Happiest Person In America: Whats Sex Got To Do With It?

Who is the happiest person in America? USA Today featured Happiest Person in a cover story in its USA Weekend magazine. Bad news: it's not you. Nor is it me.

Just how did they find Happiest Person and determine that he is indeed the happiest person in America? The USA Today research team appears to have used an elegantly simple three-step process.

First, they identified "the world's leading authority on happiness", Martin Seligman ... which must have come as a wee bit of a surprise to several of his equally well-known and equally well-respected peers. How they picked Seligman remains more of a mystery than how a land-locked nation of mountains and yodeling became home to the holy grail of yachting, but we are working feverishly to crack the code.

Next, they asked Seligman to name six principles of happiness. Seligman listed couple strengths, a win-win approach, savoring success, playing to one's strengths, opening doors to opportunity and finding meaning in life.

Finally, they applied Seligman's principles to determine who best matches them. Naawww, just kidding. That would make way too much sense. Instead, USA Today created a make-believe process of its own that stands out from Seligman's list like the Jolly Green Giant at a dwarf convention. Here is the USA Today process.

Geography. It seems that Happiest Person must live in the best place to live, which is Virginia Beach, in case you didn't know. If somebody even happier than Happiest Person lives in San Francisco or Vermont, the USA Today research team does not want to know.

Why confine their search to one town? Could geography be the secret to happiness that Seligman failed to mention? True, research does show that people living in free societies tend to be happier than others, but there is no evidence that where you live within the free world makes a difference.

Sex. Women are prone to higher emotional highs and lower emotional lows, whereas men are prone to more constant emotions. So Happiest Person must be a man, concludes USA Today. While the science does hit the bull's eye, the conclusion misses the barn wall. I suppose they'll be telling us that Seattle is the sunniest spot in America because the weather fluctuates less than in The Sunshine State.

Family. Happiest Person is married, has children, and is healthy. People with intimate relationships do tend to be happier, and marriage is a fairly good indicator (especially for men). And health is important. These may not be among Seligman's six principles, but let's not argue against good health.

Money. Happiest person has a "good, dependable job" as a stockbroker, a 2,300 square foot house (with an eat-in kitchen and a deck!). The truth comes out ? money does buy happiness, according to the USA Today research team.

In fact, studies show that money makes a difference only if it elevates a person above the poverty level. When a person has means enough not to struggle for basic necessities, money rarely buys happiness.

Brand-awareness. This one must have made the big ad agency tycoons drool in their Corn Flakes. Happiest Person is for real because he likes all the right brands! He "digs" Coca-cola, so he must be the real thing. And he loves Craftsman tools and Dell computers. Say no more.

Where does the USA Weekend exposé leave the rest of us? If you are a little old lady enjoying retirement in Atlanta or a student conquering new fields of knowledge in Ann Arbor, you clearly are not happy enough for USA Today. But cheer up, even The Happy Guy eats "donuts" rather than "Krispy Kremes".

About The Author

David Leonhardt is the Happy Guy, author of "Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness". Sign up for your free "Daily Dose of Happiness" at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html, or visit the Self-actualization Resource Center at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/self-actualization-articleshtml.

info@thehappyguy.com

---

Choose To Be Happy - NOW!

The older I get, the more I realize that ninety... Read More

How to Stop Attracting Negative People to Your Life

Placing your attention, energy and focus on the negative aspects... Read More

It Costs Nothing To Smile

I like to be around positive people, people who tend... Read More

Change 1 Thing Per Month - Making it Great One Step at a Time

So you're stuck in a rut, bored with how your... Read More

Love Yourself First ? Im Happy. Youre Happy. Were All Happy!

As a teenager growing up reading 'Blue Jeans' and 'Jackie',... Read More

10 Ways to Bring Meaning to Your Life

My life always appears to be so hectic. It's as... Read More

How To Achieve Absolute Happiness

Everyone wants to be happy. When you decide to be... Read More

Happiness - Not Something To Pursue

Perhaps the most sought after thing in the world is... Read More

Top 25 Happiness Quotations

"There are hundreds of languages in the world, but a... Read More

Have You Ever Tasted The Fruit Of Pure Happiness?

Have you ever been really happy? Have you ever tasted... Read More

Simple Pleasures: Ingredients to Feed Your Spirit.

"When we do something we love, again and again, our... Read More

Suffering and Happiness

The one feature that sets life on Earth apart from... Read More

Red Balloon of Happiness

Just when you think you know it all, some 17-month... Read More

Hanging Out

Right off the top: What is the difference between dating... Read More

Chasing The Whats Next

Are you an adrenaline junkie who is looking for balance?... Read More

Free Tips To Improve Self Confidence

1. DRUNK!At the age of sixteen I was invited out... Read More

Looking In The Eyes Of Happiness

From what you see around you in your daily lives,... Read More

Divining your Number of Destiny

Your Destiny Number, which describes all of the talents and... Read More

King Solomons Mind

"Don't you understand, everything in this life is meaningless," cautioned... Read More

Achievement and Happiness the 80/20 Way

If there was ever a principle that was responsible for... Read More

7 Keys to a Happy Life

1. Do not act in order to receive a payoff.This... Read More

Being Happy

How can one be happy? Is it a tough question?... Read More

In Pursuit of Happiness

In pursuit of happiness, what will we do as women?... Read More

The American Dream ? At What Cost?

When people are asked, "How many of you are content... Read More

Uncovering Your Joy: Using a Personal Journal to Discover a Life Filled with Happiness

Author Tristine Rainer wrote "Happiness within a diary has less... Read More

The Underestimated Power of Kindness

It was a bright Saturday morning in the late fall.... Read More

How To Live Happily Ever After

In life, many of us simply plunge ahead, only to... Read More

Can Existential Therapy Give You a Sense of Wellbeing?

My journey to becoming a therapist began with a desire... Read More

Reframing with NLP For Enhanced Happiness

I used to work for the Independent National Newspaper in... Read More

How To Be Happy

Happiness is a state of mind, so your state of... Read More

Quick Steps On Being Happier

Want to be happier?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker, author and... Read More

Quick Tips On Staying Positive In A Negative World

Looking for a way to stay positive in a negative... Read More

Ten Ways to Eliminate Guilt From Your Life

1. Say "Yes" Only When You Want ToYou want to... Read More