A scientist and happiness authority asserts our pre-COVID pursuit of happiness isn't working. A shift of perspective is needed.
SPOKANE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2021 / According to the most recent National Opinion Research Center (NORC) survey, only 14% of Americans scored their state of happiness as "very happy." In the 2019 survey, it had been 31%.
The 2021 World Happiness Report now shows that the United States has lost another spot in our global ranking. We may soon return to many of the activities put on hold since March 2020, thanks to vaccinations and loosening restrictions. Dr. Ryan Casseau, scientist and author of Wild Happy, says we shouldn't forget that things weren't perfect before the pandemic.
"Even before COVID-19, happiness levels in the United States have been consistently decreasing since the 1990s. The old model of prioritizing achievements and income wasn't working."
Dr. Casseau's unusual experience includes stumbling upon lessons in happiness during scientific fieldwork in remote jungle villages in Papua New Guinea, where he lived for many months. While his initial purpose was to learn from the indigenous population about plants and medicines, the real lessons came from seeing how deeply content the local people were in their isolated island communities.
"In the villages, they had much healthier relationships between time, possessions, and social interactions. They knew bits about how the rest of the world was living, such as in the United States, but they didn't care."
There are some striking similarities between his experience living in remote villages and what we've all experienced due to COVID-19. "Discontent can be like a bad smell," Dr. Casseau continues. "You need to leave the room and return later to see how bad it is."
Dr. Casseau believes his observations of what led to such contentment in the jungle villages can be readily adapted to our modern society. The first step, however, is acknowledging that a change is needed. "Our modern comforts and complications are now getting in the way of living lives full of love and autonomy. If we are open to dialing life back and living more simply, with more time outside and with friends and family, we could find a deeper contentment, too."
About Ryan Casseau
Ryan Casseau, Ph.D., is the founder of The Wantok Path, which fuses remote indigenous perspective with contemporary science and psychology for an alternative approach to deep contentment and happiness. He is the author of the forthcoming book Wild Happy (July 2021) and is available to speak on the pursuit of happiness and contentment amid the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. For more information, visit www.wild-happy.com.
For additional information, visit Ryan Casseau/Wild Happy on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
CONTACT:
Laura Herrera
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SOURCE: Cresting Wave Publishing