You don't have to buy someone a fancy, new car to make them happy, although that might certainly help. Sometimes holding a door, or flashing a smile, can brighten someone's day. It doesn't always take extravagance.
I bring up the topic of happiness on the heels of the 2016 World Happiness Report, which was released Wednesday. Apparently, there really is such a report and Denmark ranks No. 1, followed by Switzerland at No. 2.
The United States ranks 13th in total happiness, lagging behind our neighbor to the north, Canada, at No. 6.
Further down the list, other world powers didn't fare as well. The United Kingdom was 23rd, Japan ranked 53rd, and China was way down the list at 83rd.
If you're wondering how America, billed as the richest nation in the world, didn't finish atop the list of happiness, I'll provide this explanation. There's more to measuring happiness, the report said, than examining a financial statement.
According to the Happiness Report, people who live in the happiest countries have lower perceptions of corruption, experience more generosity, have more social support, have more freedom to make life choices, and have longer life expectancies, among other things.
In other words, it's not all about the money.
It was noted Norway ranks No. 4 on the list because its citizens pull together for a true spirit of community. For example, it's common for people to paint each other's houses, even though they can afford to pay someone to paint their house. However, when people are more likely to buy something than to do something for themselves or for others, we lose something along the way.
The Happiness Report also noted some countries have glaring gaps when it comes to happiness among its residents. They may live in an area ripe with corruption that causes them misery that may not impact residents in another city or state. Or there may be huge differences between rich and poor that stifles the ability of the poor to construct a favorable life.
The southern Asian country of Bhutan is among the nations which is keenly focused on happiness and is working to achieve it for its citizens and for people around the globe. Bhutan has declared March 20 as World Happiness Day and is encouraging other nations to adopt the day too.
Instead of measuring prosperity in terms of wealth and economic gains, the Bhutan leaders believe happiness is the more appropriate gauge to determining the health of a nation.
Have a Coke and a smile. Eat a Happy Meal. What we really crave in life is glee. And in order to help achieve that goal, I'm heading out to buy myself something nice.
Standard editor James Clark can be reached at 473-2191.