiness Report relies on six key factors to evaluate happiness: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. One significant finding from this year’s report is that levels of life satisfaction around the world have returned to where they were in pre-pandemic years. “Average happiness and our country rankings, for emotions as well as life evaluations, have been remarkably stable during the three COVID-19 years,” says John F. Helliwell, a professor at the University of British Columbia and editor of the report. “Even during these difficult years, positive emotions have remained twice as prevalent as negative ones, and feelings of positive social support [are] twice as strong as those of loneliness.” Perhaps related to that widespread return of positive emotions is the report’s findings that, for a second year in a row, acts of everyday kindness have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. That includes such things as helping strangers, donating to charities and volunteering.  And that’s significant, according to Professor Lara Aknin, director of the Helping and Happiness Lab of Simon Fraser University. “Acts of kindness have been shown to both lead to and stem from greater happiness,” she says.
Read More
Depressed woman

The Pebbles Can Pummel You

Determining whether a person is clinically depressed is not an arbitrary decision. Psychiatrists follow strict guidelines specified by the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and look for at least five of the following nine symptoms lasting at least two weeks: Feels depressed most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by subjective report (e.g., feels sad, empty, hopeless) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful) Feels markedly diminished levels of interest or pleasure when engaging in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by subjective account or observation) Significant weight loss when not dieting, or weight gain or decrease, or increase in appetite Sleep disturbance Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down) Fatigue or loss of energy Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide I include these criteria not only because I want readers to know that depression can manifest in many ways but also to underscore the importance of seeking professional help if they apply to you or a loved one. Over the years I have diagnosed, hospitalized, and treated many patients with the full range of the symptoms described above. But there are also many who qualify for an “almost diagnosis”—not mentally ill by clinical standards but lacking positive mental health. When I first opened my private practice, most of the new patients I took on were at an inflection point. They sought help to assess a life-changing decision or to understand a relationship, or they were in the midst of a significant transition, often following a loss. The chronic issues in their daily lives did not take center stage. Today more and more patients come to see me because of the ups and downs in their daily lives. They are feeling worn out and worn down by the daily grind. Women seem to feel it the most. Almost half of the women surveyed said they frequently experience daily stress, and more than 40 percent said they feel as if they don’t have enough time. Their lives are nonstop, with a to-do list that seems bottomless. Often a lack of vitality only amplifies their stress. Patients often just give up and sigh, “I guess that’s just life.” The hassles of day-to-day living— the annoying, anxiety-provoking, and frustrating experiences that are embedded into everyday life— are a significant source of stress. Seemingly minor occurrences—an argument with a child or partner, an unexpected work deadline, arriving late for an appointment, missing a train, or dealing with a malfunctioning computer—all contribute. One study’s results indicated that watching the news and losing your cell phone are among the top ten daily events that stress people out. Even a long line at your local coffee shop or not having hot water for your morning shower can be enough to put you in a terrible mood. We know it’s absurd to allow something minor to ruin a minute let alone a day. We try to dismiss these daily irritations as irrelevant or as the “first- world problems” they are. We tell ourselves that they don’t matter in the long run. But they do. Many assume that major life events like divorce, the death of a spouse, and the loss of a job are the most virulent causes of stress, but a University of California, Berkeley study confirmed that so-called microstressors are the ones we need to watch out for: “[T]hese kinds of stressors have been taken for granted and considered to be less important than more dramatic stressors. Clinical and research data indicate that these ‘micro- stressors’ acting cumulatively, and in the relative absence of compensatory positive experience, can be potent sources of stress.” The impact of challenges that occur during everyday living on both a person’s physical and mental health cannot be underestimated and are, in fact, better predictors of health than major life events. This excerpt is from Everyday Vitality by Samantha Boardman, published by Penguin Life, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2021 by Samantha Boardman.  Dr. Samantha Boardman is a Positive Psychiatrist with a private practice in Manhattan. She is a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry and Assistant Attending Psychiatrist at Weill Cornell Medical College. She received her B.A. from Harvard University and a Medical Degree from Cornell University Medical College, where she was awarded the Oskar Diethelm Prize for Excellence in Psychiatry. 
Read More
Young women on college campus holding textbook

Which Bachelor’s Degree Will Make You Happiest?

