Happiness Is...?
Did you see it? The 2026 World Happiness report is out; and according to it, Canada isn't doing so well.
From page one...
"In the country’s worst-ever showing in the 14 years that the report has been published, Canada ranked 25th out of 147 countries in the life-satisfaction standings. Ten years ago, Canadians placed sixth, in the same league as Scandinavians, who consistently rank among the world’s happiest people."
The report looks broadly at questions such as level of trust, social support and generosity, and faith in democracy to start.
For young people aged 25 and younger, Canada ranks 71st.
I will let you draw your own conclusions as to why the drastic drop-off over the past decade. But the report begs questions, like, how do we improve happiness or is happiness a worthy pursuit at all?
I raised this question in my book, Vantage Point: Five Perspectives to Live a Better Story and here is an excerpt from it...
"Happiness is an idea that I wrestle with. Not that I’m unhappy, I generally am, and it seems legitimate to want to be happy. But when I hear phrases like, I just want my kids to be happy, or just do what makes you happy, or God wants you to be happy, or just love yourself, or you just do you; it sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me.
I mean don’t those statements sound awfully self-centred?
On the other hand, the Bible talks a lot about happiness and joy, so it must be legitimate, right? But even then, it’s confusing. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard this or not, but I’ve heard all my life that joy is based on an eternal perspective, when we focus on God, but happiness is simply a temporary response to fleeting moments in time.
So, joy is spiritual, and happiness is, well, something less than, almost something to be avoided. Then I remember my Sunday School days and one of the songs we sang went like this,
“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart.
Where?
Down in my heart. Down in my heart.
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart.
Down in my heart to stay.
Chorus:
And I’m so happy, so very happy. I have the love of Jesus in
my heart, down in my heart. And I’m so happy, so very happy, I
have the love of Jesus in my heart.”
Joy and happy are in the same song! It’s no wonder I’m confused. While repeatedly being told happiness is fleeting, I was singing about it.
The truth is, the Bible mentions both joy and happiness or gladness, even using them synonymously, and even in the same verse.
“With joy and gladness, they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.” —Psalm 45:15
Joy and happiness can coexist, at least if we look to God as the source of them both. But what about happiness? Is it important? Is it something to attain or is it a by-product of doing certain things?
I’m convinced that if we want to live a meaningful story, then we need to see our lives as not for ourselves, but for others. One of the reasons we are on this planet is to have a positive impact on other people, and one of the best ways to do this is to understand who you are; your personality, your abilities, and your ambitions, and put them into practice every day.
Happiness and even joy is the likely outcome." (Vantage Point, page 152-156)
I often say, "One of life's greatest tragedies is living it without knowing why."
Any maybe, when we do know why we're here, and live that out, happiness will follow?
I do appreciate one of the conclusions in the Happiness Report by Dr. Helliwell. Her advice is always the same, for policy-makers and individuals. “The secret of happiness is to seek opportunities to make other lives better.”
Maybe that gets harder with age?
Whenever we sing "If you're happy and you know it" with our grandchildren, they always join in and clap their hands, stamp their feet and shout hurray!! And then they will do all three!!
They never have to think about it, or be convinced that they are. They just are.
So let me ask you...are you happy?
If so, why? If not, why not?
What are you basing your conclusions on?
If your happiness is based on fleeting things, then maybe your happiness will be fleeting too.
If your happiness is based on things that last, maybe your happiness (and joy) will last?
"May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful". Psalm 68:3
What do you think?
Until next time - Dan