Be happy: Unplug and go Sailing

Since 2012, World Happiness Day on March 20 has wanted people around the world to realize the importance of happiness within their lives. It also brings the World Happiness Report into focus, the world’s foremost publication on global wellbeing and how to improve it.

Finland has dominated, holding the first place ranking without interruption since 2017, and while the report does not point to a single secret of success, contributing factors include social trust, social security, functioning institutions and a close relationship with nature. And that includes boating.

Finland has around 188,000 lakes, and when measured in mid-2019, 217,236 watercraft were registered in Finland, including 14,243 sailing boats. Finland has the highest boat density with 132 boats per 10,000 inhabitants. While this does not prove that sailing alone is responsible for elite happiness, it does show how naturally nature and water experiences are integrated into everyday life.

Also notable was how social media is negatively impacting happiness. In a sample of US college students, the majority wish that social media platforms did not exist, but they use them because others are using them. Hmm…