Money doesn’t buy happiness — but the right college degree program can. Research into the mental health of students in different degree fields has uncovered that certain programs are almost certain to make you feel happier and more relaxed than other fields, and not just during a student’s time at school. If you are eager to invest in a degree that continues to improve your mood for the rest of your life, you might enroll in one of the following bachelor degree programs: Humanities Though humanities majors are often confronted with the irksome question, “What will you do for work?” it seems that students focused on humanities degrees are some of the happiest on campus. Humanities degrees encompass a variety of studies of the human world, from English language and literature to history and geography, philosophy and religion, law, archaeology and anthropology, arts, modern languages and more. Many humanities studies confront questions about what it means to be happy and how true happiness is achieved, which is perhaps why this degree field is the one most likely to bring joy to students now and into the future. Sports and Exercise Science The human body needs regular movement for proper regulation. In fact, one of the first and best treatments for mental disease is an exercise regimen. Thus, it makes sense that students committed to understanding the physical needs of the human body are often quite contended on college campuses. Certain exercises allow the body to release endorphins that elevate the mood immediately and improve emotional outlook in the long term. Students who are so committed to sports and exercise science that they pursue a degree in the field will likely maintain healthy physical habits, thus all but guaranteeing themselves happiness. Engineering Perhaps a surprising degree on this list, engineering consistently ranks among the happiest degrees — primarily for the job security and high salary awaiting students after graduation. There are all sorts of engineering disciplines for students to explore to find a field that they feel passionate about and capable in. Though engineering programs can be competitive and require exceedingly complex knowledge and skill, students who are committed to engineering are able to find happiness while they pursue their degrees and for decades after. Natural Sciences The natural sciences are a field of study focused on understanding phenomena of the natural world. Some examples of natural sciences include chemistry, physics, biology and geology, though each of these can be further divided into myriad disciplines and specializations. Often, students study the natural sciences because they already feel passionately about them, which means every course offers them more opportunities to explore their passion and refine a skill they know and enjoy. Like the humanities, there are not always clear career pathways for students in the natural sciences, but that does not stop them from experiencing happiness in their studies. Psychology It makes sense that one of the most popular degree programs is also among the most fascinating. A bachelor’s degree in psychology provides students with unique insight into the workings of the human mind, which remains one of the most powerful and mysterious organic tools in the universe. Psychology is a relatively young field, which means there is still plenty of opportunity for students to experiment and innovate new theories to explain human thought, emotion and behavior. When it comes to achieving happiness, psychology students have decades of research to utilize as blueprints, so they are more likely to develop healthy mental and emotional patterns during and after their degree program. Arts and Design Humans have been creating art for far longer than we have been practicing math, pursuing scientific inquiry or writing down histories and laws. There are many theories regarding humankind engages in artistic endeavors, but many art students have a clear and easy answer: joy. Making art involves expressing oneself, and that act can bring balance that leads to a profound and lasting happiness. What’s more, because creativity is often lacking in more career-oriented degree fields, there are plenty of opportunities for success in arts and design after graduation. Plenty of students in degree programs outside of these six experience happiness — just not to the extent of students pursuing degrees in the above fields. If you don’t know what you want to do but you do know you want to be happy, enrolling in one of the above degree programs is a safe choice.
Read More

Does Trying to Be Happier Make You Less Happy?

I am a happiness junkie. Positive psychology? Yes please. Gratitude journals? Done. Top five happiness boosters? I’m there. But then I saw a series of studies suggesting that trying to be happy might actually make you less happy. This stopped me in my tracks. Was it time to question my whole happiness philosophy? First, let’s take a look at the research: One study by McGuirk and colleagues found that subjects who felt an expectation to be happy were more stressed about their perceived failures, which led to more self-critical thoughts and feelings, and less actual happiness. Another study by Mauss and colleagues found that focusing on happiness (inherently a personal rather than collective gain) can actually pull people away from others and damage relationships, ultimately resulting in increased loneliness (which is basically anti-happiness). A third study by Diener, Sandvik and Pavot found that experiencing euphoric highs can actually increase the intensity of negative emotions and dull our ability to experience more prolonged levels of satisfaction. This all seems like bad news for a happiness-seeker like me. But that’s why it’s important to take a closer look. When you actually dissect these studies, you find it’s not seeking happiness that’s the problem, it’s the way you go about it, i.e. buying into the myth that we should be happy even in hard times, pulling away from others, and seeking increasingly extreme highs to the detriment of simpler and longer lasting satisfaction. If you find yourself falling into one of these traps, it’s probably time to switch tactics. Don’t chase happiness, instead, focus on the practices most likely to bring you true joy. The Path to True Joy There’s been a great deal of research done on what does (and what does not) bring happiness. Fortunately, a few tried and true practices always arise: Nurture your mental health by calming the mind, savoring the moment, and allowing yourself to enjoy the simple things in life. Nourish your body with movement, nutrients, time in natural spaces, and quality sleep. Feed your spirit by spending as much time as possible with friends and family, and doing things that give you a deeper feeling of purpose, meaning and fulfillment. Understand that happiness comes more from within than without. Everyone thinks that external things will make them happier (more money, a bigger house, less debt, a new car) but after a short time, those things lose their effect. In fact, studies have shown that even winning the lottery will not buy you more happiness in the long run. Each of us is a living laboratory. Experiment with these ideas and find out what works for you. What I Know For Sure I know one thing for sure: The tools I’ve gained from trying to be happier are the ones I use time and time again. For example, my family recently received some potentially devastating news. I was angry. I was sad. I was frustrated. None of those feelings changed the reality of the situation, but it was important to feel them nonetheless. That’s life, as they say. But then those feelings decided to set up camp… and they really overstayed their welcome. And they invited their old friends hopelessness and misery to join the party (insomnia stopped by too). When it became evident that these freeloaders weren’t helping me actually change anything – and weren’t going anywhere on their own, I reached into my old happiness toolkit. Out came the gratitude journal and visualization boards. Out came the affirmations (my current favorite is “What if this all works out?”). I put my ruminating thoughts in time-out. I focused on savoring the moment and the simple things. I moved my body as much and as often as possible. And, just like every time before, it worked; not all at once, but it worked nonetheless. Trying to be happier hasn’t made me less happy. It hasn’t made me immune to anger or sadness either. It has simply given me the tools I need to move forward when the time is right. Thanks to my happiness journey, I can navigate the sea of emotion and steer my ship where I want it to go. And it’s made all the feelings that surface along the way a little less scary, which is half the battle anyway. So continue on happiness seekers. After all, true joy is always in the journey. Read more from Andrea Culletto at ExploryTales.com.
Read More
Live Happy Impact on Adult Bullying Children's Brain Development

