Full Description
The virus, the war, the climate, inflation, poverty and loneliness make people feel insecure. In these troubled times, there is more interest than ever for what is truly important in life: happiness, hope and love. What does science teach us today? Are we still allowed to strive towards happiness? And how do we do that? Leo Bormans asked the same question over and over again to a hundred professors all over the world: established names and young up-and-comers. Every scientist briefly summarises their recent research after which they formulate their insights in one single sentence: the essence. To this they link at least three concrete pieces of advice: for our own lives, for our friends and for society. With contributions from the most prominent experts in positive psychology, such as: Prof. Martin Seligman (University of Pennsylvania), author of more than 20 international bestsellers and the founding father of positive psychology; Richard Easterlin (University of Southern California), one of the most respected and renowned authorities in happiness research, Prof. Sir Richard Layard (The London School of Economics), one of the most influential voices in the global study of happiness and well-being; and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve (Oxford University), editor of The World Report on Happiness (UN).
Contents
THE ESSENCE
The Penguin Moment - Leo Bormans 8
PROLOGUE
Welcome to the New World - Richard Easterlin 12
Welcome to the New Book - Martin Seligman 14
The steady rise in negative emotions - Paul De Grauwe16
The World Report on Happiness - United Nations18
Serene shores: the happiest haven in the world - United Nations 20
Aaron Jarden - Australia - A personal notion27
Abieyuwa Ohonba - South Africa - The power of kindness 29
Alena Slezackova & Miroslav Svetlak - Czech Republic - Rising above adversity 30
Allesandra Tinto ao - Italy - The sense of democracy 32
Amsale Temesgen - Norway - Sustainable wellbeing 34
Amy Isham - UK - The winning combination 36
Andras Vargha - Hungary - The five pillars of mental health 40
Anna Pettini - Italy - The endless desire 42
Antonella Delle Fave - Italy - The experience of harmony 44
Arthur Grimes - New Zealand - Unleash your freedom, harness your joy 46
Attila Olah - Hungary - The golden card of mental health 48
Barbara Fredrickson - USA - Broaden & Build 50
Birger Poppel - Greenland and the Arctic Circle - Harsh environments 52
Carlos Castro - Mexico - Developing student wellbeing 54
Carol D Ryff - USA - Well-being is imperilled 56
Charles Martin-Krumm - France - The joy of learning 60
Charlie Azzopardi - Malta - The circularity of happiness 62
Chiara Ruini - Italy - Despite suffering 65
Christian Van Nieuwerburgh - Ireland & Australia - Supporting people to thrive 68
Daniel TL Shek - China - No man can live by bread alone 71
Danilo Garcia - Sweden & El Salvador - Personality and outlook 73
Dirk De Wachter - Belgium - The true sense of happiness 76
Dora Gudrun Gudmundsdottir - Iceland - The happiness construction 78
Elaine Duncan - United Kingdom - Vigour and vitality 80
Elena Pruvli - Estonia - Bridging the gap 82
Elena Stănculescu - Romania - The effects of social media 84
Ernst Bohlmeijer - The Netherlands - Psychological flexibility 86
Francesco Sarracino - Luxembourg - Post-growth happiness 88
Francis Munier - France - Friendly recognition91
Frank Martela - Finland - The government's priority 94
Gerbert Bakx - Belgium - The logic of life 96
Giacomo Degli Antoni & Giuseppe Vittucci Marzetti - Italy - Giving matters 98
Habib Tiliouine - Algeria - Nurturing the mind and purifying the soul 100
Hans Henrik Knoop - Denmark - Our unifying struggle 103
Helena Hnilicova, Dagmar Dzurova & Michala Lustigova - Czech Republic - A long and happy life 106
Helena Marujo - Portugal - Public happiness 108
Heli T Koivumaa-Honkanen - Finland - The 'happiest' country 111
Ilios Kotsou - Belgium & France - Emotional skills 114
Ingrid Kuhlman - Iceland - Connecting with nature 116
Karma Ura - Bhutan - Gross National Happiness 119
Isabella Tater - France - Being happy at work is possible 122
