New Global Flourishing Study: Indonesia & Mexico Rank Highest

The headline-grabbing World Happiness Report is based on a single question put to people in 164 countries: how do you rate your life satisfaction on a scale of one to ten? Northern European nations––Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, etc.––always ranks highest for happiness. The new “Global Flourishing Study” gathers more multidimensional wellbeing data on 200,000-plus people in 22 countries to identify what makes people flourish––which isn’t just happiness, success, or how you feel on the inside. Yes, it asks people about their happiness, but also their physical and mental health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships, and financial situation.  

The results are surprising. Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines took the top three slots. Despite having lower incomes, people in these nations report having strong spiritual ties, meaningful lives, and a sense of purpose and family. Among the 22 countries, wealthier nations like the US (15th), Sweden (18th), UK (20th) and Japan (last, in 22nd) are not faring as well: they score high in financial stability but lower in meaning and connections. Other key findings: young people are struggling more compared to the past; flourishing scores are notably higher for married people; people who go to religious services regularly report higher scores in all areas (particularly happiness, meaning, and relationships); and childhood events (your relationships with your parents, whether you felt safe/healthy as a kid) predict your ability to flourish as an adult.  

Read the study.  

Read The Conversation for more findings.