1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: Right. Did the news yesterday the economy has grown more 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: than expected put you in a good mood for the week. 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Maybe the news that Fonterra has done so well put 4 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: a spring in your step. Or the opportunity to grab 5 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: a bargain and the aft to pay sales this weekend 6 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: is that putting a smile on your face? Or maybe 7 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: none of these things had an impact on your happiness. 8 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: According to the World Happiness Report, which was published yesterday 9 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: by the Well Being Research Center at the University of Oxford, 10 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: happiness isn't just about wealth or growth. It's about trust, 11 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: connection and knowing people have your back. It is not 12 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: a huge surprise. Finland is the happiest country in twenty 13 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: twenty five for the eighth year in a row. Denmark, 14 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: Iceland and Sweden came in at second, third, and fourth, 15 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: and Costa Rica and Mexico both ranked in the top 16 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: ten for the first time. New Zealand came in at twelfth, 17 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: between Australia and Switzerland. Now look, I tend to roll 18 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: my eyes every time we compare New Zealand to a 19 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: Scandinavian country. We make constant comparisons due to population size, 20 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: but we are different countries with different resources and really 21 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: follow their lead, but it isn't triguing to look at 22 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: why Finland is such a happy place. According to the 23 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: managing director at Galop, who partnered on the study, the 24 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: reason finished people are happier than most is because of 25 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: a belief in others, optimism for the future, trust and institutions, 26 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: and support from friends and family. Does any of that 27 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: feel familiar to us right now? I kind of feel 28 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,759 Speaker 1: like twelve for New Zealand feels about right. Between twenty 29 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 1: sixteen and twenty twenty, we were eighth and we've been 30 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: slowly slipping down the list since twenty twenty one. Look, 31 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: we all know that health and wealth are not solely 32 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: responsible for happiness, but they play a part. The less 33 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: you have to stress about them, the more you can 34 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: focus on being happy. But the studies turned up some 35 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: unexpected strong predictors of well being. Sharing meals with others, 36 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: having someone to count on for social support, and household 37 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: size all play a part. Basically, social connection is key 38 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: to happiness in this era of social isolation and polarization. 39 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: This applies particularly to young adults. The study found that 40 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: nineteen percent of young adults across the World reported that 41 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: they have no one they could count on for social support. 42 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: That's a thirty nine percent increase compared to two thousand 43 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: and six. It may, of course, be a hangover from 44 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: the pandemic, or, more likely, the consequence of giving our 45 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: lives over to devices and social media. The Harvard Study 46 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: of Adult Development, the famous eighty plus year's study into Happiness, 47 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: has already established a strong correlation between deep relationships and 48 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: well being. So look, this revelation about social connection isn't news. 49 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: Maybe it's an important reminder though, for us all to 50 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: put our phones down, sit up at the dining table 51 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: and have a chat. For more. From Early Edition with 52 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: Ryan Bridge. Listen live to news talks that be from 53 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,679 Speaker 1: five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.