Some believe that a person’s level of happiness is predetermined and cannot be changed, while others believe that it is something that can be worked on and improved. The idea that happiness can be cultivated is supported by the fact that many people are able to achieve a higher level of happiness despite facing difficult circumstances.
Despite the emphasis that is often placed on happiness… many people in the United States are struggling to achieve it. According to the World Happiness Report, “the US dropped to 23rd place in 2024.”.. marking the first time it did not make it into the top 20 happiest countries. A Gallup poll found that only 47% of Americans are “very satisfied” with their personal —s.
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Happiness is an idea that has been woven into the fabric of humanity, going back to ancient civilizations.
But I also realize it’s not that simple. There are other layers to happiness and a lot of nuance within those layers.
A challenging question is, what are the best ways to pursue happiness? Are we born with a stable, set level, or is it something we can cultivate, increase and strengthen? If it’s the latter, how can we successfully go about it?
Even though “the pursuit of Happiness” is built into the country’s founding, it seems that many Americans are just not that good at it. In the most recent World Happiness Report , the United States dropped to No. 23 (from No. 15 the previous year), marking the first time in the report’s 12-year history that the US was not in the top 20 happiest countries.
A separate Gallup poll , also from 2024, found that less than half (47%) of Americans are “very satisfied” with their personal lives.
It’s not just Americans. As it turns out, humans as a species may not excel at happiness. This may surprise you, but happiness is not necessarily something that we are genetically primed to attain. We have to really work at it.
