Box 3.1: Happiness Indicators

  Primarily concerning well-being –health:

• Having food to eat –both in quality and quantity;

• Evacuating three times a day or as many times as one eats (the capacity of elimination of body waste as a simple indicator of bodily health);

• Participating in food production or preparation for oneself or others;

• Being able to produce as much as possible of what one consumes;

• Having access to information, instruction and training in ways to live better;

• Having work to do and with pleasure;

• Being able to obtain a comfortable, spacious and adequate place to live in near one´s place of work;

• Getting care, and the possibility of cure and compassion in case of illne

• Being able to feel protected and secure in the society in which one lives

• Being able to enjoy Nature without damaging it, as well as caring for it;

• Enjoying air (including proper breathing), water, light and space in sufficient natural quality and quantity; and

• Sleeping well and waking up rested.

  Primarily concerning Contentment:

• Being able to express creativity;

• Being respected and respecting others;

• Being able to express one´s feelings and thoughts freely;

• Having a personal ethical code; and

• Being able to cooperate and share with others.

If indicators of happiness as basic and simple as these, within easy comprehension and monitoring not just of leaders but of common people, could be the focus of all societal, international and inter-community, action and policies, indeed we are certain this would be a way conducive to happiness; happiness as the greatest wealth as Buddha said. Source: Bracho, Frank, 2004, Happiness as the Greatest Human Wealth, Proceedings of the First GNH Conference, Centre for Bhutan Studies, http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publications/conference-publications/ [accessed on 25 April 2012].