What is your happiness score? #InternationalDayOfHappiness

I have a fun exercise for you today. It is International Day of Happiness and this year’s theme is Happier Together. Let’s take the Action for Happiness pledge:

“I will try to create more happiness in the world around me”

To implement that pledge, let’s check our own happiness score, shall we? The considerate folks at Oxford University have developed a handy questionnaire with 29 questions to help us do just that. I think the questions are a nice nudge to work on those areas so we can be happier together, while making a world a happier place. What do you think?

Use the questionnaire to rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 6 as follows:

1 = strongly disagree
2 = moderately disagree
3 = slightly disagree
4 = slightly agree
5 = moderately agree
6 = strongly agree

Don’t linger too long with each question. There are no right and wrong answers. Just go by the answer that first pops into your head when you read the question. Stuck for an answer? Just go by what is true in your case most of the time.

The Questionnaire

1. I don’t feel particularly pleased with the way I am. (R) _____
2. I am intensely interested in other people. _____
3. I feel that life is very rewarding. _____
4. I have very warm feelings towards almost everyone. _____
5. I rarely wake up feeling rested. (R) _____
6. I am not particularly optimistic about the future. (R) _____
7. I find most things amusing. _____
8. I am always committed and involved. _____
9. Life is good. _____
10. I do not think that the world is a good place. (R) _____
11. I laugh a lot. _____
12. I am well satisfied about everything in my life. _____
13. I don’t think I look attractive. (R) _____
14. There is a gap between what I would like to do and what I have done. (R) _____
15. I am very happy. _____
16. I find beauty in some things. _____
17. I always have a cheerful effect on others. _____
18. I can fit in (find time for) everything I want to. _____
19. I feel that I am not especially in control of my life. (R) _____
20. I feel able to take anything on. _____
21. I feel fully mentally alert. _____
22. I often experience joy and elation. _____
23. I don’t find it easy to make decisions. (R) _____
24. I don’t have a particular sense of meaning and purpose in my life. (R) _____
25. I feel I have a great deal of energy. _____
26. I usually have a good influence on events. _____
27. I don’t have fun with other people. (R) _____
28. I don’t feel particularly healthy. (R) _____
29. I don’t have particularly happy memories of the past. (R) _____

Calculate your score

1. With some questions, you’ll see an (R) These should be scored in reverse. So, if you gave yourself a 1, change it to 6. 2 should be 5; 3 is 4; 4 is 3; 5 is 2 and 6 is 1.
2. Now add the numbers for the 29 questions.
3. Divide the total by 29. This is your happiness score.

Make a note of the date and your score, so if you check again another day you can compare your scores, which I hope, will rise. Apparently the average score is between 4 and 6.

What’s your happiness score today?

Happy International Day of Happiness!

Wednesday Wisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, reflections and humor.