Lessons in happiness from around the world

Author and journalist Helen Russell explores the global secrets to contentment that can change our lives

- Helen Russell

Think of a place you associate with happiness. Somewhere in Scandinavia, perhaps? Australia? The Netherlands? We all have an idea of the ‘happy countries’ that regularly top the polls – but what if we could learn something from cultures we’re less familiar with? What if, in fact, there were dozens of unique happiness hacks from all over the world, just waiting for you to try?

I started researching happiness when I relocated from a busy London life to rural Denmark and wrote The Year Of Living Danishly (Icon Books), exploring what Danes do differently. Since then, I’ve been humbled and moved to hear from readers across the globe with wide-ranging perspectives. But the one constant has been an urge to share the happiness secrets of their own countries. So I began to investigate, interviewing people worldwide to pull together a catalogue of cultural customs that give horizontal perspective on happiness and what it means to live a good life.

It led to my new book, The Atlas Of Happiness (Two Roads). It isn’t a compendium of the happiest countries; instead, it’s a look at some of the concepts that are making people happier in different places. Because if we only look at the countries already coming top of the happiness polls, we miss out on the ideas and knowledge from cultures outside our own echo chambers. Nowhere is a utopia. Everywhere has its faults. But I set out to celebrate the best bits as well as national characteristics at their finest – because that’s what we should all be aiming for. Here are a few of my favourites….

NORWAY

Climb every mountain (and earn your lunch)