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Just the other day I saw a research that says that people in New York are unhappy and people in Richmond VA are the happiest. I used to lived in New York, and I can vouch that every single thing really takes an extra effort in comparison to Durham where I live now. As I am turning 54, I find myself longing for a happy place more and more.
Can you please make a suggestion where the happy people live? Is it the weather? The kindness of strangers who live there? The driving? What makes a city happy? Will I be happier if I am surrounded by happy people?
I would really appreciate. Thank you!
Hey! Can you send me that article? I'm moving from NYC next month back to Richmond VA and can attest that I was much happier there. I guess the grass was greener here and I really wanted to get my professional career off the ground but now that it is I'm moving back!
I highly recommend it. Different factors make people happy. For me, it's the following:
Lower cost of living
Proximity to my family (they live in Northern VA)
Great job opportunities (Abundance of advertising Agencies)
Downtown/urban area for bars, nightlife scene, yet small quiet suburbs to reside in
Good Prospects for home ownership (cannot rent the rest of my life!)
4 Even Seasons (not 9 months of winter and 3 months of summer)
Easy access to leave the state for vacations (there's Amtrak, RIC Airport, Greyhound and other buses so it's never a problem)
Other people's factors may be completely different than what I stated above! It all just depends on what makes YOU happy. Personally, I recommend you move to RVA.
[quote=Gallit;37777128]Happiness starts from within, not from a location. I highly recommend checking out a documentary titled "Happy". It features several people who are living happy lives despite what most would see as unfortunate circumstances. One of the people they interviewed is a guy who lives in what we would consider complete "third world squalor" yet he is extremely happy with his life. It's all internal.[/quote]
I think you have an excellent point, but that you overstated it. Rather than saying "It's all internal", I would say "A lot of it is internal".
For example, let's take the case of people who get depressed when they don't see the sun for a month or two on end. This doesn't bother some people, but it bothers others. And I don't think the latter chose to be bothered by it; I believe they are that way congenitally. We humans differ so much. Suppose you and I live where we don't see the sun for a month or two and we are fine with that. It would be really unfair to chastise the people who can't cope well with it and claim it's just their attitude.
On the other hand, there are indeed people who can be happy anywhere, and others who will be miserable everywhere. My mother was determined to be miserable in life, and by god, no one could talk her out of it. So her surroundings didn't make a whole lot of difference.
But others actually thrive in warm weather, or cold weather, or near the water, or near or in the mountains, or in open spaces, or in the bustle of a big city. If people discover that such things make a big difference for them, then they should seek out those environments.
I saw a research that says ... people in Richmond VA are the happiest.
It sounds like the list you saw wasn't actually research. I've looked at research and have seen Hawaii is usually the top of the list and Colorado is almost always 2nd or 3rd.
Location: Bmore, The cursed land of -> Hotlanta -> Charlotte
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Basically its a place with a great job economy(i.e Denver/Seattle right now), lowest unemployment rate (Texas, Oklahoma City, Minneaplois), 'good weather' (though tbh if you just want to live well, weather is last on my list)(San Diego. Also Seattle or Portland, if it didnt rain alot/gloom aka summer time or like the Carolinas from what I hear, not too hot, not too cold basically, but some people prefer some snow, so again, depends, but a study showed most people consider good weather lots of sun and not too cold) and low crime.
That would be a place where most people are happy. Pretty easy to figure actually, a place where you can make a living and live without too much drama(family friendly), aka, jobs, employment, and low crime. Oh and stuff to do, to an extent, people who dont mind living slow/high pace need more or less. I personally would just want low unemployment, good job economy and atleast one major sports team thats relevant and Id be happy. Weather I could care less about if I can make myself a living.
Quote:
Originally Posted by openg30
"There is no geographical solution to a spiritual problem."
Yeah, if only I could just use my spirit to get employed, go to college and support myself. That would make sense if you meant to use determination and work hard to better yourself, but again, if you can move somewhere where that is easier to get, its better than just going "Oh, its my spirit", need to stick that quote back in the Shakespeare books, doesnt apply to the U.S. in 2014. Lol, just fix your spirit and even if youre in Detroit looking for work, youll be A-okay.
That would be a place where most people are happy. Pretty easy to figure actually, a place where you can make a living and live without too much drama(family friendly), aka, jobs, employment, and low crime. Oh and stuff to do, to an extent, people who dont mind living slow/high pace need more or less. I personally would just want low unemployment, good job economy and atleast one major sports team thats relevant and Id be happy. Weather I could care less about if I can make myself a living.
Very valid-
Unfortunately, each city is missing something. IF the economy is great, the weather is awful. If the city is very livable and great to raise a family, there is absolutely nothing to do on the weekends. If it's fun, the rents are through the roof.
Unfortunately, each city is missing something. IF the economy is great, the weather is awful. If the city is very livable and great to raise a family, there is absolutely nothing to do on the weekends. If it's fun, the rents are through the roof.
You're obviously not a member of the local Optimist Club!
I agree with the many posters who have essentially said that happiness is much more a state of mind than a location.
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Thank you!