Iva Solcova - Czech Republic - Sress-related growth 124
James Pawelski - USA - Arts, culture, and human flourishing 126
Jan Delhey - Germany - The triad of Having, Loving & Being 128
Joseph Sirgy - USA - The balanced life 130
Judith Mangelsdorf - Germany - Personal growth 132
Julianne Holt-Lunstad - USA - Loneliness and social connection 134
Kamlesh Singh - India - Global & Local 136
Lara Aknin - Canada - Instinctive kindness 138
Leon Garduno - Mexico - The happy few 140
Lina Martinez - Colombia - Mental health literacy 142
Liz Horvath - Canada - Smart working environments 145
Louise Chawla - USA - Footprints of delight 148
Louise Lambert - United Arab Emirates & Canada - Getting beyond ourselves 151
RELIGION AND HAPPINESS: THE INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE 157
Christianity & Happiness - Koen Vlaeminck - Belgium 158
Islam & Happiness - Noraini Mohd Noor - Malaysia 160
Hinduism & Happiness - Doug Oman - USA 163
Buddhism & Happiness - Erik Hoogcarspel - The Netherlands 166
Judaism & Happiness - Jeremy Rosen - United Kingdom & USA 170
Maarten Vansteenkiste & Bart Soenens - Belgium - Essentials of human flourishing 174
Malgorzata Mikucka - Germany - Physical contact 178
Marc Fleurbaey - France - Social responsibility 180
Marc Schulz and Robert Waldinger - USA - Social fitness 182
Maria Sirois - USA - Happiness after loss 185
Marei Ahmed - France, Egypt & United Arab Emirates - Vitality, passion and sports 188
Mariano Rojas - Costa Rica & Mexico - A new narrative 190
Martijn Burger & Marloes Hoogerbrugge - The Netherlands - Urban or rural area? 192
Martin Binder - Germany - How perception shapes happiness 194
Mathieu Perona - France - It's rarely as bad as it sounds 196
Meike Bartels - The Netherlands - The heritability of happiness 198
Michael Banissy - United Kingdom - Touch is the social glue 200
Miles Richardson - United Kingdom - Happiness is in our nature 202
Mohammed Al-Haj Baddar - Jordan - Good can be more, bigger and better 204
Namhee Kim & Inchoel Choi - Republic of Korea - A very ordinary happiness 206
Naoki Akaeda - Japan - Social capital and social policy 208
Naoki Sudo - Japan - Bridging the gap 210
Nic Marks - United Kingdom - Five steps to wellbeing 212
Ognen Spasovski - North Macedonia & Slovakia - Social comparison 216
Oliver Nahkur - Estonia - Children in turbulent times 218
Pamela Abott - Scotland - United Kingdom - The decent society 220
Pedro Tabensky - South Africa - Working with the clay of the given 222
Peter Malinowski - United Kingdom - Training our mind 224
Philip Streit - Austria - Strong and Positive 227
Pninit Russo-Netzer - Israel - A compass for meaning in life 230
Robert Biswas-Diener - USA - Happiness and hospitality 233
Qadir Nadery - Afghanistan & Belgium - Living without a future 236
Richard M Ryan - Australia & South-Korea - Human motivation 240
Samuel Ho - Hong Kong - People's Republic of China - Posttraumatic growth 242
Sauwalak Kittiprapas - Thailand - Inner happiness 244
Sefa Bulut - Turkey - After the disaster 246
Seonga Kim - Republic of Korea - Economic, human and social capital 248
Sergeii Boltivets - Ukraine - The right to live 250
Shahe Kazarian Lebanon - Canada - Paradise lost 254
Shuyang Da - China - The leisurely life 258
Stefano Bartoni - Italy - Sharing is the golden thread 260
Stephanie Hess - Germany - Children's happiness 262
Suzy Green - Australia - Coaching towards goals 264
Tal Ben-Shahar- USA - The natural wonder drug 266
Tania Singer - Germany - Resetting our brains268
Thomas Wilke - Germany - Sexual happiness 270
Tim Lomas - UK & USA - Balance and harmony 272
Valerie Moller - South Africa - Hope shapes your future 276
Vijay Kumar Shrotryia - India - Emotion, economy & education 278
Wolfgang Lutz - Austria - How to become a 'happy' country 280
EPILOGUE
In search of a moral compass - Herman Van Rompuy 286
Growing knowledge - Ruut Veenhoven288
A Manifesto for well-being - Richard Layard 290
Whispered Wisdom: 600 life-transforming guiding steps 293
Redefining Happiness: The Crisis of the Penguin - Leo Bormans 294
