• by May 28, 2013

In Bhutan, the Gross National Happiness (GNH) is an indicator the government uses to measure happiness among the Bhutanese people. This commitment to gauging people’s happiness and well-being demonstrates an understanding that the happier people are, the greater is their ability to be productive. Happiness has very positive ramifications on a national socioeconomic level. The GNH index is meant to orient the people and the nation towards happiness, primarily by improving the conditions of not-yet-happy people. The ultimate purpose has been to increase well-being and happiness for a greater number of people. It’s pretty impressive for the leadership of a country to understand the value and meaning behind happiness and its effect both on the individual and on the collective good.

Are we missing something? Maybe our country should adopt some form of happiness quotient on a national level so that people could become more conscious of their happiness and strive collectively and individually to be happier. You might ask, “why?” Well, as the leaders in Bhutan have figured out, people who are happier are usually healthier and more productive. And if our population were more conscious of happiness, we might be a healthier country on a holistic level. 

Happiness might be a state of mind, but it’s also a state of body

The World Happiness Report, a publication commissioned by the United Nations, finds that happiness has an impact on health, noting, “More happiness predicts better future physical health.” It cites studies that show that “individuals with higher positive affect have better neuroendocrine, inflammatory and cardiovascular activity.” 

How do we measure happiness? 

How do you know if you’re happy? Everyone studying the topic, from philosophers to scientists to poets to laymen, comes face to face with one obvious reality: happiness is subjective. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be measured. Many surveys and indicators, including the GNH in Bhutan, do just that. And many theories exist about what causes happiness. What all of the research supports is that there are many determinants of happiness. A key component is the ability to “live in the moment,” to enjoy things as they happen. It’s a quality normally associated with teens and young adults; however, young people tend to take positive things for granted. In fact, adults over 50 might generally be considered happier because they have a greater understanding and appreciation of what brings them happiness. 

New measures of happiness need new media 

What if we took this insight and enlisted the so-called Millennial generation in becoming more aware of their happiness and to appreciate happy moments as they occur? This could surely lift our national GNH. It starts by understanding how this generation behaves. By disrupting their norm, we can encourage young people to think and see happiness differently. Rather than buying into the notion that happiness is only aspirational, something to be “longed for,” we can encourage people to experience the depth of their happy times in real time and keep a “memory bank” of this happiness for future reference.

A new “happy consciousness” could be well served by a new form of media, “happy media.” By leveraging social platforms so integral to the Millennial generation’s day-to-day experience, you can ensure that happiness is relevant. Share and spread functions would be foundational to this platform, but the uniqueness is the addition of a happy filter—basically a happiness “thermometer.” The concept is about filtering out the bad stuff and ensuring that the content that’s fueling people is positive. It provides Millennials who are so consumed with living in the moment a means for becoming conscious of happiness as it occurs. We can give new meaning to being happy and also help younger people to think more about their own well-being.

The pursuit of happy

A real example of this new media has recently been launched by a new company, Happy Fuel LLC. Its social app, called :  ) fuel (pronounced “happy fuel”), is designed to make the Millennial generation more aware of its happiness and then fuel it forward by sharing, posting, and storing. It also connects to this generation’s socially conscious mind-set. :  ) fuel uses the tools of social media to promote and spread happiness while also driving healthy behaviors. In that sense, : ) fuel is the first “happy media” application. It lets users store, gauge, and share their “happy” in the media of their choice. You can download the :  ) fuel app at the Apple App Store or visit the site at happyfuelapp.com.

Happy Fuel LLC is attempting to spread awareness and engagement around happiness. It does so on a grassroots level, and actually mimics how happiness happens. :  ) fuel attempts to bridge the awareness with the doing. It strives to help raise our Gross National Happiness quotient — and who wouldn’t be happy about that?