The Happiness Index

So it just recently came out that the UK government is trying to implement a happiness and well being survey as part of their national statistics campaign. An article was in The Guardian a couple of days ago. I bring this up on this blog, because there is no doubt that happiness is directly related to how one feels about oneself. And it is so subjective, it is almost impossible to measure. I question the value of such data really. What does the UK government actually want to guage? Job satisfaction? The relationship between financial wellbeing and emotional wellbeing?

Someone said to me yesterday that when she left her first husband, her mother asked "why????? You have a nice house, a good job, you are financial secure. What else do you want?" and she said "mum, I'm unhappy". Her mother then said "But you CAN'T be happy forever!" But you can. And it has nothing to do with anything material. It's not about money. It's not about health. And it's not about education. Of course all of these things can have an influence over the way we feel about our lives, but I think we all get to a point when we have to realise, and decide for ourselves, that happiness can be independent of all of that.

That's not always easy. But it's possible. To put things into perspective for myself personally, I am physically healthy. I'm 5 foot 1 and 50kg (110 pounds). I wear size 8 clothes. I am about 7 months away from finishing my university studies (teaching), I have discovered a passion for writing in the last 2 years that I can't and don't want to shake. I own the one bedroom unit that I live in. And I have a supportive network of family and friends. I should be completely happy, right?

But, all too often I don't feel it. Sometimes I feel lonely. Sometimes I feel scared of failing at the career I have chosen. Sometimes the state of my finances (as interest rates and cost of living keep increasing) makes me feel sick. Sometimes I still look in the mirror and don't like what I see. Sometimes my sense of self worth is low. I think that I am simply going through a phase of change in my life. A metamorphosis, if you will. And no amount of measuring on the happiness index is going to truly guage how I feel right now about life.

I'm throwing the happiness index out the window. Clearly it's bollocks. No-one else can measure how happy you are. It's something you have to find out for yourself. And no-one else can draw any conclusions about what it is that you need to make you feel happy either. That's another thing you have to find out for yourself. Happiness is a subjective and personal thing. I hope mine comes soon.