Good news heralds us from the current (11/23/09) issue of Time Magazine.  The word is that some aspects of the current recession appear to have made people feel better!

The article refers to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index Study¹, which has been following health and well-being data since its launch in January 2008.

The study was designed to function like a Dow Jones average of attitude.  At least 1,000 people are surveyed daily, 350 days a year.

According to the results, when the stock markets dropped dramatically last fall overall happiness did too; and anyone who lost his or her job, house, or health care is probably still in a world of pain.

But here’s the really interesting finding: overall well-being was higher in the summer of 2009 than it was in the previous summer, before the impact of the recession was fully upon us. In fact, the latest report finds America’s happiness at an all-time high!

According to the article everyone – or at least everyone who claims to be happy – seems to have some reason for finding an “upside to the downturn.”

This data reinforces the observations made in our inaugural web column in March 2009. We noted that despite hardship, fear, and worry about the future, a number of people reported that their lives had also improved in some ways.

These included:

• Spending more quality time with family and friends
• Becoming more resilient and re-prioritizing key aspects of their lives
• Reflecting on and shifting their core values, lifestyles, and spending habits
• Reaching out and helping others, even when their personal financial situation was deteriorating

Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar this past year?

We invite you to take some time over this Thanksgiving break to consider the potential upsides to the downturn in your own life, as well as the ways in which you and your loved ones may have become stronger and healthier individuals as a result of the current constraints.

Best wishes to our American readers for a wonderful, gratitude-filled Thanksgiving!

¹ Healthways Well-Being Index Data, U.S. Composite and Life Evaluation Score

• Based on 31,523 surveys completed in October 2009. Total of 655,061 since January 2, 2008

http://www.well-beingindex.com/files/GallupHealthwaysWBIReport_102009.pdf