The Impact of Adult Bullying on Children’s Developing Brains

We prefer to talk about child-to-child bullying. Even though it’s a horrendous and serious crisis, it’s still a comfortable topic. However, we become quickly uncomfortable when anyone raises the issue of adult bullying. Advances in brain science have provided us with new understanding that can give us the courage to talk about adults who bully children. Not long ago, we did not believe a concussion was a problem. In fact, we saw it as a badge of honor for an athlete to go back into competition and show his team and coach what he was made of. We now know that concussions are actually serious brain injuries and must be recovered and repaired before an athlete returns to play. Likewise, we now know that all forms of bullying and abuse can do serious harm to the brain. This includes: neglecting, ignoring, refusing feedback, walking out on someone, ghosting, excluding, shaming, blaming, using put downs, humiliating, berating, threatening, yelling, swearing, assaulting and all forms of cyber, sexual, and physical abuse. Extensive, replicated, consensus-building research documents on brain scans how these kinds of bullying behaviors harm the brain. We cannot see the injuries with the naked eye, just like we cannot see the blackening of lungs when individuals smoke. We need a brain scan to make visible the harm to the brain and we need an x-ray to make visible the harm to the lungs. Now that non-invasive technology has revealed to us just how deadly all bullying behaviors are to our brains, we need to change how we conduct ourselves. Adults — especially those in positions of trust and power over children, such as parents, teachers, and coaches — need to lead the charge. Children’s brains are developing and vulnerable. They are extremely sensitive due to their developmental stages especially from 0 to 5 and from 13 to 25 years. A teen or twenty-something may look like an adult, but their brains are not yet mature and they have heightened sensitivity to their environment and peer relationships. In a positive, psychologically and physically safe, caring environment, adolescent brains will flourish. In a toxic, psychologically or physically dangerous, bullying environment, their brains will struggle and may suffer damage. It can be difficult for adults to recognize that they are bullying children and youth. It is challenging because we’ve been raised in a society that normalizes adult bullying while telling children not to do it. When adults bully, we do rarely hold them accountable. In fact, we are more likely to change our terms when adults bully. We say what they are doing is “motivating, giving tough love, rejecting political correctness, being passionate, refusing to be a wuss, toughening kids up for a tough world, breaking down the victim to build them back up better,” and so on. As a society, on a deep level, we still believe the myth that bullying and abuse are a necessary evil to attain greatness, power, and prestige. Perhaps this is why political leaders in society do not feel compelled to coverup blatant bullying behaviors in public or documented on social media. The myth that bullying is necessary to attain greatness is a myth in the sense that there is no research to back it up. None. In contrast, there is extensive research spanning decades that provides evidence for the long lasting, serious harm to the brain by all forms of bullying and abuse. A quick way for adults to identify if they are bullying children is to compare how they treat kids to how they treat adults in positions of power over them. Do the parents speak and act the same way with their bosses as they do with their children? Does the coach act and speak to the Athletic Director the same way he does to his child athletes? Does the teacher act and speak the same way to the principal as she does to her students? If not, why not? Do children not deserve the same kind of respect and care? Surely they deserve more because they are sensitive and vulnerable and in a massive power imbalance with the adults in their lives. Science has informed us that all forms of bullying and abuse harm brains. Now it’s up to us to take this empowering, inspiring knowledge and change our conduct. We can work together to role-model empathy, thoughtfulness, and compassion so that our child populations learn a new way of being in the world, a far healthier, happier, and more high-performing way, grounded in brain science and advanced through the adults concerned by the normalized bullying in society
Read More