Keys to Potential Happiness

Danish people have been rated as the happiest folks on the planet. With regard to Europe, they have been ranked as the happiest for something like 40 years. Danes attribute this feel-good state to something they call "hygge." 

Interestingly enough, it fails to translate into English...it contains a mental component as well as a social one and generally figures to be important to one's well-being as well as in his or her behavior towards others. It can be a simple as the feeling one can get curling up with a good book, but it also has ramifications for group activities. Suffice it to say, it's hard to explain, and we Americans certainly don't get it since it's not as simple as stopping to smell the roses...though there is a flower component to happiness, according to those who would instruct us in that art. 

According to the "experts," there are eight things all happy people do.

1, Happy people go to parks to see nature at its finest.
2. Happy people live in Scandinavia or a northern climate.
3. happy people engage in hygge.
4. Happy people have satisfying jobs...or they quit unsatisfying ones.
5. Happy people DO smell the flowers...the floral scent is supposed to lead to happy thoughts.
6. Happy people get dirty...apparently, there's a component in dirt that is good.
7. Happy people exercise.
8. Happy people don't "try" to be happy.
There you have it. If I ever learn that hygge thing, I could be on my way!

The rest are within my grasp.