In the midst of a global pandemic that has taken the lives of millions and upended economies and societies, you might be forgiven for thinking that happiness levels would be at an all-time low. But according to the 11th annual World Happiness Report, released to coincide with the recent International Day of Happiness, people are actually slightly happier than they were before the pandemic began.
So, what’s the secret to finding happiness in a time of crisis? Could it be because of the influence of a certain moustached soccer coach?
The report suggests that one key factor is our ability to care for one another in difficult times. According to the survey, benevolence to others has risen by around 25 percent since the pandemic began. Positive emotions have remained twice as prevalent as negative ones, and feelings of positive social support are twice as strong as those of loneliness.
For the sixth year in a row, Finland was ranked as he happiest nation in the world, followed by Denmark and Iceland. The U.S. came in at No. 15, one step up from the previous year’s ranking.
Of course, it’s not all good news. The report also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by many around the world. Ukraine, for example, has seen a decline in well-being since Russian forces invaded the country last year. However, the report notes that this decline has been less severe than in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. This is in part due to “the extraordinary rise in fellow feeling across Ukraine as picked up in data on helping strangers and donations.”
