The Happiest Places in the World -- You'd Be Surprised!

[Nicholas Kontis]

 

Arhus, Denmark * Singapore * San Luis Obispo, California * Monterey, Mexico

 

Welcome to the city of Arhus, Denmark.

 

People here in this city located 100 miles from Copenhagen are indeed very happy people. Here, people rate themselves on average as 8.5 out of 10 on the happiness. The Danes indeed have richness in life. You don't have to lock your doors.
Free health care, good schools, diverse places of worship, bars, cafes, social clubs,
forest, and never far from the sea. Transportation mostly by bike. And very few lawyers.  as business is settled with a handshake. And your word holds valid in this city of 300,000 people.
 
Singapore  *  A Multicultural Kaleidoscope

 

A bit suprised that Tibet or Bhutan are not the happiest Asian nations. They are as well very hapy,  but it is a 40 mile long island on the Malay peninsula that is Asia's true happiness spot. The World Values survey found that 95 percent of people in Singapore said they were very happy. Singaporeans are argueably also among the hardest working people in the world. Singapore is clean and safe and a woman can walk through any neighborhood at midnight and not be afraid. Add to that, a booming economy with shopping malls, outdoor cafes, and some of the finest dining in Asia, and it's no wonder Singaporeans are happy.

 

San Luis Obispo, California

 

Located both culturally and geographically halfway been Los Angeles and San Francisco. San Luis Obispo is a college town off the central coast of California. Very open minded and tolerent, the 260,000 residents of San Luis Obispo or "SLO TOWN"
experience more joy and are more likely to smile and suffer less depression. There are more than 64,000 citizens of SLO who voluneer to help others. People here work together to make a better community.

 

Monterrey, Mexico

 

Why are Mexicans so happy? It probably has to do with dispositon and an emphasis on social life over dedication to work. Political scientist, Miguel Basanez, who lived in New Jersey put it very well. "I could call 30 friends right now for a party and most of them would come right away." Yes, most of the time money does not buy true happiness. And surveys show that the people of Monterrey are the happiest in Mexico. People work hard enough to get things done, while also still enjoying life. Mexicans have always had the amazing ability to laugh in times of hardship. And November 2nd is one of the biggest holidays of the year, Day of the Dead. Nortenos have two things that keep coming up on the happiness scale that keep coming up, faith and family. You need to believe in something to be happy. Mexicans say, your body needs company ,but your soul needs company , too. And that's the company of God. Mexicans cannot live without faith, hope, and love. For these reasons Mexicans rate very high on the happiness scale.