Personal finance company, WalletHub, recently ranked Hawai`i as the “happiest state in America”. Again. Survey factors include work-life balance, emotional and physical well-being, community and environment, and work environment. Research and metrics from various U.S. agencies plus other assorted studies rounded out the ranking’s data pool.
This accolade might be but a snapshot, as we all have our own definition of what determines happiness, and where/how we fit in. But the survey parallels an inherent belief system, which includes local concepts like ‘ohana and aloha, that allows many in Hawai`i to still feel happy amid tough life issues, from affordable housing scarcity to eking out a living while facing constant economic decisions that affect far too many, far too often.
Hawai`i ranks #1 in “emotional and well-being” and #31 in “work environment”. What clinched our overall #1 happiness ranking is coming in at #3 in “community and environment”. A further breakdown (no pun intended) shows Hawai`i has the lowest share of adult depression of any state, yet also has the lowest share of adults who say they get adequate sleep nightly. Those seemingly polar opposite notions might portend bigger problems in our emotional states, yet we somehow smile and still feel OK amid our grogginess.
While these surveys often provide simple dinner table fodder, there is something to be said about how, in spite of high local costs, increased traffic and crumbling infrastructure, our melting pot of humanity still considers itself fortunate and happy.
Keola & Kapono Beamer, in the final line of their whimsical, 1975 classic, “Mr. Sun Cho Lee”, sang that “It’s amazing we can live in the same place”. Indeed. We persevere; we celebrate one another and with one another. We feel pride whenever someone local shines on the national/international stage. We’re OK being underdogs, isolated, fending (oft times) for ourselves. The bouillabaisse of cultures, our intricate mélange of styles, food, customs, habits, and even eccentricities is a big draw that apparently keeps most people here (relatively) happy.
Maryland, New Jersey, Utah, and Delaware round out WalletHub’s top five happiest states. Happiness is a state of mind. Unlike many outside factors that impact you, you can control your own happiness to a large degree through your mindset, goals, friends, and expectations. So maybe we can feel some small kine pride in being ranked #1. Maybe we’ve felt that way all along, but stayed humble, yeh?
Think about it…