What Price Happiness

A recent survey shows that Singaporeans are generally happy, scoring a 6.6 on a scale of 1 to 10. And according to Dan Buettner, best-selling author of The Blue Zones and Thrive – Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way, “Singapore is the happiest place in Asia”.

However, Singaporeans have rated their personal savings, or the lack of it, as the area in which they are most unhappy with, according to a research study titled The Happiness Report recently released last month.

The study, which was conducted by Grey Group, also revealed the top 5 things that Singaporeans were happiest about, with 78% citing Singapore as the best place to live in the world, followed by close family ties, spirituality, social support networks, and personal time being the fifth on the happiness index. Interestingly, the study also discovered that men were happier than women at the workplace.

Can happiness be bought with a price tag? Some would say “yes”, judging from the long queue of thousands of people, some of whom stayed overnight, outside the new H&M flagship store when it was launched here.

What was it that attracted these people to sacrifice their precious sleep to queue overnight? Was it the free shopping vouchers? The lure of the much-coveted brand? Or merely the fun of jumping on the bandwagon of being the first hundred or thousand to visit the new store?

This incident reminds me of a previous news report I had read about a young man in China who sold his kidney in order to buy an Apple iPad. It was reported that he later developed complications but his ultimate fate was not known.

It’s sad that some people would resort to anything, even selling their own organ, just to satisfy a material want. Do they really feel happy forgoing their sleep or worse, their organ, to own a H&M dress or an iPad? I wonder.

Call me simple but to me, happiness is priceless. It is having someone love and accept me despite my flaws and all.

Happiness is also having good health to live a meaningful life with my loved ones.

Happiness is having a family that will always stand by me in good and tough times.

Happiness is being able to let go of past hurts and forgive the unforgiveable.

Happiness is being contented with whatever I have and not feeling the need to compare with what others have.

Some of these happiness I know I’m already blessed with; some I am still trying to achieve.

But one thing I’m certain is I want my child to grow up knowing the value of true happiness — that it is something that comes from within us, not what others can give or even take away from us.

Maybe I should go get the Thrive book by Dan Buettner.
 

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Nice Story!

Nice Story!

Thanks, Chen! I feel good

Thanks, Chen! I feel good knowing that others are encouraged by what I wrote. And in a way, I get encouraged too, while encouraging others. 🙂

 Nice one Angel! You're

 Nice one Angel! You’re always so full of positive vibes. I feel good just reading what you write!!