According to Doris Kearn Goodwin’s book, Ordinary Times, in 1940 one third of all homes had no running water, indoor toilets, bathtubs or showers and more than 50% had no central air or heat. My dear sweet Dad told a story from the 1930’s when his family (my Mema, Pa and two uncles) had a roof over their heads but no floor. Literally, they were dirt poor and would add the floor later when they could afford it.
If you were 25 years old in 1940 you stood a 40% chance of completing the 8th grade, a 25% chance of graduating high school and a 5% chance of having finished college. Yet, when Americans rated their overall happiness in the 1940s they scored themselves at 7.5 out of 10.
Today, we not only have everything they had in the 1940s but our homes on average have 2+ bathrooms, running water on every floor, 2 rooms per person… Plus, we have microwaves, ovens, dishwashers; color TV, DVD, iPods, iPads, computers, laptops and real monthly income has doubled. Today, Americans rate their overall happiness at 7.2 out of 10. (R.E. Lane, Loss of Happiness in Market Democracies)
Take The Happiness Diagnostic
Does money make you happy? Well, theoretically nothing can “make you anything” separate and apart from your choice. But…money does not make you happy. It contributes to your well-being in the USA up until you are making about $75,000 a year then it has virtually no more effect on your joy.
Would you like to know what makes you happy? Register below and let’s do a “happiness diagnostic” specifically on you and then customize a plan so that you can build your happiness starting today.
(Special thanks to Lyubomirsky’s “The How of Happiness” for content)