5 Life lessons from the world's happiest countries

Since 2012, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations has been holding an annual survey to determine just that – what are the happiest countries on earth, and why.

For the past three years, Finland has come out on top (closely followed by Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway). What is it about these particular countries, that experience months of darkness each winter, midnight sun during summer, and a disproportionately high number of death metal bands that has the locals so gosh darn happy? And what can us New Zealanders learn from them?

The survey isn’t based on how many times a day you smile, or tell a joke that makes someone laugh. Happiness is generally based on how satisfied you are with how your life has been, and how you feel your life is going. The UN report relies on participants to provide honest, self-evaluations of their lives, factoring in elements like income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity.

There are a few reasons. The corruption rates are low (that’s a win), they have great public services, such as healthcare, education and unemployment benefits, and the great outdoors are in easy reach. People from Nordic countries are particularly good at getting out and about in nature, even if it’s raining, snowing, or pitch black outside.

Firstly, we are doing VERY WELL on the happiness charts. In the 2020 survey, New Zealand ranked at number eight in the happiest countries list, and Wellington was named as the third happiest city in the world. Still, there’s always room for improvement…

One of the main factors that continually provide enormous life satisfaction for residents of Finland, Norway and Switzerland is the great outdoors. Nordic communities don’t let winter’s inclement weather/two hours of daylight stand between them and the environment; they just dress more appropriately. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the Nords to continue their daily swims in winter either.

Here in New Zealand, we’ve got forests, fields and mountain trails virtually at our doorstep; studies show that even a 20-minute walk in nature can significantly reduce stress levels and increase resilience, thus boosting your overall satisfaction for life.

If there’s one thing the Nords love doing (and do well), it’s getting their gear off and jumping in the sauna. While saunas are known for their health benefits – reduced stress, release of toxins, and a great skin cleanse – this sense of togetherness breaks down societal barriers (because you can’t really brag about your status when you’re nude), and fosters community. While this might not be all that practical here in NZ due to our lack of saunas, think about other ways you can create a community in your area; it could be joining a book club, signing up for the local basketball team, or volunteering for a cause you feel passionate about.

Access to affordable education, great healthcare systems, and welfare benefits that actually benefit the people who need it most are essential in increasing happiness and life satisfaction. In Finland, new parents are given Baby Boxes, government-issued packages of clothing and essential items, while Finland, Norway and Iceland provide tuition-free education to citizens.

And then there’s the education system, which is widely considered one of the best in the world. Kids in Finland don’t start any form of formal education until they’re seven and even then, there are no mandated standardised tests (just one exam at the end of school), no rankings, no competitions and no comparisons between students.

There are no private schools, no national rankings of schools and all teachers receive equal education – which means every single child, no matter where they live or their socio-economic background, has access to the exact same level of education. “We prepare children how to learn, not how to take a test,” one teacher told the Smithsonian magazine in 2011. 

Another factor linking the world’s happiest countries? Their sustainable ways of living. Denmark has heavily invested in renewable energies, Norway is tipped to ban fossil fuel-powered cars by 2025, Finland’s swathes of forests mean the country has among the cleanest air on the planet, and the top five countries all have a 10/10 infrastructure for cycling, meaning more people are getting out on their bikes than into their cars.

Here in New Zealand, we’re doing great things with renewables too, with 84% of our electricity generated from green energy, while Auckland was recently voted the world’s best large city for cycling. Let’s keep up the good work.